If you want to share the detailed saga of your braces story, this is the place to do it. You can use this forum as a braces journal, editing and updating your posts as your treatment goes on. Remember to also visit the main ArchWired.com site for additional stories from other readers!
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Congratulations on taking the plunge. That's one of the hardest parts of the whole treatment and it will all get better from now on!
Smiling will naturally happen more as you go through treatment. I didn't smile very often before I was braced and now I have to look in every mirror I pass to check out my teeth; I just can't help it! By the end, you'll definitely want everyone to know you have straight teeth.
I would take the "before" photos soon, before you begin. Even if you don't wish to share them at the point, it will really boost your confidence by looking back at how they were before. Don't make the same mistake as me and take none until all the major changes have happened. I regret having no before photos, or anything before the one year mark. I've forgotten exactly how my teeth were before, it's sad.
Best of luck preparing for the journey!
Sim
Damon 3 braces for 22.5 months.
30th August 2005 - 13th July 2007
maybe someone knows how hard this day was for me. I have taken a few pic´s of my teeth I am feeling not really good. I don´t like them. I am shamed....
The last pic is the pic with my "smile" . I don´t like my smile because I really can´t do that and it doesn´t look relaxed.
But I am looking forward to my B-Day on 23.02.2007, yeah !!!!! On Friday morning next week I will get my first aligners. I hope everything is going well. For me it seems that my front teeth has moved after the extraction a little bit
Congrats for taking your well being in your own hands. Don't blame your parents, it is not worth it! Look ahead! Don't be ashamed of your photos! Actually you have big, bright teeth and beautiful lips. Teeth can be moved, and they will move. Just give it some time and you will be smiling for the first time. I understand your feelings, this is why I answer you. I felt exactly the same.
BTW I think it's great that you are able to use Ivisalign. For me this wasn't an option because my teeth were one behind the other.
First of all: it was a good appointment. I was 2 hours in the orthos office. They answered me every question I had and I had enough time to try to change my aligners.
Putting the attachments on the teeth was not really nice I got a lot of attachments, but luckily not on my front teeth .
Putting the aligners off and on was easier as I thought. In the orthos office I´ve had no problems, in the bathroom in my office I needed about 1 minute to get them off *puh* That was not great but I think it will be easier when I have done that a few times!
My teeth are feeling great with the aligners. About 30 minutes after my appointment no one of my colleagues asked me anything although I have lisped a little bit and laughed. And no one saw anything I think. I feel really good with Invisalign, better than I ever thought.
The only bad thing is my tongue, which hurts a little bit. Did you have such a pain? I hope this will be over in a few days. For sure my teeth are beginning to hurt, not much. I think this should be OK.
I am feeling so great with Invisalign!!! After the first hard days I can now talk without any big problems, I feel no pain on my teeths anymore and I can put the trays out for eating without any problems
I love to be able to eat everything and to be able to clean my teeth as usual. No one recognized the trays, the people only wondering why I have breakfast now at home and why I am drinking no more a lot of coffee but more water. And I´ve already lost a little bit weight
Only my gingiva is making a little bit trouble, but it is going to be better with the war salt water rinses
Changing the old trays with the new one was really painful . At first it seemed that the aligners doesn’t fit, but they fit really perfect. The first 3 days (!) I didn’t like to change the aligners because that hurts so much. Good for me, because of this I’ve already lost weight.
I feel pretty good with Invisalign. Changing the tray is not a big challenge, except when I have to change the old trays with the new ones. No one recognized, that I have started my treatment. Even people who knew about my started treatment asked me about my aligners and they weren’t able to see the aligners in my mouth!
I am really happy that I’ve already done my two challenges:
Taking before pictures
That was a really hard challenge for me! But I’ve done it and I am really proud of it! I have to take the next ones, but it isn’t as hard as the first time, really. Hopefully I will take the next ones next week.
Laughing, laughing, laughing
Believe it or not, I am able to laugh now . Last weekend I’ve had a big challenge. When we were going for a walk with the family we took a few pictures. And I was able to laugh with an open mouth (not wide but open), that was the first time someone took a picture of me this way. Also, at work I began really bravely to laugh. It works and it seems that people like that, doesn’t matter how my teethes are looking like (it seems for me they look better with the aligners in). Sometimes it is a little bit tense, but it is going to be better!
I am already on tray 5, therefore it is time to give you an update…..
With Invisalign I feel really comfortable! No one has noticed the aligners yet, I can eat everything I want. Cleaning the teeth is sometimes difficult, because of the gaps between my molars I´ve got now. One molar is moving back for 9 aligners, therefore the gap is getting wider….
On Tray 4 I got my elastics. It was horrible to put them in the first time. I thought I couldn’t do that and was a little bit in panic. And when I saw the elastics I was going to be crazy! I thought everyone is able to see them! But I can tell you: no one has ever seen them! I was on a party where many people knew that I have Invisalign but no one knew something about my elastics. After the party I asked them if anyone has seen the elastics. Really, no one has seen them! And putting the elastics in is now no problem anymore.
I got compliments that my teeths are looking better yet. I have to take pictures but I have problems with my camera *damn*
The best thing is, that I can laugh now from the bottom of my heart, really. And the people like this. I never thought that this is going to be such an easy thing for me. My teeth are not looking great, only better. And I am laughing (with my elastics), at work, with friends, everywhere. It is so great!!!
Hi Nanny..
your story is very interesting..but i'm sorry to hear that you travelled such a tough journey..i'm pretty sure you'll smile a lot after this,showing nice teeth to others..but of course,the process takes times..actually we are the same,i never smiled while taking photos! it's the fact that will be changed maybe in the next 2 years.. so just wait for the time...best of luck..=]
I am now on tray 11 and still feeling really good with Invisalign. Until today no one noticed my aligners and no one noticed my elastics!!
On my last appointment my ortho told me that I should no more put the elastics in the whole day long, only for 14hours because everything is going on “toâ€
I just got finished reading your journal, and I have to tell you that the story of your transformation, how Invislign and your attitude toward your treatment makes you feel, and how you're now smiling and becoming a happy and self-confident person -- all of those things are an inspiration! I've never met you, but reading your story has put a lump in my throat and a smile in my heart!
CONGRATULATIONS! May the rest of your treatment continue to give you the beautiful smile, healthier teeth, and self-confidence you deserve!
I am now on tray 37/38 and there are only 4-5 months to go plus refinement. Today I saw the pictures of my teeth before the treatment – first time since the last year. I am so happy that I have started the treatment. My teeth are looking so great now. At the beginning I was a bit scared, wanted no attachments and was afraid that someone could see my braces/trays.
Still I am happy with Invisalign. I love it that I can eat without braces. The 18 attachments don´t bother me. Yeah, it is not great but hey – it is only for a few (2) years – for me. Someone could see the attachments but I can tell you – no one has seen them yet. And if someone has seen them, no one asked me about it yet. Also I have elastics; they are not so bad as you are maybe thinking. At the beginning I had to put them in the whole day long, now only at night.
It would have been better for me not to be soooo afraid before I have started the treatment. Everything is going on great – hopefully up to the end of treatment.
Keep smiling – I am smilling now the whole day long
I am feeling not really good. I don´t like them. I am shamed....
.
. At first it seemed that the aligners doesn’t fit, but they fit really perfect. The first 3 days (!) I didn’t like to change the aligners because that hurts so much. Good for me, because of this I’ve already lost weight. 
– first time since the last year. I am so happy that I have started the treatment. My teeth are looking so great now. At the beginning I was a bit scared, wanted no attachments and was afraid that someone could see my braces/trays.