Sore toothy

Ow! I am having some major tooth placement annoyance today. On the top right side a tooth is position so it digs right into the center of the tooth under it on the bottom. I tend to clench my teeth together when I'm thinking, which I don't notice so that's making it hurt even more. Not very comfortable. Plus add the fact that when I take my retainers out, the rest of my teeth are not at a natural position, it's quite annoying.

I also can notice lots of small gaps between most of my teeth. They really are moving. They are still moving forward. Judging from how the retainers look there isnt' too much more forward movement. Then they will be moved back and into their new permanent positions!

It's almost 2012...which is the year my treatment will be complete!!! New year, new smile! I'm very much looking forward to getting these attachments off so I can start some whitening products to make my smile even better. And I certainly won't be upset to get rid of this discomfort. But once again, it's completely and totally worth the smile I will have.

Woahhh

Almost forgot to change retainers today! But thankfully I remembered, and woahhh do they ever hurt. It's almost Christmas so I'm nervous they will still be sore, but nothing will keep me from feasting. I remember a few years ago when I got my wisdom teeth out a week before Christmas (now that's a story) and I ended up getting dry socket and being in so much pain. I had a packing on my mouth wound and could barely eat, but I did NOT let that stop me from eating small bites of Christmas dinner. I actually had to resort to ibuprofen, which I haven't had to rely on for months. But it has helped the pain so it's all good. I am about halfway done and the progress is amazing, so I will put up with minor discomfort to get my smile even better!

Update & New Pics!!

So I have really noticed the change recently. I have been looking at lots of old pictures and videos and WOW I didn't realize how bad my teeth were before. I'm even happier now that I made this decision.

Things are moving along. I have been really bad recently. I drank a milkshake yesterday with my retainers in and just now drank some apple juice! That is definitely not reccommending because a) it can stain your retainers and b) it can get sugar in the retainers and then it just sits there trapped in your teeth which is not healthy for your teeth. However, it's not something I do frequently, so I'm hoping it will be ok. Right now, the position of my teeth is driving me NUTS, but it's passing already. It is such a gross feeling when your top tooth is in between 2 of your bottom teeth. Eww! But I get through it and it's fine.

I've included some new pictures because it's been awhile since I've taken some.

Things are continuing to improve!! So I am very please.

Booyah!

Been getting sooo many compliments lately! Very exciting. My sister was admiring my teeth and asking about my journey. I love talking about the process. It's kind of amazing to me how these retainers have totally transformed my smile and confidence. And the level of maintenance is not as hardcore as it may seem. Sure, it does take work to keep your retainers clean, but it's really not much different than taking your teeth clean. An extra few minutes brushing throughout the day is totally worth it.

It can be annoying, especially as of lately, when my teeth are in an odd position and feel uncomfortable when I'm eating. It's only temporary though, and it's not horrible. The pain that comes with teeth moving has been so minor overall. I have heard from so many people with braces that it is a painful process, so I feel sure this option produces the least pain. The most I've ever had, besides the pain that came with getting used to the first retainer (which did suck) was a minor tooth ache in like 2 teeth for a day or two. It's definitely bearable. And the dentist, and least mine, has been there every step of the way. If something doesn't feel right or I'm concerned, I could go right in and get checked out.

I cannot be any more pleased!! Now, just a side note to keep in mind once again: I am not being sponsored to say these things. This has been my REAL experience. And I'm very happy with it thus far. There have been some un-perfect moments, but overall this has been a GREAT process!!!!

Check Up Time

Today it was time for another check up. I had a different hygienist today and I didn't even see the dentist, which was unusual. I told her I was a day off so she gave me my three new retainers and made me try on my newest one to make sure it fit alright. It felt fine so she told me to change tomorrow. So tomorrow I should be starting tray 11 I believe.

My teeth are once again in a strange position. It's crazy how the tiniest amount can really make your bite off. Soon enough it will pass, as it always does, but still annoying nonetheless. It's nice to be getting further in my treatment. I'm about halfway done now!!! Woohoo! It's exciting to think soon I will be retainer free. Well, I believe I will still wear them at night for a while, but during the day my teeth will be freeeee! AND I will get these attachments off, which is the most exciting part.

