My First Week with Invisalign So Far...

My aligners finally arrived! I've been wearing them for exactly one week now and I absolutely love it.  There hasn't been a single person who's noticed my aligners unless I've told them. When I initially put them on it felt really strange. My bite was instantly altered and I had a tendency to clench on  my teeth a lot.  However, after 2-3 days I got used to them and was okay. I was expecting some soreness and pain, but surprisingly I didn't experience much.  One morning I woke up and my lower front teeth were sore.  I took some Tylenol and never experienced that pain again! The main reason I'm not experiencing as much soreness is because I'm constantly biting on the 'chewies.'  The chewie is a soft cylinder shaped item and is used throughout your invisalign treatment.  When you chew on it, it helps stimulate your blood flow which decreases any discomfort. It also helps seat the aligners more snug around your teeth. I still find myself having a slight lisp when talking for long periods of time. When I take the aligners on and off, I'll have a lisp for a few minutes and then I adjust to it. 

To be honest, invisalign hasn't been a big challenge for me which is great! I've gotten so used to them that I feel like I've been wearing them for months.

Here is a video of me taking my Invisalign aligners on and off:

The funniest moment for me so far was just this past weekend when I was grabbing something to eat.  I completely forgot that I had the aligners on and quickly remembered when I went to take a bite.  Unfortunately for me there were lots of people around and no restroom in sight. I felt a little funny taking aligners out of my mouth in the middle of a large crowd. My friend had to cover me and I removed my aligners  I'm sure we made an even bigger scene with her hovering over me haha!

I've added a simulation of how my teeth are going to change over time. It's so exciting being able to see the next step of your treatment!

If you're interested in finding out more about Invisalign, check out our website all about Invisalign in Toronto.  Til next time, keep smiling! 

=)

The Toronto Invisalign Consultation

Like most of our Toronto Invisalign patients, this is the appointment I was a little nervous and excited about.  It began with a series of eight pictures, which included some exterior facial shots and some images of my teeth.  Following this, a digital panorex and cephalogram x-ray was taken.  I then made my way to the consult room to hear about my orthodontic options.  Dr. Tam was very thorough about his treatment plan for me.  I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised to hear I was a good candidate for invisalign.  When I inquired about invisalign in the past, I was told that it wouldn't work for me.  Due to the shortening of some of my roots, correcting my bite 100% may actually affect my teeth in a negative way. Dr. Tam advised me that this would be the case with invisalign or braces.  Luckily, my priority is to correct the alignment of my teeth. After hearing the good news, I was over joyed with excitement like a kid in a candy store!  

Typically, a set of PVS impressions would be taken prior to beginning treatment, however, at our office we use digital iOC scanners. Instead of having goop in your mouth from a traditional impression, these scanners take digital images of your teeth and your invisalign aligners are created based on that.  Having the digital scan done was great! It didn't involve anything messy which I loved.  Now that the appointment was over, all I had to do was patiently wait for my aligners to arrive!  This was it, I was officially on my way to a perfect smile!  Here is a video about the iOC scanner:

Just below, I've posted my initial photos that were taken on the day of the consultation. I will continue to post photos and share my progress with all of you!  

Initial photos (Nov 2011)

The 411 On INVgirl... My Toronto Invisalign Journey.

Welcome to my blog! I am a dental hygienist at MCO Orthodontics, one of the biggest practices for Invisalign in Toronto, and Dr. Tam has given me the opportunity to begin invisalign treatment! I’ve always had rotated teeth, but it never bothered me until a few years ago.  Due to this reason, I have become very self conscious about my smile.  I cannot explain how ecstatic it makes me feel to be starting this journey. Invisalign, you are a blessing in disguise! I will share all my experiences, including the good, the bad and some tips and tricks!  I hope you will follow me on this journey to creating my brand new smile :)