This is a video taken during my first appointment at Carter Orthodontics to receive my first set of Invisalign aligners. Cheryl, the Clinical Manager, shows me how to insert and remove the aligners. To insert them, you start with the front teeth and then work your way around to the back teeth. They fit really snug at first! To pull them out, you start with the back teeth and work your way around. I found this to be difficult at first mostly because I thought I was going to break a nail. (One tip would be to cut your fingernails before this appointment.) I’m actually on day 3 of wearing the aligners. My teeth only hurt when I’m taking the aligners out or putting them in. And by “hurt” I really mean that I feel soreness for a moment. My mouth stays kind of dry so I’m drinking more water than I normally do which is a good thing. And I’m not snacking near as much as I normally would because I need to brush my teeth before I put the aligners back in after eating. I’m finding it’s just not worth the snack. :0) I really would rather wear the aligners than not because they make my smile look better when they are in. The space between my two front teeth isn’t noticeable at all when the aligners are in. Any questions?? – Melissa
First Set of Invisalign Aligners
Today I went for my first appointment at Carter Orthodontics to get my first Invisalign aligners! I was very excited and a little nervous. The main thing I worried about was how uncomfortable the aligners might be at first. Having seen both of my teenage boys go through Damon Braces with Carter Orthodontics, I was expecting a bit of pain on the first day. Thankfully, it was not bad at all. The boys didn’t want to bite down on food at all and requested milk shakes. I was able to eat dinner with no pain at all. Certain teeth are definitely more sore than others but I took some Advil and they are fine.
Cheryl, Carter Orthodontics’ Clinical Manager, was very friendly and knowledgeable about Invisalign and was able to answer all of my questions. I was worried that I couldn’t chew gum for bad breath anymore. While that is true, I can have mints as long as I don’t bite down on them. She even said I can drink Coke and tea, but it might stain my teeth. I think I’ll stick to water. She also gave me a sheet of instructions and went over them with me. She even gave me her cell phone number and told me to call anytime I had questions. How’s that for service?!
The coolest part of the appointment was getting to see a computer animated 3D image of my teeth. It showed my teeth before, during and after the Invisalign process. I took some video of it and am including it in this post.
When I came home my husband looked at my teeth and said the space between my two front teeth had already closed up. I looked in the mirror and it was true! I was so excited! I have always had that space between my front teeth. Unfortunately, when I take the aligners out, the space is still there. But it has only been one day. I’m already much better at pulling the aligners out and putting them back in. I’m really excited about the Invisalign process and glad that I can be documenting the process to help other people make this decision.
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. – Melissa
Invisalign Consultation is Free!
In November I had my first Invisalign consultation at Carter Orthodontics. I’ve never been happy with my smile and after my two teenage sons went through the braces process with Carter Orthodontics, I decided it was my turn. I have an inherited space between my teeth that seems to be getting wider as I’ve grown older. My teeth are not symmetrical either. Because my bite is so off, I constantly bite the inside of my cheeks or burn the roof of my mouth behind my front teeth. And my bottom teeth are pretty crowded.
After filling out some paperwork, Dr. Carter’s Patient Coordinator took me back for a panoramic x-ray. Then she took me back to an exam room to wait for Dr. Carter. My x-ray was displayed on a 60″ inch flat screen. Dr. Carter examined my teeth and called out some measurements to his assistant who typed it into a computer. Then he told me I was definitely a candidate for Invisalign treatment. Because of my asymmetrical bite, Dr. Carter said he would have to either move one tooth back at a time to make my bite symmetrical or I would have to have one tooth pulled to make the teeth move more quickly into place. Moving one tooth at a time will take 20-24 months or if I have the tooth pulled, it would only take 16-18 months. I’m thinking that I’ve waited this long, a few more months won’t hurt.
After Dr. Carter answered my questions, the Patient Coordinator came back in to talk about the Invisalign process and the cost. Once I make my decision, I will call the office and set up my first appointment to have the molds made of my teeth. I am very excited about having a new smile. For years I’ve looked at photographs of myself and wished my teeth looked better. I’m always very conscious of my teeth when people are taking pictures of me. I’m tired of being self-conscious about my smile and I’m ready to do something about it. Dr. Carter did such a wonderful job with my boys’ smiles. The before and after photos of my oldest son are so inspiring. I know Dr. Carter can do wonders for my smile too. And he recently became an Invisalign Premier Elite Provider which means he’s in the top one percent of all doctors experienced in the Invisalign system nation-wide. I’m definitely in the right hands.
If you have any questions you can leave a comment here and I will do my best to answer you. Hopefully this Invisalign blog will inspire others to get the smile they have always wanted. If you’ve gone through the Invisalign process, I’d love to hear from you too!
Thanks for reading!
Melissa