Noooo! I hate you upper impression

So, I'm on the dentist chair as I type and this morning I've already had 3 impressions, I think I'll be getting a fourth because they have me waiting already for a bit. More news later today...

Impressions Pt2

It happened again! I received a call from my dentist office asking me to go in and re-do impressions. This will cause another 2 weeks delay to my treatment, how frustrating. I was told that this time the impression was rejected by the lab because of some issue with my front teeth. What are going to do? I'm sure it is very frustration for them also. I made an appointment to go in this Saturday at 10am to re-do molds. Wish me luck!

Tray 10- Quick Update

Hello Everyone!

I've been wearing tray 10 since 8/17 :(

I'm sorry I hadn't had a chance to update you guys on my progress. I've been really busy at work. So, I went to go see my Ortho on August 17th. In this appointment I went through a routine 6 month check up. They cleaned and polished my teeth. Afterwards they took my third set of impressions since starting Invisalign. We needed new molds for the new trays that need to be created. The appointment took a good hour or so.

A few days later...
I got a call from the dentist office asking me to come in again to re-do the top impression. Apparently the impression taken was being rejected by the lab at invisalign and they requested a new mold. I went in on August 29th and we took another top impression. My Ortho explained that they didn't have a clear impression of my front teeth and that's why the lab rejected the cast. This is causing a delay in my treatment unfortunately, but what are you going to do. That's life. I'll keep you guys posted on when the new trays arrive. I'll also do a before and after picture on Tray 1 and Tray 10. Big difference.

On a side note!
I am a huge makeup fan, I am thinking about starting a small makeup blog. Feel free to check it out http://anasvanitymirrors.blogspot.com/

Thanks for reading!

Tray 7 & 8

I've been wearing invisalign for 16wks and 5 days. I'm currently on Tray 9.

Hello readers!

Not much to report, I have finished tray 7 and 8. I have an appointment to see my Ortho on August 17th. I've notice slow but steady changes. My attachments/buttons are still in place and I haven't had any trouble with them at all. Taking the trays out has become easy and I can do it without any trouble now. I've received a few comments from family members who tell me they can see a change in my teeth, very exciting to hear. My trays stay clean and clear so I think the cleaning method I'm following works very well.

Here are some more pics for you guys :)

End of Tray 7

 

End of Tray 8

 

Invisalign VS Traditional Wire Braces

My sister in law Edith and I decided to put together a little Q and A on Braces vs. Invisalign. We hope you guys find this helpful. Feel free to leave comments if you guys have any questions for us :) Happy reading!

 

When did you start your treatment?
Ana: I began Invisalign treatment on April 11^th 2013
Edith: I had my braces attached on May 6^th 2013

 

How much will the treatment cost?
Ana: Cost of Invisalign treatment ranges from $3500 to $8000. I was quoted $4500 for my treatment.
Edith: Depends on bracket preference, white or silver. White brackets are $500 more. Total treatment cost for myself since I chose white brackets was $3800.

How long is the treatment estimated to last?
Ana: Approximately 12 to 18 months. It really depends on how compliant you are with your treatment plan. You are recommended to wear the trays for 22hrs a day.
Edith: 18 months

After initial consultation how long was it before you started treatment?
Ana: It was about 6 to 8 weeks. I had to go back in to get my molds re-done. This took up more time.
Edith: About 2 months. Before treatment can start the dentist will perform a routine dental exam and make sure that all dental issues are tended to this may include deep cleanings, cavity repair, extraction etc.

How often are appointments scheduled for progress check and adjustment?
Ana: I visit my dentist every six weeks. In each appointment my dentist gives me a set of 3 trays to switch out every 2 weeks until my next appointment. I am starting off with a series of 10 trays and then adjustments will be made and more trays will be created.
Edith: Monthly. In each appointment my dentist uses some kind of dental tool to make adjustment, I also get to change the color bands that go around my brackets.

Dental routine changes?
Ana: I am required to brush and floss after every meal in order to prevent cavity formation. Since my treatment requires me to insert trays I need to make sure my teeth are as clean as possible because plaque buildup can become a problem. I’m brushing and flossing at least 3-4 times a day. I purchased a water flosser to make flossing quick and easy. Works very well.
Edith: I try to brush my teeth after every meal. I use a water flosser and electric toothbrush. Along with brushing and flossing more regularly I use dental wax to prevent the wire from scraping my inner cheek. I also use rubber bands to help with teeth movement.

What is the biggest adjustments you had to make during treatment? 
Ana: Definitely Diet! It’s recommended that I wear my braces for 22hrs in a day, so I pretty much have 2hrs to be without my trays. Keep in mind I also have to brush and floss before popping in the trays and it takes me about 7-10 minutes. With this said I really only have an hour and a half that I need to break down to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. It can be very difficult at times. Parties and events are the worst because all you do is mingle, drink and snack. While I have my trays in I’m recommended to only drink water. Other drinks can stain your trays, not to mention most drinks contain sugar or sweeteners that aren’t the best for your teeth. You don’t want that junk sitting in your trays rotting your teeth. It’s definitely a big adjustment.
Edith: Diet Changes. The beginning month of treatment I was recommended to consume soups. Nothing too hard or chewy because of fear of wire coming off or breaking a bracket. No hard candy (blow pops, tootsie rolls). I am unable to bite into fruits (apples or pears). I was provided with a list of foods to avoid.

How long after adjustments do you feel pain?
Ana: I need to switch out my trays every two weeks and the first two days are always the most difficult. My teeth become very sensitive when biting down, they feel sore.
Edith: About a week

How long into the treatment did you stop noticing the braces?
Ana: I still notice my braces now, but there are times in the day that I do forget I have the trays in. Others are more likely to forget you are wearing them. Since I started my treatment I’ve had numerous family members forget completely. I’ve turned down more food and drinks now than ever in my life!! SAD! lol
Edith: To this day I still notice them.

