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Author
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Topic: Invisalign Braces
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arch712
Preferred Member
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posted 05-11-2007 11:44 AM
 
quote:
Originally posted by piggy_pig:
I'm near Pittsburgh (Greensburg), but I'm not going to be much help. I'm just getting started too. I have an ortho consult next week.
Cool... I'm originally from (Mammoth) just outside of Greensburg. Moved down here 3 years ago to be closer to work. Are you going to an Ortho out in Greensburg? I was thinking about going to King Orthodotics in Wexford.. He's a premier provider of Invisalign.
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chris8796
Preferred Member
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posted 05-11-2007 12:22 PM
Arch,Don't forget to look into a flexible spending account (FSA) to pay for orthodontics. I'll save approximately 35% using tax-free money.
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arch712
Preferred Member
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posted 05-11-2007 03:16 PM
I forgot to ask a question from one of my previous posts.. This question is the main reason I've waited so long to go to the ortho..Q: To be denied Invisalign, how severe do your teeth have to be? To me my teeth are bad, but overall they might not be that bad.. Does that make sense. This is the main reason I put this on hold for so long. I am afraid of denial and I will not get traditional braces leaving me with this mess the rest of my life..
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TMG
Preferred Member
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posted 05-11-2007 03:31 PM
Arch, I have a friend that was denied because she has severe crowding on her lower teeth. She was told braces was her only option...what is you case?
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arch712
Preferred Member
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posted 05-11-2007 03:43 PM
quote:
Originally posted by TMG:
Arch, I have a friend that was denied because she has severe crowding on her lower teeth. She was told braces was her only option...what is you case?
I do have crowding on the bottom but I don't know if it's severe. Probably enough that I would need a tooth pulled to align them.. I got a little on top, but not as bad as my lower.. Oh.. I'm not feeling good about this now..
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TMG
Preferred Member
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posted 05-11-2007 03:46 PM
I have heard some cases of people with minor crowding that invisalign is working for. Some even have to do a little of both invisalign and braces. But you will not know until u see your dentist. Don't be scared just go for it!
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curry
Preferred Member
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posted 05-11-2007 04:07 PM
i have severe crowding both in my upper and lower teeth. One ortho told me i need braces, invisalign won't do. one said you can do combination of braces and invisalign. three said i can do invisalign. I am doing invisalign and from looking at the clinicheck it looks like it'll be all good in 1.5 yrs.
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BadBoy
Preferred Member
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posted 05-11-2007 04:07 PM
Each of us are the most severe critic of our own teeth.
I too thought my teeth would be a tough case and had what I thought was severe crowding on the lower arch, such that I didn't think one tooth pushed back could ever fit back in its proper slot between two other teeth that had crowded in its original spot.But after the invisalign clinicheck came back it was a rather typical one year case and they just moved the lower teeth to expand the arch and all the teeth fit precisely in the right spots, no pulling teeth required! I have now finished my year long main series and it worked as predicted. Now I am doing a refinement series to make minor adjustments like closing very small gaps that were left after IPRs and one tooth that sticks up a little vertically. So there is no risk at getting consulations and you will most likely be very surprised what invisalign can do for you. Go to several doctors for consultations too - some can do more than others and the price varies dramatically too!
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arch712
Preferred Member
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posted 05-11-2007 10:22 PM
Well I've linked some images of my situation below. Maybe someone has a similar case. Trust me they are not that white. I'm glad I'm an artist and I can fix that kind of stuff easily  Only makes me want to quit smoking more.Check out the links: http://s51.photobucket.com/albums/f354/bully712/?action=view¤t=Topstraight.jpg
http://s51.photobucket.com/albums/f354/bully712/?action=view¤t=bottomstraight.jpg
http://s51.photobucket.com/albums/f354/bully712/?action=view¤t=bottomangle.jpg
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BadBoy
Preferred Member
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posted 05-11-2007 10:47 PM
arch712, you have more space to move your lower teeth than I had when I started, so you should have no problem with invisalign and no tooth pulling needed either, its amazing! Might take a year or a little more, but its worth it. I'd guess some of your upper teeth will need attachments to rotate them into the proper position, but I think invisalign can do the job from my experience and other case photos I've seen.
