Invisalign - DAY 145

I thought I was going to do a better job of keeping up a daily journal regarding my Invisalign. To all 4 of my followers, I apoligize. On the bright side, my acting has really kept me busy (shooting the web series, theater rehearsals, auditions for short films), but this blog isn't about my acting career...

So, I am about to start on Tray #11 and things have been going smoothly. Before jumping into Tray #10 I took a photo of the changes at the halfway mark. I will post those into this blog later as it is not on my current computer's harddrive. Just as my ClinChek showed, Trays 6-10 moved my upper front teeth and now it is time to start moving the bottom.

One thing I am bummed about is I lost the same 'button' that previous fell off. I was eating dry cereal this morning (Raisin Bran, in case you were wondering) and I started to chew on something crunchy. Now, Raisin Bran in crunchy so I thought it might be an extra crunchy flake. But in the back of my mind I knew this sensation and somthing told me that the button was on its way through my digestive system. I hate when I am right.

I go in for an exam and to pick up Trays 11-13 this coming Tuesday. Dr. Azani did say that if this particular button fell off again, he would not replace it since it was only an anchor and didn't really help to move any teeth. I am not sure if I am going to try to convince him to add it back on. I have a couple of days to figure out what to do.

Over the last 3 Weeks:
Pain Level - 4 (although, Tray #10 was really tight for a couple of days)
Dedication Level - 5 (I seem to be sans aligners for about 5 hours a day)
Irritation Level - 2 (things are going really good since I am visually seeing a change)

Invisalign - DAY 124

Wow, I have not been keeping up with this as well as I wanted to. Unfortunately, I have been in rehearsals for a musical "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" and finishing up shooting "Why I Hate Bitsy Malone" for the web, so I have been spending all of my free time either in the car, at work on on the set/in rehearsals. But, I figured with a huge milestone coming up, it might be good to jump back on this.

This Monday is going to be huge. No, not because everyone will be talking about how "Lost" ended. Actually, that IS going to be huge and probably a conversation many will be having, but that is not as big as...

MONDAY IS MY HALFWAY MARK WITH INVISALIGN!!!!

I truly thought this day would never get here when I started and now I realize that it has not felt that long. I am sure if I was a teenager, the time would have crawled by, but since I am at that age where my life is passing before my eyes, the time has just flown.

I looked at my ClinCheck today to see how much change has really occur ed and most of the "big" movement has yet to happen, but it is on the horizon. Weeks 10 thru 19 really start pushing and pulling the teeth around. Not that I haven't had some discomfort with the movement so far.

This week, when Tray #9 went in, I really felt it. Especially with my front top right and my front bottom right teeth. For about two days, my gums felt like it does when you have a bruise and you push on it. It doesn't hurt but it has that achey feel to it, which sometimes feels good, you know?

My wife, who has been doing this with me, lost both of her buttons on her front teeth this week. One came off last Saturday and was replaced two days later, where she proceeded to lose the other button the next day. After contacting our Orthodontist, they recommended to come in before starting Tray #10. All in all, out of the 23 buttons between us, we have only lost 3 in the last 124 days...not a bad record.

In the past two and half weeks I have had bad days and good days, nothing really big to mention in a blog. All in all, for my halfway mark, this has been a pretty painless experience that I would recommend to anyone.

Last 2 1/2 Weeks Combined:
Pain Level: 4
Dedication Level: 7
Irritation Level: 2

Invisalign - DAY 106

Wow, has it really been almost 20 days since I have blogged? Tray #7 came and went with no interesting issues or problems? What the...????


I think the only thing that is 'news worthy' is my wife and I went to see Dr. Azani last Monday for our 6-week check up. I was telling him how I was still frustrated after 15 weeks I still didn't see any change in my teeth. He informed me that everything was going great and "if the new trays are fitting, they were doing their job."

Then he pulled up a photo on the computer with a shot of my bottom teeth from the first day and handed me a mirror so I could see my bottom teeth now and compare. I could see that they had moved a little. At least, the one tooth was not so far behind the other. YAY!!!

Also, our friend who started Invisalign before found out that day that she would have 8 more aligners to finish the refinements needed. I have always known that when Dr. Azani told us that we had 19 trays that it would be longer than that.