What are the biggest draw backs of the treatment?
Ana: While going through invisalign treatment you have attachments/buttons added to your teeth. They make your teeth look a bit weird when trays aren’t inserted, you get use to them but it definitely makes the treatment less “invisible”. The no snacking during the day kinda sucks to. I miss it at times.
Edith: Food gets stuck in between brackets and wire. I’ve become self-conscience about this and find myself constantly checking my teeth. Also irritation on inner cheeks because of the metal wire.

Did you get a lisp?
Ana: Yes, it lasted a few days. I talk a lot at work and I got use to the trays pretty quickly.
Edith: Yes, but only lasted about a month.

Does your mouth feel heavier?
Ana: No, not really.
Edith: Yes

Did you notice a difference in your breath?
Ana: Your mouth tends to get dry, and I do feel like my breath isn’t as fresh as it would be if I could just pop a mint. I do miss my mints. My husband says he doesn’t notice a difference so that’s good news, although he is the one that came up with this question, so maybe he is just being nice.
Edith: No

Any helpful advice or tips for Hollywood smile pursuers?
Ana: If you choose to go with invisalign you should get a “Cleaning Travel Kit” ready, this way you will always be prepared if you need to brush and floss while you are out and about. Try and carry a lip balm, you tend to get dry lips while wearing the trays. Pick a lip balm with no tint/color, otherwise it may stick to your clear trays just like lipstick sticks to your teeth. Try and change trays at night, this way you can sleep while your teeth adjust to the new tray. Be as compliant as you can with your recommended treatment, this will help the progress go smoothly and help you achieve that dazzling Hollywood smile you’ve been dreaming about a lot quicker.
Edith: If you have traditional braces do not run your tongue along the braces, it may get stuck and trust me it hurts. Use dental wax if back wire is irritating your inner cheek, but don’t forget to remove dental wax before eating otherwise you may end up swallowing it. It is very painful the first month and later it feels uncomfortable when eating, you can try and take a pain reliever to minimize discomfort. Have fun with them, changing colors on brackets every visit can be fun and creative. I use the holiday to inspire me. Currently I have red, white and blue because of the fourth of July. It takes awhile to get use to them, but don’t be discouraged it gets better J

That’s all for now. Thanks for reading and feel free to post any other question we may have missed.

Tray 6

Just finished Tray 6th and started Tray 7

I had an appointment to see my Ortho today at 1pm. The appointment was quick and painless. I thought they would be doing the IPR today but I was wrong. According to my Ortho the IPR wont come until later in the treatment. I received tray 7, 8 and 9. I have another appointment in 6 weeks, at this next appointment I'll be receiving tray 10 and they'll be making another set of molds/impressions for invisalign to work on another set of trays.

 

Here are some pictures of the my teeth at the end of Tray 6. 

 

 

I'm still working on the Q and A for the braces and invisalign post. If any of you guys have questions feel free to comment below, Edith and I will do our best to answer them.



Tray 4 & 5

I'm currently on Tray 6.... Just switched them out last night.

Progress… It’s been a while since my last post. I went to the dentist on May 25^th at 1pm. My appointment didn’t run very long. Ortho said my teeth are moving as expected. She asked if I had noticed a difference in my bite and although I never paid much attention before there was a big difference. As I bite down I realized my teeth shifted and they don’t touch the way they used to. I did notice slight differences in my teeth, for one it has gotten a lot easier to floss and small gaps have been forming between my teeth. My dentist explained that at this stage of my treatment they are expanding my teeth to make room for the movement that will take place soon. On my next appointment they will be doing some IPR(Interproximal Reduction) which is a big fancy way of saying they will be shaving my teeth to make even more room for the teeth to shift. I've also heard it called "Slenderize". I'm not very excited about this but from my research I hear it's no big deal and pretty painless. My next appointment is on July 6th.

Day to day life…. I’ve been wearing invisalign for about ten weeks, I think I finally got my eating routine down. I’m surprise to say that my day to day life hasn’t changed much. There has been no change to my regular work day. I work at a call center and I’m not allowed any food in my cube so I didn’t really munch during the day. When it comes to the weekend I do notice I think twice before removing my trays... "Is this snack worth it" or " only an hour before dinner, I can wait". I started rating food, and to be honest snacking wasn't worth it. I try and wear my trays at least 22hrs a day. Some days I even wear them longer.

Drinking alcohol.... I'm sad to say that I have decided not to drink anymore alcohol for the remainder of my treatment. In all honesty I'm a lightweight when it comes to drinking and I shouldn't drink alcohol quickly and because my invisalign wear time is so demanding drinking alcohol fast had become a bit of a bad habit. I even lost my trays briefly at home while having a karaoke night with some girlfriends. Luckily my friend Karina found them :) Thanks girlie! I'm sure I'm not missing out on much. Family parties may be a bit challenging since my whole family drinks, but this small sacrifice will be worth it.

Braces vs. Invisalign..... I have some exciting news, My sister-in-law Edith got braces on May 6th and we are thinking about composing a Q and A post for everyone. I'll keep you guys posted on that.

Pictures.... so even thought I've been neglecting my blog, I have been trying to keep up with my invisalign progress through pictures. I see a slight difference here and there but nothing to drastic yet. According to my Ortho the noticeable changes will come after tray 10.

 

Here are picture at the end of Tray 4 

At the end of Tray 5



I will try and post another entry after my appointment on July 6th. I will be getting tray 7, 8, and 9.

Thanks for reading!