Anyone have Invisalign braces? or other adult braces?

[MarionC]

I just started my Invisalign series yesterday and would love to talk with someone who has done this.
I hate it already - with 14 months to go - and wonder if anyone has words of encouragement, tips or complaints about the process.

 

[jazzoboe]

My DH did invisalign several years ago. While it was a PITA in a lot of ways, they did work and he was very glad not to have to do traditional braces. I think he mostly just got sick of having to take them in and out every time he ate and trying to keep them clean. Do you have any specific questions or concerns?

 

[MarionC]

Jazz, thanks for sharing.
I like to hear positive things.

I had no idea they would be such a PITA - they hurt, I had trouble sleeping last night and had nightmares They are scary to take off - that feeling of pulling so hard on your teeth - so I dread having to take them off to eat. My eating habit is that of a "grazer" to keep my blood sugar up, so this is a whole new experience in that way too. No way I'm going to go through the process every 2 hours every day.
It's OK, but when I think of doing this for the next 14 months I can't quite believe I will stick with it.

Well, thanks for letting me vent. Did he get more used to the process as time went on? Did it ever just become routine or was it something he was quite conscious of the whole time?
Right now my whole self is focused on TEETH.

When I think of what some of our dear PSers are going through right now I feel a bit ashamed to be complaining about what is partially a cosmetic procedure, but it does make me realize how awful it must be for them to wake every morning with a major health issue!

I guess if I am going to follow my own advice I will start sending loving thoughts to my teeth : )

 

[missy]

Jimmianne! I am so sorry you are having a difficult time with the Invisalign. I have no personal experience with it but I want to be here to support you as much as I can. Please don't feel badly about venting and complaining! It's not about who's going through more but it's what you are feeling and dealing with as much as me or anyone else. Your experience is no less than anyone else's because it is your experience. If that makes sense. So I am sending big hugs and much support and lots of pain free dust to you and I hope it gets much easier and that the time flies by!!! And just think, beautiful straight teeth will soon be yours!
Before and after pics might be something to consider for your own personal satisfaction and enjoyment if nothing else...

(((Hugs)))!!!

 

[MarionC]

Jimmianne! I am so sorry you are having a difficult time with the Invisalign. I have no personal experience with it but I want to be here to support you as much as I can. Please don't feel badly about venting and complaining! It's not about who's going through more but it's what you are feeling and dealing with as much as me or anyone else. Your experience is no less than anyone else's because it is your experience. If that makes sense. So I am sending big hugs and much support and lots of pain free dust to you and I hope it gets much easier and that the time flies by!!! And just think, beautiful straight teeth will soon be yours!
Before and after pics might be something to consider for your own personal satisfaction and enjoyment if nothing else...

(((Hugs)))!!!

Oh Missy! you are wonderful. When I woke up this morning with this minor pain I thought of what you wake up to. And now you are comforting me : )

I was a bit bothered that my usually straight teeth are starting to turn as I get older, but when I read that they can continue to twist I thought - ugh. If I'm going to be a crone, I want to be a crone with nice teeth LOL.

The orthodontist takes before and after photos, which is nice. I can put them in my journal


So - re:your thread: yesterday I had to go back a page or two to see your gory photos since I seemed to have missed them. Wow! lots of stitches!! You are brave brave brave. hugs back at ya.

 

[jazzoboe]

I think they bothered him less as time went on. It becomes habit eventually and is just more of a hassle than anything. Hopefully you will find yourself adjusting soon so it just becomes something you deal with, but I definitely hear you on that feeling when it's a new thing and it feels like it's all you can think about. Hope it gets more comfortable for you soon!

 

[monarch64]

Hi Jimmianne! Welcome to the wonderful world of adult orthodontia! A really great and supportive, knowledgeable online community is archwired.com. It's for adults going through orthodontics/oral surgery/etc. I loved it there when I was having my smile corrected.

Several years ago, I decided to have some work done on my chompers. I had surgery to extract 4 wisdom teeth and also to expand my upper palate, and then had regular braces installed. I wore them for 2 years. Having elected to do all of this, I never thought of my braces or any of it as a burden or problem. It was something I had chosen to do, and that attitude got me through all the pain and discomfort.

First world problems, right? I'm sure people around the globe and here in the U.S. would love to have this sort of "issue." I'm not saying that to be snarky; I just think we forget at times how fortunate we are to even have access to solutions and care such as this.

14 months will fly by, and afterwards you'll have an even more lovely smile. Good for you for taking on this endeavor. I think you'll do just fine.

