It's been awhile...

I'm sorry I've been so out of touch. We've had a ton going on.

I'm STILL wearing Invisalign. Ugh. Before we left San Diego, I was given 6 more (out of 12) aligners for my bottom teeth. I now have a little gap at the base of my front two bottom teeth... ugly. It makes me look like I have something black between my teeth!! I'm hoping once everything is lined up, that little space will go away.

I'm currently wearing #6 of that set and waiting on the next 6 from San Diego. I can't really see a difference, there has been absolutely zero pain, but I can feel one tooth touching my top chops so something must be moving in there. I guess I should mention I don't have any attachments on at this point and my new aligners are fitting nice and tight each week. I was told the reason my bottom teeth are becoming so difficult to align is because the movements are so fine, it's hard for the Invisalign to read them for the molds. The teeth aren't terribly crooked at this point, but after all this time, perfection is a must! ;)

I wear a top metal retainer at night. It's amazing how snug it fits each time I put it in. The only thing I don't like about it is that it makes a white line going across my front teeth where the metal is. Wtheck? I don't do my whitening in the evening to ensure no gel is left on my teeth so I don't know.

That's all I know! I hope everyone has had a great holiday season. I wish I could say I was done with this whole Invisalign ordeal by the end of 2010, but nope. I'd still do it all over again though - the blessing of having my top teeth straight is worth the price.

The first is Christmas 2010, the second was Christmas 2009:

Retainers!

Last Thursday I received my upper retainer, worn only at night, and a spring retainer for the lower. The upper is fairly tight. Honestly though, if it didn't make me talk like I had a stroke, I would prefer to wear it all the time. I didn't realize how much I had become accustomed to the constant pressure on my teeth.

The bottom retainer feels like I have a thermometer stuck under my tongue all day, but is otherwise comfortable. On the outside of the retainer, there is a wire to push my left front tooth back, and on the inside, there is a wire to push the tooth to the right of that out. I think my bottom teeth look jacked now, but supposedly, they will all be pushed back into alignment with another spring retainer in 2 weeks.

Lately my back gums have been slightly sore and bleeding... I'm assuming from the retainers.

I also received 2 flimsy bleaching trays to continue whitening.

Here are some photos:

The end is in sight... for real this time.

So. First of all, we are moving Thanksgiving week. That puts a real crunch on the time we have left to complete my Invisalign process.

I just completed another 6 refinement aligners, with the bottom teeth STILL not corrected. In fact, those last ones did absolutely nothing. After seeing the good ol' dentist this morning, she informed me that there was no reason she could find that they didn't work. My teeth fit perfectly into the perfect aligners, but yet my teeth are not in line with each other.

So here's what comes next: I go back next Thursday to pick up a retainer for my top teeth to wear only at night. YESSSSS!!! My top teethies are perrrrrfect. I will also pick up a "spring retainer" for the bottom teeth to give that extra push on my bottom 1 tooth that wont go in line with the rest. I will wear it full time until we move, I think. She'll explain more next week... but yes, it is removable just like Invisalign while I eat and drink. This retainer will definitely be more visible than an Invisalign aligner but my bottom teeth don't show much anyway... and whatever it takes to get this process over with!

Now I leave you with some pictures.

My beautimus top teeth:

Now take a look at the bottom front teeth - the left 2 as you face the screen. That middle one is slightly further out to disrupt the perfect U shape.

And this is what I believe a spring retainer will be like for the bottom:

(I'll post my own photos next week.)

The last refinements?

We hope!

I meant to hop on here last week and update, but life has been so busy lately. I took my handsome little boys to the dentist for regular cleanings (no cavities, yay!!), and got some surprising news - my last refinements were in already!

I have 7 refinements to be changed weekly, every Thursday, and if all goes as planned, I will go back in 6 weeks to have my retainer made. The top aligner remains the same but does switch out. The bottom will continue to line up the front teeth. They started me out on refinement #2 of 7. I thought that was kind of odd, but they slipped right into place... so I guess no harm?

These bad boys have been tight - particularly the bottom. When I take the bottom tray off, it tends to go flying across the bathroom and I have to pray "Please don't fall into the toilet! Please don't fall into the toilet!!!"

Anyway, hopefully this will be the end of my Invisalign treatment. I'm not sure how it will work if we move to Colorado with more refinements to be done.

