Inman aligners

[kittenheels]

Thought I would do a bit of an update for you.

I have had the IA for two and a half weeks. I had my check up with my dentist on Monday who did some more filing and is really pleased with how my teeth are moving. I am getting used to my new bite and food chewing is getting much easier. I can see some slight movement and my teeth are looking tidier.

As for speech, I am not sure if it is improving or if I am more confident with it in, either way I am making sure I get 16 hours in at least. As I teach, I have even tried teaching a few lessons with it in - it really made my class listen well!

So just 10 more weeks to go ....

[Hatemyteeth]

I finally got my upper aligner back from the lab on Tuesday evening so I'm in agony the last couple of days. I had a dental visit this morning and he said the back teeth are sore because of the palate expander pushing them. It should be ok in a day or two though.

The good news is that my lower teeth are finished, however I'm going away on Saturday morning and I wouldn't have the retainer before then so for the next couple of weeks I just have to wear the IA as a retainer (about 12 hours per day) and then when I get back I'll get the mould done for the retainer

[Annielorry]

Hello,

I am so glad that I found this website. My dentist told me this morning about the IA and I am really interested. I have never had a brace but my teeth are really overlaped at the front and it seems brilliant. Anyone experience let us know, all info greatfully recieved. Honestly is it worth it? and does it hurt?

Thank you, off in an hour to have a 'chat' about it...

[theflooze]

Hi Annielorry, yep the site is great whether you've already got an IA or are considering one. Nothing like everyone's personal experiences to tell it how it is! I'm on week 10 with an upper aligner (with extra retainer). I can honestly say it's never been really painful, more just like aches and tender bits of gum or sore sides of mouth. Even the filing of the teeth isn't painful - just a very weird sensation! I think the real test is one of perserverance! I'm at a very slow stage - the teeth on one side moved really quickly - within about 3-4 weeks - but the other side is proving really stubborn to move, so I'm having to try and be really patient. It can get very tedious wearing the IA and some days are worse than others, but you have to keep focussed on the end goal and stick with it. The estimate for me was 10-12 weeks in total, but obviously it's going to take longer than that. Bear this in mind if you go ahead. They can give you an estimate of the timescale, but it's impossible to be definite about how long its going to take. But everyone who's finished the treatment has emphasised that it's worthwhile, so I'm just trying to grin and bear it !!

[Hatemyteeth]

Hello,

I am so glad that I found this website. My dentist told me this morning about the IA and I am really interested. I have never had a brace but my teeth are really overlaped at the front and it seems brilliant. Anyone experience let us know, all info greatfully recieved. Honestly is it worth it? and does it hurt?

Thank you, off in an hour to have a 'chat' about it...

It'll take forever but I recommend reading through this whole thread.

I can confirm that wine takes away the pain of the first few days

[Annielorry]

Thanky you Hatemyteeth (not for long though! :) ) and The Flooze for your pearly whites of wisedom. I am going to make a proper appointent and see what they say, yesterday was just a chat with my dentist and he has given me details of an orthandontist so watch this space... I hope you have lovely weekends

[smiletime]

Got moulds taken today for a series of 3 clear aligners to to the final tweaks! Then I am DONE!

Hooray!

Will keep you posted as to what the clear aligners are like for doing the final adjustments!

[dashda]

Hello, unfortunately I don't have time to read the whole thread. After a bit of surfing on this thread I didn't find any answers to my questions.

Does Inman Aligner correct diastema as well? I have a minor one..

Also, is it mandatory to go check-in every month, because I would live far from the dentist that does IA..it would cost a lot for me to go over there a lot.

Is the minimum price for IA 1200$, I read that somewhere. But I also read about someone using IA for 8 months and paying 2000$. That doesn't sound right, considering one might have to wear it only for a month.



Thank you in advance!