 

[MarionC]

Thanks, Monarch, for putting this in perspective.
I was naive - it never occurred to me that it would be this painful

but I'm glad I'm starting, glad I can afford this luxury and I like your idea of not treating it as a burden. I can feel a new attitude forming as I write these words.
[but Ya know, if they could just set a few little AGS 000 diamonds here & there on the braces...]

 

[monarch64]

Preemptive ibuprofen helps a lot when you go for an adjustment, or, in your case, new set. Check out that site I recommended; I bet they have a ton of hacks and suggestions on how to make the process easier.

 

[missy]

Hey Jimmianne, first of all, you are wonderful and thank you for all your amazing support and encouragement. ((Hugs)).

I was just doing some research for you and it seems (and please check with your orthodontist first) that combining acetaminophen with ibuprofen might work best for tooth pain. Both drugs together help suppress pain better than a single analgesic can do on its own. Keep in mind though that this research is geared more towards surgical dental procedures but perhaps something to ask your doctor about?

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/809415

I was also reading that the pain will subside as your teeth get used to the new aligners. You're on your way to a gorgeous smile to match your gorgeous self!

 

[iluvshinythings]

I didn't have invisalign but I had braces in my early 30's. I'm glad I did it now.

For the 2 years I wore the braces I didn't feel like I ever got my mouth clean. Eating a salad in public was the scariest thing. It was also painful so you have my sympathy.

I agree that OTC pain relievers are your friend. I don't know if it's the same with invisalign but eating popcicles or anything cold really made my mouth feel better.

Just remember it's all worth it in the end.

 

[swingirl]

I had Invisalign about 6 years ago. Initially it was quite painful and I lost a bit of weight because I would rather not eat than take out the liners! However, after a few days I figured out how to get them in and out with a slight twist and it got much easier. Usually the first day or so of a new liner left my mouth sore and a little pain reliever helped. Once my teeth got used to being moved around the new liners took less and less time to get used to and were no problem popping in and out for a meal or a snack. Everyone figures out what works best for them. For me it worked best to put in new liners at night because by morning everything was moved and stretched making the liners easy to remove for breakfast.

Invisalign worked wonderfully for me and I had major movement to be done. Today my teeth are almost in the perfect position because I wear my retainer religiously every night. Most people do not keep up the retainer routine but my teeth tend to want to migrate back to their old position. I can feel when that happens as the retainer gets tight. My whole process took 2 years, a little longer than was planned but I had one stubborn tooth than would not budge.

NEVER CHEW GUM with your liners in. I learned that by accident. Also protect your liners. My dog LOVED to chew on them and destroyed one set. They were like a magnet and he'd sniff them out if I left them out of their case.

I hope your pain gets better. They do take a while to get used to. Pain and new routine. But so very worth it in the end. Good luck.

 

[packrat]

I've not but would like to. I had braces when I was 13/14 and was only told to wear my retainer for a year, so that's what I did. Later I found out I should've basically been wearing it forever at night to keep my teeth in place. Sooo they've shifted in a couple spots. Not *horrible* or anything, but enough. Two spots up top and two on the bottom.

 

[Calliecake]

Hi Jimmianne, I have never had invisalign but had regular braces for 2 and a half years. I wore the headgear at night for a total of 4 years. Regular braces hurt badly for about a week every month after they tightened them. I also always had canker sores from the metal digging into the sides of my mouth. It was a pain but I have never ever regretted it. I had begged my parents to get them. My teeth were a mess and I got a beautiful smile in the end. So so worth the pain in my opinion. Hang in there and any time you want sympathy we are all here for you. I'm sorry you are having to go thru this.

I remember pudding and milk shakes being the only thing I could eat for at least 2 days per month after the braces were tightened. Ibuprofen works wonders on the pain.

 

[MarionC]

Thank you everyone!

I have a great orthodontist - he just called to see how things were going and gave me his personal cell#.
There was a place where the plastic was cutting my mouth and he said to just clip it off and file it down.
So - I did that to good effect - and also have taken the dern things off for the 3rd time today to eat.
It's getting easier to cope with - the trays seem to be coming off a bit more easily.
I'm encouraged!

and very grateful for my PS friends.

here's smiling at you

 

[Calliecake]

They used to have a very soft wax to place on braces where the were digging in your mouth. It helped a great deal. This may also work with Invisalign. Just a thought.

 

[Sky56]

Question: I had no idea adult braces were so common. Do you guys have them mainly for cosmetics or because you need them for structural problems?