Update!

It's been awhile since I wrote so I figured I should update my progress. Since I had to push my changing trays back a day because of forgetting to change a few weeks ago, I am on a new schedule. I have a check up appointment in a few weeks so I'll know for sure if I will be staying on this schedule now or moving ahead a day. I feel like I will likely be forced to wear my retainers a FULL two weeks, which is fine with me. I'll do whatever is needed to get the best results.

Things are going great. I am in love with the progress. My smile keeps getting prettier. I find myself not at all ashamed to show it anymore. Looking at old pictures I honestly can't believe how bad it was. Someone should have told me! LOL. At least it is now taken care of; something I'm super thankful for.

The newest set of retainers are more uncomfortable than the past ones, but I'm dealing. Since I have 6 attachments on my top set of teeth, taking off the top retainer is pretty painful. It catches on my teeth that already are sore from moving. And putting them back in, I have to make sure they're clicked in right, which sometimes feels uncomfortable. But it has only been 2 1/2 days with this new set so it's expected. By the end of the weekend, I'm guessing things will be much better judging from prior trays. Plus the way I see it, the pain is so minor (nothing that even requires medicine) and traditional braces are so much more work. I was able to take my trays out, enjoy a normal Thanksgiving meal, and put them back in. (although seemed like I ate all day. haha)

Once again, I am totally recommending anyone interested to get invisalign. And as a side note, I am not being paid by the company or "sponsoring" them in any way (although I wouldn't mind if they're interested lol) so this is my total honest opinion. I used to be so embarrassed of my teeth and at the age of 21 I did not want metal braces. The whole goal was to draw unwanted attention away from myself, not make me stand out more! Invisalign has turned out to be the best decision ever! I gained so much confidence and my teeth look amazing, which has encouraged me to floss better which I can tell is strengthening my gums. My dentist will be so proud! (I go to a regular dentist and my invisalign provider is a different dentist/orthodontist) I'm one happy camper. Having the smile I've always wanted is something that means so much to me. I'm so excited to be getting closer to that glorious moment everyday!!

OHHH and one more thing I should mention. It seems during certain short periods of time when my teeth are moving, the position of them is REALLY weird. I have noticed a few times when I'm eating my bottom teeth will kind of grind into my attachments on the top teeth (which is the most bone chilling feeling ughh) or my teeth will just grind against each other. It's super disgusting feeling and really drives me nuts. But it's only for a day or two and then it has moved past. It's crazy how the tiniest millimeter can throw everything off balance.

Updated pics!

Since it's 5 am and I haven't been able to sleep I thought I would post some updated pictures to show the progress. Things are looking good!!

Sorry for the blurriness. Hard to hold my webcam steady lol. I think the front view shows how much progress I have made. LOVE my invisalign.

Ah crap!

I have been feeling under the weather lately and very busy with school. I JUST now realized I was supposed to change trays yesterday. AHH. This makes me so mad! I never have forgotten before. I guess I will now be putting that into my planner as well. I swear sometimes I can't think without writing everything down. I usually change them after I wake up Tuesdays before school so 10:30 ish or after my appointments so 1:30 ish. Therefore it has been a whole extra day and some odd hours over. DANG!! I will see how it goes, but it's looking like I will be needing to switch to Wednesdays now. A full 2 weeks is most likely needed for proper growth. So frustrated with myself, but there's nothing I can do now but correct it.

On a happier note, someone was asking me about invisalign and I was talking about how much I love it and recommend it, and they said "wow you've only been wearing them 2 months and your teeth are THAT straight?!" which totally made me happy. I can see the difference and I'm glad others can to. Now I just have to remember to keep it up. Ahh!

Sheesh!

