Dental Forum

quote:

---

Originally posted by NinaDec1228:
Hello. I was wondering if anyone had/could upload pictures of themselves wearing Invisalign. I have spent Hours Searching for Pictures online, but could not find one. I am Interested in Invisalign, and have talked to my parents about it. (I am only 13). They have called My ortho about it. I have an appointment in 2 days to see weather or not I am elidagble. "I have Minor Spaceing in my top front teeth, and my bottoms are pretty good". That is what I have been told my my Oldest Sister who is a dentist. However, I am quite Skeptical of getting Invisalign because I have read posts on this message board about how hard the aligners are to get off. Though I am Sure it Just takes practice. I have also read that ORTHOCLEAR, has less "rough Edges" than Invisalign. I would hate to have cuts in my mouth from Invisalign.
I have also heard that the first couple of days with each new alligner Hurts. I dont doubt that. But I would geuss it would be the same everytime you would get normal Braces tightened. Two of my older Sisters had braces, and I know that they were in intense pain every 6 weeks.

I am also concerned that I will have a lisp from the alligners. Is this true? Does it give you a lisp?

Another thing, is that you drool alot while your wearing them?

Ok, So, lets recap, for those of you awsome people that took the time to read this. (In which I do Greatly Appreciate)
These are the questions I would love to be answered:

1.How Bad does it Hurt?
2.How Hard are they to Get out?
3.Do you drool alot while you are wearing them?
4. Does it Give you a lisp?
5. How noticeable is it?
6. Are they as effective as braces?

And if anyone could email me pictures with them wearing the alligners I would really appreciate it.
Please email them to:
MongooseMonkey12@yahoo.com

Thank you for reading this. I hope you respond with your feedback. In September I will be going into 8th grade, and I would hate to have a face full of metal. Thank you so much...

---

Hey Nina, here are my thoughts on your questions:

1.How Bad does it Hurt?
~~ The first day or two, you'll regret the hell out of your decision to get them. They hurt a lot, they seem impossible to remove, you start planning your eating habits around having to deal with the pressure. On day 3, the pain is halved. By the end of the first week, they don't hurt and by the end of the first set, you can't feel them at all. This sounds like an exaggeration, but it really isn't. From there on out, the only pain is ridiculously minor and occurs the first day of a new set. The trick to cut that down is pop 'em in before you go to sleep and when you wake up, you'll be used to them.

2.How Hard are they to Get out?
~~A little redundant, but they're only tough on the first set. And the new sets can be a little tricky at first if your case is complicated (I have 32 lowers, and they're an adventure to remove, but even then it's no more that 10 seconds). By the time you reach the end of your sets, you can pop them in and out with your tongue, but that's really not advised.

3.Do you drool alot while you are wearing them?
~~Not at all. Quite the contrary, at first you have intense dry mouth and need to pound water all day. That, like everything else, subsides with time.

4. Does it Give you a lisp?
~~Not really, at first you'll find yourself compensating for having pieces of plastic in your mouth and you might think you're talking funny.

5. How noticeable is it?
~~Not. At. All. The only way people are going to be able to tell is if a) they're 2 inches away from you or b) you tell them. It's kind of a fun experiment at first to tell people who know about them that 'you left them at home', and then pop them out to their amazement. You'll always think they're more noticeable than they actually are.

6. Are they as effective as braces?
~~From what I heard, more so. Because they can track exactly how the teeth are moving, they're a little more predictable than conventional braces. The only way they won't be effective is if you aren't disciplined with them and don't wear them often enough.

Hope that helps, keep questions coming along.

I just want to say that everyone's experience IS different. You MAY feel the same things as some - others you may not feel at all. Everyone has a different reaction to & tolerance for "pain" as well.

I can honestly tell you that I've not felt any real pain (what I describe as "pain" anyway) with my Invisalign - pressure, of course - tolerable though & it usually gets to be unnoticeable by the 3rd day of a new set. Certain teeth may feel more tender when eating - so you chew on the opposite side or avoid foods that are harder to bite into & chew for a while. No big deal usually.

I'm almost finished set #15 of 23@ upper & lower now. With each set I've felt pressure on different teeth - I can tell which ones are being moved by each set & I've always thought that was a GOOD thing - it means the aligners are doing what they should be. Some sets have more pressure than others.

