Things are going. This morning was the first time that I felt like my front bottom teeth weren't overly painful. Don't get me wrong, I still cannot bite into things comfortably and they are a little sore, but things are much better. That being said, a tooth that previously was quiet is now causing me pain. Also on the bottom (so in traditional braces), it's one that is tilted in and turned in the wrong direction... so perhaps the arch wire is finally begin to move it?
On the Invisalign front, the trays continue to get more mucked up. I used denture cleaner on them this morning for the first time and that helped a bit, but they still need to soak or something. I'm kind of bummed out to think how I would normally be switching to aligner number 2 tonight, but instead need to wait another 3 weeks b/c of the Ortho's schedule. Overall, the trays are not impeding my day-to-day activities... other than the fact that I am snacking less. I was hoping this would help me lose weight... but alas, I'm so starving by dinner time that I chow down. I need to come up with a solution.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
Days 10 & 11
Every day, my bottom teeth are getting less and less sore. I've easily discovered that the areas that need the most corrections have the most pain. Which is why my bottom center teeth have been bothering me so much.
I was able to eat some potato chips over the weekend... but it wasn't a pleasant ordeal. Thick tortilla chips proved to be just too difficult. Last night, I actually had my Invisalign aligner out for 2 hours. We had friends over and were picking at food the entire time. I did not notice any ill effects (at least not yet!) from leaving it out. It's funny... I feel weird when it's out and want to put it back in.
I also tried to eat a fried egg roll over the weekend, and could only manage eating the middle parts where the wrapper was thinner. I had no idea just how difficult it would be to eat so many different foods.
I have been happily drinking my white wine and my Starbucks Skinny Vanilla Lattes (must be iced -- so you are drinking through straw) while leaving my aligners in. I do miss chewing gum -- a big no no with ANY type of braces.
I am still not 100% used to having all these contraptions in my mouth; though I must say, I am finding the Invisalign much easier than I originally anticipated. Some initial concerns were that I would forget to put the aligner back in after eating, or that it would be difficult to remove. I have not experienced this at all. I do expect things to change dramatically once I get my attachments -- but I figure I will adjust to those as well though.
It's the traditional braces that are killing me the most. You cannot really "take a bite" out of anything with your front teeth... for fear and risk of ripping the brackets off. All fruit (like apples, pears, etc) must be cut first... but even these are still a little too hard for me to chew (b/c of soreness). Finger foods need to either fit whole in your mouth or you must cut and/or break them apart before eating. And... after almost two weeks, I am still really needing soft food in order to really enjoy the meal.
I have no idea how often the wires get changed, but it worries me that it will take upwards of two weeks to enjoy eating again (after each change). It definitely sucks. Another little issue I have is that I had a slight overbite before the brackets were applied to my bottom teeth. So, now that brackets are on, my teeth don't close all the way (b/c my upper teeth hit the brackets). This poses a small problem in that now my molars don't meet... which makes chewing firm foods even THAT much more fun!!!
Don't get my wrong... I am not regretting anything b/c I know the end-product will make me very happy. My point is that it definitely takes some time to get used to these things, so prepare yourself for that before you begin. :)
I was able to eat some potato chips over the weekend... but it wasn't a pleasant ordeal. Thick tortilla chips proved to be just too difficult. Last night, I actually had my Invisalign aligner out for 2 hours. We had friends over and were picking at food the entire time. I did not notice any ill effects (at least not yet!) from leaving it out. It's funny... I feel weird when it's out and want to put it back in.
I also tried to eat a fried egg roll over the weekend, and could only manage eating the middle parts where the wrapper was thinner. I had no idea just how difficult it would be to eat so many different foods.
I have been happily drinking my white wine and my Starbucks Skinny Vanilla Lattes (must be iced -- so you are drinking through straw) while leaving my aligners in. I do miss chewing gum -- a big no no with ANY type of braces.
I am still not 100% used to having all these contraptions in my mouth; though I must say, I am finding the Invisalign much easier than I originally anticipated. Some initial concerns were that I would forget to put the aligner back in after eating, or that it would be difficult to remove. I have not experienced this at all. I do expect things to change dramatically once I get my attachments -- but I figure I will adjust to those as well though.
