Inman aligners

[JENWALTON01]

Hi,

I am new to this site, i went online looking for any detail i could get in relation to the inman aligner. I got my inman aligner 4 days ago and to be honest i am just looking to hear something positive about it. For me, i am struggling at the moment, i feel guilty when i take it off but yet i hate having it on. I have no pain when im wearing it but when its off i cannot eat properly and the pain when i put it back on is fairly bad for a couple of minutes. Can anyone here who has had a positive outcome from the inman aligner tell me that it gets better?? i have no idea how long my treatment will take the dentist says it will take a couple of months and i just cannot see myself with this for a couple of months? Does it get better? My husband tells me its like living with Daffy Duck?? My kids laugh when im trying to correct them for being naughty, i really do sound awful so i try not to talk. I am starting to think that i just wasted a lot of money, money i did not have to waster in the first place!!!

Hi bids,

Try to stay positive, my teeth really hurt when I took it out to eat for the first couple of weeks but its not so bad now(week 5). They are obviously still tender but thats to be expected.

Unfortunately I cannot say that my speech has improved but hopefully you'll get to the point that I did and just think, well its a couple of months of a little discomfort and embarrassment, but you'll have great teeth by the end of it. You just have to keep focussing on that.

Especially as you say, its not cheap, so make sure you get what you paid for, the only way to do that, is wear it as much as possible. I know its not easy, my husband also says that I sound like daffy duck and my kids think I sound hilarious but I'm over it now, I just keep reminding myself of that great smile I will have , i will finally be able to smile confidently which I can honestly say, for me, is worth putting myself through all of this.

Keep in contact and let us all now how you're getting on. It'll soon be done and you'll be showing us all your before and after pics and will have forgotten how awful you felt about it at the beginning.

[JENWALTON01]

Hi All,

I just had another check up at the dentist, had some more interproximal reduction done, to allow more space for that tooth to come forward. He was really pleased with my progress and can see a significant difference, which is great!

I'm off on holiday to Florida on Saturday morning, so won't see the dentist again until my return, hence why I had an appointment today, usually its only every 2 weeks but he added an extra one so he can make more room and allow my teeth to continue moving, otherwise they probably wouldnt move much while I am away as the gaps had pretty much all closed up from last weeks appointment already.

So wish me luck wearing the aligner on holiday!! I think I'll just get my husband to speak for methe whole time lol!!

[bids]

Thanks for the reply guys, it does help knowing im not the only one suffering, but as you say it will be worth it in the end and maybe once I start to see some movement in my teeth it will inspire me to keep wearing it. Can I just ask how long you wear yours per day and when did you first start to notice an improvement in your teeth?? My front two teeth are tilted inwards and the ones at either side are protruding outwards so I know I have a long way to go but any ideas how long before I see improvement. I wore it for 20 hours in total yesterday and hope to do the same each day going forward. The first couple of days I really struggled to leave it in so I lost out on 3 days for the first week so im assuming the dentist will not see any improvement when I go back on Friday which will probably feel like someone kicking me in the stomach but im optimistic!!

[JENWALTON01]

Thanks for the reply guys, it does help knowing im not the only one suffering, but as you say it will be worth it in the end and maybe once I start to see some movement in my teeth it will inspire me to keep wearing it. Can I just ask how long you wear yours per day and when did you first start to notice an improvement in your teeth?? My front two teeth are tilted inwards and the ones at either side are protruding outwards so I know I have a long way to go but any ideas how long before I see improvement. I wore it for 20 hours in total yesterday and hope to do the same each day going forward. The first couple of days I really struggled to leave it in so I lost out on 3 days for the first week so im assuming the dentist will not see any improvement when I go back on Friday which will probably feel like someone kicking me in the stomach but im optimistic!!

Hi bids,

I try to wear mine around 18-20 hours a day as recommended by the dentist, but there are some days when I can't, like if I am out for the evening for a meal or something. Just do your best to wear it as much as possible.

I was surprised to see movement after my first check up appointment, which was 2 weeks in, not a huge a amount but any is good. My dentist did say that it is unlikely you will see any movement for the first 10 days but after that you should start to notice it every couple of weeks, which has been the case for me.

Did your dentist give you an idea of how long your treatment should take? Its always nice to have a goal in mind.

[bids]

I could manage the 18-20 hours per day I guess that wouldn't be so bad I was told it had to be 22 hours per day and I was really struggling with that. My dentist just said it could take months. Im in today for a check up but its only been a week and I had bad days at the start of the week so I wont see any improvement but ill persist with the 18-20hours and hopefully next week there may be some movement. Thanks for the help.

[2bigreddogs]

I could manage the 18-20 hours per day I guess that wouldn't be so bad I was told it had to be 22 hours per day and I was really struggling with that. My dentist just said it could take months. Im in today for a check up but its only been a week and I had bad days at the start of the week so I wont see any improvement but ill persist with the 18-20hours and hopefully next week there may be some movement. Thanks for the help.

