Well I finally got my aligners yesterday. It wasn't quite what I expected even though I read this forum religiously. First, my orthodontist had my clincheck in my online file and it showed the process of fixing the teeth. Imagine my surprise when I got to my appointment yesterday and he showed me all the angles on his computer and what did I see? Those horrible red things! Attachments! I had no idea. The process of putting them in wasn't so bad, but the hygenist had me rinse because the taste was horrible. Then there was glue all over my teeth and they felt so weird. She tried to scrape it off with a dental tool and then he comes over with this horrible blow torch of cold air that I thought I was going to die! It was painful! My ortho said that I obviously had sensitive teeth. Ya think?? My daughters who have been thorough traditional braces said that part was painful too so I guess it's just par for the course.
So then they show me how to put them on and it feel so weird and it feels like I am taking off teeth when I remove them. It takes me forever to get them off and I can't use my fingernails because I have fingernails and it hurts. The top rack is filled with spit when I take it off and I have gagged twice after doing that. Also, when wearing them I keep sucking spit out of my top aligners. Does anyone else do that? I don't want to be doing that for a year. I also am salivating a lot but also feel so dry and cotton mouth if I don't have water. I hope you can tell me that these things will pass. On a good note, my silly husband hasn't even noticed that I got them and my daughters did only when I was less than three feet away. My co-workers today (that I told) said they don't think they would have noticed, but I felt very self-conscious and I covered my mouth when I would laugh or smile. I laugh and smile a lot and hope that this doesn't hinder me. I do have a slight lisp that I think I will have the whole time. I just can't get the sounds out even when I try, but most sounds are normal.
Thank you for reading this. I know I will be happy in the end, but I just hadn't expected the grossness of spit etc.
Sounds almost excactly like my experience the first few days with Invisalign! I've never had a hard time getting them in or out though, but my teeth did feel a bit tender and loose the first few days.
I still have some trouble with salivating, I feel like I salivate a lot into the trays but my mouth is still dry! Happens when I talk a lot. I've become addicted to water, and I also carry around a mouth spray because I feel the dry mouth gives me bad breath. But I think my mouth is starting to get used to it now (on tray no. 2).
And you'll get used to talking, laughing and smiling with the trays in in no time, trust me! I had a slight lisp too, but that's gone now.
Hang in there, I think the first days on Invisalign can be the hardest. And you really don't have any huge problems, so I think you'll have a pleasurable experience with all this in the end:)
I almost regretted the whole thing the first day I got mine on, but now - three weeks later - I love Invisalign!
Haha...this sounds EXACTLY like my experience. The first 2 days I was very very close to going back to my ortho and just canceling it because I didn't think I'd be able to carry on for a month, never mind a year and a half. It was so bad I didn't care about the money. It was complete agony trying to get them off and also complete agony trying to eat after.
Well here I am on tray 29 of 32/34 and the end is in sight. Maybe I am a rare case, but I never had any problems throughout the whole experience and it hasn't stopped me from doing anything (besides chewing gum during the day)
The only thing that was unpleasant after the first tray was IPR a couple of times during my treatment - I say this because it sounds like you have super-sensitive teeth like me.
Anyway - best of luck, stick with it and in the end it'll be the best decision you ever made:)
This was exactly my experience too:)
I have had Invisalign for four days and for the first two days it was so hard for me to take off the trays but putting them back in wasn't hard at all.
Now they come off a little easier. I suspect that this is because my teeth have moved and are now stabilizing.
I also salivate alot too. I have noticeable spit bubbles too, it is kind of weird.
Oh, you are all so sweet and kind to reply to my grumbling and complaining. I am glad to hear that I am not alone. I guess I was just surprised that there was discomfort, and pain (in the neck!) On day 2 and it does seems better. I will continue to drink water more, which will be hard once I am back teaching because we don't get many potty breaks!
I am thankful that I won't have the IPR. My ortho charged extra for that and I wanted it to improve my overbite, but wasn't willing to pay for it. Now I am thankful! I am a baby when it comes to all things dental anyhow. I am surprised I am even doing this! Glad it will get better. Thank you.
You should get a plastic hook if they are hard to get off. Mine come off with my finders pretty easily after a few days, but when I put new aligners in I like to use the hooks to methodically pull the aligners off. It makes it much easier.
Do you know where I could get one of those hooks? I had read about them, but my ortho didn't offer it and I didn't see one in the pack. It sounds like I would like it.
lomdogs wrote:Do you know where I could get one of those hooks? I had read about them, but my ortho didn't offer it and I didn't see one in the pack. It sounds like I would like it.
I'm sorry I don't know where to get them. My dentist that I got Invisalign from gave me mine. I thought I remembered a long time ago seeing someone mention where you can get one in another thread.
Just ask your ortho for one, if he doesnt have one go here.....http://www.dentakit.com/rereto.html
Just remember...moving teeth involves moving bone...yea, it's gonna hurt some.
I had exactly the same feeling during my first few days! I really didn't know if I could cope with it but It does get easier I still miss snacking throughout the day though!!
Invisalign upper teeth on July 16th 2008: 14 aligners.
Fixed brace bottom teeth 8th October 2008!
After reading your post about the cold air thingy I had to cringe as I remember them using that thing on me, and it being EXTREMELY painful.
The speech will get better/mine took about 4 days.
And as far as snacking, I hate to admit this, but I always ate with mine in and had great results and no adverse affects. I would rinse them of course when I was done eating, but eating with them really causes no harm!
Use tweezers to get them off. I have a tool that the dentist gave me but I don't use it. Just slip the end of one of the prongs of the tweezers under the back of the aligner and it pops off very easily. I don't know why everyone doesn't use this method. I have tweezers, toothpaste, floss at home, in my car, and at school where I teach that way I don't have to pack anything around.
Lilypad wrote:Just ask your ortho for one, if he doesnt have one go here.....http://www.dentakit.com/rereto.html
Just remember...moving teeth involves moving bone...yea, it's gonna hurt some.
I got a hook like the blue one in the link you gave from my dentist, but I prefer the white one in the picture. I got the white one first from my dentist with my first trays. I don't know where you can get one like that on the Internet.
My first tray was a nice easy "get used to this" tray without any attachments. They pretty much just fitted my teeth as they were, so I had a fortnight of getting accustomed to taking them in and out without the difficulties and pain attachments cause.
Then IPR and 6 attachments before tray 2 went on. It was harder to get off but still not too bad. Tray 3 though - wow! I'm on Day 3 and I still have a battle each time I want to take them out. My snacking has dropped WAY off!
What I don't understand is why everyone isn't eased into it like this? Was this something my dentist requested do you think? Okay, it adds a fortnight, but I'm bloomin glad that I didn't have all that happen on the first visit!
Lomdogs - I think some Invisalign fans (me included) con people with enthusiasm because they had fixed braces years ago. Compared to those old fixed braces, Invisalign is a doddle, but I am not surprised it came as a shock for a first timer!
My ortho said that I obviously had sensitive teeth. Ya think?? My daughters who have been thorough traditional braces said that part was painful too so I guess it's just par for the course.
Me after Invisalign- 
On day 2 and it does seems better. I will continue to drink water more, which will be hard once I am back teaching because we don't get many potty breaks! 
I still miss snacking throughout the day though!! 