One thing I noticed this morning was that my bottom aligners would always 'pop' off my bottom front teeth because of the way the teeth were positioned. Now, they are sliding off. I think it is because they are not so 'jacked up' anymore and are more aligned then before. It is a good thing. Changes are a'coming!!!!

Pain Level - 3 (more of a headache from the new aligners)
Dedication Level - 8
Irritation Level - 2

Invisalign - DAY 87

So, one more week has passed and things are not going as smoothly as I thought they were going to go. It seems that filmmaking and Invisalign do not play well in the sandbox.

I just came off of two days on a new web series, "Why I Hate Bitsy Malone", and did really well on the first day. I had some dialogue but it was all shot within a couple of hours. I took the trays out when I knew we were starting my shots, and put them back in when we were wrapped with my section.

Then came day two.

Right when I got to the set at 10 AM, I took out my aligners...don't ask me why but out they came. Then we started shooting about an hour later (I wish I had that hour back to put my trays back in). The good thing about day two: there was a lot of dialogue...the bad thing about day two: there was a lot of dialogue.

*Ding* Lunch time!!!! I looked at my iPhone and it was 2:30 PM. Holy crap, my aligners were out for 4.5 hours and now I had to keep them out to eat lunch?!?!?!?

I engulfed the Subway Turkey Sub and Bar-B-Q Ruffles, brushed my teeth, and put my aligners back in, but they called everyone back to the set a half hour later. I knew I still had dialogue so out they came again. Damn it!!!

We finished shooting by 6 PM and celebrated the Executive Producer's, the Assistant Director, and the DP's birthdays so cake was brought out and, once again, engulfed as quickly as possible. However, I had to stick around to do some voice-over work. Surely, I couldn't put my aligners back in now.

By 7 PM, I was in my car, forcing my aligners back into my mouth. With a total time of 8+ hours with them out, I could feel the tightness of my unfaithfulness to this process waging war on my teeth.

I have some serious time to make up for this. Not sure how, but I gotta, I just gotta!!!

Pain Level - 2
Dedication Level - 2
Irriation Level - 5

Invisalign - DAY 80

Alright, I am now 80 days into my treatment and I don't know if I am slacking or my life is becoming "anti-Invisalign friendly".

As you might have guessed from my previous blogs, I am an actor out here in Los Angeles. I am just looking to add an adjective to that profession...you know, like "Working" or "Successful" or "Are you that" (not really an adjective, but I'll take it). Recently, my free time has been anything but free, and I'm really enjoying it.

Yesterday, I had an audition for "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" in Simi Valley at 8:15 PM. I knew I would have my aligners out for the whole audition so hopefully I would have a great day and only have them out for about 2 hours until that time. And, I was doing so well until the trip home from work.

Before jumping in the car, I was EXTREMELY hungry and decided to take out my aligners for the ride home so I could eat some apple slices and Lipton Green Iced Tea. After the hour trip home, my wife was hungry. Knowing that we had to eat soon so we could get to the audition, I decided to keep my trays out as we walked the dog to Taco Bell for our Fresco Chicken Soft Tacos (you should try them, they are really good).

So, after getting home, walking the dog to Taco Bell and back, and eating dinner, another 1.5 hours had slipped through my fingers. I popped the aligners in, knowing that this was not a good day for my teeth at all.

A half hour later, the aligners were out again. I stayed at the audition from 7:15 to 9:00 PM thinking that my teeth were going to hate me once I put the aligners back in. It is amazing how much your bite changes when you don't have the trays in like you should. Thirty minute drive home and a quick snack and it was 9:55 PM. Yep, that's right. Including the 2 hours that the aligners were out for work, this day saw me without them in for over 8 HOURS!!!

We are supposed to have them on for 20-22 hours a day and I had them out for one-third of my Tuesday. Seriously, what gives?!?!?

Good News: both my wife and I had great auditions and were both called back; Bad News: call backs are for 5 hours over the weekend. Here we go, again.

I am also a little worried about tonight as I have a rehearsal for the new web series we start shooting on Monday. Although it would be easier to rehearse with them out, I need to make up lost time so they are going to probably have to stay in. So far, with breakfast and lunch, my aligners have only been out for an hour and fifteen minutes.

If you are thinking of starting Invisalign, I think this is where I 'hit the wall'. If others who have done Invisalign read this, let me know when you feel you started to feel your dedication drop. Tray #6 seems to be it for me, I just need to catch my second wind to the finish line.

