The blogs/journals are actually kinda fun & are a great way to track your own progress. You'll get to a point as your treatment goes along, when you'll be asking yourself if those are really your teeth when you look in the mirror & wonder how you actually got there...

The movements take place in such small increments that it's hard to gauge them when you're constantly looking at them. Pull up some previous photos & wow! You'll be amazed at how much change has taken place. You can even kindly ask you doc to email your "before" shots so you can really compare accurately how much your teeth change.

You won't believe it until you actually see it.
Anne

For anyone interested, I've posted new pics on my aligner blog!

myorthoclear.blogspot.com

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Originally posted by Shadi:
Ive only had invisalign for a week and part of one of my attachments already fell off. I'm afraid I'm taking them in and out too much or that it could be from brushing them too much. Has this happened to anyone else or does anybody know what I should do so it won't happen again? Thanx

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Not nearly as bad as the first set of trays. These seem to be alot thinner than my first set. Anyone else notice a difference in thickness from aligner to aligner?

I feel like I should be EXTRA careful with these.

My first set was smooth on the outside. This set has....I guess I'll call them ridges on them. They're not visible or anything, just noticing the difference.

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Originally posted by AnneC:
Is is because of your lower attachments not being removed until your uppers are finished, that you've been told you have to keep wearing that last tray, Relle? Wow - more than a year for that same tray sounds odd. You must be wondering how will it hold up that long. I'd certainly be discussing it more at length. Thanks for the update!

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In my case I can see on the clinicheck animation that soon after my uppers are done, only one tooth (a bicuspid) is moved on the bottom pushing it out. So the bite shouldn't be changing to affect the uppers at all that I can see in my case. But it takes months to move that final bottom tooth out so I need more bottom aligners than uppers.

I'm planning on getting a new impression for my uppers when they are done for a stronger material clear retainer while I finish the lower aligners (5-6 months more) - I don't mind that the later lower retainer will be a few months newer, out of 2+ years its not as significant an issue to me as trying to reuse a 2 week aligner for 5-6 months. I'm fairly certain a standard aligner might crack in that time and I'd have to wait weeks for a replacement. If I get a retainer I still have the last aligner as a backup for a few weeks which I think is important. Depending on how long it takes to get a clear retainer made, I might want an extra made later on for a spare anyway.

I'm not sure exactly what the original difference in the number of my trays were, but that's exactly what my dentist did: had my Clincheck revised so both upper/lower trays matched in number. My uppers originally would have taken less trays in the initial plan.

Guess I was lucky that could be done - there must not have been that great a difference in number. I did hear somewhere that there was some difficulty in speaking while wearing the thicker gauge retainer, so 22 hours a day might be a challenge.

There's another "wait-&-see-won't-know-until-we-experience-it-ourselves" kinda thing...hopefully someone who's been through it already will chime in.

I've been reading concerns about wearing a tray for the duration of treatment while the upper/lower is still in the process of moving with additional trays.

As a note to others in the future, your invisalign provider can have invisalign modify your treatment to end at the same time. If you are told you need 15 uppers and 20 lowers, they can slow your uppers to give you 20 aligners top and bottom.

I have an extremely good provider that made more changes than I remember to get the 'perfect' results, very good. One thing he had them change was to end both sets at the same time.

Maybe this can help some others in the future, before they get their trays, to save themselves the agony later and just end all at once.

good luck to all

p.s. thats a nice blog you've got there! Great results!

I started the process in late May and just got my first set of aligners last week. That's 3 months! I never realized how patient you have to be. It wasn't so much that Invisalign took the time, my ortho is hard to get in to see. He books those longer appointments 3-4 weeks out. They called and told me my aligners were in and I needed to make an appointment. I couldn't believe I had to wait over 3 weeks to be seen.

Where are you in the process? I got the idea that most of it is done online except for the actual trays.

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Originally posted by asha85:

In reply to your question marsha I went to my orthodontist today... apparently they will be in on the 22nd of september which is much quicker than what i thought. I am only getting the top aligners as i am just correcting a gap in my two front teeth and was originally told that it would take 12 months and i paid my deposit. Invisalign have now come back with a plan of only 5 months. However it is still costing the same price... Does anyone no if invisilign is a flat fee or if it should be a different price from a 5 month plan to 12?!?! Thanks and also if anyone could tell me if they drink or eat anything with theirs in?!?!
thanks

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Aloha and welcome! Invisalign is a flat fee, and anything over that is your dentist/orthodontist, for all their time, effort and labor. They do alot of work with invisalign to get your case exactly how they want it, then performing other things such as buttons, IPR (shaving/slenderizing), monthly visits, etc. You can see the 10K with fees here:
http://biz.yahoo.com/e/060301/algn10-k.html

The good thing about invisalign (non express) is that if you are not happy with the results in the end, you can keep getting as many trays as needed at no additional cost. Though, if your slated for 5 months, or 10 trays, that should be covered under invisalign express (10 trays or less), and at a less-substantial cost. As a marker, here in Hawaii I'm paying $5700 for full invisalign. Invisalign express is $3500.

