Done with Invisalign - for now.

to begin with) is getting a crown. He also did a little contouring on the bottom arch (I want a little more) and my left central incisor - now my right central incisor looks longer - but he assured me they would be even when the crown came in. I go back on the 22nd to have to new crowns seated and then we will set the next appt up to start on the bridges to replaced the missing molars in the back.

I went in on August 1st to have my attachments removed and start the process on the next phase of my smile make-over. I may do another refinement after all the other work is said and done... I am not sure yet.

We started on the front - my right central incisor crown is being replaced (to eliminate the dark area at the gum line) and lateral incisor next to it (the tooth that started the process to begin with) is getting a crown. 

 He also did a little contouring on the bottom arch (I want a little more) and my left central incisor - now my right central incisor looks longer - but he assured me they would be even when the crown came in. 

 I go back on the 22nd to have to new crowns seated and then we will set the next appt up to start on the bridges to replace the missing molars in the back. 

I may do a refinement after that - my left lateral incisor seems to be tilted out just a little (especially noticeable in the open mouth view,) although, when you look at the arch view it is in perfect alignment. I'll decide after everything else is done.

All in all, I am thrilled with the changes from beginning to now! I will add more photos in a few weeks.

I may do a refinement after that - my left lateral incisor seems to be tilted out just a little (especially noticeable in the open mouth view,) although, when you look at the arch view it is in perfect alignment. I'll decide after everything else is done.

All in all, I am thrilled with the changes from beginning to now!  begin with) is getting a crown. He also did a little contouring on the bottom arch (I want a little more) and my left central incisor - now my right central incisor looks longer - but he assured me they would be even when the crown came in. I go back on the 22nd to have to new crowns seated and then we will set the next appt up to start on the bridges to replaced the missing molars in the back.

I may do a refinement after that - my left lateral incisor seems to be tilted out just a little (especially noticeable in the open mouth view,) although, when you look at the arch view it is in perfect alignment. I'll decide after everything else is done.

All in all, I am thrilled with the changes from beginning to now! 
to begin with) is getting a crown. He also did a little contouring on the bottom arch (I want a little more) and my left central incisor - now my right central incisor looks longer - but he assured me they would be even when the crown came in. I go back on the 22nd to have to new crowns seated and then we will set the next appt up to start on the bridges to replaced the missing molars in the back.

I may do a refinement after that - my left lateral incisor seems to be tilted out just a little (especially noticeable in the open mouth view,) although, when you look at the arch view it is in perfect alignment. I'll decide after everything else is done.

All in all, I am thrilled with the changes from beginning to now! to begin with) is getting a crown. He also did a little contouring on the bottom arch (I want a little more) and my left central incisor - now my right central incisor looks longer - but he assured me they would be even when the crown came in. I go back on the 22nd to have to new crowns seated and then we will set the next appt up to start on the bridges to replaced the missing molars in the back.

I may do a refinement after that - my left lateral incisor seems to be tilted out just a little (especially noticeable in the open mouth view,) although, when you look at the arch view it is in perfect alignment. I'll decide after everything else is done.

All in all, I am thrilled with the changes from beginning to now!

Refinement 1 tray 14!

I am nearing the end of my refinements! I start my last tray tomorrow after dinner! I am really excited to get done with it - I won't be doing any more refinements. The rest of the work that will be done will be cosmetic. I have an appointment for August 1st to start that phase. We are going to start on the lower arch - I'll need some re-contouring and/or bonding done and we are going to do the bridges to replace my missing molars. I'm more nervous about that than anything - I have to ruin perfectly good teeth in order to do this, which I am not happy about. But implants aren't an option due to the process and cost. The next posts after this will chronicle the other work I am having done. Hopefully all the other work will only take about 2 months - so by the end of September I hope to be showcasing my new improved and completed smile!

I don't really have much to report as refinements are slow going! I know there has been movement but it is so much more subtle than the first round so I haven't seen a reason to update. I've had nothing out of the ordinary going on. Just tray after boring tray! I haven't had much pain at all. At my last checkup my bite was pretty much perfect and my arches are looking pretty well done to me! I will ask for the before and after photos at my next appt.


Here are current photos (doesn't seem that different from my last photos but the lowers did some nice straightening.

