2 weeks down!

time to change my trays!
i'm going to do it before going to bed
a common theme throughout the other invisalign blogs i've read, is to take a couple of advil, pop in the trays and go to bed....then they're not so bad in the morning
i am a little bummed, not a huge difference between tray 1 and 2

trays 1 are on the bottom, and trays 2 are on the top, upper on the left, lower on the right

trays 1 on the left, trays 2 on the right

i had added some fancy editing on them

but they look the same!

this is from 7/24, i started on 7/25

this one is from 8/2, after having them a week, i guess maybe that top one is a little more forward? but my teeth are definitely whiter...and maybe the front bottom are a little straighter?

this is from tonight

my teeth aren't closed, but this is one of the better pictures...my other pictures have my tongue pressed up against my teeth...as is the way i normally smile for some reason

ok, so, i think my arc is a little more archy? not as boxy as it was? i don't know

before invisalign bottom teeth...my sister said i had shark teeth, cuz i had an extra row....

after a week of invisalign- the front ones look a little more in line

tonight- maybe i'm imagining them being straighter? i do see more space between them

ah who knows what's going on

only time will tell......

it's been one week

no, not the bnl song

it's been one week since i got invisalign
and you know, i was going to post pictures, but ugh....i'm mildly disturbed by all the close up pictures of my mouth area...boo

anyway, one week down, and so far so good! if all i have is a few days of mild discomfort every other week, then it's not so bad.....
i've gotten used to the no snacking already, and water is my new bff

i don't even notice the trays as much anymore...and the bottom one now comes off like a breeze...the top is still a bit of a fuss but that's because i have 5 attachments on one side, and 2 on the other....so as one side will come off easier, the other side is still stuck...and the bottom i only have the 3 in the one spot, so it pops right off

i'm glad i don't feel them anymore...tomorrow night i'm going to pa to hang out with my real bff and then go see toad the wet sprocket! so that worked out well that i didn't have to change my trays before going, and the first trays are so comfy, so it's ok to go out and stuff

so, so far this week, i had pizza night, and the trays were not an issue, we ordered out, and that was ok...we went out for dinner twice, and that worked well...one time i just waited til we got home to brush and put them back in, and the other, i used the ladies room there...not a problem....on sunday we spent the day with lou's family, and they didn't notice at all...well, i didn't tell them, and their eyesight isn't the best, so either they didn't see, or are being too polite to say "hey, what's up with your teeth??"

i feel like there's been some movement...it's easier to get the floss between some of my bottom teeth....but after looking at some before and after pictures (pics from the sunday night before getting them, and after being ones i just took tonight) i don't really see much of a difference...
when it comes time to switch trays, i'm going to compare them...i don't want to take 2 and 3 out of their packages yet....but i'm so tempted to to see if there's a difference between tray 1 and 3

my cleaning regime so far has just consisted of water and a toothbrush...and i only use the toothbrush if i see any especially cloudy looking spots....i just rinse them, and then i smell them (weird! i know!) to make sure they're not smelly, and then put them back in....
i floss brush and mouthwash every time before putting them back in...is that bad? too much?  i probably take them out 4 times a day....i'm averaging about 22 hours a day, give or take 10mins or so
i take them out in the morning after i shower to clean them, and floss/brush/swish
then i take them out at work for some coffee and breakfast, then floss/brush/swish
then i take them out for lunch, and again, floss/brush/swish
and then again for dinner, floss/brush/swish
is that too much?  i didn't swish today at lunch, and i didn't feel gross
just sometimes my mouth feels super gross, and i feel like i have cotton mouth
can i swish while wearing the trays?  can i have breathmint? or use listerine pocket strips? i got some of the listerine things, and used them....i hope it's ok?
i'm just super paranoid about having bad breath...sometimes when i take the trays out (in the morning) they're kinda smelly
ew
i soaked them in effordent on saturday while having breakfast...it didn't seem to do anything special.....but i'll probably soak them again when i put them away and switch to tray 2

so, 1 week down, 43 weeks to go?
wooooooooooooooooooooooo!

