Metal Mouth Message Board

Hello everyone,

I've enjoyed reading the posts already here, it is great to 'know' some people with invislign.

But I have a few questions.

My dentist didn't mention anything about refinement. Is it always necessary and what does it entail?

I vaguely remember him saying I'd wear a retainer at night for life. Which I'm happy to do. Is that really all it will take? I mean, just 6 hours a day?

I'm only at the very start of day 4 of my first tray but I've felt absolutely no pain or pressure while they are in. Is that normal? It hurts like hell to get them out but that is because I haven't mastered the fine art of flicking them out I suspect and it is uncomfortable (sensitive) when they are out.

I also haven't experience the smelly breath/smelly tray thing. Is that because I can't smell it on myself? I'm a little paranoid now..

I've noticed that I also don't feel any real pain while my aligners are on yet when they are off I feel it. Especially if it's the first week of a new tray. Even when I first put a new tray in I still don't feel any pain except for when I'm actually putting it on or taking it off.

If you don't have smelly trays then you're most likely doing a good job of cleaning them. Mine have never smelled either. I think that as long as you're able to rinse them as soon as you take them out then there will never be a problem. It's when you let the saliva dry up on them that they will probably smell.

Not everyone requires refinement, but don't look at it as a failure of treatment. With traditional braces, we often reposition brackets or bend wires to get the final detailed results we are looking for.

Our patients have different experiences with discomfort. Personally, my teeth ached very slightly initially with the trays, but it was the removal of them that was most uncomfortable. Remember that you don't have to feel pain or pressure for the teeth to be moving. Good luck!

I don't usually experience what I would call pain, simply slight discomort on the first day of most of my new trays. I used to get slight headaches in the first couple of days of the new trays. However, 8 months into this, I don't think the teeth shifting in my mouth is as drastic as before, hence little to no discomort at all these days. I truly believe its on a case by case basis depending on the patients teeth and their initial positioning. Just my opinion though, by no means am I an Orthodontist. It has been an overall great experience for me though. I am amazed at how different my teeth look now compared to 8 months ago! I forget that the trays are even in my mouth these days, until of course I reach for a bowl of snacks haha. Its definitely worth it! Keep your chin up and your trays in! Before you know it, you'll be seeing that smile you've always dreamed of having!

I have just finished my treatment and have to wear a retainer every night for the next 6 months and then 2-3 times a week for life. But I am fine with that. I know it is necessary so the teeth don't start moving back.
Good luck with your treatment, it's worth it.