Mine have never been difficult to remove, but I've only got 5 "button" attachments. None are on my very front teeth, so they really are not visible to anyone else & it's my crooked, crowded front teeth that needed "fixing". If you need a lot of buttons, it may make them more visible & maybe harder to remove - but, you notice them much more than anyone else will. You WILL get the hang of taking them in & out when you figure out the method that works best for you.

Mine do not get so loose as some other's do by the end of the 2nd week, either - I've never yet been able to remove them by pushing them out with my tongue. They do get easier to remove as the days go by with each set, but they do still "snap" into place for me even on their last day.

Drooling's not a problem - I did notice more saliva in the beginning of my plan, but no spitting or drooling. Neither has dry mouth occurred in my experience. I drink no more water than I did before I got them - only as I get thirsty. No rough edges to file down either - none at all. Minor lisp with the first trays - a couple of times since when starting a new set, but it always goes away quickly. Others have paid no attention.

No one else has noticed them & even when I point them out & explain what they're looking at, most cannot understand what they're supposed to be seeing. Clearly not noticeable in my case. Again - if you have a lot of front attachments, that would make them easier to see - but still, most people really don't notice if at arms length away.

For some more complicated movements, aligners are admittedly not as effective as conventional braces. Each case is different - you need to get opinions from the docs as to what will be best for you.

Try not to let other's "horror stories" scare you - remember your own experience may be very different than any of those.

I guess you could say mine has been pretty much ideal so far - no complaints at all. I will let you all know if that continues even after my retention phase...

QUOTE]Originally posted by Starrr:
Hi, I live in Australia and I'm on my second day of Invisalign. However, despite my top one being so unnocticable. . . the second one cuts into my tongue and is abrasive at the edges. I've tried filing but yeah. . . SHould I try dental wax? Is it effective?

Thanks,[/QUOTE]

QUOTE]Originally posted by Starrr:
Hi, I live in Australia and I'm on my second day of Invisalign. However, despite my top one being so unnocticable. . . the second one cuts into my tongue and is abrasive at the edges. I've tried filing but yeah. . . SHould I try dental wax? Is it effective?

Thanks,[/QUOTE]

Everyone IS different so your experience will depend on individual factors. Look to your past responses to things to predict how you will respond. Also keep in mind the long term benefits. For me, the visible improvement started slowly (starting at about tray 6). Now it just keeps getting better and better. This is one of the best things I have done for myself.

As for some of the questions that I have read here about why the first set of aligners hurts and is hard to remove, I must say that in my oppinion, it is probably due to the 'long' time it takes for you to, from doing the molds, actually receiving the aligners.

Remember that after you do the last set of molds, they will have to be sent to Invisalign, then the company will scan them, your Clincheck will be sent to your orthodontist, it will or not be OK'ed, and only then, the aligners will be printed (yes, they are printed).

After that, it'll take an extra amount of time until you actually receive them.

In this meantime, your teeth WILL be moving, as they have ever been, and so, it's easy to see that the first aligner won't be exactly an perfect match, and so it'll hurt more and get more stuck to your teeth.
This may even be the case with your second set of aligners, depending on how much your teeth got 'out of place' during this process.
Anyways, that is my take on it ^^

As for the difficulty on taking the aligners out, I too have experienced it, and my 'solution' was to use a plastic ruler (yes, a ruler). I would put the tip of it on the very end of the alinger (it can take a bit of getting used to), and GENTLY, pushing it downwards.

I must say that I only needed to do this for the first 5 or 6 sets of aligners and even then, for the first two or three days on each set (I am on my 13th set out of 15).

The pain. It really bothered me that I almost never feel ANY pain (and as so many of you have pointed out, how can that be if the teeth are supposed to be moving), but, what seemed a very wrong thing, turned out to be a HUGE plus of this treatment.

After wearing 13 sets, it's clear how much my teeth have moved and how much my smile has improved. So it DOES work, it only does not hurt.

Actually, I can say that I have never felt pain, only, at the worst times, a strong disconfort, and this lasted at most a day (when I tried a new set of aligners in the first month or two).

Began the invisalign process 3 months ago. Began getting two cavities filled, and 4 wisdom teeth removed.

Dentist went back and forth with invisalign many times to get the best results. He was being extremely picky, which I like! Must have gone back and forth about 10 times at least. The first trays came in. 8 attachments total, two on each corner. Will begin wearing them after work tonight, giving myself a 3 day weekend to get used to them before going to classes with them

Woot woot! 15 sets of aligners, with three final 'correction' optional aligners. Cost about $5700 in Honolulu.

