Here is a recent image of my teeth, all still in the right place!
Thank you for all of your comments! It makes me happy to know that this blog has been useful to so many of you. Good luck with your orthodontic adventures! :)
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Checking in on the Invisalign blog!
Wow! I can hardly believe that it is nearing 5 years since I decided to take the plunge into the world of Invisalign! When I look back, it seems like it was such a fast process! (although there were times that it felt like it would last forever...) Believe it or not, I am still using my last two trays as retainers! I sleep with them in maybe about once a week now. Honestly, I cannot stand them in my mouth anymore. I try to use them once a week to make sure that my teeth have not shifted. That was a lot of money to invest and I want to be sure that my results last a lifetime.
Here is a recent image of my teeth, all still in the right place!
Thank you for all of your comments! It makes me happy to know that this blog has been useful to so many of you. Good luck with your orthodontic adventures! :)
Here is a recent image of my teeth, all still in the right place!
Thank you for all of your comments! It makes me happy to know that this blog has been useful to so many of you. Good luck with your orthodontic adventures! :)
Friday, October 29, 2010
Hello From The Future
I just realized that it's been a very long time since I have updated this site! Well, I've been done with my Invisalign treatment for so long that I felt there wasn't much to say. I realized that there are a few tidbits that I can share.
Since completing my treatment, I still wear the last Invisalign trays at night only. I started out wearing them every night for about a year. To be honest, I really can't stand the way that they feel in my mouth anymore. After that first year was over, I decided to sleep with them in every other night. Now, I am down to about 3 times a week. The trays still fit fairly well so it makes me feel confident that no shifting has occurred. I will probably continue with the 3 times a week routine for as long as the tray lasts me. Keep in mind this was my last tray of the set that I had. I never purchased the Invisalign retainer kit. I'm so glad that I didn't waste the money on it.
As for my teeth, I am still very happy with my results. I am still thrilled that I did it and the year that it took just seems like a speck in time.
Best of luck to you all on your very own Invisalign (or whatever orthodontics that you choose) Adventure!
Since completing my treatment, I still wear the last Invisalign trays at night only. I started out wearing them every night for about a year. To be honest, I really can't stand the way that they feel in my mouth anymore. After that first year was over, I decided to sleep with them in every other night. Now, I am down to about 3 times a week. The trays still fit fairly well so it makes me feel confident that no shifting has occurred. I will probably continue with the 3 times a week routine for as long as the tray lasts me. Keep in mind this was my last tray of the set that I had. I never purchased the Invisalign retainer kit. I'm so glad that I didn't waste the money on it.
As for my teeth, I am still very happy with my results. I am still thrilled that I did it and the year that it took just seems like a speck in time.
Best of luck to you all on your very own Invisalign (or whatever orthodontics that you choose) Adventure!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Invisalign Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I get Invisalign?:
A: You need to have a consultation with an orthodontist or a certified dentist to see if you qualify for treatment. I suggest having at least 2 to 3 consultations with different doctors to compare price and to make sure that you feel comfortable with who you choose.
Q: How much do they cost?
A: This has to be my most frequently asked question. The answer depends on the dentist or orthodontist that you see. I suggest getting more than one consultation to compare prices. It seems the average cost in the USA is around $5000 for a complete treatment. That amount should include all of your regular visits as well. This will probably change in time as Invisalign's competitors start emerging.
Q: Can I get Invisalign for just my top teeth?
A: This depends on the doctor that you see. I had two consultations and was considering getting just my tops done. One doctor said that the would not treat just one arch and the other was willing. As it turns out, I wouldn't have saved much money by doing just the top so I went for it all.
Q: How long do you have to wear Invisalign?
A: That depend on the severity of your case. You are given plastic trays to fit over your teeth that have slight adjustments in them. They are changed every two weeks. I had 16 sets of tray plus I had 3 sets of refinements. My total treatment time was about 10 months. You should be wearing them daily for around 22 hours.
Q: Will I have to wear a retainer?
A: Yes. Your last set will be your retainer (unless your doctor does it differently). I am currently wearing my retainer to bed every night. This may possibly be a lifelong thing, but I'm not sure yet. My orthodontist mentioned about possibly doing ever other night in the future. I honestly don't mind as I want to protect my investment.
Q: Can you eat with your aligners in?
A: No. They must be removed for every meal.
Q: Is it true that you have to brush and floss before you put your trays back in?
A: Yes. Unfortunately this is the part about Invisalign that is a huge pain. You do not want food to get trapped against your teeth under the retainers. This can cause tooth decay. So, you are going to want to make sure they are nice an clean after every meal.
