Woohooo I'm done!!!

[KUMonkeyMomma]

I finished my invisalign journey today! Well at least other than a retainer for life!

I get my retainer tomorrow. I'm a bit worried about being almost 24 hours with no retainer but they did so much work to get them looking great - filing, bonding, changed a filling that has needed it for a while, gingivectomy, etc that my last tray didn't fit on the top. They did the impressions and said that they use a local place to do clear retainers in a pinch (not replacement invisalign trays, just retainers) so they are going to do that and then also get the regular ones from invisalign so that I have a backup set(s) (didn't say how many I'd be getting). I do have to say i had my doubts about whether or not he could finish them up with just some filing and bonding, a gingivectomy, etc but they do look pretty danged good! My teeth have never looked this good, not even after I had my braces off in high school (they were straight but there was still a tooth that was shorter due to being in a monkey bar incident) and obviously didn't do any filing or shaping at that point back then.

I'll have to post some before and after pics. I have my before ones from the doc but no after - I'm going to ask him to take a set when I'm there tomorrow. If he doesn't need/want to then I'll have my hubby take some.

It feels sooooooo good to be done!!

[KUMonkeyMomma]

Ok, had hubby take a new pic..... so here are the before and afters:

[ithurtstosmile]

Wow~! Looking good! How awesome does it feel not to have anything in your mouth? Did your ortho/dentist do all the work you described (filings, replacements, etc.) for free/part of what you paid for the Invisalign, or was that extra?

[KUMonkeyMomma]

I used my dentist that I had been going to for 10 plus years. I thought about going to a ortho, but I was comfortable with him and his abilities with anything he'd done for myself and my husband (he's had crowns, etc) so felt good with going with him for the invisalign. So he did all the finishing work at the end.

I have to say it felt really weird not having anything in my mouth the rest of yesterday and going to bed with nothing on the top teeth. I've been in such a routine of having to go brush/floss after meals that I automatically went in after I ate and went "huh, I don't have to do this now". But it does feel good not having anything in there, it's been a long time coming (my treatment took just over 18 months).

Some final adjustments like some filing/shaping were included, but since things like redoing fillings, bonding and gingivectomy have more material costs and/or alot more time to do (I was there 2 hours total), there will be a small charge for those. My ins will cover it's usual 80% of the filling since it needed to be redone anyhow we just put it off so that I wouldn't have to get new impressions and new trays (unless they got the shape of the new filling exactly the same as previous the trays wouldn't have fit properly). They might cover part or all of the gingivectomy as well since I have needed that for a while due to gingivitis in that area causing issues at times (for many years even before invisalign). I think what is included for finishing touches will vary by provider and if they are an ortho or dentist, etc just like it does for how many course corrections/refinements and retainer trays you get.

I figured after all I spent on invisalign, that if there is a small cost for some extra work, etc to get them to look even better it was well worth the cost. I didn't come this far to go home and still say "gee I shoulda had them do this" just because it was a bit extra!

[Advocate]

Congratulations on finishing your treatment! The results are excellent. How many aligners did you have?

[KUMonkeyMomma]

I had 24 upper and 18 lowers. I wore them for 3 weeks each. We tried going to 2 weeks but new trays didn't fit at 2 weeks out despite 21 hours a day wear time - guess they moved slow, or maybe because it was correcting an overjet (buck teeth) it was harder to move, not sure. Either way I got the result I wanted - straight teeth and no overjet. I still have some overbite, but I knew going in that they couldn't get rid of that entirely due to the size/shape of my upper jaw. Even when I had braces as a teen, they removed two molars (pre-molars maybe) to allow more room to move my overbite back and could only get it just so far without removing more teeth or removing part of the bone, etc which I wasn't (and am still not) willing to do. I can deal with a bit of overbite with them now being straight and no overjet.

[cuteirka]

Congrats! Your teeth look amazing!

[Toontino]

Amazing

[Toontino]

Amazing

[Eve43]

Your teeth look great! I just started my treatment. 23 trays top and bottom...2 weeks each. So far so good. I'm extremely comfortable with the trays...11 attachments and no problems getting them on and off. Diligent with hygiene. It's all good. Hope my results are as amazing as yours!!! Congrats!

[annelou]

I have to add my compliments to everyone else's - your teeth look wonderful!! It's so fun to see pics - thanks for posting them and congratulations. I have a similiar number of trays; I hope I have such great results. Good for you!

[msh]

Yes, I agree.. I love seeing other people's pics and your smile looks great! I can't wait until I'm done!