I don't eat with the aligners in, but I drink anything I please (not a coffee fan), soda, water, beer, etc.

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Originally posted by dyingsun16:

Aloha and welcome! Invisalign is a flat fee, and anything over that is your dentist/orthodontist, for all their time, effort and labor. They do alot of work with invisalign to get your case exactly how they want it, then performing other things such as buttons, IPR (shaving/slenderizing), monthly visits, etc. You can see the 10K with fees here:
http://biz.yahoo.com/e/060301/algn10-k.html

The good thing about invisalign (non express) is that if you are not happy with the results in the end, you can keep getting as many trays as needed at no additional cost. Though, if your slated for 5 months, or 10 trays, that should be covered under invisalign express (10 trays or less), and at a less-substantial cost. As a marker, here in Hawaii I'm paying $5700 for full invisalign. Invisalign express is $3500.

I don't eat with the aligners in, but I drink anything I please (not a coffee fan), soda, water, beer, etc.

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Originally posted by Tess:
hi.. i am getting my invisaligns in a week or two. can anyone tell me if/how wearing invisalign will effect my speech or the shape of the area around my mouth when my mouth is closed. thanks.

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Everyone who knows me knows that I have something in my mouth. It's getting better (after a week) but the lisping is still there. The area around my mouth is different, too. I hsve several attachments that make that happen, I think.

So they said that I would have 12 months of treatment, but when I went to pick up the first set yesterday, I saw that I only have 9 sets of aligners. So that's only 18 weeks (2 weeks per liner), plus maybe another month or so for fine tuning at the end. Still, that's only about 5 months! Did I get taken? I wonder how much of the cost is the lab cost, and how much the ortho gets. Maybe the cost doesn't differ much with the number of aligners you have?

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Originally posted by BadBoy:
The first few days are the worst since you have to get used to the aligners and the start of teeth shifting and learn a technique to remove the aligners easier. Take plenty of Advil or similar pain killer during this critical period. Take comfort it will get better. Any soreness usually is just for the first 3-4 days of a new aligner set and for the rest of the 2 week period should be gone. Each aligner set and individual will vary, but the first set or two is the worst of the whole series from my experience, I'm on aligner set #16 right now. I just started #16 yesterday and already the small sorness felt when removing the aligners is reduced considerably this evening.

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Originally posted by AnMc1019:
Well I got my Invisalign yesterday morning and was THRILLED to find people who are going through similar experiences and understand!!! Last night was HORRIBLE...or so I thought...that was until today!!! AAHHHH!! I don't know about everyone else, but I am in a RIDICULOUS amount of pain. And like it has been said before on this thread, "I feel like ripping my face off." Hopefully I can get over this hump!!

A close family friend of ours who is an ortho. is doing my Invisalign...for free...so I find it hard to complain to my family much less to him!! I know some of you out there know how I feel. Words of encouragement would be GREATLY appreciated from you all who have been through this! All I have to say is THANK GOD for "Kanka"!!! =)

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Originally posted by BadBoy:
Thats strange. Didn't you get to review the Clinicheck on the ortho's computer before the aligners were made? I got to do to that and thought it was the standard procedure before signing off on the treatment plan. I could see exactly how many aligners total there were for upper and lower arches and also see what teeth moved on each stage as well as any attachments required. Once agreed to, the aligners are built exactly to the plan, it shouldn't be more or less.
Maybe the ortho just gave a quick estimate (a year) early on before the real plan was determined, that can change quite a bit, but not after the Clinicheck which should occur before agreeing to the plan and paying for it.

$6500 is quite high for a relatively simple sequence even for Southern California. My 18upper/29lower Invisalign plan costs nearly 1/2 that though I got a good discount.

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Originally posted by SD123:
I just got my aligners yesterday. I live in San Diego and paid 6500. I figured that was on the high side, but I know a couple of people who really liked this ortho, so wanted to go there.

So they said that I would have 12 months of treatment, but when I went to pick up the first set yesterday, I saw that I only have 9 sets of aligners. So that's only 18 weeks (2 weeks per liner), plus maybe another month or so for fine tuning at the end. Still, that's only about 5 months! Did I get taken? I wonder how much of the cost is the lab cost, and how much the ortho gets. Maybe the cost doesn't differ much with the number of aligners you have?

Also, is it common for your mouth not to close all the way? My top aligner seems to fit better than the bottom. I can see a little more space between the top of my bottom teeth and the top of the aligner.

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SD, I was in a similar delimma as u the other day in regards to initially thinking i would be having 12 months ( so i signed a payment agreement) worth of aligners and now only have 10( however i got to see my clincheck) At my clincheck they never mentioned anything about the price reducing. I thne later queried about the price they then looked into and said that 10 aligners or less was an "express" plan and that the price would drop in my case it took of $1000.... However i highly doubt that if i hadnt of asked that they would have told me about the price change and continued with the higher rate.. I suggest u definetly ask your ortho as you are on the express plan with 10 or less aligners.... Because they may not tell you otherwise!