Q: It it okay to drink with my Invisalign retainers in?
A: Only water is the safest. Again, the sugar in drinks can become trapped under the aligner. Also, colored drinks can stain them.
Q: Can I smoke with my Invisalign retainers in?
A: Since I am not a smoker and haven't looked into this one very far. I can tell you that the pamphlet that comes with Invisalign tells you not to. I would guess that it to avoid staining them.
Q: Is Invisalign painful to wear?
A: It depends. When you change trays, you will experience some discomfort for a few days. Particularly when taking them out and putting them in for meals. The new trays are forcing the teeth into a new position so you will feel some pain as the teeth get into their new place.
Q: What are attachments?
A: Some teeth need to be rotated from side to side. The orthodontist will glue a small tooth-colored piece to the tooth. The trays will have a bump in them for the piece to fit into. Each tray will have a slightly different position of the bump to help that tooth rotate.
Q: Will I have to have attachments?
A: That all depends on the severity of your case. You'll have to have a consultation to know for sure.
Q: How long until you start to see results?
A: I remember seeing a difference in as little as 6-8 weeks.
Q: How do you clean your Invisalign aligners?
A: Although the Invisalign pamphlet says not to use denture cleaner, I did it any way. I soaked them in Efferdent every morning while eating breakfast. It did a great job and I had no problems with it. I also use toothpaste and a toothbrush to clean them as well.
Q: Will my insurance pay for Invisalign?
A: The only way to find out is to contact your insurance company.
Q: If you had to do it all again, would you get metal braces instead?
A: No. Overall, I am very happy with the results of my Invisalign treatment. I loved the fact that they were not very obvious and the treatment was relatively quick.
A: You need to have a consultation with an orthodontist or a certified dentist to see if you qualify for treatment. I suggest having at least 2 to 3 consultations with different doctors to compare price and to make sure that you feel comfortable with who you choose.
Q: How much do they cost?
A: This has to be my most frequently asked question. The answer depends on the dentist or orthodontist that you see. I suggest getting more than one consultation to compare prices. It seems the average cost in the USA is around $5000 for a complete treatment. That amount should include all of your regular visits as well. This will probably change in time as Invisalign's competitors start emerging.
Q: Can I get Invisalign for just my top teeth?
A: This depends on the doctor that you see. I had two consultations and was considering getting just my tops done. One doctor said that the would not treat just one arch and the other was willing. As it turns out, I wouldn't have saved much money by doing just the top so I went for it all.
Q: How long do you have to wear Invisalign?
A: That depend on the severity of your case. You are given plastic trays to fit over your teeth that have slight adjustments in them. They are changed every two weeks. I had 16 sets of tray plus I had 3 sets of refinements. My total treatment time was about 10 months. You should be wearing them daily for around 22 hours.
Q: Will I have to wear a retainer?
A: Yes. Your last set will be your retainer (unless your doctor does it differently). I am currently wearing my retainer to bed every night. This may possibly be a lifelong thing, but I'm not sure yet. My orthodontist mentioned about possibly doing ever other night in the future. I honestly don't mind as I want to protect my investment.
Q: Can you eat with your aligners in?
A: No. They must be removed for every meal.
Q: Is it true that you have to brush and floss before you put your trays back in?
A: Yes. Unfortunately this is the part about Invisalign that is a huge pain. You do not want food to get trapped against your teeth under the retainers. This can cause tooth decay. So, you are going to want to make sure they are nice an clean after every meal.
Q: It it okay to drink with my Invisalign retainers in?
A: Only water is the safest. Again, the sugar in drinks can become trapped under the aligner. Also, colored drinks can stain them.
Q: Can I smoke with my Invisalign retainers in?
A: Since I am not a smoker and haven't looked into this one very far. I can tell you that the pamphlet that comes with Invisalign tells you not to. I would guess that it to avoid staining them.
Q: Is Invisalign painful to wear?
A: It depends. When you change trays, you will experience some discomfort for a few days. Particularly when taking them out and putting them in for meals. The new trays are forcing the teeth into a new position so you will feel some pain as the teeth get into their new place.
Q: What are attachments?
A: Some teeth need to be rotated from side to side. The orthodontist will glue a small tooth-colored piece to the tooth. The trays will have a bump in them for the piece to fit into. Each tray will have a slightly different position of the bump to help that tooth rotate.
Q: Will I have to have attachments?
A: That all depends on the severity of your case. You'll have to have a consultation to know for sure.
Q: How long until you start to see results?
A: I remember seeing a difference in as little as 6-8 weeks.
