Hi! Today I got my attachments put on, 6 on the top and 5 on the bottom (two of the ones on the bottom are on the backside of my teeth) anyway, I went to take them out to eat dinner (and I had a heck of a time. It took me forever and I even have one of those hook things) and two of my bottom attachments came off!!!!!! Does anyone have any advice on how to get them on and off? I don't see this going well tomorrow at work.
Also, has anyone had a similar experience? I called the orthodontist and they told me I could come in at my next appointment and they would reattach them but that's 8 weeks from now! Aren't they important? Why put them on in the first place if they don't have to be in for the whole treatment? My treatment is suppose to be 16U/16L and I just started tray 3 today. So, that would put me at the start of tray 7 by the time they reattach them. That's almost half the treatment without? Won't this have a negative effect? I told them I would prefer to come in tomorrow to have them replaced and they finally agreed. I just don't understand why waiting 2 months to have them put back on would be okay?!
Also, after the ortho-assistant put the attachments on, she polished around my teeth "to clean up the excess glue" but after I had gotten the aligners out I was running my tongue across my teeth out of habit and behind my tooth that's right next to one of my front teeth (which has a button on the front) its all rough and projected on the back as if I have an attachment back there but when I look at my aligner there isn't a bubble for an attachment in the back of that tooth. And when I went to floss my teeth I couldn't get the floss in between those two teeth and I naturally have a small gap there. Anyway, I forced the floss up and it ended up breaking the glue/cement causing the piece to go right up into my gum which hurt and bled a lot. (That was a bad idea) but now I'm almost positive she didn't clean off all the excess attachment cement or whatever it is and now I have a "pseudo-button" on the back where it shouldn't be. I was just curious if anyone else has had a similar experience.
Attachments Help!
Moderator: bbsadmin
It takes a little experimenting with the hook to find the best procedure to remove the aligners. For example, on my uppers I start by pulling the aligner down near the molars on one side on the outside, then I use the hook near the premolars but on the inside edge of the aligner (tongue side). After a few days of a new set I can remove them with my fingers instead of the hook, but I usually still use the hook just because I'm so used to it. Also, as your teeth get straighter, the new aligners will become easier to get off.
I would agree, that it seems logical that they should reattach the buttons now instead of waiting, after all, you're paying for things to be done correctly.
I haven't had any problems with excess glue from the attachments.
I would agree, that it seems logical that they should reattach the buttons now instead of waiting, after all, you're paying for things to be done correctly.
I haven't had any problems with excess glue from the attachments.
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Second Time Around
- Posts: 47
- Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2009 5:13 pm
What has always worked for me is using a small square of paper towel which helps me get a firm grip on the aligner. I start by pulling the aligner off from the last molar on one side of my mouth and then just work my way around to the other side. I have 10 attachments on my top teeth and 8 on the bottom.
I will admit that I decided to skip having lunch at work the day after getting the attachments because I felt that I needed at least one more night of practice. I was hungry that day but I didn't want to struggle with removing and replacing them in the office restroom until I was more comfortable with the process. I was fine by the following day. It seems that once you find the method that works for you, it becomes progressively easier with each aligner.
With respect to attachments I was told that some attachments are more important than others depending on the tooth movement required. I was instructed that in my case they are all important and that if one falls off, I am not to move to my next aligner until getting the attachment replaced at the ortho's office ASAP.
I will admit that I decided to skip having lunch at work the day after getting the attachments because I felt that I needed at least one more night of practice. I was hungry that day but I didn't want to struggle with removing and replacing them in the office restroom until I was more comfortable with the process. I was fine by the following day. It seems that once you find the method that works for you, it becomes progressively easier with each aligner.
With respect to attachments I was told that some attachments are more important than others depending on the tooth movement required. I was instructed that in my case they are all important and that if one falls off, I am not to move to my next aligner until getting the attachment replaced at the ortho's office ASAP.
I got my 2 attachments put back on today. This time I took off the tray before I left the office and it's a good thing because one of them came right back off again. So, they put on another one and so far it has stayed on.
You would think I'd be happy about this but I'm not. The 2 new attachments are a different color than the rest of them! And the one they had to attach again, not only is it a different color, but they made it look like a big blob. It wasn't even smoothed to look more blended into my teeth like my other ones. I didn't really notice this till I was walking to my car; they don't have mirrors at their stations. It felt like the back left side of my bottom retainer kept lifting a bit. I would bite it down and it would lift back up. So when I sat in my car and wrestled it off I noticed both how much it protruded, making my aligner bulge out on the side but also that the attachment didn't match my teeth, nor the rest of my attachments. I went back up and explained all this and they filed down the attachment but my aligner is still sliding up a bit, though not as bad and when I mentioned the color the assistant said, yeah it was a slightly different shade, that the assistant who had applied them today used a different composite than the one used yesterday but that the teeth they were on, it wasn't that noticeable. Um, I notice it. Why didn't they use the same? Isn't that a given? I let her talk me into thinking it was okay, but the more I think about it, the more realize I am not okay with it. I went for invisalign because I didn't really want to have things glued or bonded to my teeth but accepted invisalign because it's suppose to be more discrete. Anyway what's more noticeable than having attachments and bumps on your teeth and aligners....how about having attachments in varying shades! I'm calling first thing in the morning.
My whole experience so far hasn't been the best. Yes, I would recommend invisalign, no I wouldn't recommend my ortho.
I'm so disappointed.
You would think I'd be happy about this but I'm not. The 2 new attachments are a different color than the rest of them! And the one they had to attach again, not only is it a different color, but they made it look like a big blob. It wasn't even smoothed to look more blended into my teeth like my other ones. I didn't really notice this till I was walking to my car; they don't have mirrors at their stations. It felt like the back left side of my bottom retainer kept lifting a bit. I would bite it down and it would lift back up. So when I sat in my car and wrestled it off I noticed both how much it protruded, making my aligner bulge out on the side but also that the attachment didn't match my teeth, nor the rest of my attachments. I went back up and explained all this and they filed down the attachment but my aligner is still sliding up a bit, though not as bad and when I mentioned the color the assistant said, yeah it was a slightly different shade, that the assistant who had applied them today used a different composite than the one used yesterday but that the teeth they were on, it wasn't that noticeable. Um, I notice it. Why didn't they use the same? Isn't that a given? I let her talk me into thinking it was okay, but the more I think about it, the more realize I am not okay with it. I went for invisalign because I didn't really want to have things glued or bonded to my teeth but accepted invisalign because it's suppose to be more discrete. Anyway what's more noticeable than having attachments and bumps on your teeth and aligners....how about having attachments in varying shades! I'm calling first thing in the morning.
My whole experience so far hasn't been the best. Yes, I would recommend invisalign, no I wouldn't recommend my ortho.
I'm so disappointed.
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myhollywoodsmile
- Posts: 218
- Joined: Tue Jan 20, 2009 1:20 am
- Location: Brisbane
- Contact:
hi, i found it hard to get mine off immediately after getting my attachments. All i can tell you is that it does get easier. A little too easy in fact as I can get mine in and out very quickly which means i do it too often.
I don't use paper towels or hooks, just my fingers but i work my way round from one side to another lifting the aligner over the attachments. It is always harder the first day of a new attachment but after that it's relatively easy.
I don't use paper towels or hooks, just my fingers but i work my way round from one side to another lifting the aligner over the attachments. It is always harder the first day of a new attachment but after that it's relatively easy.