Pain Level - 4 (my left front tooth still hurts after putting in the new tray two days ago, but I knew this tooth was going to start moving around this time)

Dedication Level - 0 (seriously, did you read my blog?)
Irritation Level - 5 (just with myself, not the process)

Invisalign - DAY 78

Well, it is the start of Tray #6. As usual, the aligners went in with a 'snap' and the uncomfortableness was there all over again.

It is so wild to take them out and know which teeth the aligners are affecting. You don't really feel which ones are being moved when the aligners are in, but once you take them out...Oh, boy, do you know.

The next two weeks will be moving the front left tooth, or so the discomfort in my mouth tells me.

And, again, where the molars currently reside are 'moving to a better location'. It's like they are moving from the Ozark swamp land to Beverly Hills. I just hope Jed, Granny, Elly Mae and Jethro enjoy the trip and don't give me as much of a headache as they did the Drysdales.

Wow, now that is an obsure reference.

Also, my brother was in town and noticed the difference in my wife's smile but not mine. However, he did notice my bald spot and gave me the pros of Rogaine and Avacor. It's nice to know that I will have a nice smile that will be overshadowed by my hair loss.

I have to say, the first 11 weeks of Invisalign have not been all that bad. I would still recommend this to anyone and everyone who is looking to have their smile corrected. Sure, the frustration is there that they are not moving as quickly as I would like, but I watched the ClinCheck the other day and it made me realize what the end product will be. Soon I will be there, or as the Black Eyed Peas sing:

"Imma be, Imma be, Imma be, Imma be...
Imma be takin them pics, lookin' all fly and s***"


Pain Level - 7 (again, more of a discomfort)
Dedication Level - 3 (had them out too long for the family visit for Easter...whoops)
Irritation Level - 2

Invisalign - DAY 75

I think I am having sympathy pains for my fellow inmate here at Invisalign Correctional Institute. I woke up with a headache that is not going away. Of course, it could also be that I ran out of Flonase the other day and haven't renewed my prescription, so my body could be crashing from the lack of steriods. All I know is I am a mess.

So, my friend has been doing Invisalign for 7 months and her Ortho told her that her last day would be yesterday, April Fool's Day. I told her it would be a cruel joke if the Ortho was just kidding around and she had to continue after he last visit. Well, it turns out her Ortho extended her "stay" and she won't be up for parole for a little while longer.

Through text, I was curious about her "last day" experience and I thought I would share it with my 3 followers (by the way, thanks for following):

11:25AM
Friend - It's today!!! It's today!!!

Me - ...Are you happy with your outcome?

F - I just got here. I'm not sure yet until I get these buttons off. I'll text you when it's final.

12:15AM
F - Buttons are gone but she wants Invisalign to do a refinement. So back to impression stage and mold again. Then new buttons. Phase II

M - For how much longer?

F - Not sure until the new trays are made. Bright side is no buttons, no trays. Nothing until they arrive.

1:12AM
F - Just leaving the Orthodontist's. Almost 2 hrs.
M - Wow, that was a long appt. How many buttons did you have and did they come of easily? All of these questions...sorry.
F - I had 8 buttons and it took forever. They have to be gentle as not to touch the tooth.
M - Great, I have 10 buttons...I think I am in for a long last day with the Ortho.
F - I htink the new mold took long, too. Then as I was walking out she said...continue weating your last tray. Bummer!

It looks as if October won't be the end for me and my wife. Although, the last time we went to see our Ortho, he told us that 70% of Invisalign patients need to continue past their last tray. Almost everyone needs to do some refinements. I am hoping that Christmas is our new deadline. It would be a great present.

Pain Level - 4 (but not my teeth, just the headache)
Dedication Level - 5 (it was my birthday week so they were out a lot for cake)
Irritation Level - 2

Invisalign - DAY 65

I have finally made it to Tray #5. What can I say?

Oh, yeah, how about...

OW OW OW OW OW OW OW OW OW!!!!!

After seeing Dr. Azani for my 6-week appointment to look over my teeth and get my next 3 trays, he assured me that everything was going right on schedule. He asked if I would like to put my new trays in and I opted to wait until I got home.

Once I got home, I had dinner then put #5 in. Well, 'put' is not the right word...maybe shove. My bottom tray went in and, although it was tight, it did snap into place. My top tray clicked into the back attachment, so I knew it was lined up correctly, but it did not want to fit onto the other teeth easily.

