Well, I finally made it to day 6! I never thought I'd see the light of day! Praise the great lady in the sky!
My teeth were seriously sore up until yesterday. I was only able to eat soft foods (mac & cheese, jello, etc). Even eating a garden burger took me about 30 minutes. I was so exhausted trying to eat and chew and not hurt myself that I couldn't bring myself to eat something else even though I was still hungry. THAT is the Invisalign diet, I presume!
The 3 kanker sores I acquired in the first 2 days of my treatment have finally dissipated. I wasn't sure which was worse - the sore teeth or the sores. A combination of both felt borderline-deadly. But I made it! I think my mouth and tongue just needed a few days to "toughen up."
It's been 6 days since I got my first tray and I can say that I am finally used to them. My mind can now focus on things other than my teeth and my saliva production has finally leveled out. My lips are still super prone to being dry and I can still very much feel and hear my lisp, though everyone tells me they can't.
Overall, my teeth feel pretty good. The only time they really hurt is when I am brushing my teeth with my electric toothbrush. Even on the sensitive setting, my lower front teeth feel like they are being zapped by a beam of lightening when I brush over them. I might switch to a mechanical toothbrush if it becomes too "shocking." *cue comedic drum roll*
I haven't noticed my trays smelling bad or turning a funny color. I only drink water when they are in. In the morning when I wake up, I immediately throw them in a glass of warm water with a 3-minute denture cleanser tab and let them soak while I eat breakfast and drink my coffee. Then I floss, brush my teeth, and gently brush my trays with the toothpaste leftover on my toothbrush. For lunch, I take them out to eat, then floss and rinse with mouthwash, rinse my aligners, and then put them back in. For dinner, I pretty much do the same, but substitute the mouthwash for brushing my teeth. I've never flossed so much in my life!
I bought the HUGE pack of floss picks you can get at Costco with 2 carrying cases. It's been working really well so far. I also have a 3 ml bottle of travel size mouthwash that I keep in my purse with the floss picks. I refill it from my larger bottle at home.
I have noticed a small change in my lower "snaggly" tooth moving slightly forward. I'm probably the only person who has noticed it. No picture necessary.
Well, that's about it, really. I'll keep doing my thing and will update you when there's something less boring to report on. I go back to my dentist and get my 2nd tray a week from tomorrow. Wish me luck on the progress report!
xoxo,
Honey Lea
The dentist in my town really has treated me good for three decades, and I can tell after having to see a specialist why he is so great. My dentist actually cares about his customers to the point he did a free tooth extraction during the holidays when he heard me tell his receptionist I could not afford to do it and still buy my kids presents.
ReplyDeleteBennie Chandler @ Pine Creek Dental
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ReplyDeleteI have often wondered if Invisalign braces are painful. It sounds like they are not unbearable and just need a bit of getting used to. This is really encouraging to me as I have considered them for some time but was not sure if they were right for me. I have a low pain threshold. Your blog helped me a lot. I think I might try them.
ReplyDeleteMarco, I am so happy to hear you found this blog helpful. That was my goal! Wishing you all the best in your dental journey. Just make sure you've always got a couple ibuprofen on you! That's what saved me.
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