orthodontia

Invisalign Update: More Refinement

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Invisalign Update - More Refinement

I’m a little over thirteen months into my Invisalign treatment. Last week, I wrapped up my seventeenth refinement tray! That’s it, 53 trays and I’m done!

So I thought.

At the conclusion of my round of treatment, I returned to the orthodontist to, I hoped, remove my attachments. When I arrived, my doctor informed me he’d do an exam and re-scan me with the iTero to check my progress. I sure picked a great team – he told me that they’re committed to achieving results we mutually love, so that might mean more further refinement if I’m open to it.

Uh, yeah, I’m open to it.

Granted, in my case it was a flat fee for as much treatment as I need to achieve whatever I want. I highly recommend working with a provider who offers a flat rate structure, particularly if you have a complicated case like mine.

The Exam

We went through my exam, I provided some feedback on a few teeth that I felt could be just a touch better. Then, he noticed a few things that I didn’t. A technician took a new scan and photos (which are hilariously awkward to capture), and we confirmed our observations from the exam.

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Invisalign Update: Refinement

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Invisalign Update - 34/36 - Refinement Trays

In April, I was scanned for refinement trays. I then had to wait nearly a month for them to develop the continued treatment plan.

In the Meantime

As a result of the month-long gap between the scan, developing a treatment plan, and fabricating new trays, I had to wear tray 36 for nearly five weeks. The orthodontist told me that, during this period of time, I could get away with wearing them for 16 hours a day instead of the 20-22 previously required.

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Invisalign Update: What is IPR?

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Aiming to correct my teeth - Invisalign

I just entered week 16 of my Invisalign treatment. Two weeks ago, I visited my orthodontist to undergo IPR to create some additional room for movement.

What is IPR?

IPR stands for Interproximal Reduction. IPR is an orthodontic procedure wherein tooth enamel is reduced to facilitate treatment. Interproximal Reduction is a common orthodontic procedure that you could encounter with traditional metal braces, lingual braces, or other clear aligner brands.

In short – they remove a bit of your tooth via what is essentially sanding. IPR:

  • Creates space without tooth extraction
  • Makes teeth fit together better

In my case, the procedure killed two birds with one diamond disc (see below).

What IPR Entails

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Invisalign Update: Week 10 of Invisalign

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Invisalign Update - Week 10 of Invisalign - More Refinement - Refinement Round Three

Last night, I switched to my tenth Invisalign tray! Since my last update, there hasn’t been much new or different to report.

It’s amazing that I’m already at week 10 of Invisalign- it doesn’t feel like two and a half months have passed.

Attachments at Week 10 of Invisalign

As the orthodontist suggested, the roughness of my attachments has subsided. That said, they aren’t what I’d call smooth; when I eat, food is attracted to them. All the more incentive to quickly address oral hygiene after eating!

Changing Teeth

My teeth have changed a lot! Each week when I change, I compare my newest tray against my first tray and marvel at the changes. My husband notices a difference in my smile already – so do I.

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Getting My Invisalign Attachments

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Aiming to correct my teeth - Invisalign attachments

August 22 marked the beginning of my fifth week with Invisalign braces. I’m fairly surprised time is moving so quickly! Overall, I think I have adapted to the routine well. I’ve been devout about the hygiene protocol it requires.

That same day was also my appointment to get my Invisalign Attachments applied. Attachments are clear resin nubs they apply to your teeth to help the trays get the leverage they need to force your teeth around. From an application or installation standpoint, I understood the process – but I was not prepared for the reality.

Getting Prepped for Invisalign Attachments

The orthodontic technician who prepped me for my attachment installation reclined me in a standard dental chair. Once reclined, she placed a (highly attractive) set of orthodontic cheek retractors in place to keep my lips and cheeks out of her work area. Next, she polished the teeth that would receive the attachments with a standard dental cleaning/polishing wand and standard prophy paste. I then rinsed the gritty paste away. So far, so good.

Once I rinsed, I was to hold a suction wand between my teeth to minimize saliva while she used a small, forced air (expulsion, not suction) wand to dry the surfaces of the recipient teeth. This would typically be fine but I have one tooth that is jarringly sensitive when it comes to cold. The air from that wand was cold and I was just not ready for it to hit that tooth. I writhed in discomfort in the chair.

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Invisalign: It Costs a Kidney

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Aiming to correct my teeth - Invisalign

Good News:

Despite my woefully complicated case, I’m a candidate for orthodontic treatment via Invisalign. This is largely due to having selecting a ridiculously experienced provider.

Bad News:

Unsurprisingly, it does kind of cost a kidney. Some language in my dental insurance policy includes (shockingly generous!) coverage for adult orthodontic treatment, but it isn’t clear if there is an age cap or not. My treatment coordinator and I are tag-teaming my insurance provider to get clarity on this; obviously, I can begin treatment sooner if insurance is in play.

What Happens at an Invisalign Assessment

I couldn’t be more excited about this practice, honestly. It’s a little annoying to get to, but is a pretty damn cute office and everyone I dealt with was lovely.

Unflattering Photo Ops

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