The only thing I'll kind of miss is seeing the look of "WTH is that on your teeth?!" fall across someone's face after we've already been talking for quite some time. I was talking to this guy for HOURS on Saturday and just as he was mid-sentence about the Nintendo DSi for my little dude, this look washed over his face - his eyes were huge, his jaw slacked, and I knew he finally saw the aligners. I started laughing and he was like, "WTH is on your teeth?!" Braces. "What?!" I think he might get Invisalign now. :)

On the flip side, I will NOT miss having to walk through the food court and needing to turn down all of the freebies!

Tis all, y'all! I'll keep you posted!

The top is done! Yay!

So all month long, I had it marked on my calendar that I had an Invisalign appointment today at 0930. Sal took off work so that he could keep the kids. Last night, I was looking through my wallet and found the appt reminder card and guess what? My appointment wasn't today, it was scheduled for FRIDAY at 0930. Crap! I felt like such a dummy.

Anywho, I talked to the office this morning and I was able to be worked into the schedule at 1 o'clock. Hooray.

My top teeth are DONE!!!! She removed all but one attachment, and I honestly think she didn't see the last one. It's fairly far back in my mouth.

My bottom teeth lack "2 refinements," as she put it. She said I'll wait a month from now to get a set of refinements to even up my bottom front teeth and should be completely done with treatment in no more than 2 months from today. The new refinements will probably include a little more filing of my teeth (YUCK) and at the end, contouring for a better appearance.

She said my bite is perfect. We talked a little more about my midline and stuff, but decided it's not worth the trouble to fix for the sake of appearances. I would have to remove and file teeth and possibly break my jaw for that. No, thanks.

Once I'm done with these next refinements, I'll get a retainer - either a plastic try, a normal orthodontic retainer, or she can bond my teeth together. She said we'll decide then.

I'm almost done!!!! Thank goodness because this spoiled brat is ready to shed the aligners FOREVER. FOR-ev-ERRRRR

#10 of 10!!

Cause for celebration? No, probably not. I highly doubt these are the last ones. Bummer. I know I'm a spoiled brat, but I'm really sick of wearing these aligners now.

My teeth look GREAT, fabulous, just like my dreams....... but in these last 2 refinement trays, something happened. The top teeth look just about perfect. In fact, they probably look just fine to anyone but me... but the bottom teeth.... yeah... they WERE in a perfect ) but now... NOW they're not. The front 4 bottom teeth are now in sets of 2. The left 2 (my left) are even with each other but are pushed further out than the right 2. The right 2 are in line with each other but are pushed further inward. I tried to take a picture but it wasn't very clear.

I'm scheduled to head back to the dentist next Thursday, when, I imagine, she'll order more impressions and refinements. Whatever happens, we better finish up before November! I'm moooooving!

Update: The last of the refinements

Today I made a little visit to the dentist to get the last 5 packages of refinements. I was told that I wont be able to see any changes in the aligners but I will notice my teeth just "move into final position" at the end. We'll see about that. One of my front teeth is still slightly further out than the other so that better get corrected. Dr. V will shape up my teeth at the end to give me a better cosmetic result once all of my teeth are aligned.

This new set today has made my mouth a little bit sore but nothing to write home about. Or is it? I am writing it on this blog. haha. Anyway, I revisit the dentist on August 12th to make impressions and receive a retainer a few days later if everything stays on schedule & I'm happy with the results.

As for whitening, I only do it mayyyybe once a week. My teeth are pretty white right now and it just makes my teeth too sensitive to use every day. I don't want neon teeth anyway. A natural white is good, thanks.

Tis all. I'm going to try to get my before pictures from the dentist at the end to post on here, as well as the afters for everyone to see. The results so far are AMAZING!

Whitening

I haven't exactly followed doctor's orders as far as the whitening treatment goes. Dr. V told me to use the gel on the top and bottom every night. If my teeth are to get sensitive, discontinue for a day and start up again. Well, my bottom teeth get sensitive after only ONE treatment! It's not terrible but pretty annoying. Soooo, I've opted to do my top teeth every night until they become sensitive (usually after 3-4 days) and my bottom teeth every other night.

Here is a before and after, although my teeth were

much more yellow than this picture (refer to previous close-up teeth shots in this blog):

So yeah, YAY for white teeth!!!

As far as the straightening process goes, I'm pretty satisfied with the results thus far. I want my 2 front teeth to be pushed back just a tad further... we'll see if my refinements accomplish what I'm looking for.

