Inman aligners

[susiesue11]

Hello, I plucked up the courage and got my IA yesterday for my top teeth. I was surprised how easy it is to put in and remove but I can't stop salivating! Hoping this will ease as I keep wearing it. I didn't quite realise just how bad my speech would be but at least my four year told me he can understand me! I think I will be in for the full 14 weeks which seems like forever away right now. I managed to wear it all night and have kept it in for about 20 hours this first day. I chickened out on the school run this morning and took it out. I'm hoping that my speech will get better in the coming weeks so I can wear it out with confidence.

I came across this forum last night which has been fantastic to read everyones stories and tips.

[vickypayne86]

Welcome susie, it is a wonderful thing, i found myself salivating a lot also, it actually got so bad i was swallowing tons of air and gave myself some bad gastric pain which was horrible but after a day or two it left:) you will be so much better in a week or that, im on my third week and feeling it so much more unnoticable, and its settled more, like at the beginning it looks and feels huuuge! well probably not to the average person who doesn't know you but to yourself he he. It makes you feel self concious but you will be fine think of the glorious smile soon! I had the removable expander for 8 whole weeks before this so im dying for it to be over, only three weeks gone though and im not sure how long iv left:( but its alot less than fixed ones huh:)

[susiesue11]

Hi Vicky, thank you so much for the reply it was just what I needed to hear. Take my hat off to you for your first 8 wks before the IA. It will all be so worth it in the end. Day two was more challenging for me but got through my second night with actually sleeping (it wasn't painful but just a very active mind). I actually think the nights will be SO much easier than the days. I can't wait to get to the third week right now and hopefully I won't be salivating and can talk better and have the confidence going out with it. Thankfully I work from home and can remove it with clients at the moment. It is huge isn't it, I'm assuming it won't be so protuding once my one front tooth starts moving in or is that just hopeful thinking. Have you started to notice a change in your teeth at 3 weeks.

I cleaned it with a toothbrush yesterday and looked down into my sink and the Lingual assembly had fallen off !!! My heart sank especially as one of the springs was dangling down the plug hole. I'm off to the Dentist shortly to check I've put it back correctly.

[vickypayne86]

Well done Susie! you'l get there with it! Oh my i can imagine hw scared you were haha. it is designed to be taken apart, some people do it that way to clean it, i dont though too scared. Im sure you put it together fine!! Three weeks on and im finding huge differences. i could show you before and after so far if you like, i dont know how to uploads here, but if you give me email address i could send you how its looking. Your teeth do settle back its amazing, one minute its like a massive mouthful, then you forget you have it in!x

[susiesue11]

Day 6 and I am feeling so much better, headache gone and I don't feel quite so stressed. Sleeping well which is a bonus. Salivating is getting better and my speech has improved considerably. I think having seen more people over the weekend I forced myself to wear it in front of them and so I've got over being ultra self conscious and have been practising talking. I'm hoping my speech will keep improving like some of you have said. Nothing I can do about my big front lip but thats the sacrifice we make for this 'perfect smile' :)

Went back to see the dentist on Friday (day 3) and I had put the Lingual assembly thingy which popped out back correctly so that was a huge relief. My dentise and nurse were brilliant as encouraging me to keep wearing it so that spurred me on.

[vickypayne86]

Sounds like you are coping much better now Susie! It does get easier, doesn't seem like it at first though heehee, Il be having my four week appointment on Thursday can believe its been 12 weeks from when i had expander.. completely flew in, I had a busy weekend so i felt a bit guilty i didn't wear it for full 20 hours on sat/sun was doing first aid at an event an felt i wanted to be clear, and also had friends over so felt bit like ahhhh il have a wee break as i'm always really good at wearing it, even at work, Treated myself he he. My orthodontist said my aligner would get taken away from me at some point to be re-adjusted, not sure when, or even how long he reckons il have left with treatment, just a waiting game.
Im due to have clear aligners for any smaller movements for few weeks after aligner has done the bulk of the movement so that will be plain sailing, they look so easy to wear in comparison to the Inman.