As I pushed and bit down on the aligner, it finally went over my teeth but it was pretty snug. I could feel my heartbeat in my right front tooth. Somehow, I think this tray is going to move this tooth a lot these next two weeks. My back teeth are getting a wider bite, and it really feels like a lot of pressure is being put back there.

I took my aligners out after two hours and I could feel the movement that was trying to happen in my teeth. There is still some tingling in my front right tooth, but I am sure that will be gone in a couple of days. So, I guess all I can say is...

OW OW OW OW OW OW OW OW OW OW!!!!!

Pain Level - 8
Dedication Level - 8
Irritation Level - 4

Helpful Hint: I have read on other blogs that you should not really put your new trays in until you have brushed them out or rinsed them over cold water. You can see there is some film over the aligners and people have complained about sore throats and attribute it to this. Best thing to do is not put in the new aligners at the DDS office and just wait until you can clean them yourself.

Invisalign - DAY 64

I thought this day would never come. Today is the day we have our first followup with our Orthodontist and get the next three trays (5 thru 7).

I am kind of worried because on the weekends I am getting into the habit of taking my aligners out when I wake up and having them out for a while.

After taking 10 minutes to roll out of bed, I throw the aligners in the CVS Generic Polident solution, take a shower, spray the Flonase, get my contacts in, apply the underarm deodorant in my pits and product in my hair (hopefully, I don't mess those two up), SonicCare my teeth and take off for Starbucks, leaving my aligners in the solution to soak some more, even though they only need five minutes. Trust me, coming from my mouth, 5 minutes is not going to cut it.

By the time I get back home, Frappaccino fully inhaled, that's when I put the aligners back in, 2 hours after taking them out. I mean, why put them in before leaving the bathroom only to take them out 30 minutes later to have breakfast? Yeah, I know; it's 30 extra minutes, but what a pain.

Also, yesterday my wife and I had lunch with a couple of her ILM friends out at Octopus, a great sushi restaurant in Burbank. Since we were eating, out came the aligners. After eating and talking and eating and talking, three hours had passed and I still had to head home and brush before putting them back in. FIVE HOURS and I hadn't even had dinner yet?!?!?!

To top it off, with all the talking at lunch my attachment on my canine tooth started rubbing the inside of my cheek and now I have one of those tiny sores that looks like a pimple but feels like a cattle brand.

I think the Ortho purposely makes the attachments "pointy" so you will keep your aligners in and not tear your mouth apart. Well, Dr. Azani, lesson learned, my friend...lesson learned.

Until breakfast on Saturday.

Pain Level - 0
Dedication Level - 4
Irritation Level - 5 (just for the small cattle brand)

Invisalign - DAY 59

Things are back on track. We had a 'situation' with our dog when we got home last night so we had to take him to the vet immediately after walking in the front door.

He is fine now, but it did allow me to keep my aligners in for an additional 3 hours after work and then only take them out for 30 minutes for dinner before putting them back in for the night. Usually I take them out while my wife is cooking (or on the drive to the restaurant) and they are out for a while. So, while I am glad my dog is going to make a full recovery, I have to thank him for the additional time with my trays. Nothing but love for you, Max.

I thought I would take this time to explain what I am actually trying to accomplish with my teeth. I am not sure if I have explained exactly what the reason was behind getting Invisalign. I have my brother to thank, because he is two years older and his teeth are pretty messed up. Nothing but love for you, Chris.

Most people have their bottom teeth move throughout their lifetime. And, depending on how your bottom front teeth line up and the pressure put on them, they could stay straight, buckle into a 'V' formation, or 'tombstone' (one tooth gets pushed behind the other). Since my brother is older, I figure I am a couple of years behind what is happening with his teeth. His teeth are tombstoning, if not already tombstoned. This is the reason.

My bottom teeth, over the last year, have started to mis-align and one of them is beginning to slip behind the other one. I wanted to do something before I couldn't see it anymore. Also, the movement of the bottom teeth was causing my upper front teeth to get out of alignment. This was the last thing I needed...a snaggle-tooth with tombstoning.

Being an actor and watching how HD is really not an actor's friend (as well as not wanting to compete with Steve Buscemi for every role), I decided to get my bottom teeth straightened before they tombstoned on me. Nothing but love for you, Steve.