Ohhhh I found an older picture from a couple years back from before any orthodontic treatment... WOW the difference! (yes, those are the same earrings) :)

Refinements are in!!

~ 10 Refinements, changed weekly. I go back July 8th, my dad's birthday.

I had a little bit more filing done between the top teeth this morning to recreate some gaps. I also received some whitening gel! It's time for WHITE, straight teeth Baby! haha Dr. V mentioned more refinements or "tweaking" can be done after these refinements are over. We shall see.

These new aligners feel so much better. They aren't super tight so I'm not anticipating any pain, but they are tight enough to feel comfortable. I was getting to where I was keeping the last ones out more than I kept them in (during the day, that is). Oops.

Anyway, it feels great to be progressing again!

#18 + Refinements

I'll start off by saying, #18, yeah, it wouldn't even go into my mouth. Therefore, I'm in #17's until my refinements come in (in about 3-4 weeks). I saw Dr. V today, did a couple impressions and pictures and a little gossiping about the "new" me. She was highly impressed with my teeth, particularly my minimized overjet. She predicts only about 4 refinements and removed 2 attachments from my fangs. Score! She said I could start whitening all of my front teeth now but we wont really "formally" do it until the end of treatment. I don't care either way. I only want straight teeth!

I'm almost done!!!!!!!

#17

Ahh, number 17. Should be painless, right? Shouldn't be too much of a difference between the last few, right? By outward appearance, sure, that's what it would seem... but NO. I could barely get the things in. I was looking forward to switching to these since I started grinding my teeth like crazy again as I do the longer I have on a set of aligners. Weeeellllll, at first the bottoms wouldn't snap on the left side (my left) and the top were SO tight I thought I wouldn't be able to get them on either. After some manipulating, I did get both aligners on and could feel the pain and pressure as if I was back on set #1. Fabulous!

Today, they have hurt taking them out and replacing, and I've even had bleeding! What the...?? I resorted to eating tortilla soup and queso all day. Darn the luck! Moral of the story: Just because you're toward the end of treatment and the aligners don't appear to be any different from the last, doesn't mean they'll be easy. You know what they say about assuming things!

Thursday, I will go in to have new impressions made for refinements and that "C Chain" she was talking about, I assume. *ahem* The following Monday I will switch to #18 of 18. I'd imagine I will have several refinements. As you'll see in the following photos, an upper tooth is still slanted while the same tooth on the opposite side is straight. I didn't take any more photos of the bottom but I can assure you, they're not Hollywood perfect. None overlap anymore, but they are still uneven and crooked... but perhaps the most wonderful thing of all, there's already a great improvement in my overjet! It's getting better all the time! I used to be able to fit my thumb behind my front teeth - no can do anymore!!

Second tooth from the left is straight:

second tooth from the right is slanted:

Post-Appt Update

So, as I said before, or at least I think I did, I missed my appointment on the 1st so I went to a last minute appointment on Wednesday to make up for it. Dr V gave me the rest of my little Invisalign packages! Score! I now hold in my hands the last 5 of the original treatment plan!

However, when I was in the shower the other day, where I do my best thinking, I realized that Dr V forgot that I still had a package left at home and dated the ones she was giving me as if they were the next in line... Thus, #14 and #15 are only 5 days apart. Uh oh. I called her today and she said it shouldn't be a big deal. Leave it as is since I'm at the end of treatment. I shouldn't have any problems... I should also mention #'s 16, 17, & 18 are only 9 or 10 days apart.

She did a little filing between my top teeth, but not much. My left front tooth was fairly sensitive so she didn't play with it too much. The attachment on my right fang (sorry, no technical terms here) wasn't matching up with my aligner again so it was replaced and made quite a bit more noticeable on the bottom of my tooth.

My next appointment is April 15th @ 9am (just in case I forget), when we'll take new impressions right before I switch to #18's on the 19th. Dr V said she'll likely order a couple refinements and something equivalent to a "C Chain" in regular orthodontics to pull my teeth into my head and close any remaining gaps. I'll keep on #18's for probably 3 weeks while waiting for the new stuff to come in.

Now that I'm almost finished, I'd have to say I've been pretty pleased with the whole Invisalign process. It's a bit pricey, but boy it's FAST! Having my teeth straight will seriously be a dream come true!