Time flies when you're using invisalign. Hadn't realized it had been so long. I had my second check up to see if things are moving along correctly. And they looked great. I believe the correct words were "good job. keep it up. you have a long way to go" ahh. It does seem like a long way away, but I feel like I have already come so far so I'm sure it won't seem long. It takes getting used to, but once you have your system down it's fine. One thing I haven't quite figured out was how to unobviously take out my retainers in times when I need to quickly. For instance, today I was shopping and they had free samples. I got some broccoli cheese soup and attempted to eat it with my retainers in, but the broccoli and carrots made that too hard. So I had to weirdly take out my retainers and put them in my sweatshirt pocket. It was awkward. I wish I had a better way, but I still have to figure that out.

I have been SUPER duper good about flossing. I got those little disposable flossers so I can use the small little heads and floss in between my ever moving teeth. I have really been able to see the movement of my teeth better as I floss in front of a magnified mirror. I can see little gaps indicating my teeth are moving since they weren't there before. I think flossing is important because your teeth are moving and there are surfaces visible you didn't have visible before. So you want to keep them clean. I also like to see the progress up close and flossing allows me to do that. I have not found a great way to clean my retainers. It seems like no matter how hard I scrub, they're never as clean as I wish they were. Not dirty or anything. Just not spotless.

My teeth are a little annoying right now. I'm almost ready for new trays. I've gotten to the point in this set where my teeth are basically all moved, they just have a little bit more to go. The trays feel clingy and my mouth feels like it wants to stretch. But I know this feeling all too well and it doesn't last long. I love that people can see progress. I definitely can, too. It keeps me motivated to take great care of my teeth. I'm spending all this time and money to get the smile I've always wanted, so I definitely want to take care of my investment. (Although, personally I guess I don't have that much invested in it haha)

My attachments occasionally bother me because they are noticable, but I try to keep in mind it's worth it AND it's a lot less visable then braces. I'm not usually talking right in someone's face and no one has ever mentioned anything about them to me. It's probably just me being self conscious because I noticed things on myself more than other people do. I'm still unsure if they will have to be on the entire duration of my treatment. I did learn that around tray 17 I will likely need some tooth sanding (eek!), but I'm only on tray 8 I believe so I have time before that. Otherwise, nothing new on the invisalign front. There isn't that much to it most of the time. Wear your retainers, that's the main thing.

Whoa!

I have been SO busy. Haven't wrote a post in quite awhile. Here's your update! Last I wrote, I didn't think I was ready for my new set of retainers. But it's been a week since I changed retainers and things feel fine now. I guess my teeth were tough to move. It feels like everything is back on track. I have a check up next week to see if everything is moving correctly so I will find out for sure.

Treatment is going fast. I still have quite awhile to go (estimated to be done in May '12 so 7 more months) It is going to be so weird to not have to wear retainers. I'm so used to wearing them. I like the feeling of my teeth being supported. It also feels so gross since my teeth are currently not in their permanent positions, when I chew sometimes my teeth bite my attachments and grind on them. I can't imagine not having my retainers to protect things like that.

Also, great news....thanks to some help, I was able to pay off my remaining balance of what I owed for my treatment!!!!!! It is the most amazing feeling to know my invisalign is taken care of. I can now finish my treatment without worries. My new smile is paid and full. I can now enjoy watching the results of my smile transformation.

Is it that time already?

Almost time to switch trays, and it definitely doesn't feel like it has been almost two weeks. My retainers seem to fit a little more tightly than they should this far into the tray. It doesn't seem like it has been this long. I guess I will just see how it goes. If I have any problem, I can call my orthodontist. I calculated I have spent just about $1000 so far in treatment. The payment plan definitely helps me not realize how much money I'm spending!! But it's so worth it. I think my smile is an amazing investment.

Things are pretty boring on the teeth front otherwise. So I'll keep this post short. I'll write more when more teeth developments occur. And post pictures soon.

All's good!

