A little update.....

Hello.....
Well, its been well over a month now since I finished straightening my teeth. I'm very used to the wires now, they don't bother me at all and I have no problems flossing - I use Oral B super floss which has a stiffened end to easily poke through.
Its great not having to watch the clock anymore and eat whenever I want for how long I want and its even fantastic not having to brush my teeth at work anymore!
I am currently wearing my last trays as my retainers at night until I get my vivera retainers (after my bridge work is done) but one night I completely forgot to put them on!!!! ARRRRRGGGGHHHH! and I only realised the next morning when I woke up and couldn't feel any plastic with my tongue! but my teeth didn't move over night thank goodness!!!! (its great also having the wires on my teeth to keep everything extra straight! its like a back up incase you do forget!).
I whitened my teeth using 2 tubes of something starting with O? sorry, I can't remember the name of it but I found that it has given my teeth a natural looking whiteness. I decided not to continue to do more tubes because it does cost $50 per tube and I don't want my teeth to look unaturally white/glow in the dark! So I'm happy with it all.
Today I had my teeth prepared for my bridges. Brett my dentist spent a lot of time drilling/filing/removing a layer off my back molars (next to the missing teeth) and then placed temporary crowns on those teeth which will stay there until my next appointment (in 3 weeks time - next available appointment) for when I get my bridges cemented on. I have to be really careful in what I eat over the next 3 weeks (no hard foods and no gum!!!) because these temporary crowns are made of plastic and simply glued on. It didn't hurt at all, it was just a very long process (1.5 hours!). I can't wait until I get my bridges done cos then I will be officially done, my smile will be COMPLETE!!!!!

First official full day of not wearing my trays!

Hello. 

Thought I would give an update on how my first official day with no trays was like! It felt weird my teeth being all naked with no attachments and no trays (just the wires behind my teeth). I've gotten used to the bottom wire quite quickly, it feels nice and smooth. The top wire feels strange, like I have a bit of chewing gum stuck up there!? but I'm getting used to it, I have taken a pic of the top wire so you can see what it looks like (it was the first time I saw it too).
I was able to actually have a snack for morning tea at work without worrying about having to take my trays out or rushing off to the toilets to brush my teeth etc! My lunch break felt extra long without the whole brushing/flossing routine! YAY! I chewed gum after lunch and kept rinsing my mouth out with water, a little paranoid about not having clean teeth! After 15 months of brushing after every meal, you get used to having such clean teeth, so now its back to brushing just morning and night.  I also kept checking in the mirror that my teeth haven't moved! LOL! talk about paranoid!!!
I got some Oral B Superfloss to floss underneath my wires, this superfloss is fantastic! It comes in a box of 50 ($10 NZ) and each floss has a stiffened end to easily poke in between my teeth under the wires which is perfect!!! I was a bit worried about being able to floss and keep things clean with these wires in, so I highly recommend Oral B Superfloss!
My current trays feel a bit loose without my attachments and with bits cut out to accommodate the wires.  Lee-Anne said they can make up a retainer (takes about 20 minutes) if my current trays break or get too yucky (been wearing them now for 4 weeks and won't be getting my vivera retainers until after my bridge work has been done end of November).
The other pic I have up is my current trays (#30 on the right) next to my 1st trays just so you can get an idea of the changes. The bottom first tray was very wonky with teeth that were pushing inwards and my top first tray shows a narrow arch and the big gap between my 2 front teeth.  You can also notice how far my overbite was!

Teeth straightening officially finished!

Today I had my dentist appointment to remove all attachments (NOT PLEASANT AT ALL!!!! FEELS LIKE MY TEETH ARE BEING DAMAGED!!) and wire put on behind my bottom 6 teeth and behind my 2 top front teeth. My teeth are officially straightened now! So here are a few pics without my attachments and with no trays......  Next up is whitening and I have decided I will get bridges for the gaps at the back, very expensive but will be worth it to complete my smile :)  YAY!!!!

I can't believe that I have finished! The time went by soooo fast! I now just have to wear my trays at night until I get my vivera retainers which will be after my bridge work has been done. My teeth feel so smooth without all the attachments!
P.S - I will put up further pics when my bridge work has been done (November).