I have been unhappy with my smile since I was a teen, hence, I've perfected the "joyous grin" over the years. Parents were unable to spring for braces when I was a kid (47 now). Moderate crowding on uppers and mild crowding on lowers. I work in the entertainment industry and am around perfect smiles constantly. Finally have gotten around to doing something about mine and comitting to a year+.

Day 3 of OrthoClears (from what I've gathered very similar to Inv). A few thoughts:

1. First day a bit painful...did an aleve and a PM aspirin last night. This morning negligible discomfort. I too, kind of like that pain (more like constant pressure). It's like after a work out, a bit sore. No pain - no gain is a fact. By the way: no problem exercising this morning with them in.
2. Minor problems taking them out. Non issue putting them back in.
3. Many people say they don't even notice them after a while. Doubt this is possible but hope so.
4. Growing nice fingernails.
5. I now skip every post where price was less than mine ($6200) and read those who paid more /-). I did no doc shopping. Still have 15 pages of posts to get current.
6. I'm in Fort Lauderdale and am using an Ortho whom I feel comfortable with. Very busy, high tech, high end practice. However, I learned more off this site than from he or his staff (not something I'm comfortable with). Didn't hear anything about shaving teeth, nor, having to wear a retainer afterwards (interesting the amount of posters who had braces earlier in their lives), etc.. He hasn't shaved any teeth so maybe he didn't mention it because it isn't necessary for me. He did mention that after years of crooked teeth my teeth have worn unevenly and once they're straight most will be uneven lengths that will need to be addressed.
7. Accepted the additional brushing and flossing as "cost of business". Who knows how I'll feel 6 months in.
8. Far majority of posters are inquiring or newbies. I'd really like to hear some success stories. I'm sure successful cases are out there smiling their asses off and can't be bothered anymore. Throw us a bone.

All the best,

Dean

quote:

---

Originally posted by Relle:
Hi, Welcome to the board.. I'm sure you will find that this is one of the VERY best "support" groups for invisalign wearers.. both current AND potential. Don't hesitate to ask ANY questions.. there are TONS of great people on this list that are ready to help out and answer your questions.
I find that putting them in at bedtime really helps.. they're a little tight, but by the time morning comes, they are a bit looser and easier to remove.. I'm within 2 days of going into my 5th set.. Each set has been a little differnt then the others..
the first set were the hardest for me to remove so far, I was unfamiliar with the pressure pain, and was a little nervous about trying to remove them, thinking my teeth would pop out with the trays.. but, I used my fingernail, and on one side, WAY in the back, I lifted the edge, and slowly popped off a little more as I went around to the front. Sort of like opening a paint can.. the lid doesn't come off at once, you have to pry a little at a time, as you go around.. Sometimes a papertowel will help you grip it easier..
The next problem I REALLY hate with each new set is actually a few things. I hate that after a little while of wearing them, there are WHOLE new areas that are sharp/rough, and cut my gum,cheek or tongue.. so, I have to remove them and file off a bit of each one.. and its always in a different place..
and THEN, since my tongue is mauled up.. nothing seems to taste right.. It could be my imagination, but still.
Plus, now, when I eat, my back teeth don't seem to meet.. I ate an apple and couldn't chew the skin,my teeth can't grind it..
grapes either.. It's ppretty funny in a way, but, it makes me wonder.. will I get my taste buds back.. I'm thinking its the rough edges, plus maybe the chemicals leaching into my mouth from the plastic?
Oh well, 41 trays to go on the tp, and I think 16 left on the bottom, 1st check up this friday, keep you posted..
Relle

---

You're right - it does help to hear from actual experiences along with your doc's advice - both sides can give you a much better view & alert you to some issues to discuss with your doc. Best of luck getting caught up here - most all helpful for comparing notes.

Kujo - sometimes the upper tray can make your upper lipline appear a bit fuller, too. With the trays out, the spaces between your teeth are obviously easier to see & it does make them appear even smaller when there are visible gaps. Some say with all the extra "activity" that goes along with the treatment, your facial muscles can actually get a workout of sorts - resulting in a firmer look. Well - us older gals keep hoping that's true anyways.

Try not to fret - yet.
Anne

Have NEVER had to use my nails or any foreign object yet (in seven months) in removing my trays.

At the start, I think I needed the leverage provided by the pick. Since then on a few trays that first night, I have been able to use the paper towel technique.