It's the traditional braces that are killing me the most. You cannot really "take a bite" out of anything with your front teeth... for fear and risk of ripping the brackets off. All fruit (like apples, pears, etc) must be cut first... but even these are still a little too hard for me to chew (b/c of soreness). Finger foods need to either fit whole in your mouth or you must cut and/or break them apart before eating. And... after almost two weeks, I am still really needing soft food in order to really enjoy the meal.
I have no idea how often the wires get changed, but it worries me that it will take upwards of two weeks to enjoy eating again (after each change). It definitely sucks. Another little issue I have is that I had a slight overbite before the brackets were applied to my bottom teeth. So, now that brackets are on, my teeth don't close all the way (b/c my upper teeth hit the brackets). This poses a small problem in that now my molars don't meet... which makes chewing firm foods even THAT much more fun!!!
Don't get my wrong... I am not regretting anything b/c I know the end-product will make me very happy. My point is that it definitely takes some time to get used to these things, so prepare yourself for that before you begin. :)
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Day 9
My bottom teeth still hurt while brushing, especially those in the front... as they are the most crooked and hence, have the most pressure being applied to them by the wire.
On a gross note, even with consistent cleaning, the Invisalign trays start to get mucked up with a white film. If I brush hard enough, I can usually get it off. However, this morning was the first time I could not remove the film with vigorous brushing and soaking in Listerine. I guess it's time to start soaking in the Polident.
Trays are only worn for two weeks, so typically I would only have 6 days left. However, since this is my first tray, and my trays start off with attachments in them (unlike most folks, whose second tray is the first tray with attachments), AND my next appointment isn't until March 18th (due to the Ortho's schedule), I will be wearing THIS try until then... for a total of like 4 1/2 weeks! HOW dirty will they be by then???
On a gross note, even with consistent cleaning, the Invisalign trays start to get mucked up with a white film. If I brush hard enough, I can usually get it off. However, this morning was the first time I could not remove the film with vigorous brushing and soaking in Listerine. I guess it's time to start soaking in the Polident.
Trays are only worn for two weeks, so typically I would only have 6 days left. However, since this is my first tray, and my trays start off with attachments in them (unlike most folks, whose second tray is the first tray with attachments), AND my next appointment isn't until March 18th (due to the Ortho's schedule), I will be wearing THIS try until then... for a total of like 4 1/2 weeks! HOW dirty will they be by then???
Friday, February 22, 2008
Addendum to Day 8
I wanted to also mention that today the first day that I can feel a change in my top teeth. When I take my Invisalign tray out, by teeth feel weird. It's hard to explain... I am hyper aware of them and they sort of have this weird "twang" thing going on. Strange feeling...
Whitening and Invisalign
I forgot to mention that I am also whitening my top teeth with the Invisalign trays. If you do not get "attachments" (small, tooth-colored buttons that are glued onto your teeth) put on right away, you can whiten first. I started yesterday.
My trays are setup so that I will require three attachments at first. All three are on my right side... one on the tooth before the canine and one on each of the two molars that follow the canine. So, my bottom teeth will stay yellow (until the braces are removed), but at least I will be able to see the 'before' and 'after' results of the whitening!
I get my attachments on my next appointment -- March 18th.
Here is an example of a ClinCheck video that shows the teeth straightening through the process and also where the attachments will be used to help the aligners grip onto and move the teeth more efficiently. This is not my ClinCheck. When and if I get it, I will definitely post it.
My trays are setup so that I will require three attachments at first. All three are on my right side... one on the tooth before the canine and one on each of the two molars that follow the canine. So, my bottom teeth will stay yellow (until the braces are removed), but at least I will be able to see the 'before' and 'after' results of the whitening!
I get my attachments on my next appointment -- March 18th.
Here is an example of a ClinCheck video that shows the teeth straightening through the process and also where the attachments will be used to help the aligners grip onto and move the teeth more efficiently. This is not my ClinCheck. When and if I get it, I will definitely post it.
The truth? You can't handle the truth!
And neither can I. How can these Frankenstein-esque, frighteningly crooked, teeth be mine??? I'm scary...
End of Week 1
Today marks the one week anniversary of my braces. Only 103 weeks to go. Kill me now.