Final tray - update and pics

Thought I would quickly add a pic with me wearing the very 1st tray compared with a pic of me wearing my current last tray so you can get an idea of how far I have come! Yes I know the first pic is totally HIDEOUS!!!! but it shows how bad my teeth actually were! Once I am completely done (buttons removed, whitening etc) I will put pics up of the final result - without the trays.....

Also..... I popped in to see the dentist yesterday to get 'dimples' put in my top tray behing my 2 front teeth just to help nudge them together a wee bit more. This morning I have taken them out to eat breakfast and can see that the dimples really work!!!! My 2 front teeth look perfect now! I'm really happy. Also I have decided to get a valplast denture (fake teeth) to wear so that my smile will be complete.... it is way cheaper than any of the other options (about $1.1K). Oh and I am having a 'Celebration for being finished with braces' party in a couple of weeks! YAY! Sooooo looking forward to being able to eat whenever I want for how long I want without having to worry about rushing to brush my teeth and pop my trays back in!

Final tray!!!!

Well, yesterday I had my dentist appointment with both Leeanne and Brett, hadn't seen Brett for months so he was very amazed at my teeth and how far I have come!
My teeth are exactly where they are supposed to be and still do not need refinements! YAY!
So last night I changed over to my final tray # 30!!!! As I was putting it in I felt a twinge of excitement knowing this is the last tray ever! Very soon I will be free!!!!!
I have to wear this last tray for 4 weeks instead of the usual 2 and that is to help the teeth settle into their final position so that I will be able to wear retainers at night without worrying about teeth shifting during the day.
My teeth are quite sore today, feels extra sore than usual...... this last tray is supposed to be moving only my 2 front teetht to bring them in line with the rest of my teeth (they are currently ever so slightly in front) so thats good!
I am very happy with my results but thought that the gaps where my missing teeth were would be more minimal than they are now (for those who haven't read my whole entire blog from start to finish, I had 2 teeth pulled up from my top arch prior starting invisalign to make room move my teeth back etc to get rid of my overbite) and they are still obvious when I smile big! No-one else is really going to notice this unless they are close up to me but I can notice it. I got a quote for bridges $6.5K (to do 2 x bridges) and a quote for implants $7.5K per tooth!!!!! OUCH!!!!!! So I think I will just have to leave it and accept the gaps. The main thing is all my other issues have been fixed - overbite, narrow arch, crowding, protuding front teeth with diastema and I will get them whitened when I am completely finished. So I am very happy, especially when I compare to my first trays - my teeth really were shocking!!!!!!
Anyway so I will post again in 4 weeks time with pics and details of my retainers etc :)

So close to the end!!!!

Just had an appointment with the dentist (Leeanne) and she is very happy with my progress. She doesn't think I will need refinements at all! I am due to change over to tray # 28 (out of 30) tonight which means only 3 more trays to go!!!!!! WOO-HOO!!!!
She said she will assess again at my next appointment in 4 weeks time (when I am due to change to my last tray) and if I do need refinements it will probably only be 1 or 2 trays!!! but at this stage she thinks I won't be needing any refinements! YAY.
She did clip the inside of my top aligner to help one particular top tooth move better (there was some name she gave it but I have forgotten what it was called). I will need to pop in sometime next week with my remaining aligners for her to clip them (she is away until then).
She also said wearing the rubberbands at night have really helped with my jaw alignment! YIPEE!!!! I am just sooooo happy that I am so close to the end!!!!!! All my gaps that I was worried about in my last post have nearly all closed and will do by my last tray.

Tray 25

So, I have been wearing tray # 25 (our of 30) for a week now...... I have a feeling I will be needing refinements (refinements are another lot of trays made up for tweaking/perfecting etc) because here I am on tray # 25 and I can't see how my teeth will be perfect in only 5 more trays??? Still a gap between my two top front teeth (which I am told is supposed to close at tray # 26) and gaps on either side of my two front teeth and still have an overbite (although improved enormously)...... I am hoping for a miracle and that somehow the 5 remaining trays will fix everything but I think that is being too hopeful. What I am worried about in getting refinements is how many more trays will I need to get the end result that I want? I am hoping to be done by Xmas! My next dentist appointment is August 9th and I will be due to change over to tray # 28 by then so hopefully there will be more improvement by then!!?? PLEEEEEEAAAAASE!!!!!!!

