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Hi Vicky,
I have also finished with the IA and my teeth straightened faster than expected too. I was only sharing MY experience with the IA. My dentist never adjusted the brace. I was explained this is due to the fact that the Inman Aligner is set up to automatically adjust itself, reducing the need for follow up visits. But if your brace was adjusted, I am sure there must be a reason for that. Looks like every case is different. I was just trying to say that dentist know what they are doing. I am thrilled with the results.
Wohoo finally got my IA on Friday and I just put it in today for the first time. After using the palatal expander for 6 weeks and then waiting for the IA for a month I'm soooo happy I can now finally start the actual treatment. The IA with the palatal expander seems pretty bulky in my mouth. I wonder if I'll be able to sleep with this! and my speech is ssooo slurry, my colleagues are gonna die tomorrow when I open my mouth. Well, a small price to pay for pretty teeth I'd say :) I'm just so excited to finally be on my way towards that hollywood smile!
Hey Vicki, I am saving for the whitening at the moment, ha ha Thinking about laser whitening. After the treatment did you get to keep your brace? Also did you have both arches straightened or just one? What kind of retainer do you have? Have you had your teeth whitened? sorry for bombarding you with questions...
[quote="Jasmin"]Wohoo finally got my IA on Friday and I just put it in today for the first time. After using the palatal expander for 6 weeks and then waiting for the IA for a month I'm soooo happy I can now finally start the actual treatment. The IA with the palatal expander seems pretty bulky in my mouth. I wonder if I'll be able to sleep with this! and my speech is ssooo slurry, my colleagues are gonna die tomorrow when I open my mouth. Well, a small price to pay for pretty teeth I'd say :) I'm just so excited to finally be on my way towards that hollywood smile![/quote]
Oookay first day update - I'm in p-a-i-n! I've read about the tenderness of the teeth during the first days / weeks but man this hurts! No wonder people lose weight while using the IA, I don't want to take it out at all because of the pain of putting it back in. Please tell me this gets better, soon! :D haha feel like such a wimp now :D
Well done for starting with the IA. The first few days/the first week are by far the hardest in my opinion. Yes very tender teeth, I couldn't wait to take it out to eat but also dreaded taking it out as it hurt so much. It does get better and quite quickly it is not painful at all, as I recall after the first week, so hang in there. I lost quite a few pounds in the first week due to worry and also on my dentists recommendation I have stopped/reduced eating sugary foods to protect my teeth at this vunerable time and pretty much only eat three meals a day. I stopped any snacking in-between meals not least because of the flossing and brushing required everytime!
My biggest worry at the beginning was how would I cope at night whilst sleeping but to be honest that has been the easiest time. It hasn't bothered me at all at night and that is probably when the biggest movement happens as it is in your mouth the longest.
I'm now on week 11 and the change in the last few weeks has been phenominal. I can see the end in sight, just the last few weeks now and it has been so worth it. A long slog but worth it, nothing compared to other braces which can be in for two years!
Keep going Jasmin, the days soon turn into weeks!
Good luck
Hi Jasmin, tomorrow will be 2 weeks for me, I got my IA on the Wednesday and the pain stopped by the following Monday. So it does get better :) I have not had a problem sleeping with it, although I did think I might as I am not a heavy sleeper.
After my last post I decided that I would email my dentist to ask if it was normal for all my teeth to be touching and for appointments to be so far apart. She was lovely and asked me to come in to check, I get the button on the back of my tooth built up a bit more and filing between all my 6 front teeth again. I feel glad I asked as my recessed tooth had started to move sideways causing my 2 front teeth to overlap. She wants to see me again before Christmas.
Susie and Ruth thanks for your encouraging words! So I have around 3-4 days to endure before it gets easier, no problem. Tho putting the IA in made me wanna cry once or twice today.
Ruth, how much movement have you noticed in 2 weeks?
Susie, you must be ecstatic with the results! what was your initial estimate of weeks? Any pics? :) I was told 3 months should do it but I'm still a bit sceptical since one of my incisors is really protruding.
Okay, i'm off to plough snow since we just got some 20cm more (oh the joy of living in Scandinavia!). Takes my mind off this torturing device.
Hi Ruth, yes only a few more days and then the worst is over! I can't pretend my speech got better, it improved a little compared to the start but its still not great. To be honest you get to the point where you don't really care anymore, as long as the IA is working then you keep your head down and carry on Any luck the snow/cold might numb your pain. Won't be long.
I am over the moon, I kept it in for a long as I could yesterday and its only been out for half an hour so far today. I can see the final movement just over night. This is the last bit for me, I will turn the key tomorrow for the start of week 12. My dentist has been honest and consistent throughout my visits, he predicted I would need the full 14 - 16 weeks (one of my central incisors was particularly protruding). Not sure if that is to include the clear retainers for any refinement the IA can't do at the end. My IA has a maximum of 14 turns (thats what it say on the yellow box) so I am nearly there. I have my fortnightly visit to my dentist tomorrow and I have a feeling he will be pleasantly surprised when he's seem my progress in the last two weeks.
Ive came back from my dentist and my ortho has said he will move me on to clear aligners maybe after christmas to do some more movement on my teeth and my IA seems to have stopped moving my teeth, (maybe it has moved it as much as it could i dont kn
ow).
My ortho said he will put me on to 3 sets of clear aligners to move my teeth, does anyone experiance using them? Did they move your teeth quick, are they comftable and are you able to talk easily in them?
Hey Oscar im on my second clear aligner they are like heaven ,no affecting speech,comfy and they feel tight and I've noticed massive difference on the tooth that needed extra nudge, the Inman is only for big bulky movement apparently , this is for minute movements to get teeth perfect;) I could wear clear aligner forever it's so easy;)
Hey jasmine I'm almost finished two weeks of clear aligner left , had Inman for around six weeks and had expander for eight weeks previous, one of the best things I've ever done!!!!! And I know you will feel all self conscious and scared but you know what..it's a conversation piece as my husband says. And it's so short term it's great , I'm the happiest girl ever and mines are almost there, just whitening them up now to add finishing touches. It's amazing !!!!!
That's the spirit jasmine I had check up today that's me till January he took pictures today and showed me the perfect curve he had attained!!simply amazing xx just whitening them up now..free on him. And it's amazing zoom stuff super white!happpppy girl;)
Any luck the snow/cold might numb your pain. Won't be long. 
11 weeks to go!
I had check up today that's me till January he took pictures today and showed me the perfect curve he had attained!!simply amazing xx just whitening them up now..free on him. And it's amazing zoom stuff super white!happpppy girl;)