Go for several consultations and estimates!
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arch712
Preferred Member
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posted 05-11-2007 11:21 PM
BadBoy, Thank you so much for your help. Yeah I figured that I might need attachments for my upper teeth, but I would rather have a couple of attachments then every tooth having a metal boulder on it. I'm going to try to get an appointment scheduled in the next week or so for a consultation. I'm also going to look online for other providers of Invisalign in my area.
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Bee
Preferred Member
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posted 05-12-2007 01:36 AM
I've wanted to have my teeth straightened for so long and would ask my dentist from time to time about Invisalign and his response was "you have way too much going on for that, you need the traditional braces." So last year I decided to get a free consultation and would you believe they said there was no problem. I wish I knew that before! I looked at your pictures Arch and my teeth are more crowded on the top and a tiny bit less on the bottom than yours so you definitely should have no problems.
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BennyTheJet
Preferred Member
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posted 05-12-2007 09:54 PM
My bottoms were more crowded than J-Lo's undies. I had to get one pulled to make room for his friends and let me tell u...it was no picnic. I don't react to novacaine at all. I think Jack Bauer should start pulling teeth to get people to talk because it was sheer torture. (>_<)
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arch712
Preferred Member
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posted 05-14-2007 11:00 AM
In regards to shopping around for the best price:When going for a consultation, how can they put a dollar amount on your treatment with out knowing how many trays you're going to be needing? I'm guessing through experience, they can estimate the cost in relation to similar cases?
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Bee
Preferred Member
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posted 05-14-2007 11:18 AM
quote:
Originally posted by arch712:
In regards to shopping around for the best price:When going for a consultation, how can they put a dollar amount on your treatment with out knowing how many trays you're going to be needing? I'm guessing through experience, they can estimate the cost in relation to similar cases?
Well checking everyone's time/amount of trays the price I paid ended up pretty right on. My ortho said that if it was going to be less trays than expected he'd give me a credit but his original thought was 1 1/2 years and ended up 2 years.
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chris8796
Preferred Member
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posted 05-14-2007 02:19 PM
I agree with the others, you'll just have to see a provider and see what they can do. I would try to find someone experienced with invisalign. I had similar worries, one of my upper teeth sits 1/4" behind the other crowded teeth and by far what I considered my biggest problem. I was surprised to see the bad top arch would only take 25 trays and the "ok" bottom arch would take 42 trays. The exact opposite as I would have predicted. I have also seen cases where the patients teeth do not look nearly as bad as mine but require twice the number of trays. You just won't know until you get your clinicheck.Good luck and don't fear the unknown.
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arch712
Preferred Member
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posted 05-14-2007 03:44 PM
chris, I'm going to a premeir provider of Invisalign.. whatever that means Take a look at my photos of my situation a few post above. How does your situation compare to mine? I know that it depends on who you go to, but I just want to get rough Idea between your case and mine.
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BadBoy
Preferred Member
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posted 05-14-2007 03:48 PM
You may not get an exact price quote from only a consultation, indeed the doctor an only estimate by comparing with simlar cases. I didn't get a "real" price for my case until after the impressions were done and submitted and the clinicheck info came back and it was known exactly how many aligners there would be. However the price doesn't depend that much on the number of aligners, Align Technology charges a fixed fee to doctors in only two price tiers - invisalign express (10 or fewer aligners for each arch) and regular invisalign (more than 10 aligners) - any other cost variations are the docotr adding their own fees and that can vary a lot between them, thats why its good to get several estimates from different doctors to see the variations.