Not MORE rubber bands!!!!

Had my dentist appointment today. Dissapointed that I have to wear rubberbands again!!!! BUT only at night! Few...... originally I was told it was to be full time but I guess cos of my non impressive reaction my dentist said I can get away with night time wear only!

My bottom tray has been modified to accommodate 2 button hooks on each side and the rubber bands hook from that to the top tray (dentist cut 2 slits on the top) as per pic. My next tray (24) was also modified for me to change over tonight and then in 2 weeks time when I have my hygenist appointment I will need to take in all my remainding trays to be modified. So it looks like rubber bands for the remainder of my treatment. The reason is to help my jaw alignment/bite, my teeth are all where they should be (and I had another round of IPR today which I have been told is the last lot) but helping put pressure on my bite will help the process even more. Anyway, SO glad I don't have to wear these rubber bands while at work cos they are soooooo noticable, feels like I am wearing normal braces! LOL!

Gap getting sooooo much smaller!!!

Guess What? I have just finished eating my lunch and for the first time EVER, food got stuck in between my 2 front teeth!!!! That has NEVER happened before EVER! Which goes to show how small my gap has gotten! WOO-HOO!!!!!
It still hasn't closed up completely yet, that is supposed to happen at tray # 26........ wow thats only 3 trays away! I can't believe I am nearing the end. I have been in treatment for 11 months already! I am so used to my trays its gonna be weird when I have finished - with not having to watch the clock while I am eating, not having to worry about brushing my teeth when out and about, being able to finally snack again etc etc etc..... wow... the end is so near!
Next week is my next dentist appointment, hoping everything is fine so I can change over to tray # 24 and see my gap get even smaller! YAY!

Tray # 22 Pic!

Finally, thought I better put up a pic of my progress! tray # 1 compared to tray # 22!!! LOVING IT!!!! :)

Yay, no more rubber band!!!

I'm due to change over to tray # 22 tonight.... So my dentist wanted to see me today to assess my stubborn tooth before moving to the next set of trays. She said the stubborn tooth HAS moved to exactly where it should be! YAY! So she took off the hooks that were for attaching the rubber band (not the nicest process, felt like she was ruining my tooth with all that scraping!). So it means no more rubber bands! YAY! So happy, it was just annoying cos it was just an extra thing to remember to put on and I could only put it on and take if off with these dental tweezers so it was a pain trying to take them out secretly at work!
She said that she will still keep an eye on this tooth to make sure it keeps on track but for now everything is perfect! So, my next appointment is scheduled for one months time.
I also asked about teeth whitening, she said that I would only have to pay for the tube of bleach and I can use my own trays to bleach them which means I save about $600 cos they don't have to take impressions to make trays! yay! Also she said that its better to do at home whitening than in the office as you control how white you want to go plus WAY cheaper! (she did say she isn't much of a sales person and that she should actually be promoting in-office treatments!).
So I am very happy. I can't believe how fast the time has gone and that if everything stays on track then I only have 8 more trays to go!!!

Finally get to move to tray # 21!

Had my appointment today to again see if the stubborn bottom tooth has moved to where it should...... it has moved but I still have to wear rubberbands for the next 2 weeks, BUT I get to change over to tray # 21!!!!! YAY! Its been almost 5 weeks of wearing the same trays and they have gotten a bit gross despite extra soaking in denture cleaner. So I am very happy to be finally changing trays. Stink to having to continue wearing rubberbands but as my dentist says: Its better to work on this tooth now than have to deal with refinements at the end. I'm happy.

Still haven't moved to tray 21!