[style1983]

Slightly getting annoyed with IA lately. Almost at 5 weeks now. Haven't seen any movement since before week 2. This is supposed to be a very simple case too, except for one incisor which is slightly rotated - and that hasn't moved at all. Also, there seems to be just a bit of crowding between my front teeth that wasn't there before. I can still feel pressure on the teeth but nothing happens. Constant pressure, and no movement. I was scheduled to see my orthodontist again exactly one month after wearing the aligner. I realized there was no movement going on 2 weeks and I called to make an appointment, thinking he'd possibly make some adjustments. All he did was was somehow trim on the plastic portion of the aligner (I didn't even see it - I only heard the drill). He said that would put more pressure on the rotated incisor. I asked him about filing between teeth (even pointed at the obvious crowding) and he said it wouldn't matter. Asked him about adjusting the pressure of the aligner itself, again, he said this wouldn't matter. Asked him about using composite to make the aligner work better, same rules apply. "It doesn't matter". I was annoyed hearing those words.

They scheduled me to come back in at a month after this appointment. Which would be over a week still, to me that is a long time when it is doing nothing. I was sort of reluctant to do it at first because I found this particular orthodontist to be strange. No one else in my area offered it and I couldn't afford anything else. From everything I have read, almost everyone needs some sort of filing, composite, and adjustments. I'm convinced he may not even know what he is doing and that this is some sort of experimental device to him. Anyone ever switch inman providers after already setting up payments with a particular inman provider?

I'd consider driving a few hours once a month if that meant this was going to work. It's very difficult with the current provider because I can tell it annoys him that I've read about the device. There is a fine line between recommending things be done so it works, and complaining. So far, I haven't complained at all, but I haven't been honest with them either. I am not happy with how it has gone so far.

[LivGrace]

Hi everyone
seems like such a long time ago when I last posted on here!

well its been about 15 weeks since I started with the IA and I'm moving onto my second clear aligner now...so hopefully will all be finished soon :)

for anyone who is new to the inman or has any questions at all, I am more than happy to try and help!

Liv x

[steveogt4]

hi im new to the forum im interested in the inman aligner and looking for advice and help on it well to cut along story short i suffer from cystic fibrosis due to this i have to spit up mucus up everyday and the way i spit i have pushed my top teeth forward i think its caused by tongue thrusting i have buck teeth an overbite or overjet im not sure on what the right name is i went and seen two inman aligner dentists one was rude and not nice and said the inman wont work and a waste of time getting my teeth straightened so i went and seen another one who was alot nicer and polite and said he could reduce my bite by 80 percent but i read that there is alot of relapses with alignered teeth so this has worried me and if i got a permanant retainer i would worry my tongue would push my teeth back out and be worse cause of the retainer so this has made me worry about getting it done im not looking for a hollywood smile or that i just want to smile :( hope yous can tell me hows you have got on and any help or advice i stay in paisley near glasgow scotland incase anyone wondered thanks .

[smiletime]

Slightly getting annoyed with IA lately. Almost at 5 weeks now. Haven't seen any movement since before week 2. This is supposed to be a very simple case too, except for one incisor which is slightly rotated - and that hasn't moved at all. Also, there seems to be just a bit of crowding between my front teeth that wasn't there before. I can still feel pressure on the teeth but nothing happens. Constant pressure, and no movement. I was scheduled to see my orthodontist again exactly one month after wearing the aligner. I realized there was no movement going on 2 weeks and I called to make an appointment, thinking he'd possibly make some adjustments. All he did was was somehow trim on the plastic portion of the aligner (I didn't even see it - I only heard the drill). He said that would put more pressure on the rotated incisor. I asked him about filing between teeth (even pointed at the obvious crowding) and he said it wouldn't matter. Asked him about adjusting the pressure of the aligner itself, again, he said this wouldn't matter. Asked him about using composite to make the aligner work better, same rules apply. "It doesn't matter". I was annoyed hearing those words.

They scheduled me to come back in at a month after this appointment. Which would be over a week still, to me that is a long time when it is doing nothing. I was sort of reluctant to do it at first because I found this particular orthodontist to be strange. No one else in my area offered it and I couldn't afford anything else. From everything I have read, almost everyone needs some sort of filing, composite, and adjustments. I'm convinced he may not even know what he is doing and that this is some sort of experimental device to him. Anyone ever switch inman providers after already setting up payments with a particular inman provider?