I have also talked with friends who have had a Lingual Arch added to their lower teeth to keep them from moving once they were straight. And, even though they all swear by this appliance, I think if I am diligent with wearing my retainer to bed every night, I would like to avoid the addition of any future apparatus on my teeth.

I still have yet to see any changes visually, but my bite has changed, that is for sure. Before this process, I was clipping the inside of my jaw with my mis-aligned bottom teeth and I have not done that since starting this process (even when they are not in). I think it will be nice to be able to finally 'see' the changes, but I am a patient man...at least for now.

Pain Level - 0
Dedication Level - 9 (I owe you a doggy massage, Max)
Irritation Level - 1

Invisalign - DAY 58

So this has been an interesting couple of days.

On Saturday, my wife and I went in for our annual 6-month check up with our dentist. For some weird reason, we love to postpone important stuff. I swear if my wife ever gets pregnant, out child will be 3 1/2 before she gives birth.

Stress levels were high that day since this was going to be our first visit back to our General dentist since starting Invisalign and having the attachments put on our teeth. Although my wife was really worried, I was only mildly so. However, I already had one come off, I didn't need to go through that again.

We arrived at 11 AM. My wife went in first. As I sat in the lobby playing Bejeweled Blitz on my iPhone (I moved up to second with a score of 300,950...booyah), I thought for sure I would see her turn the corner with tears in her eyes, but as she rounded it, no tears were to be found.

She told me the hygienist said she had been one of the easiest cleanings she had all day. Of course, of you brush your teeth 8 times a day, I would be surprised if the hygienist found any enamel, let alone plaque. I went in afterward and had one of my easiest cleanings to date, too. So, after making our appointments for six months later, we couldn't wait for our next cleaning in 2012.

That said, my dedication to this process has been waning a little, and I am blaming it Daylight Savings. Since we have moved the time forward one hour, I have to say that my aligners are finding it harder to locate the inside of my mouth.

I think my brain has turned to mush with the one-less-hour-of-sleep. I will take out my aligners to eat a snack and then "Bam", 2 hours has passed by and it is time for dinner. After dinner, I put them back in and realize I didn't have any desert so "Boom", out they come again, after only being back on my teeth for 30 minutes, for a trip to Menchies for some delicious Fro Yo. One hour later, belly filled, I come home, sit on the couch and hit the DVR when "Kaplooey", I realize my trays are not in. Holy "Time-Change-Fiasco", Batman.

I have come to realize that I don't take responsiblity for anything. Sometimes life is easier that way.

PS - If you are interested in the orthodontist office I am going to, they do have their own blog over here on Blogger; check it out.


Pain Level - 0 (seriously, it is non-existent)
Dedication Level - 2 (over the last couple of days)
Irritation Level - 2 (just with myself, but since the 'cleaning' day went well...I'm not that upset)

Invisalign - DAY 53

Dr. Azani's practice is so AWESOME!!! Thank you, Snow Orthodontics!!!!

This week I was given a Patient Login so I could set up appointments and the like (such as...where to...). After I logged in, I saw a tab that read "Videos". I was not sure what this entailed: was I being filmed while I was there? I don't want a video of me crying like a baby on the web.

After clicking on it, I was pleasantly surprised. Earlier, Dr. Azani had sent me a link to a video (called ClinCheck) that showed the progression of my 19 weeks with Invisalign. However, I couldn't share that video with family and friends. Bummer.

Now, with this "Video" tab, all of you are in luck. You can witness in slow motion (but faster than 19 weeks) what my teeth are doing and why I am getting headaches. These videos raised my spirits and they're so much better than getting frustrated over my own photos showing me nothing.

Before you click on the link below, a couple of things:

1. Once you click on the link, it is going to start the film on the left side of your screen. The number you see in the bottom right of this "movie" is the Tray number that will move the teeth into that position (after it gets to 20 and stops, click replay. It resets to the beginning and you can see how much they truly moved).

2. You will notice from the "Front View", my left front tooth starts out lower than my right front tooth, and immediately the trays start to push that tooth up to make it even with the other. That is probably why my tooth was tingling when I would tap it previously.

3. This link opens on the "Front View", but there is so much more to see. There is also a "Lower Jaw" and "Upper Jaw" view. Just click on the text above the movie for which one you want to view.