Had a dentist cleaning today at my normal dentist. I love my dentist and have been going there since I was young. Since they don't offer orthodontic services I had to go elsewhere for my invisalign, but I still go to my normal dentist for cleanings. This was my first time there since I started treatment. I got x-rays and a cleaning. I was worried my attachments would make things complicated, but it was just like normal. My dentist was happy I was getting treatment and said he couldn't wait to see my smile progress. He's such a nice guy!

Anyway, my hygienist gave me some tips and really made me think about it differently. I have been drinking cream soda with my retainers in because it's clear and won't stain.(I didn't tell her this! lol) But she brought up the point that anything with sugar can get under the retainers and if it sits there it can eat away at your teeth. So definitely not a good idea! I will be buying more bottled water for sure. Otherwise just have to work on my flossing, especially with my teeth moving. I love going to the dentist!

I'm on my 6th set of trays so things are moving along. Just made another payment today. Definitely nice to see my balance going down :) A good smile is a great investment to me. Just have to take good care of your teeth to make it worth it! One of my bottom teeth towards the front that was pretty crooked was very sensitive the last couple of days and experienced a lot of pain while taking my retainer out of brushing so I can tell it's moving. Yay! My teeth are all pretty much shifted forward now. Which is what the plan was.

Here are some new pictures I took:

Ehh!

So I have been majorly slacking in the maintenance department. Please, please, please take my advice so you never have to deal with this. It gets very gross. So take care of those retainers! Brush them thoroughly every morning and night at the very least. After every meal is ideal. Two weeks is a long time with the same retainers so keeping them in good condition is really important.

My finances are not amazing right now, so I need to get on top of that! I have enough to make my next payment, but will be very stressed if I don't start getting more money in soon. The payment plan is nice, but you still do have to make the payments. So being super organized (unlike myself at the moment) would be very helpful.

Otherwise my treatment has been pretty normal. Just chugging away at my retainers. Almost ready for set 6! Lip ring is still in, but hasn't been a problem. We will see when I decide to take it out, because I guarantee I eventually will. One thing I have been slightly annoyed with is not being able to eat whenever I want. People have often offered me food, and it's awkward to be like "oh can't. have my retainers in" I wish I could eat with them in. It's nice to be able to take them out when I want, though, so it's not a big complaint. Overall, things have been good. Just have to get better with the cleaning!

Me and my kitty showing off my progress so far. The more my teeth improve, the more I smile!

Changing smile!

I'm a couple days into my 5th set of retainers. This means I've been wearing invisalign for 2 months! That's a fifth of the way done with my treatment!! I'm definitely on the road to my dream smile. I have noticed my top teeth are noticeably straighter. My "hidden" tooth is no longer hiden. My top teeth look great! I can't stop smiling! It's something I have been so self-concious of for years and now my smile is looking so much better. This has been the best decision. I've even decided to take my 6 month old lip piercing out because I want the focus to be on my smile! I can't believe how quickly I could see results. My bottom teeth need some work, but they're also coming along really well. I can totally see the difference my retainers have made so far.

When I'm eating and have my retainers out, I've noticed it feels so weird if I don't put them back in right away. I'm so used to wearing my retainers it feels odd not to have them in. I bet it's going to be a transition to get used to not wearing them when my treatment is done!

I have had some pain since switching retainers, but it wasn't anymore than usual. I took ibuprofen the first day once and it was fine. I have noticed when taking my top aligners out there is a bit of discomfort. I'm guessing that it's because I have quite a lot of attachments on my top teeth. It's not horrible pain or anything so I'm not too concerned.

My teeth have moved to a strange location again. One of my top teeth is rubbing up against the inside of one of my bottom teeth. This sort of thing has happened several times and the teeth have always moved within a couple of days so I'm guessing it's just the moving process. I'm pretty used to everything that comes along with the retainers so I don't have much concern. This time my retainers fit perfectly, with no air space.

This process has been very interesting. I can't believe how retainers can do so much. I'm a big fan and although I've never had traditional metal braces, I totally recommend invisalign over anything. The treatment is low maintenance, you can eat/drink/brush your teeth/floss like normal by simply taking out your retainers, the pain is relatively low, the treatment time is fairly short, the price is cheaper (at least in my case) and is manageable in payment plans, and the results are great!! I'm so happy with my progress and am very eager to continue to see how my smile improves!