I'd consider driving a few hours once a month if that meant this was going to work. It's very difficult with the current provider because I can tell it annoys him that I've read about the device. There is a fine line between recommending things be done so it works, and complaining. So far, I haven't complained at all, but I haven't been honest with them either. I am not happy with how it has gone so far.

Hi Style1983,

I would advise you to be upfront with them.
If you are not happy and feel things aren't right, tell your dentist. You are investing a lot of money, so bite the bullet and say it.
You know your teeth better than your dentist and if you know its not going well, then it probably isn't.

My dentist was horrible, never listened to a word I said. Wanted to finish my IA asap, take my money and get rid of me.
When he had 'finished' I was devastated. My teeth were still not aligned and looked nothing like what they were supposed to end up like.

I ended up going to a different branch of the dentist in a different town. I now have a lovely dentist, who was shocked the way they were left. I am on a series of clear aligners to finish my treatment and he is not charging me a penny.

Stick to your guns.

[tonyt]

Hi guys. thats me had the inman aligner for 3 weeks now. I seem to have an expander incorporated into the aligner which I have to turn every week. A friend of mine said he had this expander for 12 weeks prior to having the aligner and that he hadn't thought it was possible to have the 2 at the same time.. Anyway I have it seems.

The first 2 or 3 days my teeth were rather sore especially when i took the aligner out or put it back in. However, 3 weeks in and I can hardly feel any pressure. I told my dentist today about the lack of pressure felt but she said that this is normal. Does anyone push their teeth with their tounge/other teeth as well as pressing the bar etc to feel added pressure? I find myself doing this a lot recently.

Got some composites after a week which keeps the bar in the correct place both front and behind teeth. These feel weird for a few days but soon got used to them and you cant notice them when the aligner is off.

Today I got my teeth stripped to create more room. My dentist has said that i should notice greater movement now as my teeth have room to move in to place. So far there has been slight movement, very slight. In next week for more stripping ;)

I have been wearing the brace for around 18 hours a day, there has been one day where i was at a wedding and the aligner was out for most of the day.

As for speaking - After the first week i didnt think my speech would improve, however, 3 weeks in and its definitely better, although far from perfect - just something that i'll have to live with - its really not too bad.

Soo.... 3 weeks down - 13 to go. I'll post again in another few weeks.

Any questions please just ask.

[Tigger]

Second check up yesterday (5 weeks total). Saw a massive amount of movement week 3-4, even on the rotated tooth, unfortunately it also starts to move back quite quickly when the IA is out. First thing in the morning they are pretty straight Dentist said he didn't think I would need much more filing, if any. Managing to wear it at work a bit as some of the patients are able to understand me ok. So I guess it's just a bit more movement and waiting for them to settle in. Hoping it wont take the 4 months estimated. My dentist also kindly said he'd smooth the composite on the front down for a friends wedding and then replace it.

Steveogt4. For starters the fact that the first dentist treated you like that is appalling! Most people either have a fixed wire or an invisalign type retainer at the end of IA treatment so there will be protection against a relapse. Did you explain your condition and sputum clearance to the more helpful one? They would probably be in a better position to advise re relapse. One thing you will find is that you can't really spit with the IA in, but as you need to remove it for 3-4 hours a day you could just pop it out when you do your physio. Good luck.

[steveogt4]

thanks tigger im afraid i didnt mention it at the time i knew i had a tongue thrust but just recently noticed i push the mucus up with my tongue and spit it out i know it sounds disgusting but i dont know any other way to do it i was bit upset after the first dentist but my dad said just get a second opinion so i went to another one who said he could do it im just kinda of scared i spend all that money and it dosnt last and they go back to the way they were as i dont know if my tongue would push my teeth back even with a fixed wire there and they would be worse im currently waiting to get some treatment for cystic fibrosis out the way first so im just researching more in to the inman thanks .