2 days in with invisalign!

Message

#1 Post by **nycgrrl** » Wed Nov 11, 2009 12:10 pm

hi everyone! i'm so happy to have found this forum -- i don't know anyone with invisalign so it's great to find a community of adults who wear them. i am a 28 yr old female.

question -- so i'm on day 2, and i'm getting worried because they are kind of driving me insane. not because they're painful (although there is a dull pain but i can deal) but i cant get over having something covering all my teeth ALL the time. sometimes i just want to rip them off!!

please tell me i'll get use to this? i've been looking so forward to fixing my teeth, but as of now i'm feeling a lot of annoyance and frustration. also, i feel like i'm speaking with a lisp but after reading a few threads it seems like this is common and will go away. any advice/encouragement is great appreciated!!

#2 Post by **jmc671** » Wed Nov 11, 2009 12:39 pm

Hey!
I'm also on day two with my invisalign! I'm 25.

I feel the same way as you-- having these big plastic things in my mouth all the time isn't pleasant. I have been reading a little on here, and it seems like most people get used to them quite quickly-- some people even come to prefer having them in!

I'm already more used to them than I was yesterday, so I'm hoping within a week or so, I'll start to not notice them at all.

Whenever I'm feeling annoyed or self conscious about them, I just tell myself that it's better than metal braces, and that it will be worth it in the end!

#3 Post by **nycgrrl** » Wed Nov 11, 2009 1:05 pm

thanks for your reply! how long are you taking to eat meals and stuff? like how long do u go without them in your mouth? i look sooo forward to meals now just so i can take them out!

#4 Post by **jmc671** » Wed Nov 11, 2009 5:04 pm

I definitely look forward to meals so I can take them out too. When I first put them in they don't feel so bad, but after a few hours I'm itching to take them out and feel my mouth in it's natural state. Although I'm finding that my attachments are rubbing more when my aligners are out.

Hour long I take to eat depends on the meal. I have them out for only a couple of minutes in the morning, maybe half an hour during lunch, and then a little longer in the evening, about 45 minutes or so. How about you?

#5 Post by **nycgrrl** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 7:25 am

same -- in the morning i keep them out for about 10 mins, and then i have snack at some point before lunch and take them out for another 10 mins and for lunch about 40 mins and dinner 45 mins and after i come back from the gym at night and have a quick snack another 10-15 mins. do you think that's too long for keeping them out?

i figure when i got out at night i'll just drink vodka & club soda (no lime) so i can keep them in my mouth (b/c the drink as no sugar). what are you going to do?

#6 Post by **Bellalalala** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 7:50 am

After a few weeks, you will barely notice them.

I now feel strange *not* having it in.

Yeah, it's really annoying to get used to, but your mouth adapts very quickly.

#7 Post by **nycgrrl** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 7:59 am

thanks! did you have issues with your lips getting drier than usual or excess saliva? i feel like my lips and the sides of my mouth are much more dry and i'm not sure why?

#8 Post by **Bellalalala** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 8:52 am

Definitely!

My lips were dryer, and I was constantly sucking excess saliva out of my retainer.
I don't remember when that stopped, but I'm sure it didn't last more than a few weeks.

My lips are normally quite dry and much worse when the weather cools down, so I have no idea when and if that will get better for you.
I carry lip balm all the time, so I don't even think about it.

The saliva definitely subsided though, so I can reassure you about that.
Also, my gums were very raw for the first week from the edges of the retainer and how I was sucking the saliva out made it worse, but that passed quickly too.

#9 Post by **nycgrrl** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 10:33 am

ah! i find my self constantly sucking the extra saliva out of my mouth -- it's like this bad habit i can't kick. as a result my inside of my lips and gums are sore. i will say today is better than last but still not great

but i'm only on day 3! i will buy some chapstick -- thanks for the suggestion.

i guess the hardest part about this is that i like to snack/graze eat and this makes it difficult -- and then i get irritable and frustrated. sigh. i hope i will get better at this! i already my "get this off my teeth!" moment earlier today.....

#10 Post by **Bellalalala** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 10:42 am

To be perfectly honest, I eat with mine in. I only ever take them out to brush and floss.

A lot of people have strong opinions about this on both sides, but I'm in dental school, surrounded by dentists, and it's the right choice for me.

#11 Post by **kimnim1** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 3:17 pm

hang in there it gets better...

I'm 26 and am on week 5. I've realized that every time something changes, like a new tray, attachments, anything, it'll be awkward for a few days then you adjust (for me it seems about 4 days) With that said, water and chapstick are still my friends to avoid the dry mouth. Not really a big deal though. There is a ton of advice on this website so keep checking out old posts. I feel like I just started and I'm already on tray 3 so it goes by fast!

As for the one comment about going out...I've only drank white wine with them in so far and am struggling because this weekend is my birthday. Normally this would be a tequila/margarita night for me, but i guess I'll have to settle for just one with dinner and then switch to something else. I've heard beer is fine but to try and rinse your mouth out as much as possible. I will probably find out this weekend and let you know!

#12 Post by **Bellalalala** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 4:16 pm

I drink anything with my tray in, the only issue I find is drinking something with pulp, which can get caught in the tray.

Other than that, I drink red wine, coffee, etc, nothing stains or causes a problem for me.

BTW, I was given a professional grade electric toothbrush at school and it works better at keeping my retainer clean than anything else. It doesn't even get cloudy after 2 weeks.

#13 Post by **andrea26** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 4:07 am

just a quick message to the new ones here - yes, it will get better! I remember when I first started I thought there was no way I would ever get used to these things or stop thinking about them . I was constantly thinking about them, they were uncomfortable and I couldnt wait to take them out to eat. Now when I take them out to eat I cant wait to put them back in. My teeth feel not right without them. they feel sharp and naked /its a bit hard to explain/ Hang on there guys, it will get better.
Good luck to you all.

#14 Post by **nycgrrl** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 2:25 pm

thanks so much guys! i AGAIN today (day 3 of invis) had a "get this sh*t off my teeth!" moment. but i will say with each day i THINK it's getting better.

my problem is i cant stop thinking about them, running my tongue over them, just fidgeting with them in my mouth -- im trying REALLY hard to stop. but it just feels so foreign....also my mouth is getting kind of cut (like my cheeks)

as for drinking my doc said as long as no sugar in drink im fine -- i'm a vodka & soda girl anyway and dirty martinis so im going to just keep them in when i drink that....

i can't imagine the day i look forward to having them in my mouth -- i am SO excited for that day

#15 Post by **nycgrrl** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 2:25 pm

thanks so much guys! i AGAIN today (day 3 of invis) had a "get this sh*t off my teeth!" moment. but i will say with each day i THINK it's getting better.

my problem is i cant stop thinking about them, running my tongue over them, just fidgeting with them in my mouth -- im trying REALLY hard to stop. but it just feels so foreign....also my mouth is getting kind of cut (like my cheeks)

as for drinking my doc said as long as no sugar in drink im fine -- i'm a vodka & soda girl anyway and dirty martinis so im going to just keep them in when i drink that....

i can't imagine the day i look forward to having them in my mouth -- i am SO excited for that day