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!!!