Dentistry is on my mind a lot lately. I had a lot of gold inlays done in the mid-1970's and after about 40 years, they are failing one by one (decay and even some cracking had begun under them) and I recently have been "living" at the dentist getting crowns, and even a couple of extractions. And it's not finished, I will continue on with more appointments.

 

[MarionC]

Question: I had no idea adult braces were so common. Do you guys have them mainly for cosmetics or because you need them for structural problems?

Dentistry is on my mind a lot lately. I had a lot of gold inlays done in the mid-1970's and after about 40 years, they are failing one by one (decay and even some cracking had begun under them) and I recently have been "living" at the dentist getting crowns, and even a couple of extractions. And it's not finished, I will continue on with more appointments.

Oh dear, that does not sounds like fun at all! I hope you have plenty of inner strength, valium or both! and lots of support.

I would say my braces are mostly for cosmetic reasons. My teeth were always straight until I got to "a certain age". Then the fronts started to crowd each other and start turning sideways. The teeth that turn look darker due to their angle to the light. No one else would notice it, but to me it didn't look as nice and it felt odd too. SInce they tend to keep crowding more and more I decided to reverse the problem before it became more advanced. Also when this happens you lose the ability to bite with your front teeth and at times top and bottom strike each other in a jarring way - although I probably could have lived with that.

 

[swingirl]

Question: I had no idea adult braces were so common. Do you guys have them mainly for cosmetics or because you need them for structural problems?

Dentistry is on my mind a lot lately. I had a lot of gold inlays done in the mid-1970's and after about 40 years, they are failing one by one (decay and even some cracking had begun under them) and I recently have been "living" at the dentist getting crowns, and even a couple of extractions. And it's not finished, I will continue on with more appointments.

Before I got my teeth straightened I was constantly biting my lower lip and checks and chomping my teeth together so that I was chipping the corners and wearing them down. I am very pleased with the look cosmetically speaking but I am really glad to stop the damage I was doing. These things gotta last another 30 years ( I too am full of crowns, 2 root canals and old fillings). I had crown work, fillings replaced and one dead tooth removed before I started Invisalign).

 

[portia]

Hi Jimmianne,

I feel your pain. You are not alone in this experience. I recently started Invisiline, too. Just started set 5 of 18 trays. I wore braces as a teenager, but here I am - mid 40s with braces. Ugh! My DH got Invisiline a few years ago and he had such a great result (braces and whitening) that I decided it was time to do something about my smile. I just started to notice the tiniest bit of improvement so that keeps me motivated to be very good about wearing them. I found its so easy to get lazy when you take them out to eat and not put them back in right away. It's just such a relief to take these damn things off!

This 5th set is the first set that has hurt my teeth. I took some Advil and that really helped. I hate dealing with these things at work. Total PITA! I've gotten pretty good at popping them in and out quickly, but it's still a pain. You just have to find the right technique for the way they have your attachment points set up.

You know, these damn things are really cutting into my eating and wine drinking! And I haven't lost any weight yet either. Hopefully in the end it will all be worth it.

 

[MarionC]

Hi Jimmianne,

I feel your pain. You are not alone in this experience. I recently started Invisiline, too. Just started set 5 of 18 trays. I wore braces as a teenager, but here I am - mid 40s with braces. Ugh! My DH got Invisiline a few years ago and he had such a great result (braces and whitening) that I decided it was time to do something about my smile. I just started to notice the tiniest bit of improvement so that keeps me motivated to be very good about wearing them. I found its so easy to get lazy when you take them out to eat and not put them back in right away. It's just such a relief to take these damn things off!

This 5th set is the first set that has hurt my teeth. I took some Advil and that really helped. I hate dealing with these things at work. Total PITA! I've gotten pretty good at popping them in and out quickly, but it's still a pain. You just have to find the right technique for the way they have your attachment points set up.

You know, these damn things are really cutting into my eating and wine drinking! And I haven't lost any weight yet either. Hopefully in the end it will all be worth it.

I just wanted to say how helpful your post was - Tonight I've had mine out for a couple of hours...supposedly just to eat dinner but then started watching a movie and forgot about them. It was good to be reminded that I have to put them back in!

I hope you will continue to post your progress. I'm glad to hear that you've notice some improvement. 18 trays doesn't sound too awful [ well, not too terribly awful] At what # tray set did you have attachments put on your teeth? Did that make it harder to get them on & off?