Here is a recap of this week:
Day 1: Braces were put on around noon time. This process is not too bad. It is hard to have your mouth pried open for that long... it is rough on the lips. The actual placement of the brackets and the application of the initial wire is quite painless. The teeth themselves experience no pain right away... just very awkward. By 8pm, soreness started to set in on the bottom teeth, which is where the traditional (ceramic) braces are. Top teeth (with Invisalign -- see below) felt fine.
Day 2: Bottom teeth VERY sore. Cannot eat anything unless it is very soft. Top teeth still feel fine, maybe just a little "tight". Hard to ignore pain in bottom teeth... pretty severe.
Day 3: Bottom teeth continue to be sore. The wire on the bottom left has started to irritate my cheek. It is sticking out and is quite painful. I go to CVS and buy every orthodontic product known to man... including, dental wax, which you can use to cover your brackets and/or wires to prevent them from shredding your cheeks. This helps tremendously.
Day 4: While eating -- what I thought was -- a soft chocolate chip cookie, the wire that has been bothering me gets pulled out of the back tooth. I am missing my second to last molar on that side, so the wire is 100% exposed to the pressure of food while eating. The husband fixes it with pliers... as he had braces as a kid and knows how to do this. Bottom teeth still VERY sore. Eating is a huge issue. I cannot chew or bite anything. I was however, able to eat sushi (well, inside-out maki) and for dinner. Ahhh.... flavor....
Day 5: I call the Ortho office because of the exposed wire. By now I have accidentally swallowed at least 5 pieces of wax that were covering the offending wire. I go in at 5pm (toting along my 3-year old) and the Ortho decides to replace the entire wire and enforce the area (with a spring-like structure) where the wire is exposed (missing tooth area). This time, changing the wire is quite unpleasant. My teeth are still very sore, so removing the wire causes pain and pressing the wire back into place also causes pain. I got to CVS and finally fill the prescription for Tylenol with Codeine that the Ortho gave my on Day 1.
Day 6: Pain in bottom teeth is finally starting to subside. I still cannot bite into anything directly, chew anything firm or even moderately firm, and chewing in general causes pain. I do not have on-going pain when I am not eating though... this is a big step! After dinner, while trying to sneak in a Cadbury Egg (I know... what was I thinking? But they are my FAVORITE!), my damn wire came out again... YES, the that has been enforced with a thick-assed spring. Will I never be able to chew on my left side again??? What the F? I assume the task of reinserting it this time... after all, if this is going to happened regularly, I better know how to do it! I have success and things are back to normal. The question is... do I call the Ortho again or wait until my next appointment? Which isn't until March 18th!!! I'm going to play the waiting game and see what happens.
Day 7: I'm getting used to all the "in and outs" (literally) of the Invisalign trays. They need to be removed everytime you eat, drink anything hot or that will stain them and brush your teeth. It adds up... I am probably brushing my teeth at least 5 times a day now. Bottom teeth are feeling better. No pain upon resting; however, I tried to eat a Triscuit last night and had to spit it out. WAY too hard. Hmmmm... how much longer, if ever, until I can eat crunchy foods? I miss the textures. Soup, soft pasta and ice cream only go so far.
Day 8 (Today): Teeth feel good. Invisalign tray is starting to get "mucked up". I need to get some denture cleaner (yes, gross) to soak them in. Bottom teeth still sore when eating, but doing much better. One thing I haven't mentioned yet is that every single thing you eat -- no matter how innocuous you may think it is -- will get stuck in your braces. It's disgusting and eating in public is quite the embarrassment. Not only do you have to REMOVE your trays... that drag about a gallon of spit along with them... you need to run to the ladies room right after you eat to brush your teeth, put the trays back in and lament at how much food was stuck in your braces and wonder how many people saw it!
Here is a recap of this week:
Day 1: Braces were put on around noon time. This process is not too bad. It is hard to have your mouth pried open for that long... it is rough on the lips. The actual placement of the brackets and the application of the initial wire is quite painless. The teeth themselves experience no pain right away... just very awkward. By 8pm, soreness started to set in on the bottom teeth, which is where the traditional (ceramic) braces are. Top teeth (with Invisalign -- see below) felt fine.