GOOD LUCK!
x

[susiesue11]

yes thanks feeling much better and hope that continues. Really helps to know those ahead of me are really positive and teeth etc are moving in the right direction. Bet it felt strange to have it back in today after a little holiday ;) I didn't realise that it might need to be adjusted and sent away. Hope that is swift for you. I think I will definitely have the clear aligners at the end too, they do look much easier which will be a dodle.

Do you find that your front teeth are tender, I can't eat/bite with them, have to use the back ones only!?

[seagull]

Hello all, I'm new to the forum! I had braces as a teenager, but did not wear my retainer-- I'm sure that's a familiar story.

My teeth had major crowding and my lateral incisors were practically behind my central incisors. My 30th birthday is coming up and I decided I had to take action before then! I've felt badly about my smile for too long and I'm not getting any younger, nor are my teeth getting any straighter. To make a long story short, at the end of summer I consulted with my dentist and he recommended an Inman aligner on my uppers and something called Smart Moves on my lowers. I am on my 6th week of treatment and so far things are going well and I am smiling much more often! :)

susie, I experience the same thing biting with my front teeth. Crusty bread is my nemesis!

[vickypayne86]

Welcome seagull. what exactly is smart move?sounds interesting!your well on your way at week 6 well done. im on my 4th week of inman already.
susie yess your teeth are rather painful i count biting even toast was sore,try breaking food into pieces, itl settle within few days!xx

[Kerry~]

Hi everyone! So glad I found this forum and thread. I'm on my second day of wearing my IA and my first night with them in was definitely an experience!
I'm finding it difficult already because my job involves speaking to students all day and my speech is just ridiculous! I can't see how it gets any easier but I'm sure the results will be worth it!

I'm going to start a video diary tonight to give me some sort of structure because my first check up isn't for a month!

[susiesue11]

Hello Seagull and Kerry, its great to hear from other people going through it all at the same time. I can't wait to get to my sixth week, good for you deciding to do it for your 30th Seagull. I'm just 40 so I decided late, I hadn't realise there was a quicker alternative all these years.

Thanks Vicky, good to hear the tenderness will get easier soon.

Kerry, I'm only a week in but it does get so much better/easier. I was in total shock after my first day/night. The speech is definitely improving but slowly. After about 3 days I felt a little more confident and my husband really noticed an improvement. I decided to brave it yesterday and wore it on the school run/pick up. I work from home and can really feel for you having to talk to students all day. I read on the forum that some people get much better speech around the 3/4 weeks mark??

Good luck

[caroline30]

Hi everyone,
I'm on my second week with the expander brace and in misery! Lol its so difficult to have a normal conversation, its an effort to speak at the moment and can't wait to move on to the IA. my teeth are tender also Susie, couldn't eat an apple or anything harder than bread to be honest. It will be good to see everyone's before and after pics x

[seagull]

Hi Vicky, Smart Moves are just clear aligners-- my dentist described them as budget invisalign, haha. They do not use attachments and they look very much like an essix retainer. Mine came in three sets of two. I wear each of my pair for 2-3 weeks before switching, then I go in to get the next pair. I am not sure why I do not have an Inman on both, but my lower teeth were less jumbled, so that may have something to do with it.

I am a teacher as well and I do not wear my aligners during contact hours with students. I teach very young children and they need to hear me as clearly as possible. I'm sure older students would be fine, but I don't want my 5 year olds going the rest of their lives thinking green, orange, and purple are known as "thecondarieth!" I keep a toothbrush, floss, and a spray cleaner at school, so when I have a planning period I can pop them back in.

[Mater33]

Hi all

I just wondered if anyone could comment on whether they suffered from a sore tongue from wearing the brace. Ive been wearing mine for 12 weeks now and my dentist has now started me wearing the back piece that goes behind the teeth and my tongue has suddenly become very sore sore and looks a bit yellow and discusting..... can anyone advise any miracle cures to make it better...please ?

[vickypayne86]

Matter33-iv been wearing mines one month i have had back spring from start,i felt iyd when you swallow you push your tongue very hard against appliance. I had in 5p sized ulcer. I used hydrocortisone pellets that you place where the pain is, it relives pain, swelling. It worked quickly and was very good!!!!!x