Q: How do you clean your Invisalign aligners?
A: Although the Invisalign pamphlet says not to use denture cleaner, I did it any way. I soaked them in Efferdent every morning while eating breakfast. It did a great job and I had no problems with it. I also use toothpaste and a toothbrush to clean them as well.
Q: Will my insurance pay for Invisalign?
A: The only way to find out is to contact your insurance company.
Q: If you had to do it all again, would you get metal braces instead?
A: No. Overall, I am very happy with the results of my Invisalign treatment. I loved the fact that they were not very obvious and the treatment was relatively quick.
A Little Update
I have been absent for a while as there really hasn't been much to report. I have to wear my last tray every night to bed as a retainer. There have been no problems doing this and my teeth are still looking nice and straight. I have a follow-up appointment with my orthodontist in July.
I want to apologize to all of those that have asked questions that I haven't been able to get to. Since I am having a hard time keeping up with the YouTube questions, I will be turning the comments off for now. I finally did what I promised a while ago, I came up with a list of Frequently Asked Questions about Invisalign. I will add that as a separate post after this.
As I will be keeping the comments open here, feel free to post your thoughts on your experience with Invisalign. There are a lot of visitors that stop by daily. If you have anything that you want to share with them about your Invisalign, post away!
Best of luck to you all!
Sharon
I want to apologize to all of those that have asked questions that I haven't been able to get to. Since I am having a hard time keeping up with the YouTube questions, I will be turning the comments off for now. I finally did what I promised a while ago, I came up with a list of Frequently Asked Questions about Invisalign. I will add that as a separate post after this.
As I will be keeping the comments open here, feel free to post your thoughts on your experience with Invisalign. There are a lot of visitors that stop by daily. If you have anything that you want to share with them about your Invisalign, post away!
Best of luck to you all!
Sharon
Friday, November 14, 2008
An Update Long Overdue...
Where does the time go? I should have written this blog weeks ago! Forgive me, I am a stay-at-home mother with a photography career on the side. I'm always going this way and that way all at the same time!
Okay, My last appointment was in September. I pretty much felt like I was ready to be done. My orthodontist had previously given me the impression that I would not be able to get any further refinements. So, to my surprise she said that we could at my last visit. While we agreed that they look really good, she did feel that it might be possible to make more adjustments with refinements. I decided that I wanted to stop where we were. I'm really happy with the results and I honestly didn't feel like dealing with the Invisalign anymore. She also threw me another surprise. Previously she said that I would have to wear the last sets as retainers full time for 3 to 6 months. I think she could tell that I was ready for my freedom again. She said that I am an adult and I will know if I am not wearing the retainers enough, so just wear them at night. If they are too tight and hard to get on, I will know that I haven't worn them enough. Well, I've been doing this for a month and a half and have had no problems at all. And let me tell you how much I appreciate not having to think about where I am going to brush my teeth after a meal out! When I put them in at night, they don't feel so comfortable anymore. They didn't bother me too much when I was wearing them full time, probably because I was used to them.
I have a follow up appointment in December, if anything interesting comes up, I will post it here. (eventually - LOL!)
My apologies to those of you who left comments on my YouTube videos. I will be getting around to those at some point.
In conclusion, I am very happy that I did this! I love my smile now. I can stop obsessing over my crooked teeth. I can walk by a mirror and feel happy about my smile and not try to see if they look crooked in the lighting that I am in. Yes, it was expensive, but worth it in my opinion. I did it just for me. I'm sure glad that I did.
I'll leave you with a few samples of some commercial images that I modeled my new teeth in (and just an FYI, my teeth are not that white, they were enhanced in Photoshop):
Okay, My last appointment was in September. I pretty much felt like I was ready to be done. My orthodontist had previously given me the impression that I would not be able to get any further refinements. So, to my surprise she said that we could at my last visit. While we agreed that they look really good, she did feel that it might be possible to make more adjustments with refinements. I decided that I wanted to stop where we were. I'm really happy with the results and I honestly didn't feel like dealing with the Invisalign anymore. She also threw me another surprise. Previously she said that I would have to wear the last sets as retainers full time for 3 to 6 months. I think she could tell that I was ready for my freedom again. She said that I am an adult and I will know if I am not wearing the retainers enough, so just wear them at night. If they are too tight and hard to get on, I will know that I haven't worn them enough. Well, I've been doing this for a month and a half and have had no problems at all. And let me tell you how much I appreciate not having to think about where I am going to brush my teeth after a meal out! When I put them in at night, they don't feel so comfortable anymore. They didn't bother me too much when I was wearing them full time, probably because I was used to them.
