Metal Mouth Message Board

I have to say the worst part of the invisalgn process, for me, has to be getting the impressions done. Today, I got them done for my refinements and I gagged all over myself!!! I knew that might happen because the first time I did them, I almost gagged, but this time I actually did. So embarassing and completely gross. I hope I never do impressions again.

I can understand why people don't like impressions and totally feel for you!

It's just I don't have an issue with them, which I find strange... because I actually have a REALLY bad gag reflex .
I had my first impressions done last week and I was totally fine, I think it helped because I wasn't nervous/dreading having them in my mouth so was totally calm before hand. I am not sure if some places do up and lower at the same time? if they can, then I am not so sure about not gaggint with that! The Ortho did my lowers first, then my uppers. The only thing I 'didn't like' was the crusty taste and the left over bits in my mouth afterwards!

Fortunately, I've only had to do impressions once before. I had them done at my records appointment before my brace day. And I know what you mean. It was gross and all the little bits in my mouth made me want to throw up. I know I'll have to do impressions in the future, but I hope to forget what it's like until then.

thanks guys.

Impressions are not so bad at the end

Wait to have your aligner with the edge that sticks out and cut your lips every time you talk...for days...and then your impressions will look very very easy

I also really hated the impressions part of this treatment. The entire time it was being done I just felt ill. I didn't actually gag but the taste in my mouth was awful and I spent the entire time with my eyes squeezed shut wishing it would end.

Also, the meal I ate that evening I couldn't even taste at all. Something he used must have killed my taste buds. Thankfully that effect had gone by the next day.

I was fortunate enough to have someone who was pretty good at doing it. She put the stuff into the tray, shaved off the excess and none seeped into my throat. She did push kinda hard, but I'm just glad they came out good the first go around.

you're lucky that she shaved off the excess, the first time I did it, the girl put WAY too much stuff in the tray, it went down my throat (can't believe i didn't throw up or choke) and when she took them out, you could see the long piece that went down my throat and she was like, "oh, that's why you were having a hard time"

Placing just the correct amount of material in the tray is key. Many offices fill the upper tray with PVS material when it only needs to be placed in a horseshoe shape along shape of the upper arch.

That being said, it will be fantastic when Align accepts either 3-D x-rays or intra-oral scans rather than requiring impressions. It is going to make the experience more pleasant and accurate. It may still not become that popular, however, as 3-D x-ray machines run in the low 6 figures and intra-oral scanners are the prices of a medium luxury car!

TinySmiley wrote:you're lucky that she shaved off the excess, the first time I did it, the girl put WAY too much stuff in the tray, it went down my throat (can't believe i didn't throw up or choke) and when she took them out, you could see the long piece that went down my throat and she was like, "oh, that's why you were having a hard time"

LOL. Yea, that's why I almost died. You should have said something.

The first time I had them - almost a year ago - the bottom was fine but the top was overloaded and I gagged a bit. I stopped her at that point. Turned out the top was not that great so the dentist redid it. Not bad.

Just had the impressions this weekend and it went well. I'm not a fan of the process though. Maybe the materia was changed because it smelled like bubble gum - gladly, I did not get a chance to taste it.

DrJasonKTam wrote:Placing just the correct amount of material in the tray is key. Many offices fill the upper tray with PVS material when it only needs to be placed in a horseshoe shape along shape of the upper arch.

That being said, it will be fantastic when Align accepts either 3-D x-rays or intra-oral scans rather than requiring impressions. It is going to make the experience more pleasant and accurate. It may still not become that popular, however, as 3-D x-ray machines run in the low 6 figures and intra-oral scanners are the prices of a medium luxury car!

My office has that 3-d machine was it's really cool. I was shocked when I saw the picture of my skull. The smart part was it's a bronze-colored image not bone-white or people would be severely freaked out.

I was going to ask for a picture of it though. Maybe next time - does that sound weird.

Not sure if you've seen this yet, but the intraoral scans are now accepted by Invisalign instead of impressions. The fastest scan time I have heard is about 8 minutes. Staff that are newer at scans can take about an hour. I think a reasonable time is 15-20 minutes since it is similar to the amount of time impressions would need to be taken, without ever needing a retake for a "bad impression".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbJF6B-choU

wow, that is amazing Dr.Tam!!!
So happy they will begin to use this procedure

halfway through getting my upper impressions done for Invisalign, I started to gag so my dentist raised the chair to it's upright position and continued taking the impressions in that manner - an altogether more comfortable experience! It made me wonder why this couldn't have been done from the start?!

masonanddixon wrote:halfway through getting my upper impressions done for Invisalign, I started to gag so my dentist raised the chair to it's upright position and continued taking the impressions in that manner - an altogether more comfortable experience! It made me wonder why this couldn't have been done from the start?!

Ooh smart. I'm going to ask to be sat up too if I ever have to get them again!