Weeks 1 and 2 with Invisalign

So if you are reading this you know as of my last post I had left the dentist's office back in February with my teeth having been scanned. And my bottom permanent retainer having been removed (ouch!).

My next appointment was March 11. This is when I received two trays of my Invisalign and also got to see how many trays in all (so far) that I would need. Apparently I need 21 trays (to start), which equals to 42 weeks as you are to change them out every 2 weeks.

I got to take out my expander forever!! and start with the trays. They put boht upper and lower trays on for me then got me to take them both on and off myself. Something I didn't find too difficult at first. I left the dentist's office and I could tell they were there, but I could speak normally again and didn't feel any sort of pressure or pain.

Fast-forward to a few hours later and I was starting to feel it. I had to file the edges of the mouth cutter down and snip one small part at the front bottom that was jabbing into my gums; and then I had to fashion something out of cotton swabs for your face and make something for my lower lip so that my inner lip could heal up and not get more damaged.

By the second day I was a miserable human. They hurt to take in and out; so I didn't. I barely existed that day. On Monday morning I called my dentist because I couldn't imagine having to go through this every 2 weeks for the next 21 trays. I needed sleep! My jaw hurt, my teeth hurt, my head hurt and my teeth were sensitive to eating. Thankfully I got into my dentist later that day and was prescribed T3's (Tylenol 3's) and a medicated mouthwash. I took one T3 to help me sleep Monday night and by Tuesday (day 4 technically) at dinner time it didn't hurt to take the trays in and out anymore; and then by Thursday morning (day 6) I was able to stop putting the cotton in between my bottom lip and teeth.

I'm now onto day 11 (so I'm still in my first set) and I change into my next set on Saturday. I plan to do this at night with a painkiller; as that is what I did whenever I turned my expander.

My next appointment is on April 8, and at this appointment I will be getting my attachments and also something they call a Miyo(?) device. From what I know the Miyo device will only be worn at night and will almost be like a mouth guard and it is meant to bring my bottom jaw forward more. Also I was told that I would have to start doing exercises with my tongue and mouth.

Obviously I'm not looking forward to this part for many reasons; to name a few being the fact that I can only imagine how hard it will be to sleep with this Miyo thing in. Keep in mind this goes over the Invisalign already on my upper and lower teeth, plus the attachments. I can potentially see these taking a bit to get used to when you don't have your trays in; scraping your cheeks, etc.

Until tray #2!