I have been a bad, bad Invisalign patient the last week.
On two occasions in three days I have left the house with my Invisalign braces casually strewn across the top of my coffee machine where I have hastily dumped them in my frenzied hurry to get my first caffeine hit of the day.
There is always this horrible moment of realisation, usually when I’ve driven just a bit too far to turn back, or when I am running just a bit too late to mean that turning back is an option- when my children are just reaching the stage where insults are about to turn into out and out back seat warfare, when I suddenly realise that my mouth feels strangely empty and that the zing on my tongue is not toothpaste, but sour coffee and toast…
Of course, I sit in the car in the morning traffic, nose to tail with the car in front, the sounds of my orthodontist’s 22 hours a day mantra ringing in my ears, but still, I don’t go back. There my braces sit, unworn, until the evening.
By the time I get back home in the late afternoon, when I casually sidle up to the coffee machine, pick up my saliva stewed aligners and run them hastily under the tap, I try not to calculate how many germs might have multiplied on them through the day whilst I haven’t been wearing them. And oh, they are tight. I can literally feel that my teeth have been rearranging themselves. Taking their chance to retreat back to their old, higgeldy piggeldy ways.
So, despite the fact that I should be wearing my last upper Invisalign aligner as of yesterday, I am actually skulking around the house in the one before, hoping that it will soon become loose enough for me to dare to change it. I am now so close to the end for my upper arch (although, still forty something more aligners for the bottoms) I want to wear them as much as possible. I want my teeth to be right.
As ever, the hardest thing with these braces is simply remembering to put them back in after eating and to wear them enough hours in the day. So, if you see an odd looking, red-headed woman walking around Brisbane with INVISALIGN? tattooed across her forehead, you’ll know it’s just me, trying out my new way of reminding myself to wear my aligners..
Just the past week, I have become bad about putting them right back in, too, though I haven’t completely left them out all day. I am not making a diligent effort to pop them right back in–and to eat quickly, not snack and keep them in for as long as I can every single day. I am shooting for 22 hours. It was so nice to read your post and see that I am not the only one who does this.
i read this blog its really amazing helpful and i got lots of information.
South Shore Dental Care
Hello. I have just discovered your blog and its fantastic. Thank you for being so honest about everything that happens. I am getting the buttons next Monday so will start the same journey you are on. Your teeth look soo good now, you must be smiling non stop. Looking forward to your next blog.
HaHA,
I never ‘forget’ to put mine back in… I just procrastinate about it AND I’ve only had mine for two weeks. Well done – your teeth look lovely!
Your teeth are looking great! I am really looking forward to the day when I can smile with a bit more confidence. Am on set Number 8 at the moment – can’t say that I’ve really noticed too much difference, but my ortho assures me it is working if the aligners are fitting. Looking forward to the day when I see a difference.
Your blog is SUCH A god-send!!! it makes me feel a whole lot better when i feel miserable about my (mis)align-ed state. my jaw needs correction, and due to overcrowding issues, my ortho asked me to get my premolars extracted..so i have two gaps in my upper jaw with no pontik because he wants to “move them faster” :O i have 45 aligners in all…does that include refinements?! i sure hope so….i can’t wait till my teeth are perfect! i’m on aligner #1 😛
PS: your teeth look FANTASTIC 😀
You just reminded me to go make the effort and put mine back in!
Good luck with the mental tattoo.