Tray 10 Invisalign
Well I'm into double digit trays now - that must mean I'm not a newbie anymore! Just for those people reading that don't know what Invisalign trays are - they are clear plastic teeth aligners that snap around your teeth and apply pressure to certain teeth and over time move them to the desired position. You change trays every two weeks, and with each new tray comes the unknown of whether it's going to hurt like hell or not!!! My particular treatment consists of 32 trays (64 weeks) for my upper teeth, and 17 trays (34 weeks) for my lower teeth.
Tray 10 did not disappoint. My last picture shows that the lower middle teeth are beginning to move into alignment, and tray 10 is really ramming it home. I swapped over from tray 9 to tray 10 in the evening after dinner, so that I went all through the night before I had to take them off again. This is in order to give the teeth some time to move before having to remove the trays. Breakfast time came and with it much pain - after hooking up one side of the lower tray and then the other side, the pressure on the middle lower teeth was excruciating. It's worst when the pressure is concentrated on just one or two teeth - that happens sometimes. A few days into tray 10 and my teeth have moved enough that it isn't painful anymore - but the first couple of days of a new tray (especially a tray-from-hell tray) is always uncomfortable.
As I write this I'm sure there are people considering Invisalign thinking twice now about whether to go ahead with their treatment. However, I'd like to point out two things.
1. I'm a bloke, and a bit of a wimp when it comes to tooth pain. I never get headaches and I rarely get ill, and my wife will tell you that when I do get ill or suffer any kind of pain that I don't cope that well.
2. You kind of get used to it, despite it hurting like a mother.
3. (I know I said two things, but hey) I can rationalise it and I know that in comparison to a child in Africa with no food and no parents, it's *nothing*
Hmm. Child in Africa with no food and no parents. And here's me straightening my teeth. Who feels silly now.
January 6th, 2011 - 23:03
I so know how you feel I am currently on tray #10 and it hurts like hell. Out of all the tray’s this has got to be the most painful. Good luck on your invisalign journey
February 15th, 2011 - 21:31
My goodness, what a difference in just about four months?? Are you contracting an orthodontist or a general dentist for the Invisalign treatment? Will you share the before-after pictures with Invisalign? Anyone else on the web? Thanks.
March 1st, 2011 - 19:45
Have just updated the blog with the most recent pictures now I’ve finished my lower trays. I’m using a dentist that specialises in cosmetic dentistry.
May 12th, 2011 - 18:59
I am a current Invisalign user myself. My general dentist offers Invisalign, but I ultimately decided to go with the orthodontist. I had the experience of going through the initial consultation with both, and the orthodontist was much more thorough. I ended up paying an extra $400USD to use an orthodontist, but my orthodontist is one of the Invisalign Premiere Providors and I feel that I receive superior service and care. Plus, the orthodontist estimated a treatment time that will be six months shorter than the general dentist.