I have a follow up appointment in December, if anything interesting comes up, I will post it here. (eventually - LOL!)
My apologies to those of you who left comments on my YouTube videos. I will be getting around to those at some point.
In conclusion, I am very happy that I did this! I love my smile now. I can stop obsessing over my crooked teeth. I can walk by a mirror and feel happy about my smile and not try to see if they look crooked in the lighting that I am in. Yes, it was expensive, but worth it in my opinion. I did it just for me. I'm sure glad that I did.
I'll leave you with a few samples of some commercial images that I modeled my new teeth in (and just an FYI, my teeth are not that white, they were enhanced in Photoshop):
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
This Is It!
This is hopefully my last week of Invisalign...new trays anyway. I am wearing my last top refinement tray. (I was given 3 additional trays, BTW) I'm still wearing 15 of 15 on the bottom as a retainer. All of the bottom attachments were removed at my last appointment. My next appointment is on Monday, September 22. It is my hopes that we are both happy enough with the results that she will remove the two upper attachments and allow me to continue wearing the trays are retainers. Do I feel that the tops are 100% perfect...well, not exactly, but it's really, really close. I know that if my orthodontist agreed with me, she would be willing to throw on metal braces to complete the job. If that's the case, I will pass. These are close enough for me and I'm feeling ready to be free of orthodontics soon. From my understanding, Invisalign only gives you one set of refinements, and my orthodontist will finish anything with braces for no additional cost. But honestly, I am quite happy with the results. My teeth look so much better now. Plus, I just can't wait to be attachment free!
I also wanted to mention my experience with a Invisalign and travelling. Honestly, it's a pain. I took a trip to Seattle last month and found it a little bit annoying to always try to figure out where to brush my teeth. This was a working trip so I was on the go with my camera gear all day, trying to eat quick lunches and then figure out what to do about my trays. One bit of advice my orthodontist gave me was that if I couldn't brush, swish really well with water and put them back in. One advantage that I did have on the trip was that I was waiting for my refinements and I'd been wearing the same trays for several weeks so it was okay to go a little extra time without them in. If you are considering Invisalign, keep this in mind if you travel a bit.
At some point when the attachments are off, I will be taking new photos, so be on the look out for those. I will also be creating an Invisalign FAQ's here. I've gotten so many questions about them and a lot are the same so I think having a FAQ's will be very helpful to all considering this orthodontic treatment.
Also, I apologize to all who have left me comments and questions here and at YouTube that I have not yet responded to. I've been really busy and haven't had the chance to sit down and answer. I will be working on that slowly but surely!
I also wanted to mention my experience with a Invisalign and travelling. Honestly, it's a pain. I took a trip to Seattle last month and found it a little bit annoying to always try to figure out where to brush my teeth. This was a working trip so I was on the go with my camera gear all day, trying to eat quick lunches and then figure out what to do about my trays. One bit of advice my orthodontist gave me was that if I couldn't brush, swish really well with water and put them back in. One advantage that I did have on the trip was that I was waiting for my refinements and I'd been wearing the same trays for several weeks so it was okay to go a little extra time without them in. If you are considering Invisalign, keep this in mind if you travel a bit.
At some point when the attachments are off, I will be taking new photos, so be on the look out for those. I will also be creating an Invisalign FAQ's here. I've gotten so many questions about them and a lot are the same so I think having a FAQ's will be very helpful to all considering this orthodontic treatment.
Also, I apologize to all who have left me comments and questions here and at YouTube that I have not yet responded to. I've been really busy and haven't had the chance to sit down and answer. I will be working on that slowly but surely!
Friday, August 1, 2008
Waiting For Refinements
My last appointment with the orthodontist was on July 21st. We both agreed that the bottoms look perfect and are done. There is a small crack in my bottom retainer but she said that isn't a problem and that I should continue to wear it full-time for 3 months. The tops, however, aren't quite finished. Even though my teeth look pretty straight, there still is some improvement to be made. She took some pictures of my teeth and will send them back to Invisalign and they will make refinement trays.
Since the bottoms were done, she drilled the attachments off. It was a happy moment to get rid of those! I can't wait until the last two on top are gone. Even though I am used to them, I still catch myself being self conscious of them.
Here are a few photos that I took (on my good equipment this time) to show my progress:
Since the bottoms were done, she drilled the attachments off. It was a happy moment to get rid of those! I can't wait until the last two on top are gone. Even though I am used to them, I still catch myself being self conscious of them.
Here are a few photos that I took (on my good equipment this time) to show my progress:
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