4. You can see on the "Lower Jaw" that my bottom front teeth do not really start moving back in place until about Tray #10. Up until that time, it shows the widening of the back of the jaw and the turning and twisting of my canine teeth. Pretty cool.

5. The "Upper Jaw" starts twisting my canine teeth immediately (along with the previously mentioned pushing up of the left front tooth) and then with Tray #6 thru Tray #11, my front teeth are moved forward to be aligned once again. The last couple of trays just keep widening my jaw and turning my canines so they are flush with the other teeth.

Again, pretty interesting. I am told that this is not an exact science so by the end of the 19 Trays there may have to be some Re-alignment Trays to fine tune what the previous trays could not, or did not, accomplish. Still, I am pretty stoked and can not wait to see the actual results.

Here is the link - Enjoy!!!!

https://login.sesamecommunications.com/gsnow/my-smile.html?uid=2441959


Pain Level - 3
Dedication Level - 8
Irritation Level - 1 (just having a good day, that's all)

Invisalign - DAY 52

OUCH!!!! OW!!!! SON OF A....!!!!

WHY, FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS HOLY?!?!?!? WHY?!?!?!?

I am having some major issues with taking out these aligners now. I am only guessing that I have had longer nails when switching into the new trays every two weeks.

Clipping my nails yesterday morning (after going into Tray #4), I thought I would be alright. After all, I haven't had any problems in the past, why would this tray be any different? However, I have really dug under my thumb nails trying to get these aligners out this week. It also doesn't help that I was peeling an orange and the citrus really burned getting into the nail bed.

(Note to self: stop eating oranges and buy some bananas...maybe grapes.)

This is where I can see that crochet needle becoming very handy. But, since I currently don't own one, I have been digging under my nail each time I need to take the aligners out, re-injuring the nail bed with no hope of it healing any time soon.

So, there is this great 'Catch-22': 1) keep your nails longer, they break, or 2) keep your nails shorter and dig under them. Or option 3, just leave the plastic buggers in and take my chances with cavities...yeah, that sounds less painful right now.

Bring on that drill.

Pain Level - 5 (for my nails, not my teeth)
Dedication Level - 7 (back on track after yesterday)
Irritation Level - 9 (when a drill in your tooth sounds like a party, something is DEFINITELY wrong)

Invisalign - Day 51

Okay, I am starting to think I should listen to my own Helpful Hints. In yesterday's blog, I mentioned to put your aligners in at night and it should help to take some Advil, too.

I have been fighting a massive splitting headache all day. Now, I am not sure if it is from the new aligners, the lack of caffiene or food, or the extreme focus I had last night at the table read. Either way, it is a pain.

And, I notice that I am constantly 'chewing' on my aligners for the first couple of days after I put the new ones in. I don't know why I do this; I have never grinded (or is it ground) my teeth. I think with the constant biting on the plastic, it could be causing this ache. I don't know...it could be anything...just make it go away.

I also think this is going to be a bad day since I have already had my aligners out for 2 hours and still have to eat dinner and do the stage reading tonight, which I won't have them in for. That is probably another 4 hours right there. I guess one day every now and then where I slip is not so bad, right?

Right?

Damn.

Pain Level - 7
Dedication Level - 2 (I am projecting for the day ahead)
Irritation Level - 7

Invisalign - DAY 50 - Start of Tray #4

So, I was sitting there watching the Oscars last night when I thought I would torture myself some more by putting in my new aligners. It couldn't be more painful than watching the awards show drag on and on and on and on and...

Thank goodness for Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin. If the show would have been hosted by David Letterman again, I don't know if the pain in my skull would have ever subsided.

Yep, that's right. Tray #4 was going in. But before I put in the new one's, I took some photos of my teeth to compare them to Day 1. After putting them side by side, I have to say I have not noticed any additional movement. I can tell they have been moving, but they must have only shifted millimeters because my teeth look like they are almost in the exact same spot.

I have heard that most people do not visually notice any movement in their teeth until halfway through the process. However, I look at my wife's teeth and I can notice hers are moving. It is frustrating.

I told Dr. Azani what I was doing, taking daily photos, and he told me that I would get this way. I knew it was going to be slow-going, but how can I see a change in my wife's teeth and not mine?!?!?! ARGHHHHH!!!

