Anybody start metal w/ extraction then chang to Invisalign?

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#16 Post by **PigletInIowa** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 6:00 pm

I see. I guess for me, it's the same: as long as he is willing to treat me with Invisalign, I'm basically willing to do anything now:P

#17 Post by **PigletInIowa** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 1:12 pm

Just back from my 2nd adjustment and the answer about switching to Invisalign is absolutely "NO"

My ortho is completely not thrilled with the idea of using Invisalign to close my gaps and kept saying that one day I'll get used to the braces:( The only achievement I got today is to have him starting to close my gaps with the clear plastic power-chain (or at least that's what he calls it).

Chris, one more question to you if possible: did you have regular braces or the self-ligating ones? I'm just trying to see how fast can the gaps be closed. My ortho told me it usually takes 8-14 month, but 2 minutes later, when I asked "so in 14 months or so, I should have my gaps closed?", then he answered "that'll be the fastest". Now I'm really confused and have no idea which to believe.

There are plenty of people here said they have their gaps closed in 6 month, I'm just afraid what I got is the slowest type of braces and i'll have to wear them forever:(

#18 Post by **PigletInIowa** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 2:37 pm

Thanks a lot, Meryaten! I feel so lucky to have such a wonderful friend like you to answer all my questions, ease all my anxieties and help me get through all these!!! Like you said, I've tried my best to ask for alternative solutions, now I'll just have to deal with what I get now, and hope for the best for the future.

I guess through all these, I do learn something that is very important: sometimes we make decisions that will lead to irreversible consequences, that I just have to bear with it and let time to smooth things out.

It's such a similar situation to what happen to my life right now: I just graduated from grad school in Los Angeles, CA last year. Without thinking, moved to Iowa with my husband in name of love, and now 8 months flew by and I still hate here to my gut. I cried and threatened to leave through out the time, but life just doesn't allow me to simply leave. Now I just hope to work 200% harder than ever in hope to be able to leave soon. Though I could not understand how I ever let the similar situation happen to me a second time, but I guess the second time is a charm since apparently it didn't ring me a bell the first time. And I really feel that it's time for me to grow up and face the reality, instead hiding behind the illusion " there must be an easy way out for everything".

I'll hold on and survive.

#19 Post by **Chris1960** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 3:29 pm

PigletInIowa wrote:Just back from my 2nd adjustment and the answer about switching to Invisalign is absolutely "NO"

My ortho is completely not thrilled with the idea of using Invisalign to close my gaps and kept saying that one day I'll get used to the braces:( The only achievement I got today is to have him starting to close my gaps with the clear plastic power-chain (or at least that's what he calls it).

Chris, one more question to you if possible: did you have regular braces or the self-ligating ones? I'm just trying to see how fast can the gaps be closed. My ortho told me it usually takes 8-14 month, but 2 minutes later, when I asked "so in 14 months or so, I should have my gaps closed?", then he answered "that'll be the fastest". Now I'm really confused and have no idea which to believe.

There are plenty of people here said they have their gaps closed in 6 month, I'm just afraid what I got is the slowest type of braces and i'll have to wear them forever:(

I'm sorry to hear that. Remember that I've been in brackets for 6 months and when I first asked him (11-12 weeks) ago he said that the gaps were too big. So now that the gaps are smaller (and I kept asking) he's okay with it.

As far as getting used to it, IDK. Maybe 99% of the people do but I didn't. By the end of each day I'm ready rip my teeth out. With or without wax it's just two different types of annoyance. This morning I didn't wax up and before lunch I was thinking to myself that maybe I COULD get used to it. But by 2:00 pm I was suicidal again.

I have to say that I did get used to the brackets on the inside of my cheeks. It's the front that drive me nuts.

I can tell you this: One of the most important things I have learned in life is that miserable is no way to go through it. Good luck with EVERYTHING.

#20 Post by **PigletInIowa** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 6:44 pm

Thanks, Chris! I'm actually still holding my hope up: now I get the power-chain, at least it means my gaps are starting to close. I'm actually encouraged by your experience and Meryaten's words, and counting on my gaps close, at least for the most part in 6 months or so. I'll keep myself from asking for a while until I see the gaps at least get smaller. Please please keep me updated with your progress! It'll help a lot!

#21 Post by **PigletInIowa** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 8:20 pm

I believe everybody has the moment of being weak. Meryaten, for those of you who get through all these, you are real heroes. For others who suffer and feel miserable, I truly relate because I'm one of them, and even though I'm already an adult, I cried for this and for myself. I think for the past 2 months, I really felt the same with Chris, and wish I can get out of this mess asap. However, I do have to be patient and wait, and take full responsibility of my own decision. I also truly admire Chris to have the courage to admit the weak moment, just so I know I'm not alone. And it also helps to keep my hope up , since I could see the future, a near one, not the unreachable 2-year-future, or at least I think so: even this would help me carry through a lot... For me, the most important thing right now, is we share everything, the good, the bad, anything we feel... Just so that all of us can get through...

Cheers!

#22 Post by **PigletInIowa** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 8:14 am

Meryaten, if you say you are not a health professional, no body will believe you! I WAS diagnosed as "situational disorder" just a month before starting my braces. But I felt it more due to a seasonal depression (of the dreadful winter in Iowa) and big change in life by moving from California to Iowa. I went through 4 talk-therapy sessions and felt a lot better, and somehow decided that I was good enough and no further sessions will be needed. Then I decided to go get the braces, and even during the first 2 weeks, my spirits were still very high, but after all the discomforts and anxieties from reading and learning more about the whole orthodontics treatment, I just got depressed again. But it's more of an emotional up and down, whenever I see hope in my treatment, my spirit goes up, so I still believe it's at the stage I can manage myself. I have always been a happy person before I moved to Iowa, so I basically blamed everything on that. But now I'm trying to manage that and work my ass off to try to change it. I guess now the braces is my second "Iowa" that I blame all my unhappiness to my braces, so I'll just wait and let time help me get over it.

#23 Post by **PigletInIowa** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 11:01 am

Yeah, I made clear to him, and we have reached a consensus to work on it together. But it does take time for any change to happen, basically the same in life, career and in braces:P