Chugging along!

It has been awhile since I wrote, so I suppose it's time. I have a few days before I put in my next set of retainers. For the majority of my treatment, I have felt minor pain in my back or side teeth, which is expected since my treatment is designed to push all my teeth out and then force them back in in the right positions. However, this time I felt some pain on my front teeth, so I think my teeth are making their way up. Progress is very exciting.

I have noticed some more annoyance as some of my teeth are in a strange location, but it's pretty minor. I have gotten a little lazy about washing my retainers after meals, which is apparent. You really can't skip that step. So thank goodness for clear mouthwash. It's nice to freshen them up. A quick soak every morning and sometimes at night has been helpful. I also brush them at least every morning and usually every night. I would recommend brushing after everything you eat, but I understand it's not always possible on the go. At the very least, I rinse my mouth out and make sure no food is stuck anywhere. (If you have food stuck to your back teeth, for instance, it will not fit properly and you will be able to feel it)

As far as noticeable difference, I can really tell my bottom four front teeth have moved closer together. They always had a tiny space between them that was hardly visable, but now it's even less visable. Eventually, these teeth will be sanded down a bit to make room since they will be getting very close, but I'm unsure exactly when that will be happening.

I am very happy with my decision to get invisalign. The only part bothering me right now is paying for it! It's definitely not an unreasonable price, and is more cost effective than traditional braces, but as a college student, money is tight. I've been fine making my payments thus far, so hopefully that trend will continue!! I am very eager to talk about and recommend invisalign. It has been a great treatment and things have been moving along just as they should.

Ouch!

Today I had my first check up. It has been 6 weeks since I started treatment and my orthodontist wanted to make sure everything was going arlight. He said things looked perfect, which is a good sign. I got 4 new retainers and will go back in October to check everything is still going according to plan. I am pretty used to the whole routine of wearing them and very eager to continue seeing results.

I've noticed overwearing the retainers is kind of bad. The other day I was rushing and didn't have time to eat so I didn't eat until about 5 pm. I wore my retainers the whole time and they were getting annoying and sore. So definitely I have learned it's important to take them out and when they say wear them 20 ish hours a day, they mean it. I also got lazy and drank some orange pop with my retainers in. So freaked out when they got stained orange, but a good brushing fixed them right up. I've learned the more you take care of your retainers, the fresher they will stay. By the end of the 2 weeks, it's welcomed to get a new pair because they get gross. However taking care of them really helps.

Right now, my right back teeth REALLY hurt. They are actually in severe pain, so I took some medicine. I hope it helps. Ouch! I can feel my back teeth are definitely moving. I'm getting very excited to see some real progress. I'm so impressed so far with invisalign, my younger sister started her molds to get invisalign too! We have very similar mouths, so our cases are pretty close.

Arrrggg!!

So I have been wearing set 3 for just about a week now. When I first went to put in on, the back right side wouldn't click down. It felt like air was stuck in there. I was afraid it was made wrong and I didn't want to ruin it so I made an appointment with my orthodontist. They squeezed me in, and told me it was nothing to worry about. They said if it iddn't fit better in 3 days, they would send away for new ones. Thankfully after about a day of wearing, they fit better. It just needed time to mold better. Hot water also helps the retainers mold to the teeth better. Good information to know!!

Now I'm at the point where my teeth have moved to a VERY annoying position. With or without the retainers! With the retainers on my left side bottom and top teeth towards the middle/back are rubbing against each other, which is super distracting. Without the retainers, such as eating or brushing, on the right side in the middle my bottom tooth is rubbing up under the back of my front teeth, which feels extremely uncomfortable. Definitely looking forward to my teeth moving past this point. It's driving me nuts.

I also have noticed discomfort, which is good because my teeth are moving, but also semi-frustrating. It's not bad enough to need pain medicine, but still painful. I have noticed if I wear them too long (as my appetite hasn't been very high) my teeth become irritated. So simply taking them out for 10 minutes really helps.

