New invisaligners - grin and bear it! It does get better

[Snowy]

Hi all...I'm 31 years old, and after 15+ years of being really unhappy with my teeth finally took the plunge and decided to do something about it. Full credit to my very supportive dentist, who not only encouraged me but helped negotiate a $1000 discount on the cost of the aligners.

I'm just about three weeks in right now, and this post is mainly intended as an encouragement for anyone getting their first aligners. The first two weeks, I honestly felt like I was going to rip the trays right out of my mouth...if only it hadn't been more painful taking the damn things out than keeping them in. The raw spots, the painful tooth movement, the general awkwardness of having these things in my mouth...I really felt like they were going to drive me crazy. I even split both sides of my mouth open taking the darn things in and out, so it looked like I had two gigantic cold sores.

Under the circumstances I was quite paranoid about switching to the second set of aligners, but it's actually been a whole lot better. They have a couple of rough spots, but in different places so the really sore patches from the first aligners have been healing up. The soreness resulting from the tooth movement was less unexpected, and as a result I've been able to control it much better with Ibuprofen. The only thing I can't seem to get around is the constant dry mouth, and I now carry a water bottle everywhere I go. It's fine except when I'm chairing long meetings, and can't really explain that I need to take a break because I drank two litres of water in the first 45 minutes...

So I guess that's my message: stick it out. The first two weeks, it really will feel like you're losing your mind from the pain, discomfort and general awkwardness. But once you get past that first aligner barrier, it *does* get better...impossible though that seems at the beginning.

[John37]

I'm sorry your first trays went so badly. It should get pretty easy by the 3rd or 4th tray.

My experience wasn't as bad as yours when I started. I have always used a plastic hook to pull my trays off. This has helped me a lot. I only really have pain removing new upper trays now. I don't know what I'd do without my trusty hook. Did they give you a hook to use?

[dojo]

I have 10 days in Invisalign now and had some ache in one incisor for 2 days. Now nothing. Compared to the pain I had with damon in the first days, this is totally fun. I am still waiting for some decent pain ... maybe when I'll place the new set of aligners (number 2).

[Devushka]

I feel that way too! My teeth just look better with the aligners in. It really is good because this ensures that I put them on quickly after eating rather than dawdling like I am sure I could.

[John37]

I like the way they look better with the trays in also. They are shinier than without. I am also not used to the way my teeth contact without the trays in at this point in the process, so I like having them in.

[Devushka]

Totally. It feels so odd to bite down without the aligners in - they feel a lot more natural in, a by-product of wearing them so much I guess. Also, they make my teeth look a smidgen whiter. And I'll take any whiteness I can get!

[zone6]

ITA..I love my teeth with the trays in; my mouth feels naked when I take them out to eat or anything. And I can't pass by a mirror without smiling at myself just to see my aligners. I feel like a dork sometimes. I'm on day 4 of my treatment and a co-worker said she noticed that my teeth were whiter as well. I don't give credit to such a compliment directly to the Invisalign but to my handy Colgate Total plus whitening that I'm now using about 4-5 times a day.

[iwantstraightteeth]

I never thought teeth would look better with the aligners on! Are they really noticeable?

[zone6]

The aligners aren't quite noticeable but for some reason the spacing in your mouth is less noticeable with the aligners in. Watch my video on my blog or on YouTube...

http://imperfect2invisalign.blogspot.com
U: 16 aligners
L: 10 aligners
8 months total treatment time