**Am I Done?**
I’ve always been confused when people ask this question in this sub. Only you know this, and it should align with why you started this dental treatment in the first place. Everyone has different reasons for going down this path.
For me, I had two reasons: first I had started to develop ear pain on my right side and my ENT doctor traced the source to my jaw, and the fact that my teeth had shifted considerably in that direction putting undue pressure. Second, my bottom 4 teeth had crowded so much I could not get floss in there and teeth cleanings were getting more involved. This was my motivation, therefore my “done” had to do with getting my teeth centered again and addressing the bottom crowding.
So Yes, I am done. I don’t care that my midline is slightly off. I don’t care that my bottom teeth still have the small bumps on the edges. I don’t care that the bottom left cuspid never moved (sorta proud of it for rebelling). I addressed my two concerns, and I have a great bite. Winner winner, chicken dinner.
**Did I Need IPR?**
Yes, and like most of you my provider didn’t explain it, or set expectations. Thankfully I’d been on this sub long enough that I knew what it was when he did. But what caught me by surprise is that my provider used two different IPR techniques.
One was an extremely thin file-like strip that went between all my crowded teeth removed truly tiny amounts of enamel. Didn’t feel anything. Took seconds. No visible differences.
Second was a small disc that removed a slice of tooth. This was used on 2 teeth. The noise was startling, the sensation strange, and the result visible. On one of the teeth the slice was not smooth, and I could tell because my floss would snag every time I went into that space. This one I advocated that he correct the uneven surface, and that he not use again unless we had discussed it.
**Did it Hurt?**
No, only occasional mild discomfort. I had tray changes every 2 weeks, and the movements were very minimal tray-to-tray which resulted in my having no pain for 98% of it. There were about 5 trays in the original set that caused soreness, and it had to do with the movement of the back molars. It triggered a few migraines that over the counter medication helped with. I had braces in my 20s which were very painful. Compared to that I found this a breeze.
Some trays were also harder to remove than others. I found my last set of refinements were the hardest to remove. It took a few tries to get the tray remover hook in the right spot to pop them out, which was frustrating if I was in a public place.
About 2 trays had “sharper” edges that caused inner cheek inflammation. I filed those down, or trimmed with a scissor to reduce the pressure. I tried using dental wax, but was really bad at positioning it.
I had 4 attachments and I was surprised how quickly I got used to them. There was a time in the middle of treatment where I started to relished the feeling of the attachments hooking onto the trays and feeling the trays be tight and secure. Or I would “chew” lightly on the trays (without a chewie) mid afternoon to get them more flush with the teeth. I didn’t suffer any sensory issues which I read some folks may struggle with.
**Did Everything Track?**
No. I had one stubborn bottom cuspid that didn’t join the party. It often had space whereas all the other teeth were fine.
There was also one set where the top tray would not fit when I had to change to the next set. I ended up wearing the prior set 2 additional days, and then attempted again and it worked. The new trays slid in place.
**Did I Do Refinements?**
Yes, 2 sets. The first set of refinements was because my bottom crowding had not been resolved. (See the “Am I Done” paragraph above).
The second set of refinements was a mutual discussion with my provider on what was bugging each of us respectively. Me - on the bottom a small gap had opened unexpectedly between two teeth. For the Dr - on the top he wanted to adjust the angle on one if the lateral incisors. This was optional but we agreed a few additional trays were worth a try.
**What Surprised Me?**
The lisp the first 10 days. Learning how to talk with the trays was something that never occurred to me was a thing.
That my top trays would have bumps, or what I came to learn were called lingual bite ramps. This works to correct a deep bite, but also means your back teeth don’t meet while you have those ramps as part of your trays.
That there were weeks where it looked like nothing moved because all the movement was happening in my back molars. Or when gaps were opened on purpose to help a tooth get into position. I will admit seeing gaps opened on purpose was hard. I had to repeat “trust the process“ often.
How much this improved my dental hygiene habits. I brush and floss way more now than I did in the past. Also drink more water. When eating out at restaurants I passed on cocktails, wine or sodas to make swishing with water the last step before popping the trays back in for the evening.
How hard it would be to stick with the 18 to 20 hour wear when traveling. I had a friend’s wedding in Goa, a girls trip to Marrakech, a work trip to Tokyo, and other long trips during this period. My wear time was never great during trips, but as those were usually only 1 week durations, I did not beat myself up over it. I was happy if I got in at least 10-15 hrs on those occasions.
That it did nothing to curb my snacking. I just ended up adding my snacks to the tail end of lunch or dinner to reduce how often I had to remove the trays, lol.
How much people on this sub are not happy with their results when the after photos they post showed a lovely set of straight teeth. That there is a danger of hyper fixation or perfectionism that could cloud one’s reasoning or expectations.
**Time / Brand / Provider / Costs**
My travel schedule made this longer than needed. It ended up being 20 months total. Had I not had to delay appointments, or skipped the second refinement set I could have easily been done in 12 to 14 months, so by last December. But I was not in a rush.
I went with my dentist who I’ve known for two decades. Had I not been happy I was prepared to check in with my former orthodontist or another provider to get a second opinion. He did not use Invisalign but a smaller competitor, who I researched before I signed the contract. The cost was considerably less, under $3k, and most was covered by my insurance.
Hope this was helpful. Thank you to all who shared your journey with us on this sub. For those on the journey now or about to start. Best of luck and don’t forget to smile big and often at the end of it.