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arch712
Preferred Member
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posted 05-14-2007 04:19 PM
badboy, Thanks. I wasn't aware of the fixed fee. I'll see what he has to say when I make an appointment.. I'm pretty sure I'll be over the 10 tray treatment.
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BennyTheJet
Preferred Member
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posted 05-16-2007 12:36 AM
Ok, here's one...I just put in a new tray and boom, there is a big bubble in it. Hard to explain. I put in my top tray and there is some decent space behind my top front tooth and the back of the tray. This is how it came out of the package and I can see how much more space it has if I put it next to my old tray or the next tray in the sequence. I can almost fit another tooth behind my front tooth in there. Now, lisping was never really a problem for me. I actually lost a small one after the first few days. Right now I sound like a little kid with one of those headgear braces things like Willy Wonka as a kid in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory(the bad one not the good one).Anyway, I have no idea if it's a manufacturing defect or what, but this thing is driving me crazy. Anyone else ever have a random tray in the series with a strange shape or defect? I've had no problems with treatment so far. I'm afraid that this is going to alter the desired results.
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yma_angel
Junior Member
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posted 05-16-2007 09:36 PM
I'd speak to your dentist about that!!I had super severe crowding in my lowers, 1 tooth was actually behind all the other and I didn't think there would be room to fit it in.. Through a series of Crozats (metal appliances which are stretching my jaw) and regular braces with springs and elastics and chains, my doc has created a big tooth sized space!!! In a week we will begin pulling that tooth into the space! Then I get my braces off, get retainers while my impressions are sent off to invisalign, then I get to start the rest of the treatment.. My case was too severe for just invisalign and he didn't want to pull a tooth out because it would change the shape of my face..
I've had a fair amount of pain and the braces are aweful.. Food gets caught in them, they scratch the inside of my lip, and don't look very good.. but it's almost all over!
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BennyTheJet
Preferred Member
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posted 05-16-2007 11:59 PM
Um, I think u misunderstood me there, Angel. There is too much space in my tray behind my tooth. Let's say I try to fit my pinky in my front tooth part on my tray. Normally, I can't fit my pinky in there but with my new tray...it fits. Doesn't matter. I went to my ortho today and he said that very rarely invisalign sends out a faulty tray. He said the tray was still hot when it was pulled and it becomes slightly warped. Human error. Apparently, my ortho has done hundreds of invisalign cases and he said this is about the 5th or 6th time this has happened. You could say I won the invisalign lottery...or hit by invisalighting would probably be better because now I have to wait for one single solitary stinking tray to get re-made and sent in for me to pick up. It had to happen on my top series which I have 9 more than my bottom. Lucky me...
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degrassigirl
Preferred Member
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posted 05-17-2007 12:28 AM
ugh, that sucks benny! how long will it take to make one tray?
have a greyhound, it'll make you feel better.
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BennyTheJet
Preferred Member
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posted 05-17-2007 11:28 AM
I think I'll have 3 or 4.They said I had to wait at least 2 weeks for the tray to come in. Who knows though. It will probably take a month. I have to wear my old top tray in the meantime and he told me I can stay on schedule with my bottoms but I think I'm just gonna stick with this one so I don't have to be off a tray or two with my bottoms. Would be a pain in the ass to be on tray 13 for tops and 15 for bottoms.
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piggy_pig
Preferred Member
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posted 05-17-2007 09:40 PM
[/b][/QUOTE] Cool... I'm originally from (Mammoth) just outside of Greensburg. Moved down here 3 years ago to be closer to work. Are you going to an Ortho out in Greensburg? I was thinking about going to King Orthodotics in Wexford.. He's a premier provider of Invisalign.[/B][/QUOTE]I'm familiar with Mammoth park and the Giant slide! I have two appointments in the next week; one with "The Dentistry" in Irwin (they have other offices too) and one here in Greensburg. Have you made your appointment yet?? I'd do it as soon as you can.....I had to wait a month for the one I'm going to tomorrow.