day 4

it's friday
i've had my trays since monday night...
the first night it wasn't too hard to take the trays off, but i think it's because they weren't even on for a full hour yet....
then it got harder
but yesterday morning it was a bit easier
and today, easier still
and it's not too tight on those bottom 3 teeth anymore
and i can get floss between 2 back teeth much easier (even though it hurts to floss between some bottom front teeth)
and if i look, where the floss goes easier now, i can see a space...so, my back teeth are actually moving already! my mom doesn't believe me, but it's happening
my teeth used to line up real good and stuff, but now, not back there...because there's movement!
neat!
and weird
my teeth are moving...now i'm weirded out

last night we went out to eat....i was worried, but, i had already had my trays out for a total of about an hour for the day, and i know 22 is the main goal, but my dentist said 20-22
the restaurant wasn't too far from home...so i took the trays out in the car, and we had yummy chinese food...it's still weird to chew....if my front teeth touch there's some pain, so i'm chewing on my molars, but i can't close my mouth all the way yet...and the attachments keep making me think there's food stuck to my teeth (esp the ones on the bottom tooth that's set back, and the top tooth that's set back..bc food gets stuck there normally)
anyway...so we went there, then to a cupcake place next door, and then home
so, the trays were probably out for more than an hour, which puts me over 2 hours for the day....2.5 hours?
that's not bad....i figure if it was too long, i probably would have had a really hard time putting them back in
and i didn't
but it did feel like my teeth were moving back? i don't know
not sure what i got myself into to be honest

tonight is pizza night at my parents....it should be ok...i've had them out about half an hour already today
then probably another half an hour for lunch....then later for pizza....only problem is my mom always has pop ems or some other yummy thing to eat....do i keep them out the whole time i'm there? or put them back in after pizza and then take them out for desserty type things and go through all the fun again?
we'll see
really, my main concern is how i'm going to eat pizza....so far everything i've eaten since getting them has been soft (pasta, rice, hot dogs, bagels, mac 'n cheese, even the chicken and broccoli last night was softish...even though i've been swallowing things kind of whole)....but pizza is also thinner
i am not giving up pizza for anything!

i'm starving and i have to pee!

day 2 and so far so good

well, day 3? i got my invisalign monday night, so....today was my 2nd full day of having them in

we'll start with how i got here

2009- a few months before our wedding, my fiance (now husband) decides to take it upon himself to ask his dentist what he knows about invisalign.....gee thanks sweetie...i thought you loved me the way i am
so i thought about it....growing up i was always told i needed braces, but, with my crazy teeth, i would have needed a few extractions, which, i did not want for anything
no way no how
so, my awesome parents did not push the issue

so, soon after lou inquired on my behalf, i had a check up/cleaning at my dentist, and i asked about it...and this one dentist there i don't like came in to tell me about it....the verdict was that it wouldn't make any difference in time for the wedding, so, why bother
and really, i was fine with it...my teeth don't bother me, and when i look at our wedding pictures, i don't thing "damn, i wish i had done something about my teeth!"

so, fast forward to april 2011, i had an appointment for a cleaning, and now i have a new dentist (same place, but my old guy doesn't work nights anymore) and she said something to me about invisalign, and i told her i spoke to another dentist about it, and was curious, and told her my concerns about extractions...she said that the consultation was free, so i made an appointment to get molds made to see if i was even a viable candidate for it.....a few weeks pass, and the office called saying that the results were back....so i go, and she tells me that they can't do it, regular braces would be best, and something about extractions...i said, thanks, but no thanks

i was oddly disappointed since i am totally ok with my teeth the way they are, if i'm self conscious about anything, it's not that.....but, i do have a tooth on the bottom that is turned almost completely around, and i do bite my lip often with it, and it can be annoying....and i do have a fang where my adult tooth grew over my baby tooth (which was only pulled a few years ago)

so, i forgot about it, which was good, i mean, we couldn't afford it anyway

then in june or so, i get a call from the dentist office again, saying that she re-submitted my case, and they said yes, indeed it is doable, and without extraction! awesome! so i went in, and she showed me my clincheck, and i made her figure out a way to email it to me

my awesome snaggle teeth

so, those reddish things are buttons....they go on your teeth to create friction to help rotate the teeth...and those numbers are where the ipr will take place...that's where they file down your tooth to make room for movement

after much hemming and hawing, i finally decided to go through with it.....so i called and said it's a go....and a couple of weeks later (last thursday) they called saying the trays were in, and i made an appointment for monday night

i get there, they take me right away....she cleans off the teeth where the buttons are going, and starts with that...

