I had my upper teeth completed back in July but still wasn't 100% happy with the result. After looking at your teeth everyday for the past half a year, it's a natural progression to become, unknowingly, an annoying perfectionist. Even my husband got fed up with me complaining about my teeth, which now happen to be straighter than his! :p
The dentist told me to let my upper teeth 'rest' a little so that I could decide what I wanted to do with them, since I had loads of time before the completion of my lower teeth; I wore my last tray as a retainer during nights and we observed my teeth's natural retention.
In late October, when I collected my last two trays for my bottom teeth, the dentist placed in a little adjustment for one of my upper teeth, which I really wanted to be pushed out a tiny-weeny bit. The first week of wearing my last upper tray was probably the most painful days of the whole invisalign experience so far. From my past experience, the pain normally faded away after the first 1 hour (sometimes even less than 10 mins!) but this time it lasted for 1 week. One whole week. However, don't get me wrong, it wasn't a constant pain - Thank Goodness - the pain only lasted half-an-hour every time I popped my trays back in after a meal. That particular tooth must have put up a fight and refused to move! After a week of 22 hours a day wearing my trays, that tooth lost the war to my determination!
The remaining 3 weeks were plane sailing as usual.
Standing here in late November, I am 99% happy with my upper teeth. Still 1% left until I'm fully content but hopefully this is due early next year. YES - I finally got my impressions taken and the dentist is going to get more trays, probably just 1 more tray, to close the tinniest gaps on earth - on my upper, and a few more for my lower teeth.
I did have these expectations as throughout the 2nd half of my treatment, the lower trays were never as snugly wrapped around my teeth as before. And by the end of the last tray, I knew I had to get refinements as my lower teeth were still not perfectly aligned. However, I am still amazed how much my bottom teeth have improved. Indeed, I have come a long way.
So here is the result:
Before (last tray- U14)
After (last tray U14 with adjustment)
I hope you guys can "spot the difference" and my 1 week of pain was worth it!
Standing here in late November, I am 99% happy with my upper teeth. Still 1% left until I'm fully content but hopefully this is due early next year. YES - I finally got my impressions taken and the dentist is going to get more trays, probably just 1 more tray, to close the tinniest gaps on earth - on my upper, and a few more for my lower teeth.
I did have these expectations as throughout the 2nd half of my treatment, the lower trays were never as snugly wrapped around my teeth as before. And by the end of the last tray, I knew I had to get refinements as my lower teeth were still not perfectly aligned. However, I am still amazed how much my bottom teeth have improved. Indeed, I have come a long way.
Before L1 = Lin aka Sid The Sloth (Ice Age 1)
After L22 - Lin aka Sid The Sloth (Ice Age 2)
After L? - Lin aka Seth The Sloth (Ice Age 3)
... coming soon to a theatre near you (watch this space!!!)
The one thing that I am most pleased about from this orthodontic journey is the gap between my upper and lower which has now been greatly reduced:
Before Invisalign
After Invisalign (U14, L22)
Probably looking at early January next year to receive my refinement trays because of the Christmas rush... Although I am kind of sad that I can't start the year 2010 with a perfect smile, in a strange way, I am kind of glad- I do feel a bit lost (oceanic flight 815) and NAKED without them in my mouth - that's the invisalign trays, not my clothes.
N.B. The dentist has told me not to wear my last trays during the day, only wear them when I go to bed, as they're not designed to be worn more than 1-2 months. I guess they are nocturnal aligners. ;-)
N.B. The dentist has told me not to wear my last trays during the day, only wear them when I go to bed, as they're not designed to be worn more than 1-2 months. I guess they are nocturnal aligners. ;-)