Day 2: Bottom teeth VERY sore. Cannot eat anything unless it is very soft. Top teeth still feel fine, maybe just a little "tight". Hard to ignore pain in bottom teeth... pretty severe.
Day 3: Bottom teeth continue to be sore. The wire on the bottom left has started to irritate my cheek. It is sticking out and is quite painful. I go to CVS and buy every orthodontic product known to man... including, dental wax, which you can use to cover your brackets and/or wires to prevent them from shredding your cheeks. This helps tremendously.
Day 4: While eating -- what I thought was -- a soft chocolate chip cookie, the wire that has been bothering me gets pulled out of the back tooth. I am missing my second to last molar on that side, so the wire is 100% exposed to the pressure of food while eating. The husband fixes it with pliers... as he had braces as a kid and knows how to do this. Bottom teeth still VERY sore. Eating is a huge issue. I cannot chew or bite anything. I was however, able to eat sushi (well, inside-out maki) and for dinner. Ahhh.... flavor....
Day 5: I call the Ortho office because of the exposed wire. By now I have accidentally swallowed at least 5 pieces of wax that were covering the offending wire. I go in at 5pm (toting along my 3-year old) and the Ortho decides to replace the entire wire and enforce the area (with a spring-like structure) where the wire is exposed (missing tooth area). This time, changing the wire is quite unpleasant. My teeth are still very sore, so removing the wire causes pain and pressing the wire back into place also causes pain. I got to CVS and finally fill the prescription for Tylenol with Codeine that the Ortho gave my on Day 1.
Day 6: Pain in bottom teeth is finally starting to subside. I still cannot bite into anything directly, chew anything firm or even moderately firm, and chewing in general causes pain. I do not have on-going pain when I am not eating though... this is a big step! After dinner, while trying to sneak in a Cadbury Egg (I know... what was I thinking? But they are my FAVORITE!), my damn wire came out again... YES, the that has been enforced with a thick-assed spring. Will I never be able to chew on my left side again??? What the F? I assume the task of reinserting it this time... after all, if this is going to happened regularly, I better know how to do it! I have success and things are back to normal. The question is... do I call the Ortho again or wait until my next appointment? Which isn't until March 18th!!! I'm going to play the waiting game and see what happens.
Day 7: I'm getting used to all the "in and outs" (literally) of the Invisalign trays. They need to be removed everytime you eat, drink anything hot or that will stain them and brush your teeth. It adds up... I am probably brushing my teeth at least 5 times a day now. Bottom teeth are feeling better. No pain upon resting; however, I tried to eat a Triscuit last night and had to spit it out. WAY too hard. Hmmmm... how much longer, if ever, until I can eat crunchy foods? I miss the textures. Soup, soft pasta and ice cream only go so far.
Day 8 (Today): Teeth feel good. Invisalign tray is starting to get "mucked up". I need to get some denture cleaner (yes, gross) to soak them in. Bottom teeth still sore when eating, but doing much better. One thing I haven't mentioned yet is that every single thing you eat -- no matter how innocuous you may think it is -- will get stuck in your braces. It's disgusting and eating in public is quite the embarrassment. Not only do you have to REMOVE your trays... that drag about a gallon of spit along with them... you need to run to the ladies room right after you eat to brush your teeth, put the trays back in and lament at how much food was stuck in your braces and wonder how many people saw it!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Prepping for Braces
Aside from the mental preparation, there are many things an Orthodontist must do prior to crazy-gluing brackets on your teeth and/or sending away for your Invisalign trays.
There are multiple x-rays and also digital photographs... so if you are shy or not overly psyched to accentuate your horribly crooked teeth in an up close shot... start prepping yourself now. The orthodontist will also visually inspect your face (straight on and profiles), jaw and mouth.
The worst part however, are the "impressions" that need to be taken in order to create the Invisalign trays. Even if you only need one set of Invisaligns, both upper and lower impressions need to be made in order to ensure the bite and placement of all teeth is taken into consideration.