I smile a lot more these days! My husband thinks I have horse teeth when I have my braces in (which is most of the time so... LOL) I am wearing them in this photo - they're so shiny! :)

Refinement 1 Tray 7

There's just not a lot going on to report lately! There has been some movement on the lowers for sure, it just seems to be very slow going. I have had almost no pain or even discomfort to speak of. The first 2 days of the last few trays I have been able to tell which teeth they were moving, but it wasn't even uncomfortable! I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Usually associate some pain and discomfort with movement. The two attachments that had to be put back on are holding fast this time, thankfully! :) I have had very little sensitivity and have been able to whiten my teeth on a regular basis with no problem! I am really looking forward to the gaps he created with IPR to start closing on my lowers. The actual arch is looking pretty good, but wow, I am going to need some serious bonding and/or filing to even out the jagged edges.

That's about it for my update... I switch to tray 8 tomorrow. I am already halfway through my refinements!

Refinement 1 Tray 5

Not too much to report with the last few trays. I am halfway through tray 5 and its been uneventful. No pain to speak of and I am not sure if there is much movement going on! I can't really tell a difference. The attachment I was worried about not staying - didn't. And it's partner attachment on the same tooth? Yea, it also decided to jump ship one day when I put my lower tray back in after a meal. Just kinda snapped right off. I am not doing anything out of the ordinary when putting my trays in or taking them out so I dunno. I have an appointment tomorrow for a cleaning and exam, so I will bring it up then. I wonder if that one tooth not moving properly could affect the other teeth on the bottom from also not moving properly? I just don't think that tooth is going to hold attachments well.

My right lateral incisor - the tooth that is going to be crowned isn't moving much at all... it needs to come down a bit I think but doesn't seem to be doing so. I have a crooked smile and have since I was a baby (it was cute then...lol) but it sure seems to me that all the upper teeth on my right side are higher than the left and/or the bottom teeth on the right side are lower than the left. Looking back it has always been that way and I never noticed?! I guess I am feeling overly critical today! Maybe not the best day to update! LOL

1/3 of the way through my refinements, so hopefully things will shape up here in the next few months! I need to try and remember to ask to see the newest clincheck at my next ortho appt. 

Photo comparison

Thought I would post full face photos for comparison. I am very happy with my progress and smile a lot more these days! My smile will never be one of those perfect "Hollywood" smiles, but that is ok. A little quirky like me is fine! LOL Can't wait until the entire smile makeover journey is complete!!

Forgot to say...

That I had 2 attachments fall off the very first day of tray 1 of the refinements. Actually, they had trouble getting them to "stick" at the docs office, then I noticed the next day they were gone. There are 2 separate attachments on both of the teeth these fell off of, and my dentist wasn't too concerned with getting them put back on immediately. Said it was fine to wait until my next appointment. One of them I don't think is ever going to stick properly, because it is so low on a premolar next to the open space my molar used to be in. It is REALLY super close to my gum. Shrug.

That is all. :)

Refinement 1 Tray 2

This tray has been VERY mild. It wasn't tight at all and I felt no soreness. It's felt like I have been wearing it for a while. I hope the next one give me some pain, baby! At least you know it is doing something!  I have to admit it makes for some difficulty in staying as compliant as I should be. I have been wearing them about 19-20 hours a day or more, depending on the circumstance. Weekends have become the worst for wear...

 

Two is not always better than one - but in this case, IT IS! These little doodads are AWESOME! Get some! I came across them when replenishing my stash.They are superior to those flimsy 1 line flossers. My husband said "watch out, before you know it they will be like the razors and they will have to keep topping one another and you'll have a flosser with FIVE lines and cost $25 a pack." LOL

I have been using the white strips with great results (mentioned previously, but it's worked out exceptionally well!) I slept with them in last night and only have a slight sensitivity on one of my bottom front teeth. Now that I have a couple of weeks under my belt with the new attachments, it is clear that the glue they use definitely stains and makes those particular teeth look more off color than the rest. Wish they could figure out a way to not get the glue all over the tooth and only apply it where it is needed... under the attachment. Oh well. At least we know that at the end when they remove the attachments it also removes the stains!

I have heard alot of people talk about their midline. Mine is way off but it has always been off. It's not really something has ever bothered me, so I haven't ever brought it up to the dentist. I can't even fathom how many trays it would take to shift a mouthful of teeth one way or the other. I just can't even consider the thought! UGH. I will be happy with straight teeth even if they are off at the midline. The only people who would notice it are those in braces or the midst of dental work.