it starts with a tray similar to the regular tray, but not as stiff plastic, and they fill the button holes with the composite, fit the tray to your teeth, and then use the blue light to cure the composite....she did the right side first, and then did the top left and bottom left...i have 10 total...after that, she filed them down so that they were smooth, and were the right shape

after that, she filed down between 2 of my teeth on the left side

then, she popped the trays on! and yikes....a little tight, but not too bad...i tried to take them off, but i had hard time with the top tray due to all the buttons (7 on top), and then i popped it back in myself, and had no problem really with the lower one

i went to show my folks, and realized that the inside of the bottom tray is totally irritating my tongue...like crazy

so i get home, lou goes "ok so are they in?" and i know he's just being the awesome husband, because they are noticeable...i have a thingie right on my front tooth!

so i pop them out, and have something to eat...and before i put them back in, i tried to file down the rough spot...and i did...or thought i did....i had no issues taking them out or putting them back in

tuesday morning,i took them out when i got in the shower, and then brushed/flossed/swished when i got out (25 mins out), then i go to work...armed with a toothbrush, toothpaste and some floss.....i usually eat like, yogurt or chewy bars, or oatmeal bars when i get to work, and then have coffee with a coworker, so i figured i'd just wait til coffee and consume everything at once, so that i don't have to take the trays out....only mildly difficult to take them out, and i had them out about 25 mins again....head to the bathroom, brush, floss and pop them back in....felt kind of tight on the bottom by the buttons...then lunch..i decided to go to the mall (i work across from a mall) and bring the food back to minimize the time out....so for lunch they were out for about, another 25-30 mins....the top was tough to get out, but, after brushing and flossing, both top and bottom snapped back in no problem....but again, the bottom was uncomfortable by the buttons

but it went away...just a lot of pressure....i think total time out yesterday was just over 2 hours...

same for today....i notice them in my mouth less...i had to file down a few more spots this morning, but all in all, not bad......

i had to go to target last night and pick up more things for work..i didn't like the small tube of toothpaste i had at work, so i got a new thing of that, and some mouthwash for work, and some of the flosser things....i'm all thumbs when it comes to dental floss

i also picked up a water bottle since all you can drink with them in is water...and, like i said to my boss "if anything, i'll loose weight just from walking to the kitchen to get more water, and walking to the bathroom to pee"....so i got a water bottle bc it holds more than the cups at work, so i'd fill it up less....and it wouldn't end up tasting like paper cup at the end of the day

i filled up the 24oz bottle 3 times....and man i had to pee so much!

and this no snacking thing is going to kill me...i've never been so hungry! i suppose it's for the best...i do snack a lot

and it's not worth it since the buttons are annoying, and it's a pain to take off the trays, and brush/floss/swish every time.....

so, i've been caught twice in the ladies' room, once yesterday, and learned that she too had invisalign before (she's now in retainer stage), and she had it since i've known her......i would have never known....and today, and she told me she's been dying to get her husband to get it.....

i don't plan on telling a lot of people i'm doing it, but i'm not going to sneak around with my stuff...if someone says something, i'll tell them...i'm not embarrassed

anywho, i'll leave you with pictures for now

(we took pics the night before on my other camera, but, i can't find the cable to load 'em up)

my first set of trays

first night with the trays! can you see them?
(they may or may not be in, i dunno)

 

most of my buttons

and the other side

and from today

it's really weird...