Making impressions of your teeth involves pressing a tray filled with soft putty onto your teeth. After what seems like forever, the putty hardens and is removed from your mouth. The hardened putty (which is now a mold) is filled with a special type of plaster or plastic that creates a mold of your teeth. If the molds are not perfect, they will need to redo them as many times as necessary. In my case, just one time for my upper, but FOUR times for my lower.
Doesn't sound too bad... however, this "putty" is very thick and a LOT is used. So when the push the trays onto your teeth, there is a huge amount of overflow of the putty into your mouth, blocking your airway and making you feel like you are going to suffocate to death. Most teeth impressions only take 1 to 2 minutes for the putty to set. Not Invisalign... It takes up to FIVE minutes. This is a very long time for anyone to wait, especially when your mouth is filled with a substance that is choking you.
When the molds are complete, they are shipped off to Invisalign for analysis and ultimately, the creation of your trays. Depending on the severity of your teeth, you could have anywhere from 6 months to 2 years worth of trays (they are changed out approximately every two weeks).
Once the trays are complete, your orthodontist receives them, along with your "ClinCheck" -- a computer rendered animation that shows the progress your teeth will make over the course of the treatment. I have not had the opportunity to see mine yet... the Ortho said he would email me. A week later... no email yet.
There are multiple x-rays and also digital photographs... so if you are shy or not overly psyched to accentuate your horribly crooked teeth in an up close shot... start prepping yourself now. The orthodontist will also visually inspect your face (straight on and profiles), jaw and mouth.
The worst part however, are the "impressions" that need to be taken in order to create the Invisalign trays. Even if you only need one set of Invisaligns, both upper and lower impressions need to be made in order to ensure the bite and placement of all teeth is taken into consideration.
Making impressions of your teeth involves pressing a tray filled with soft putty onto your teeth. After what seems like forever, the putty hardens and is removed from your mouth. The hardened putty (which is now a mold) is filled with a special type of plaster or plastic that creates a mold of your teeth. If the molds are not perfect, they will need to redo them as many times as necessary. In my case, just one time for my upper, but FOUR times for my lower.
Doesn't sound too bad... however, this "putty" is very thick and a LOT is used. So when the push the trays onto your teeth, there is a huge amount of overflow of the putty into your mouth, blocking your airway and making you feel like you are going to suffocate to death. Most teeth impressions only take 1 to 2 minutes for the putty to set. Not Invisalign... It takes up to FIVE minutes. This is a very long time for anyone to wait, especially when your mouth is filled with a substance that is choking you.
When the molds are complete, they are shipped off to Invisalign for analysis and ultimately, the creation of your trays. Depending on the severity of your teeth, you could have anywhere from 6 months to 2 years worth of trays (they are changed out approximately every two weeks).
Once the trays are complete, your orthodontist receives them, along with your "ClinCheck" -- a computer rendered animation that shows the progress your teeth will make over the course of the treatment. I have not had the opportunity to see mine yet... the Ortho said he would email me. A week later... no email yet.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Days 1 and 2
Today is Saturday. I got braces yesterday... 2/15/08. I've "wanted" braces since 5th grade... or at least I thought so. I almost got braces about 8 years ago, but I just didn't have the funds at the time.
So, after a bunch of dental work and a recommendation (and secret longing) from my dentist, here I am... almost 40 with Invisalign braces on my top teeth and traditional (clear) braces on my bottom teeth.
The purpose of this blog is to document and chronical my experience, as an adult, through the braces process. I will be open, honest and downright blatent when it comes to describing this experience... the good and the bad... and hope to provide some information and feedback for people thinking about going through the same thing.
For now, I will say my teeth are sore and I feel like a have a Chevy truck attached to my bottom teeth... but I will provide a more detailed and informative post about this process thus far a little later this weekend!
So, after a bunch of dental work and a recommendation (and secret longing) from my dentist, here I am... almost 40 with Invisalign braces on my top teeth and traditional (clear) braces on my bottom teeth.
The purpose of this blog is to document and chronical my experience, as an adult, through the braces process. I will be open, honest and downright blatent when it comes to describing this experience... the good and the bad... and hope to provide some information and feedback for people thinking about going through the same thing.
For now, I will say my teeth are sore and I feel like a have a Chevy truck attached to my bottom teeth... but I will provide a more detailed and informative post about this process thus far a little later this weekend!
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