Newbie!

[coffeespoons]

Hi everyone!

I've been reading this board for a while and all the information has been so helpful. I thought I would share some of my experience with my new Invisalign aligners.

I've had a problem with my teeth since my teens, but in college, my snaggletooth (left lateral incisor, very protuding) became worse when my wisdom teeth came out. This is the ONLY tooth that is out of line on the top - everything else is perfectly aligned. On the bottom, my two lateral incisors were a little crooked, but not enough that they bothered me, because no one ever sees your bottom teeth anyway. Anyway, I've just always wanted that stupid snaggle fixed. I am a lawyer now and I look very, very young as it is (I'm 26 but I'm frequently told I look like a teenager), and I always felt my snaggletooth made it worse, not to mention made me seem unprofessional.

So now that I can afford it, I finally decided to go for the Invisalign. My moldings were done in early August. I didn't have too much of a problem with that process, although I agree that it's uncomfortable and the taste of everything is disgusting - but it's very quick, so I was fine with it.

My aligners came in about six weeks later, but I delayed going to get them for a week because I was going on vacation. I did get a cleaning before I picked them up. I ended up with seven attachments total, right off the bat. One on the offending top snaggle, another on the top, and four on the bottom. I was very surprised to hear my dentist say that my bottom teeth were actually more of a problem than my top teeth (and the bottom never really bothered me in the first place!). I ended up with 21 uppers and lowers. The bottom attachments don't really bother me because no one can see them. But the top was certainly a problem - I was worried that the one on the snaggle would be very obvious.

Getting the aligners in and out was not a problem for me. My teeth were very tender the first two days, so I was careful when removing them, but after that, I actually started taking them out one-handed and without a mirror, and it doesn't hurt at all. The attachment on the snaggle is very "out there," considering the position of the tooth, so it started to cut the inside of my mouth at first, but now it's ok. I also had a problem with the bottom aligner, in that the inside edge was really hurting the bottom of my tongue. I filed it down with a metal nail file and that also got better. My speech was minimally affected, but I still think I talk funny. I also have a problem with the saliva accumulating in the trays - I suck on them all the time.

I've been keeping them in about 20-21 hours a day and flossing and brushing religiously, and drinking only water with them in. But I am also very germophobic and very obsessed with my oral hygiene - I would floss and brush after almost every single meal even before I got Invisalign (although I admit that the Invisalign has made me a Listerine addict!). This isn't too much of an adjustment for me in that regard. I do miss taking time drinking my iced coffees and also the random snacking I would do throughout the day - here's hoping I can shed some pounds along the way! I am also very obsessed with making sure my aligners are clean and don't smell bad. So far, no problem with bad breath or slimy or smelly aligners. I soak them for about 10-15 minutes at night in some water and peroxide, and in the morning I soak them in the Invisalign cleaning system (given to me free by my dentist) for about 15 minutes while I shower. No problem with keeping them clean at all, and they actually always smell good and clean.

People at work have noticed that I got Invisalign. They are not as "invisible" as you are lead to believe, mainly because of the speech impairment. Also, they are visible when you are very close to a person. Not to mention that the attachments make them even more visible. But truthfully, I don't care who sees them or knows about it - I'm doing something to improve myself, and it's something I've wanted for a very long time. I don't advertise the fact that I got "braces," but hey, if you notice, you notice. Whatever.

I am now on my second week of my very first aligner. I have 21 uppers and lowers total. 42 weeks, or about ten months, is a lot shorter than I anticipated, although my dentist has warned me that my snaggle may prove to be difficult and require a refinement. It's okay, though, as long as I have a straight smile at the end!

I have an absolutely amazing dentist in the Miami area if anyone's interested!

I'm hoping my journey with Invisalign continues to be as uneventful as it has been thus far! I can't wait for the final result!

[John37]

Thanks for your story. Sounds like it is not much of a problem for you so far. Your 42 weeks will go by quicker than you think. Good luck.

[Wobblydeb]

Hello and welcome to the club

I am not totally surprised if your dentist thinks the bottom will be harder than the top. My top set requires more overall movement, but so far has gone more smoothly - and I think it is because there is more space. You might also surprise yourself and start getting to really enjoy watching those crowded lower incisors come into line...