Dean, welcome. I am on tray 14 of 16 upper and 19 lower. With every new tray it just gets better and better. I am so pleased with my results so far. I am 55 years old and although I had braces a very long time ago, I too had very mild crowding on the bottoms and a bit more crowding on the top. My plan does include 19 IPRs (all done now), however, and 6 attachments. How about you?

quote:

---

Originally posted by AnneC:
Meant to add: nevermind your fingernails -
use a small square of paper towel to grasp your aligners when removing. It makes all the difference. I keep harping on that, but it's so true!

Have NEVER had to use my nails or any foreign object yet (in seven months) in removing my trays.

Try it - it's so simple a tip.

---

Buy yourself a big bottle of ibuprofen from walmart for your treatment I have no discomfort unless I chomp my front teeth together. It's sort of like how the mouse keeps touching the electric shocker over and over. I can't stop lol.

quote:

---

Originally posted by NinaDec1228:
Thank You so Much for your responces. I am going with Invisalign, and I am getting the impresions done on the 29th. I am so exited, that I dont have to have metal braces

Thanks so Much

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by NinaDec1228:
Thank You so Much for your responces. I am going with Invisalign, and I am getting the impresions done on the 29th. I am so exited, that I dont have to have metal braces

Thanks so Much

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by fluca:
I have a question: my last two upper aligners have not completely lock into place when it comes to the regards of two sets of teeth (pre molars). These teeth are the only ones that have "buttons" on them, and aside from these teeth, ALL the other ones are perfectly 'coupled' with the aligners.
I find this strange, although, where the aligner have litle 'bumps' (where the buttons fit), the buttons are perfectly fitting. It's the bottom part of the aligner (the 'bottom' of the tooth, not it's root) that has some space between it and the actual bottom of the tooth.
Has anyone experienced this and can tell me if this is normal?
I have talked to my orthodontist, but he said it's normal (as far as he knows). He simply told me to wear my aligners for a longer period of time (20 days), although I have ALWAYS worn them for at least for 22 hours a day...
Thanks

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by melikey:

---

1. How long will it take for me to receive my aligners once my impressions have been done?

quote:

---

Originally posted by AllSmiles:
I am supposed to be getting Invisalign soon. I have been reading this board for a couple a weeks and you guys have answered most of my questions. However I have 2 more

1. How long will it take for me to receive my aligners once my impressions have been done?

2. I have noticed everyone talking about price. How are you all being charged? I know some of you have dental insurance like myself. However only a portion of my invisalign is covered. How have you guys paid the remainig balance? Did you pay it all upfront? Are you making monthly payments? Please explain to me.

---

I feel like I'm going to lose weight.

quote:

---

Originally posted by marsha:
I'm getting my aligners (finally!) on Tuesday. I want to be prepared, just in case.
What kind of file works best to smooth out rough spots?
I have Advil, plastic gloves, hydrogen peroxide, straws for coffee, anything else? I'm a teacher so I need to figure out how I'm going to eat and then brush and floss during my 25 minute lunch break.

I feel like I'm going to lose weight.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by AllSmiles:
I am supposed to be getting Invisalign soon. I have been reading this board for a couple a weeks and you guys have answered most of my questions. However I have 2 more

1. How long will it take for me to receive my aligners once my impressions have been done?

2. I have noticed everyone talking about price. How are you all being charged? I know some of you have dental insurance like myself. However only a portion of my invisalign is covered. How have you guys paid the remainig balance? Did you pay it all upfront? Are you making monthly payments? Please explain to me.

---

The aligners took a while for me, like 6 weeks, and then I didn't get in until close to 8 from when I got them.

I was a little surprised by the way the pricing situation works as well. It's kind of like buying a mattress: a lot more complicated than you think it should be. If you live in a big city and you have someone with a lot of experience, it's going to cost more. Then you throw in difficulty and length of treatment and the price can really get up there. Mine were $5800 (I live in Chicago) and that's from an ortho recommended by Invisalign's website who gives seminars on how to do it; the guy's a pro. My payment options varied: I could either pay the whole thing up front and save 5% or just pay a portion and then spread out the rest over a year (which is what I did). Most dental insurance providers have a "lifetime orthodontic allotment" that you can use towards invisalign. Mine was "50% of the procedure up to $2,000". Not a bad chunk of savings right there.

quote:

---

Originally posted by AnneC:
Nice to see you reporting back in, Relle!
Have you posted pics anywhere online?