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Originally posted by Ayla G:
Hang in there ANMc! I completely feel your pain -- well, I remember the pain, anyway! Hang in there b/c it will get easier. My first few nights of the first set were terrible as I was afraid that I would never eat (since taking the aligner out felt like I was ripping my teeth out!). Amazingly, though, the 2nd set of aligners was the worst for me -- not sure why -- but I think it must be different for everyone (depending on tooth movement, etc). While there were a few days of "why did I do this?" during my first month of treatment, it was well worth it b/c the following sets weren't so bad.... I actually do forget they are in sometimes! (hard to believe, but it will happen!) I am on the Express Treatment so I don't know what a more serious treatment feels like, but I'm thrilled to report I'm on my last set! Whewie!!! 10/10..almost in the books (well, maybe there might be a correction one thrown in there due to one stubborn tooth..but I'm almost there!). Hang in there. Like others said... Take Advil or another painkiller about 30 minutes before you put in new sets - and do it right before bedtime so your teeth can adjust while you sleep! Best wishes!

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Today, I can say (day 11) I feel like an old pro. I can take them out and my tongue is fine.

I think it helped my sore mouth to rinse with warm salt water..

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Originally posted by AnMc1019:
Thanks!!! I'll try, Ayla. It's still not too great today, but I'm coping so far!! Congrats on being almost done!! I'll only have to do this for 6 mos. maximum so I just keep telling myself, only six months...=)

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NJ newbie here. Just got my 1st set Wednesday night, and everything has gone pretty smoothly so far. My case was pretty simple: cross bite on one side of the top, slight crowding of my lower middles on the bottom. I'll be 33 and have never worn braces. Just wanted to share some of my experiences with everyone:

1) Cost = $6500 - $1500 insurance payment = $5000 out of pocket for me. My ortho had several plans, including saving 7% if I paid upfront, which I did. The other plans included interest free payment options for 1 year.

2) My ortho was a "Premier Provider" of Invisalign. Although my cost might seem a bit high for some, I was comfortable knowing that I was going to be in good hands.

3) Case-in-point: I didn't have to ask to have my upper/lower treatments be adjusted so that they ended at the same time. It was just done that way, and I never even knew about it these cases happening until I read some of the posts on here.

4) 16 trays for both sets = 32 weeks. Yeah! I'll be done by April or sooner (I hope). NO buttons, nor IPR's. Bonus!

5) I also never got to see my Clinicheck. Interestingly enough, when I specifically asked to get the movie files emailed to me after reading BadBoy's post, the person they had talking to me after my initial consultation (who was supposed to know everything and anything about Invisalign and payment options) actually told me that she didn't know how anyone else got theirs, because those files were something they had to pay dearly for, and shouldn't be made public. I shrugged it off, but got the last laugh. My ortho has a service where you can register as a patient electronically and can get appointment reminders, etc. Well, playing around on my patient page let me see all sorts of neat things about me, including the "before" pictures they had taken, along with my beloved movie file. She obviously didn't know what she was talking about, and I'll make sure the office is made aware of her error in this area for other patients.

6) Initially, there was no intense pain or rough areas at all. However, after a few days of wearing these, I've noticed that the slight pressure on my teeth is getting to me a bit, and I just want to chomp down hard on my aligners to alleviate this feeling. I'm getting a slight headache and sometimes earache from this, but haven't taken any ibuprofen, etc, yet, either, because I know I'll be going to bed soon, and they haven't bothered me at all while I've been sleeping. In fact, they feel GREAT while I'm sleeping. It's when I'm up and in a vertical position that they bother me more.

7) Some sore spots on my tongue - notably right in the center underneath, as this is the part that comes in contact with a slightly troublesome spot right at the bottom part in the middle of my lower aligners. I haven't filed anything down, nor have I used any wax yet. Seems like I'm a glutton for punishment, but it also comes and goes - the pain I'm talking about, so I just ignore it most of the time.

8)My ortho told me to brush aligners with mouthwash (not soak it), and I should be fine. I just might invest in some of the efferdent plus, though, after reading about how cheap it is. The first day didn't have any odor to the aligners, but today there is - but it's only noticeable after I take out the aligners for meals and they've had time to dry out a bit. Kind of smells like veggies that got too old in the fridge. Ha ha! Now you all know what my mouth smells like. Great......

9) Only 2 people at work knew about my doing this, and no one else has commented. I think some may have noticed, but didn't comment. I definitely have a bit of a lisp that's very evident at times. I also noticed drymouth, too.

10) My most annoying issue is the tiny little spit bubbles that form inside the aligners. I know they're noticable when people are up close to me (which they are often at work because our cubicles are very small). I can't seem to do anything to get rid of them. When I first put them in after meals, etc, they're fine, but inevitably, spit collects inside of them and, from me swallowing hard to get rid of extra spit, the bubbles form. Any suggestions, anyone, or am I the only one with this issue?

11) Haven't told any members of my family yet (just my hubby - I'm the "Thy" part of JimmyThy), and want to see if they'll pick up on it!

That's all for now. I'll definitely keep on posting as time goes by!