Besides the frustrations, things are moving rather well. I have an appointment soon to make sure my teeth are moving correctly and get my 4-6 set of retainers. Here's to progress!!

Going fast!

Tomorrow I switch to my 3rd set of retainers! And things are going great. I'm so used to them and don't even realize that they're in anymore. They're just a part of my everyday routine. They feel weird for a couple days, then feel normal, and by the end they feel weird to not wear them because they fit your teeth perfectly. I've started being a little more daring and drinking with them in, but I soak them in clear mouthwash. If I notice ANY staining, I will stop immediately. I never, ever eat in them, because I'm not sure how I wouldn't crack them. I don't even want to chance that.

I definitely notice that my front bottom teeth are closer together. They used to have small spaces between them that you can barely see, but now you can't see them at all. I also noticed a little discomfort in my back teeth for once, so I think they're moving forward. Through the course of my treatment, I was told my teeth will all be pushed out and then moved back in into a better position.

My bite is constantly changing, which is the most annoying thing at this point. I'm not used to it so my top teeth are often digging into the middle of my bottom teeth, which is not a very pleasant feeling. But it's nothing too bad. I'm definitely ready to change retainers. I feel like this process is moving pretty fast. I am definitely getting more excited as time goes on to see my new smile!

Getting used to it

I have been wearing my 2nd set of retainers for 3 days now. They looked exactly the same as the previous set, but when I put them in I could definitely feel they weren't. I took ibuprofen before I put them it and the discomfort was very minor. Definitely easier to handle this time then last time. My teeth were a bit sore, but nothing that was too bad. The retainers were a lot easier to get out then I expected. Needed to use my shirt, but they were very easily wiggled out. I didn't need to sand anything down so far, which was nice.

I am used to the whole process now, which I was worried I wouldn't be. I keep my case with me at all times to quickly take my retainers out if I have to eat. I was able to sneakily take them out while out to eat while my family and no one noticed. So it's really not as big of a deal as it seems like. Your life is pretty much the same. You just have to take your retainers out to eat and put them back when you're done. I wasn't very educated on how it was going to be living with invisalign, but thankfully it is not that bad. I have a system that works for me and I just stick to it!

I paid a down payment when I got my retainers, and made my first montly payment yesterday. Being a student and not having a regular job, I was worried about finances, but they are working with me to make payments throughout the process. A good smile is something I have always wanted, so I feel like the money is worth it when I see my teeth moving.

I'm curious if I will have to wear the attachments the whole time. I will have to ask soon. I don't mind them that much anymore, but they definitely make them more noticeable. Every 6 weeks, I have to go back in and have my orthodontist make sure my teeth are moving the way they're supposed to. If not, they will have invisalign send you different retainers to fix your treatment.

So far everything is going well and I'm really getting used to wearing my retainers. I feel like this was for sure a good decision and am very excited to continue to see progress!

So far, so good

I've officially been wearing my first set of retainers 2 weeks! Since it's 4 am and I'm not asleep yet, I will wait until I wake up to switch to my new retainers. One lesson I learned from last time is pain control so I will be taking ibuprofen a little while BEFORE I put my new ones in. The pain can come quite suddenly. I seem to have noticed a change in my bottom teeth. One tooth in particular looks like it has moved to a better position. I can tell I have been wearing the retainers enough because they fit to my teeth perfectly! It's a cool feeling that my teeth have moved right where they should. The retainers actually fit like a glove right now. I've definitely been eager to chance retainers the last few days!

It has been a strange process getting used to. A week in, it felt like there was an air gap and I was obsessed with biting down on the retainers. It felt so weird and it worried me. Now my teeth have moved to a spot where it is actually uncomfortable to bite down. My bite has changed. After I noticed some pain in a bottom tooth, which I thought might be a filling that fell out, I investigated and realized a top tooth was now positioned right to dig into the groove of the bottom tooth that was hurting. I suppose it makes sense. My teeth ARE moving after all. Just takes some getting used to. The general discomfort will hopefully be well worth it. It already seems to be going fast. Can't believe 2 weeks have went by.