no change yet, but, the dentist said that the tooth on top that's behind (on my left, but on the right in the picture) should be almost to the front by the 3rd set of trays

it hurts to chew when i take them out

my front teeth are sore

i feel this constant pressure like something is stuck between all my teeth

i have this crazy urge to bite down really hard

but, so far so good

i have 20 upper trays and 22 lower trays, so, as long as i don't need any refinements, it should take 11 months

i was quoted 11-16 months

it's been a while

hi
i haven't posted in a long time
but, i'm going to try and blog now about something else
i just started invisalign last night, and i'm thinking about blogging about it
we'll see
i might just let it fall by the wayside like my knitting blog or blogging about my pictures, or whatever else i tried to blog about

but, i'm at work now, so we'll see if i add more later

more days, more pictures

i'm only on day 16 and i'm already having a hard time coming up with ideas....
and i'm 8 days behind posting here as well? i didn't realize i was so behind....
ok i'm not that behind...my last day was day 11
allllright
so....
day 12
i finally got a chance to take pictures of wonder lake
i don't know why i hadn't sooner.....but its the reason i wanted to get our house....we came to see it in the fall, with the changing leaves and what not....gorgeous
this was around 6pm, just getting home from work

day 13
i was uninspired, and we were supposed to go to the batting cages where i was going to get some pictures of lou batting, then we were supposed to go for a walk, but that didn't happen either.....so i just walked around the house, and took pictures of our old trees again

looks pretty at dusk like that, no?  i really love the old wood sheds that our backyard neighbor has, you can't see them though....

day 14-
yet again feeling uninspired...
this is fruit loop.....louie brought one home for me one night after he was taping one of the dance competitions....apparently the parents and such buy them and throw them up on stage when the performances are done....

he's hanging on my bass stand with my bass at the moment.....he's a cutie

day 16-
we had a happy hour year end celebration at houlihann's yesterday.....which means free drinks free food free beer and such...so i ordered a sam adams, and it came in one of the super special sam adams glasses! score! so i didn't take my purse in with me, so i spent the majority of the time trying to figure out how i was going to smuggle it out...luckily we never got around to giving lena her 15 year gift, so i just put the glass in that bag! ;)

day 17
today
we made it to the batting cages today....waited a while to use one, there was a dad with 2 girls there using the one slow pitch cage, and the other one was busted....the 2 girls there had on some converse with neon laces and it looked neat....they were watching their dad hit some balls (when the one girl hit the ball, it stung her hands so she had her dad finish off)

we went for a walk and i took some pictures down by the lake, but it was getting late and dark, so not that many came out....turns out i had already taken my picture of the day this afternoon....

i still want to post all my outtakes from all my "photoshoots", but i don't want to use up all my space here and stuff....i'll have to post them to my flickr or something and post the link and what not



i'm really enjoying taking pictures all the time...and i'm having fun playing with the different settings and and focusing and everything...i just need to take more and read more and learn more and then eventually i'll get it down good and actually know what i'm doing....trying to take pictures tonite, i played with the manual settings and actually got a pretty good shot off and then i tried it on one of the automatic settings and it didn't come out so good...but the next time i played with the aperture and shutter speed, it didn't come out nearly as good as the first one...
ohwell
its a learning curve

more days in my 365 project

where did i leave off? 7?

day 8 was a friday
and, what is friday?

PIZZA NIGHT!
mom used to make a fat free pie for dad, but now they've been getting bruschetta pizza for dad and carly and mike, and then lou mom and i (and sometime's poppi), oh and courtney and jake (every other week) eat the regular....so we go through about 4 pies a week....awesome!

day 9 was saturday, april 10
our 6 month anniversary

we (i) registered for this kate spade frame (darling point, which led to having to have the toasting set and cake cutting set to match)
i love this frame, and i love the picture, and thought it fitting for our 6 month anniversary

day 10
so lou and andrea and vlad (sil and bil) were working all weekend to clear out some trees from our property, and some were just twigs and such....so the only way he could dispose of them (well the only way he seemed to want to) was to burn them in our bbq

lou was stoking the fires, and i got SO many freaking awesome shots....it was hard to pick just one for the photo of the day....i was playing with shutter speeds and got some pretty neat shots and stuff.....got one of lou with a stick with some glowing embers and he was all swishing it around....

day 11

today

waiting for lou at walmart to do some food shopping

i was reading my nikon d3000 for dummies book....but realized i needed a photo for today.....stuck my head and camera out the window and vioala! (that's now how you spell it.......)

i have so many other pictures that i want to post too....i took some great ones on friday of jake and courtney and dad with jake and courtney and then the rest of the pictures i took of the fire....

maybe tomorrow....

i wish i was a more interesting blogger