18-20 hours is perfect! And hang in there. You said you have the expander, right? I do too. Our teeth sound a lot alike. My front teeth are pushed back and the two teeth beside them are pushed forward and slightly rotated.

My dentist told me that when you have the expander, the first month is really just making your mouth bigger, so you won't notice a whole lot of movement until there's enough room

[bids]

I have no idea if I have the expander my dentist never mentioned anything, although at my check up yesterday she did adjust the front part of the aligner and tightened it a bit more so maybe I do. To be honest my dentist doesn't really say much she just filed my teeth pushed the aligner back in my mouth and said i'll see you in two weeks and left the room!! My teeth sound the exact same as yours to be honest the two that stick out in front are slightly rotated also. Can I ask how long you have had yours and when you started seeing an improvement?

[itsmle]

I just got my aligner today before work. My co-workers got a good laugh at my speech. I'm going to remove it for my next meeting. I seriously don't see how I can wear it at work. My dentist said 24/7, except when eating. Please tell me the speech gets better! And the saliva!

[itsmle]

I'm trying to drink water because of all the saliva, but even swallowing isn't easy. I had to stuck on the aligner while I swallow. Now there are teeth impressions on the bar. Normal?

[pwbi66]

Are any of you in the Toronto area? I am interested in this treatment and would like to hear reviews from Toronto, if any.....thx.

[RuthK]

Hello all!

I'm so glad I found this forum it's given me so much encouragement so far. After reviewing some of the more recent posts it sounds like everyone is doing so well, I am really pleased to hear so many success stories!

I took the plunge 2 weeks ago today and had the IA fitted...my dentist said I would hate it at first and she was right, I cried when I got home and then again when my husband got home, it just felt so massive in my mouth and the speech and slobbering was awful I didn't think I would ever get used to it. But, as you reach a calm point you really remember that this is only a short term discomfort to achieve a long term lovely smile to be proud of - yay!

Here 2 weeks on I feel I'm through probably the worst point, i'm now just trying to improve on my speech and build my confidence to wear it as often as I can...which so far is between 16 and 19 ish hours each day...not too bad! The worst was going into work after having not told anyone I was getting it, but everyone has been so supportive and understanding I'm feeling much more at ease with it and enjoy the little jokes about my lisping! I'd rather be laughing about it as it really helps get you through!

I just really wanted to say this is a great forum, everyone seems so friendly. It has provided me with a lot of encouragement, thank you! I'm looking forward to reading your stories and sharing mine with you.

Good luck everyone,
Ruth x

[laura26]

Hey everyone.

So I've been lurking here for a while and finally got my IA fitted yesterday. It hurts so much, it's so uncomfortable and I can't talk at all. I'm regretting this decision so much and after reading about how some of you mild/moderate cases have worn the device for 40+ weeks, I'm tempted to take the damn thing off and never go back. I hate it. Worst decision ever.

Did any of you feel this way? There's just no way I can keep this thing on for nearly a year. No way in hell.

Hell being the operative word :(

And if it doesn't work, it will all have been for nothing. I'm an author and I can't focus at all, and I have deadlines coming up. Would it be crazy to take it off and forget the whole hellish experience? I feel overwhelmed at how long I'm gonna have to feel this way.

:(

[RuthK]

Hey Laura26

Oh blimey it sounds like you're having a really rough time. I do understand, those initial few hours / days were torture and I too had mega second thoughts so you are not alone!

Has your dentist given you a predicted treatment time for your inman aligner treatment?

As far as I was aware, if you wear it for as long as instructed each day it really shouldn't take any longer than the time predicted...40 weeks sounds hellish! I've been told mine will be 14 weeks but to plan for 16.

Take care - it definitely does get easier to wear so hang in there! :)

[itsmle]

Did your dentist tell you 40 weeks? Mine said 12 weeks for me. I've had mine for a little over 1 week and I'm getting better about wearing it more often. My 12 weeks will probably be extended a bit because the first week I only wore it to sleep.
The first couple days I really did question it. Even thought, "My teeth aren't that bad. I can live with them being crooked." It only hurts when I remove it and try to eat. My front teeth are sensitive. I bit into a Red Vine yesterday and almost dropped it. I swear I heard a crack! But the pain seems much worse for you. Maybe it's too tight? When is your follow up appointment?

[ItsFreyja]

Laura26, I'm so sorry you're having a rough time, but please don't feel that it's a choice between suffering or nothing! Definitely go back to your ortho and have him/her adjust the device. I'm not super familiar with the Inman Aligner, but if you're familiar with the Invisalign concept, you might know that some orthos design the first trays to do absolutely nothing, just so you can get used to wearing them before they start tweaking your teeth. It sounds like a similar approach would help you here. Some discomfort and weirdness is normal; your experience sounds extreme and unnecessary.