I have gotten quite skilled at taking my retainers in and out. I don't even need a napkin or my shirt anymore! But tomorrow I'm sure I will go back to needing help since they will be a new, snug fit. I try to at least dry brush after anything I eat. It's a little hard when out and about, but my travel toothbrush has definitely come in handy. I also stick some q-tips right in my retainer case to get out any water bubbles after I rinse my retainers. A helpful little hint, which is easy to do on the go or at home. If I run out or forget to pack more, I have just used a paper towel which works decent. I snuck some gatorade with my retainers in today, but otherwise I have been very good. It's becoming a part of my everyday routine, so it's not as big of a deal as I expected it to be. Also really been helpful to soak in clear mouthwash once, or twice, a day. You can see (even if you DO brush the retainers), they accumulate depris. So I really try to make sure I give them a good soak. It also freshens them up, which is a plus.

I look online A LOT and read other blogs as well as advice from orthodontists. It's super helpful to read what others have gone through and their tips. So I hope I can help others! It's an exciting, nerve-racking, cool process. Everyday I get closer to my dream smile. And that is something I've wanted for a LONG time!!!

The beginning of my journey

I decided to keep track of my invisalign journey for many reasons. 1) I would really like to remember all I'm going through to make my journey worth it 2) I really found other's experiences helpful, so I'd love to help others 3) Seeing progress will be a great motivator. Ok so I started by getting a free consultation with a provider in my area. Much to my surprise he said invisalign would work for me! Being 21, I felt too old for normal braces, but I was self conscious of my smile. Most pictures I take are me with a close lipped smile. I figured my mouth was too crooked, however I was excited they weren't. So I got some molds done, which were far worse than normal braces molds. They were gooey and made me gag several times. Along with several pictures, the office sent them away to invisalign. They sent back a video of how my teeth would progress. it was SO cool. I was instantly ready to commit. However, money was a concern. After a few months of saving for the down payment, I ordered my retainers!!

When I went to pick them up (July 19, 2011), I had to have several attachments put on. Basically they are little white bumps they put on your hard to move teeth to put some pressure on them to move into the correct position. My top teeth needed quite a few so I thought they were noticeable, but most people tell me it's just me being aware of them because they're in my mouth. It didn't much hurt, but it was a weird process.The first day was absolutely awful. At first it was fine, but when the pain set in, I was not prepared. The bottom was digging into my gums so bad. I had to use orajel, ibuprofen, and also took a heavy duty nail file to trim the edges a little. After that, things were going good. The first few days your teeth are sore from moving, but that makes sense. It takes a while to learn how to get the retainers in and out, but I learned a paper towel really helps with gripping. It was estimated it would take 10 months for my treatment, which is much faster than braces would be.

It's important to brush your teeth and retainers a lot or they will get gross. There is a great crest clear mouthwash that you can soak you retainers in to freshen them up and since it's clear it won't stain. Honestly it was hard getting used to not eating/drinking whenever you want. I started just eating a few bigger meals a day in the beginning because the pain taking them in and out sucked. But after a couple days, it was easy to take them out to eat. After a while I literally didn't like leaving them out for very long. The support they give your teeth feels nice.

After about 5 days, a piece of the plastic in the back came out and rubbed on the back of my tongue. I ignored it for a few days, but my tongue was getting cut really bad and it was super painful. I finally couldn't take it. My dad borrowed me a metal file to round the area, but when he saw the part he suggested some sand paper. It worked great!!! And was easy and non-invasive. Just make sure not to use too heavy duty of a grain.

Here are some old pictures that show the "before"

This is 5 years old, but it is when I first discovered what I call my "hidden tooth" The arrow is poining to a big, oddly places tooth that hides the one next to it. Makes me so self-conscious.

Here's the best starting picture I have. You can see the top crowding very well. This was day one of my retainers!