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Chael
Junior Member
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posted 05-22-2007 10:36 PM
Hi! I have a slightly difficult case, and I was wondering whether anyone out there had been in similar straits, and what they did.I'm congenitally missing a tooth (an upper lateral incisor--the tooth right next to one of my two front teeth). I also have a small jaw and crowding on the bottom (I made an appointment with the orthodontist originally because one of my teeth popped out of alignment while I was brushing--she said it was pretty usual). My orthodontist has given me two options: extracting lower incisor on the bottom so every tooth has its mate and retracting my arch a little bit, or expanding my dental arch and making space for an implant to replace my missing tooth. For the extraction plan, I'd be losing a healthy tooth, and there would probably be less tongue space (though she thinks it's within acceptable parameters, and said that it shouldn't be any worse than it is now because I have a bit of a crossbite where my tongue can't really go anyway). For the implant.. it's a 50/50 chance that I would need a bone graft, and my periodontist isn't too happy with the idea of arch expansion because I have bleeding gums (though my gums are /otherwise/ healthy; I've had the scaling and all of that). Aesthetics don't bug me too much; I'm more concerned with functionality and long-term health. Any thoughts would be much appreciated!
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paula1958
Junior Member
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posted 05-22-2007 10:40 PM
Wish I had found this site 16 months ago! Great to hear of successes and sympathize with those struggling. I have finished 16 top trays and 32 lower and am on tray 6 of 8 lower refinement.
Best tips were to put a new tray in at night, take advil and sleep thru the first painful hours. Also the hydrogen peroxide soak for cleaning is great.
Yes, i lisped too and spat on people, very embarassing. I did take them out for short meetings that were presentation type meetings...hard to make a good first impression when you spit on the client. I had metal braces as a teen for 5 years and over time the teeth went back to where they were in the early 1970's, i stopped wearing the big clunky plastic retainer about 1982. For those suffering at the start of the program, it truly does get better and you will be so amazed at the result. Stay the course!
One question maybe someone has experienced- have one tooth on the lower that is higher than all the others and still slightly back, second to the right from center, it is being stubborn and i have increased the time wearing each tray to 3 weeks. The dentist today called to say he'd consulted another ortho and there is a "procedure" to do with a muscle to enable the tooth to move. Sounds puzzling and scary. This is an excellent dentist but i am wary of any and all procedures! any ideas? I will see him soon and get all the details but cant get it off my mind!
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arch712
Preferred Member
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posted 05-25-2007 12:14 AM
quote:
Originally posted by piggy_pig:
I'm familiar with Mammoth park and the Giant slide! I have two appointments in the next week; one with "The Dentistry" in Irwin (they have other offices too) and one here in Greensburg. Have you made your appointment yet?? I'd do it as soon as you can.....I had to wait a month for the one I'm going to tomorrow.
Yeah the good old giant slide. You couldn't go down it without waxpaper.Anyways, I called for a consultation Yesterday, and my appointment is June 20th. I guess just about anywhere you're going to wait. They eased my pain by telling me he is one of the top 10 Invisalign providers in the Country. Sounds pretty good to me.
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snakes
Junior Member
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posted 05-30-2007 02:40 PM
I just started my Invisalign treatment yesterday afternoon. I was in severe pain most of the day and at night and took some Ibupro for it. However today it seems to be much better.. just a little bit of pain and I dont think I need to take any painkillers for it. Also my lower teeth were hurting a lot more than my upper teeth. Is that normal?Will it always be like this at the start of every new set of trays? Or is this the worst its going to be because its my first set of trays? Also I am getting my treatment from Dr Yurfest in Atlanta at Dental One Associates. Has anyone else had any prior experience with him and/or that dental clinic? So far I am very satisfied and happy with him/them but I was just curious.