That chewing difficulty must be really annoying - I know of conventional brace wearers that experience all kinds of changes with their bite throughout their treatment & similar difficulties in chewing, so it's not something unique to aligners anyways.

Hope all goes well with the rest of your treatment - please do let us know what your doc advises regarding finishing up your lowers.

I am supposed to put in my new trays today.. I have been preparing for a direct hit from T.S/Hurricane Ernesto.. since yesterday.. I will be holed up ij my house with my husband for about 24 hours sraight. I really love him and don't want him to divorce me.. so, i am going to wait until the storm passes and change them out maybe thursday.. say a prayer that it stays an easy tropical storm.. We dealt with Three direct hurricane hits in the past two years. I really don't want to do this any more.
take care every one.
Relle. West Palm Beach, FL
Regards,
Anne

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by donatello:
I have just been given my clincheck for my treatment. Very small time period only 7 aligners. One concern I had was that the IPR reduction between my front middle teeth will be 0.3mm, has anyone had anything similar, is this moticable? Many thanks.

---

Relle

quote:

---

Originally posted by NinaDec1228:
Hello. I was wondering if anyone had/could upload pictures of themselves wearing Invisalign. I have spent Hours Searching for Pictures online, but could not find one. I am Interested in Invisalign, and have talked to my parents about it. (I am only 13). They have called My ortho about it. I have an appointment in 2 days to see weather or not I am elidagble. "I have Minor Spaceing in my top front teeth, and my bottoms are pretty good". That is what I have been told my my Oldest Sister who is a dentist. However, I am quite Skeptical of getting Invisalign because I have read posts on this message board about how hard the aligners are to get off. Though I am Sure it Just takes practice. I have also read that ORTHOCLEAR, has less "rough Edges" than Invisalign. I would hate to have cuts in my mouth from Invisalign.
I have also heard that the first couple of days with each new alligner Hurts. I dont doubt that. But I would geuss it would be the same everytime you would get normal Braces tightened. Two of my older Sisters had braces, and I know that they were in intense pain every 6 weeks.

I am also concerned that I will have a lisp from the alligners. Is this true? Does it give you a lisp?

Another thing, is that you drool alot while your wearing them?

Ok, So, lets recap, for those of you awsome people that took the time to read this. (In which I do Greatly Appreciate)
These are the questions I would love to be answered:

1.How Bad does it Hurt?
2.How Hard are they to Get out?
3.Do you drool alot while you are wearing them?
4. Does it Give you a lisp?
5. How noticeable is it?
6. Are they as effective as braces?

And if anyone could email me pictures with them wearing the alligners I would really appreciate it.
Please email them to:
MongooseMonkey12@yahoo.com

Thank you for reading this. I hope you respond with your feedback. In September I will be going into 8th grade, and I would hate to have a face full of metal. Thank you so much...

---

http://home.bellsouth.net/p/PWP-str8soon

Why is this not an option? Seems like our standard trays would not be made to be used for almost a year.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Relle Hi Guys!! I went to my ortho on friday. My bottom teeth are DONE. BUT, I have to continue wearing my last lower tray for the duration of the top treatment.. another 28 trays(56 weeks)..

---

I have to say that, except for some minor pain putting them in this morning, they do not hurt. But I definitely notice them. My speech is affected too, and I do a lot of public speaking (I may just take them out for that)

(& just so as not to get us mixed up, Relle's the one in Florida - part of my past quote got mixed in with her response)

quote:Originally posted by AnneC:
Nice to see you reporting back in, Relle!
Have you posted pics anywhere online?

That chewing difficulty must be really annoying - I know of conventional brace wearers that experience all kinds of changes with their bite throughout their treatment & similar difficulties in chewing, so it's not something unique to aligners anyways.

Hope all goes well with the rest of your treatment - please do let us know what your doc advises regarding finishing up your lowers.[/quote]

I am supposed to put in my new trays today.. I have been preparing for a direct hit from T.S/Hurricane Ernesto.. since yesterday.. I will be holed up ij my house with my husband for about 24 hours sraight. I really love him and don't want him to divorce me.. so, i am going to wait until the storm passes and change them out maybe thursday.. say a prayer that it stays an easy tropical storm.. We dealt with Three direct hurricane hits in the past two years. I really don't want to do this any more.
take care every one.
Relle. West Palm Beach, FL
---------------------------

Hope the storm has passed & you're safe!
Regards,
Anne