Invisalign Tray 10 and 11

Old video from 2011:

Invisalign, Tray 9

No close-ups of my teeth this time. I have nothing new to report. I look at my teeth all the time now and am really happy with how they are straightening out. I am currently wearing tray 10. It's been 5 months since I started and I have another 3 to go. I already see a big difference in my teeth and can't wait to see how the front teeth turn out in the next 3 months.

Here is a rough before and after. Left picture is no treatment/natural teeth and on the right is my tray 9 smile.

Invisalign, Tray 8

Officially at the halfway point and I'm very happy about it. Sometimes, I think to myself that I miss my old hamster teeth. Few people want their crooked teeth, but looking like a hamster was sometimes cute.

The other thing I noticed is that the trays are starting to get annoying. There was a period that I didn't feel them at all, but now, several times a day, I am acutely aware that they are in my mouth and I get the urge to peel them off. However, I resist.

Tray 8

Tray 5

Invisalign, Tray 7

Almost at the half-way point!
Tray 7:

Bottom teeth don't overlap as much, you can really tell on the right side of this pic. Top teeth don't turn toward each other like a book anymore. My filling on the front tooth is still chipped, but we can't fix it until everything is done. At my last appointment, we did another interproximal reduction aka trimmed my teeth a little on the bottom row. Didn't hurt. I hate the feeling of permanence, like if someone trims my teeth, that bit of tooth is going to be gone forever. Then again, I want a straight smile forever, so it doesn't really matter that my teeth are being trimmed. I'm getting a little lazy and keeping my trays out for more than 3 hours a day on some days. I have to stay more disciplined.
Tray 1:

Invisalign, Tray 5

Week 1 of a new tray doesn't hurt anymore! I guess that's good, but it also kind of sucks, because I was using it to diet. Ha. No new revelations, but I am pretty happy with what's happening to the top row. My teeth are being pushed in gradually, but surely.

Tray 1:


Tray 5:

Invisalign, Tray 4

Tray 4 means 8 weeks. Holy crap, I've been wearing these things for 2 months! Nothing new to report. I'm noticing a slight gap forming between my two front teeth. I hope that's part of the plan, and not because the filling on my two front teeth are interfering with the process. After 2 months, I notice a slight difference in my teeth. When I go back and look at old pictures, I see a bigger difference. My rabbit teeth aren't as prominent. You can see the difference in an old pic I posted before I got the Invisalign. Not a huge change, but I'll keep taking pictures of my smile as the treatment progresses. Excited for my new teeth!

Invisalign, Tray 3

I put on my new tray at night and slept through much of the soreness. I wore the tray on as much as possible the first week, so this week hasn't been so bad.

I started to work out a little planned laziness system with the trays. During the first week, I'll be super careful and brush as much as I can. Then toward the end of the second week, I'll be a little more lax and just rinse in between beverages, since I know I'll have a new tray soon. I also keep my meals to a minimum during the first week of the new tray, because it is annoyingly sore every time I remove them. The longer I wear them, the easier the second week will be.

I forgot my hygiene bag for the first time yesterday. I bought a new kit and am keeping that in my office. Not brushing isn't really an option, since I am extremely worried that my mouth will smell bad. I also kind of miss chewing gum. These are my observations thus far. 

Invisalign, tray 2

I had my teeth trimmed this morning. It didn't hurt at all, not even a little pressure. My dentist used a high speed tool and what looked like a metal file. The file slipped in between my teeth maybe twice. I can't even tell the difference. My teeth don't look very different, so I won't bother taking a picture until the next couple of trays. I got trays 2 and 3 this week. I have tray 2 on right now, and my teeth are a little bit sore, but not as bad as last time. I haven't tried to eat anything hard.

Asian Night Market is tonight! I am going, but these new trays are going to make it hard to eat. =(

Invisalign, Tray 1

New teeth and new nose were always on the top of my "to fix" list. I've grown to accept and like my nose. (I've also learned to fear rhinoplasty after all these surgery makeover shows.) Teeth? Those can still be fixed.

I finally have a job. I finally have a little bit of money to spare. I promised myself in undergrad that as soon as I make money, I am going to fix my teeth. Now or never, I told myself in February. I made an appointment and the dentist molded my teeth that day. About 5 weeks later, I got my first tray.

The trays were not as bulky as I thought and did not irritate my teeth or gums. There's a persistent soreness, similar to an itch that won't go away. I've had them on for three days now, and the first day was the worst. I am tempted to take them off, but I also don't want to screw myself out of $$$. Since it's my own money, I'm a lot more diligent about sticking to the treatment plan.

Another annoying thing is how often I have to brush and floss! I eat more than 5 times a day, and I can't do that anymore, since I have to take out the aligners, brush my teeth and brush the aligners every time! Whatever, it's like being on an 8 month forced diet and I won't have buck teeth at the end!

I did some research beforehand and knew that taking the aligners off was not an easy task. They are really stuck on to my teeth and I definitely didn't want to break them. My dentist told me that I would have to wear the broken pieces until my next set came! I followed the instructions the dentist gave me, which was to remove them from the inside and push the aligner out toward my cheek until they popped off. It hurts to take them off. The pain is bearable, but it's enough to make me think twice about taking them off to eat.

My crooked teeth (ignore my crappy skin):
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The trays are not noticeable, and most people don't notice that I even have them on, unless they look at me closely.

Attachments:

These guys are pretty weird. They look like little fangs growing out of my teeth. I have attachments on both sides. It didn't hurt to get them on. I have to get my teeth trimmed at my next appointment, so I'll blog about that when it happens.