 

[Sky56]

Thank you, Jimmianne. It helps that I like my dentist a lot and have no phobias about dentists, but the hard part is witnessing a personal degeneration process from aging. My dentist says my gums and teeth are healthy but the margins of the old work are compromised due to "aging teeth."

But, I feel lucky because it's the only thing so far I had to deal with my health from aging & I am catching the problems early. Physically I still feel 30. What's funny is that my dentist gives discounts to people 60 and over and this all hit a year and a half before turning 60. I can't chump down on nuts, cherries, and olives with reckless abandon anymore. Doing that helped this all to happen, my dentist said, but he also said that my very well done old dental work far exceeded its usual shelf life.

Thanks for explaining reasons for adult braces. It sounds challenging in its own way, too.

 

[arkieb1]

I had no idea so many adults get braces either. My husband got braces up the top two weeks ago and he was miserable for the first 2 weeks, has started losing a ton of weight because he can't eat really solid or hard foods. I couple of nights ago he bit something hard and broke off the pieces stuck to his teeth on one side, he went and got them fixed and the dentist (his normal orthodontist was away, so he had a different one) left a piece of wire sticking out the back which torn a gash into the inside of his cheek. He also has sores on either side from the metal pieces that stick out which apparently have some sort of metal hooks on them where they are glued to your teeth on the very last ones at the back. The next day in more pain he rang and went back to the original orthodontist - he cut the wire, filed down the metal bits that were sticking out so he is far less miserable now.

From what I can see they are an unpleasant experience for most people, I pity all the poor children that have to have them.

 

[portia]

Hi Jimmianne,

I feel your pain. You are not alone in this experience. I recently started Invisiline, too. Just started set 5 of 18 trays. I wore braces as a teenager, but here I am - mid 40s with braces. Ugh! My DH got Invisiline a few years ago and he had such a great result (braces and whitening) that I decided it was time to do something about my smile. I just started to notice the tiniest bit of improvement so that keeps me motivated to be very good about wearing them. I found its so easy to get lazy when you take them out to eat and not put them back in right away. It's just such a relief to take these damn things off!

This 5th set is the first set that has hurt my teeth. I took some Advil and that really helped. I hate dealing with these things at work. Total PITA! I've gotten pretty good at popping them in and out quickly, but it's still a pain. You just have to find the right technique for the way they have your attachment points set up.

You know, these damn things are really cutting into my eating and wine drinking! And I haven't lost any weight yet either. Hopefully in the end it will all be worth it.

I just wanted to say how helpful your post was - Tonight I've had mine out for a couple of hours...supposedly just to eat dinner but then started watching a movie and forgot about them. It was good to be reminded that I have to put them back in!

I hope you will continue to post your progress. I'm glad to hear that you've notice some improvement. 18 trays doesn't sound too awful [ well, not too terribly awful] At what # tray set did you have attachments put on your teeth? Did that make it harder to get them on & off?

Uhhhh... me too! I don't even follow my own advice! LOL Running to go put them back in now!

 

[paeony]

You can do this!! I had Invisalign about 4 years ago. I'm so glad I did it and finally fixed my smile
It will get easier as you get into a routine. Some of the trays will hurt more than others as they seem to shift the teeth more, but I would just think about how much better they would look after that tray! It does get easier as you see improvements.
Use the "chew toy" when you get a new tray to help it settle. Also, I had a setup with Dawn soap and a separate toothbrush to clean them when I took them out- not sure what they are recommending to clean, but this worked better than toothpaste.

Keep it up!! Your smile will be amazing!!!!

 

[MarionC]

You can do this!! I had Invisalign about 4 years ago. I'm so glad I did it and finally fixed my smile
It will get easier as you get into a routine. Some of the trays will hurt more than others as they seem to shift the teeth more, but I would just think about how much better they would look after that tray! It does get easier as you see improvements.
Use the "chew toy" when you get a new tray to help it settle. Also, I had a setup with Dawn soap and a separate toothbrush to clean them when I took them out- not sure what they are recommending to clean, but this worked better than toothpaste.

Keep it up!! Your smile will be amazing!!!!

thank you paeony. Dawn is good for everything, it would seem : )
I am getting used to these darn trays. Went out for lunch with a friend and went through the on/off/on routine in the ladies room.
Now...dating...that's another story. If I go out with a cute guy I'll probably break the rules and leave them off for a few hours.
I think I'm making too a big a deal of it now, but I do hate that feeling due to one pesky turned tooth that I'll break a tooth getting them off!

I have 33 sets to be worn over a 14 month period.
Do you wear a retainer at night? What's that like?