Had my follow-up appointment yesterday regarding the stubborn bottom tooth....
My dentist said it has moved slightly but not to where it should be so my tray was modified yet again and another hook attached to the inside of the tooth & I have to continue wearing a rubberband for another week..... however, its stretching out to 2 weeks cos I couldn't get an available appointment until 3rd of May! The plan is to definitely move to tray # 21 at my next appointment either with or without rubberbands depending on how this tooth has moved.
How annoying!!!!!!
I sooooo can't wait to this to be all over and done with!!!!!

A bit of a set back.....

Tonight I was meant to change over to tray # 21 but at my dentist appointment today no such luck! I have a problem bottom tooth that is very stubborn and hasn't moved to where it is supposed to be. My dentist did some more IPR, removed the button on that tooth then glued on a hook thing, adjusted my bottom tray to fit over the hook thing and then attached a rubber-band on to it and now I have to keep wearing tray # 20 for another week until I see him again next thursday to see if that stubborn tooth has moved!!! Its a bit of a set back delaying a week BUT he did say that it was either do this or wait until treatment is finished and then get more trays made up (refinements) to try and move the tooth, so fixing it now is probably the best idea.... annoying in the short term having to wear a rubber-band but fantastic in the long term if it means I won't need refinements! The rubber-band is tiny! a bit fiddely to put on & take off but he gave me tweezer type things to help with that. Also, my tongue is sooooo sore because he had to cut part of the tray for the rubber-band to hook from one side of the tray to the glued-on hook on my tooth, so the cut part keeps rubbing against my tongue when I talk etc..... hopefully will get used to it. I got a packet of rubber-bands to last for the week so should be an interesting week! and I can sure feel the pressure on the stubborn tooth with the rubber-band so hopefully this plan will work!

Tray # 17 Pic! WOW!!!!!!

Here is a pic of Tray # 17 (bottom) compared with tray # 1 (top)....

I am AMAZED at the difference!!!! Its not until you actually take pics and compare that you can really see it working!!!!! YAY!!!!

Anyway, this set (#17) was very sore, the top tray when I first put it in was soooo sore that I actually had to take pain killers!!!! No pain, no gain right!!??? :)

Tray # 15

Hello.
Had my usual 6 week check-up with the dentist on Thursday, I had a different dentist, she will be following my case (sharing with my usual dentist), she is really nice and is a perfectionist when it comes to perfect teeth! LOL!
She said we need to watch one of my bottom teeth as it is a bit stubborn and if it doesn't move to where it is supposed to then I might need a couple of extra attachments and wear a rubberband!!!??? She said that would be the worse case scenario so i'm hoping this tooth will be ok. She did some polishing in between this tooth and another one to help make a bit more room. I have a proper round of IPR due in May (I have had 2 lots so far) so hopefully that should do the trick. She said its nothing to worry about at the moment cos all my teeth are exactly where they should be so thats good!
I changed over to tray # 15 that night and it has been a bit difficult to get off the top one on the left-hand side, but it was the same with tray # 14. Dentist said that sometimes it can be the make of the trays, that it usually comes in 3's..... which makes sense cos I had 3 trays all in a row that had a slight crack in the same place on each of them but none of my other trays prior or since had that crack so I am hoping the difficulty in getting my top tray out will no longer be a problem after my next tray.
I am officially half way through treatment!!!!! Woo - hoo!!!!! I am sooooooooo hoping i won't need refinements! I want to be done and all finished at the planned end date being mid september. I just can't wait to be able to snack, eat when I want for how long I want without watching the clock and without worrying about having to brush my teeth after each meal - especially when out in public!

6 months in already!!!!

I can't believe I have been wearing invisalign now for 6 months already!!! Time really has flown by! Christmas & New Years has been and gone...... have had my trays out a bit longer than usual due to lots of EATING & DRINKING!!!! but still averaging about 20 - 21 hours per day. Its hard to keep them in for the recommended 22 hours when you are on holiday!!! Anyway, thought I would attach a pic showing me wearing my trays with my whole face rather than just my teeth so you can get a good idea of how my teeth are looking.

The top pic was taken 2 years ago and the bottom one taken a couple of days ago (however wearing my trays minimise the gap so already my teeth look way better, but still have a long way to go).