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mr_k
Junior Member
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posted 05-30-2007 04:06 PM
Hello,
One of those "buttons" has been placed on my top-right lateral incisor. It is a PAIN to take my top tray off (just got my first set yesterday), and I discovered that the reason for this is that button. Anyone know any special tricks/techniques/methods to take off trays? I manage to take it off eventually without breaking anything (so far) but I have to use so much force that I am afraid I will break the tray in half or the button off my tooth.
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BadBoy
Preferred Member
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posted 05-30-2007 04:44 PM
quote:
Originally posted by snakes:
I just started my Invisalign treatment yesterday afternoon. I was in severe pain most of the day and at night and took some Ibupro for it. However today it seems to be much better.. just a little bit of pain and I dont think I need to take any painkillers for it. Also my lower teeth were hurting a lot more than my upper teeth. Is that normal?Will it always be like this at the start of every new set of trays? Or is this the worst its going to be because its my first set of trays?
Each aligner set will vary because the teeth movements with each and with an individual case are unique, so no way to predict. In invisalign series over the past year, most of the aligners had pressure the first 2-3 days of a new aligner but little pain. Only a few aligners caused some soreness the first day or so when I took them out, no pain while they were in. The first set is the toughest because you have to get used to everything at once, so it does get easier after that one. The best advice to be prepared is start a new aligner set just before a period you can keep them in for as long as possible like a 10-12 hour stretch, usually just after dinner or before bedtime. Take some pain killer then. Try to wear the aligners as close to 22hr/day as possible the first 2-3 days of a new aligner set since that is when the teeth movements occur. For the rest of the 2 week period, the pressure and any soreness should be reduced and the aligner is just holding the teeth in the new positions for settling - thats the time you get to rest before the next aligner set!
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jasboston
Preferred Member
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posted 05-30-2007 05:43 PM
I have 13 of those buttons (attachments) yes...they make it a PIA to take the aligners in and out. You an use a crochet hook to safely lift the trays up and over. My Ortho also said warming the trays up by holding warm water in your mouth right before you go to remove them can help.Good luck....
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snakes
Junior Member
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posted 05-30-2007 06:46 PM
quote:
Originally posted by BadBoy:
Each aligner set will vary because the teeth movements with each and with an individual case are unique, so no way to predict. In invisalign series over the past year, most of the aligners had pressure the first 2-3 days of a new aligner but little pain. Only a few aligners caused some soreness the first day or so when I took them out, no pain while they were in.The first set is the toughest because you have to get used to everything at once, so it does get easier after that one. The best advice to be prepared is start a new aligner set just before a period you can keep them in for as long as possible like a 10-12 hour stretch, usually just after dinner or before bedtime. Take some pain killer then. Try to wear the aligners as close to 22hr/day as possible the first 2-3 days of a new aligner set since that is when the teeth movements occur. For the rest of the 2 week period, the pressure and any soreness should be reduced and the aligner is just holding the teeth in the new positions for settling - thats the time you get to rest before the next aligner set!
Thanks!! 
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1penny
Preferred Member
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posted 05-30-2007 09:10 PM
arch712 - your teeth and mine are very similar. I am on day 13 Tray 1/14 top 40 bottom! 6 buttons on top and 3 on the bottom. Experience has not been too bad - just putting a cramp on my adult beverages -and the scheduled eating is pain. I actually lost 5lbs in the first 3 days I had these in! Good luck with your consultation!
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arch712
Preferred Member
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posted 05-31-2007 11:37 PM
quote:
Originally posted by 1penny:
arch712 - your teeth and mine are very similar. I am on day 13 Tray 1/14 top 40 bottom!
40 ouch!! so I'm looking at roughly 7 months top, 1 yr - 8 months. quote:
6 buttons on top and 3 on the bottom.
6 on top? oh no! I thought I might need a couple, but 6? quote:
putting a cramp on my adult beverages. Good luck with your consultation!
Oh know!! I like my beer, I think I would be easier to quit smoking! and thank you, I will fill everyone in when I have my consultation.
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