I guess for my comparison shots I will show a pre-invisalign, Refinement tray 1, and then whatever current tray I am on. I think the movement is going to be much less dramatic this round. 

(My angle was a little different in the R1T2 photo... oh well! But hey, my teeth are WHITE this time Yay! :))

                                           Pre             Refinement 1 Tray 1  Refinement 1 Tray 2

Refinements are in! Refinement 1 Tray 1

Happy New Year 2014!

After five glorious weeks attachment free, I went to the dentist to get my refinements this morning.  I have 15 trays for both upper and lower. I was surprised by 15 trays, but it could be worse, so I won't complain. Only 2 attachments on the uppers - one tiny one on my right lateral incisor and another one further back on the same side. Whooo! Neither is very noticeable. I got 6 on my lowers none on the front four teeth - and the lowers don't bother me as much as the old attachments on my front tooth did! I am pretty happy with the attachment outcome!

If all stays on track and I complete all 15 trays I will be done with Invisalign on August 1st and can move on to some of the other cosmetic work to be done. This refinement only adds an additional 12 weeks to the original treatment plan I had (still had 8 trays on the bottom when we did refinements.)




He did some IPR on my lowers to make some room - it didn't hurt at all but it is a little disconcerting. He used a little drill with a grinding disc as well as a little strip of metal "sand paper." It gave me the heebie jeebies in the same sense of a "nails on a chalkboard" effect.

My teeth have been super sore this afternoon - which is not surprising and weirdly, welcome. After wearing the same tray for 7 weeks on my upper and 5 on the lowers, my last set of trays were quite - worn - and very easy to get on and off. I missed the 2 week switch outs and seeing some changes. I have to admit my wear time over the last 2 weeks has been quite lax - but the trays were well worn in and I had no problems when I put them back in. No issues today getting the new set in and out. I got some crest white strips and have been using them the last 2 weeks to whiten my teeth. They have helped immensely and is not quite as strong as the gel I have so doesn't cause the super sensitivity. I apply the strip then put my braces back in and can wear it for and hour or two no problem.

Here we go! Fresh start to the new year!

                                             Pre                                     Tray 1 Refinement 1

Tray 19 & Round 1 Attachment Removal

Tray 19 was very uneventful! I have to admit I was somewhat lax with my wear time because I knew I would be wearing this set an extra 3-4 weeks while waiting on my refinements to come in. It wasn't terrible, but I wasn't in a rush to get the trays back in after meal time. I haven't had any issues.

I had my dentist appointment this morning to take off the attachments (YAY!!) and take impressions for the refinements. It turns out in September, someone had ordered the missing passive trays, because they were there in the second box... 'replacement trays' were typed on the bags and they were dated in September. I guess whoever ordered them didn't put it in my file. But since we already pretty much had a plan, I insisted we go ahead and remove the attachments and send in for refinements. I was already set on it and have really been looking forward to having the attachments removed and gone for a few weeks. It didn't take long at all to remove the attachments and it didn't hurt or bother me in the least. My teeth are so much cleaner without the attachments and excess glue! They definitely get stained over time.

Taking new impressions...sucks. Yuk!! Still old school and we had to do each arch twice. That stuff is nasty! They also took a bunch of new pictures. Pretty much like the original appointment I had for the first round. He gave me another #19 for the uppers and had me switch to aligner 20 for my lowers. In a short 3-4 weeks I'll have the refinements and start all over again.

Pre Invisalign

Tray 19 with attachments

Tray 19 no attachments

"Look, ma! No attachments! LOL"

Tray 18

Whoo Hoo! 18 days until I go get my attachments off and take impressions for refinements. Tray 18 has been snug the entire time - there was some soreness the first 2 days as always, and no discomfort since. Trucking right along. Nothing out of the ordinary to report on this blog update. I've only done one whitening treatment since the one where I experienced the 'searing' pain. As soon as my attachments come off I plan on doing treatments for 15-30 mins everyday until I reach my desired whiteness. Hopefully that will help hold it off during the next round of treatment. I don't remember my teeth ever having this much trouble staying a decent white! I am brushing and flossing more now than ever! It's very frustrating!

I've seen some great movement so far and really look forward to what round 2 will bring! Although, I am praying I don't have more trays in round 2 than I did for the first round...


                                                Pre Invisalign                        Tray 18