Comparison Photo

I switched to #13 last night. Curiosity struck and we dug out my beginning aligners. What a difference! It's more apparent in person, but this will give you an idea. The shape of the #1's (bottom) are more of a V and the 12's (top) are more of a U.

I go back to the dentist on Wednesday after a no-show appointment last week. I didn't realize I had an appt last Monday! I still have aligners to last through the end of the month so I'm not sure why I'm going back early... maybe to get more filing done. Yuck. The 13's I put on last night aren't very painful, but they're also not clipping over the attachments on the top right... which means another visit of tugging, filing, scraping, pulling aligners on and off a bazillion times... all of that means a lot of discomfort. It's getting difficult to talk again. The lisp has returned and I tend to send spit flying if I speak without aligners in. Hot! Ah well, it will all be over soon!

Eleven

I'm on #11, right? Right. I started these aligners late...but who's to blame me? We were in San Francisco the weekend I was to switch and there was NO way I was going to miss out on some "scrimps 'n scrabs" (as my family would say) & other yummy food. No way! So instead of trying them on Friday night, I waited until we got home Monday night.

I, of course, compared the new with the old and found the Top Elevens are SMALLER than #10's. As in, when I over-laid them on top of each other, the top front teeth were brought inward making the aligner smaller. Does that make sense? Other than that, no change. Not a whole lot of pain, some pressure, the usual. Somehow I always end up getting head-butted right in the mouth on the first day of every change. Ouchie! ... but never any other day.

I can't wait until I'm done and I have perfect teethies! Not too much longer now but I'm getting impatient! I'll just keep reminding myself - I would have to wait TWO YEARS if I was in regular metal braces. 2 Years!!

#10

I couldn't think of a clever blog title this time. Sorry, guys. haha

Ahhh, number 10. As usual, my gums were sore the first day (Feb 2). No unusual bleeding or anything. Most of the soreness was concentrated in the back upper right. I had to resort to taking out the aligners on the opposite side so it wouldn't feel like I was pulling out my teeth!

Unfortunately however, I had to make an emergency trip to my dentist's office this morning. My bottom aligners were rubbing my tongue RAW and the top one wasn't snapping over my attachments on the right. My next appointment wasn't until next Wednesday. Well, she ended up canceling that one and filed more on my teeth and reattached some of the buttons. Fun, fun. Oh, and she cut off the back tooth on the bottom aligners to help with the irritation on my tongue.

All is well now. I think Nick will become a dentist when he grows up... He is so intent on watching EVERYTHING the dentist does in my mouth. Maybe he knows he'll have braces one day... with his 3 front teeth and all........

I looked ahead at my March 18th set #14 (I think) and boy oh boy the changes we'll see! I can't wait!

Cheerio,

Why is 6 afraid of 7? Because 7 8 9!

I changed Invisalign aligners 7 & 8 during our trip to/from Texas for the Christmas break. Those were easy. Not much pain, just the usual tension & pressure. My family hardly noticed them and kept forgetting. I'd have to remind them I couldn't just taste test food or randomly drink a soda unless I was ready to do the whole remove, eat/drink, brush teeth, replace ordeal. Family also noticed an improvement in my teeth I couldn't see! They were very encouraging about the whole process.Last night I switched to #9. They were tight, as usual, but actually a lot easier to snap in than prior aligners. I thought, "Oh these should be a breeze!" Wrong, wrong, wrong. Typically I take them off first thing in the morning but when I tried a few minutes ago, it hurt like the devil! I have this trick to taking them off with minimal pain but that didn't even work. I had barely pulled down on the top when I quickly put them back where they belong. That hurt! I'd imagine once I take them off, that will be the worst pain and then when I take them off again throughout the day, they wont hurt much at all. I hope.

I should have known better. By looking at #10 in the package, my bottom front 3 teeth will be lined up. That will have to take some pain... but it doesn't explain why the top hurts. I guess it's doing something I can't see!

No pain, no gain!

A before picture from the beginning:

***Embarrassing "after" pictures below:

The "overjet" is getting better, but I didn't take a before picture of that. Umm.. Oops?! hahah

Most of the improvement we can see are the teeth next to the top 2. They are slowly coming out from behind and getting lined up. Also, the lower teeth are not quite a slanted and over-lapping each other.... I never realized how much the lower teeth were going like / that.

Still have a lot of work to go! I'll add more pictures of the differences in the aligners (which are amazing!) and more after #10's if I see a difference.