I was going to post new photos but if you go back to my photos of Tray #1, you can get an idea of what my teeth look like at the end of Tray #3.

Alright, bring on the dancers for the "Best Original Score"...I am not in enough pain yet!!!

Pain Level - 3
Dedication Level - 9
Irritation Level - 9

Helpful Hint: If you find that you are prone to headaches after putting in your new aligners, it is suggested you put them in before you go to bed, and take a couple of Advil to boot. By the morning, you should be fine with no pain at all.

Invisalign - DAY 46

Wow, I can't believe it has been 10 days since I have written anything about the invisible aligning of my teeth. So much has happened, you would not believe...

Uh, there was the...

Um...well, I did...

OH...the thing with the thing...you know...with whats-his-name...come on...

Okay, in all seriousness, it has been pretty chaotic over here. Let me tell you, the best thing that could happen to you while you are doing Invisalign is to get jury duty. Yes, you laugh, but there is no time to truly get away and eat or drink so they stay in for most of the day.

I had jury duty this past Thursday and Friday (luckily, I didn't get selected for the criminal case that I was pulled for). The worst part was trying to find a place to take out my aligners. I try not to take them out in front of anyone as it can get pretty 'slobbery' and no one needs to see me slobbering all over myself.

Side note: did you ever notice that there is never any healthy food around a courthouse? Just my observation. The 'weight-gain' rule for vacation applies to jury duty, too. I am just saying.

So, my front tooth was hurting a couple of days after the new tray was in. I think it is because the upper aligner is starting to move that particular tooth back into place. I don't visually see any difference with the placement of the tooth, but I was feeling a dull pain for about a day. You know, one of those 'if-I-tap-on-my-tooth-it-feels-like-it-might-have-a-cavity' kind of dull pain. Gone now, though.

I have to tell you, my dedication has slipped a little. There was one day this week where my aligners were out for about 6 hours. Not good. I had them out for a half hour for breakfast, about 45 minutes for lunch, then I needed to snack before my meeting with my agent at 2 PM so I took them out around 1:30. I decided to keep them out while I had my meeting, too.

My meeting went until 3:00 so I figured I would brush my teeth when I got home; no reason to put my trays back in, right? I brushed my teeth and decide to drink a soda. So now it's 4:30 and my wife calls me and tells me she is hungry. Since I never put my trays back in after the delicious beverage, why put my trays back in just to take them out again? Makes total sense. We eat and get back home around 5:30 PM.

Needless to say, not a good day. I had them out for 4 hours...in one shot. It is amazing how the time just gets away from you sometimes.

I think I made up for it last night. "Compulsions", the phenominal web series, was screening last night at Tavern on Brand. I decided to only drink water and keep my aligners in all night. I have been taking my aligners out for 'industry' functions recently and, as you have read, I have not been doing that well on those occasions. Hopefully the hours I didn't take them out for the screening fixed any backward movement from the previous bad day.

Also, I noticed it has been a while since I have posted any photos. I took some when I switched over to Tray 3 but never posted them. I will be taking new photos this coming Monday (the start of Tray 4) just so you can see the progress. Hopefully, it will be visible.

Pain Level - 5
Dedication Level - 5
Irritation Level - 4

Invisalign - DAY 36 - Start of Tray #3

Finally, today was the day. Today Dr. Azani was going to add the attachment that I ingested two weeks ago. This one was going to stay on, I just felt it.

I sat in the chair and was eased back while the technician prepped my tooth. Yanni or Kenny G was coming through the office sound system to let me know that everything was just fine. The appliance was placed, the ultraviolet heat was applied and that's when the technician let me know the wonderful news..."I don't think this is going to stay on either". WHAT?!?!?

As she went and got the doctor, I crossed my fingers hoping he would sit down, look at the placement and have better news. He sat down, looked at the placement and said "If it comes off again, no worries."

I found out that the attachments all have different functions, just like the Olympic Curling teams. Some attachments are there to turn the tooth, the way the 'sweepers' brush the ice to 'curl' the 'stone'. Some are there to push the tooth forward, the way the Skip 'weights' the rock down the 'curling sheet'. Some are there to just hold the appliance in place, sort of the way John Shuster has been holding the USA Olympic Curling Team in last place, unable to pull a win in the first 3 games to get benched for the forth. And, with a 2-5 record, they are pretty much out of the semi-finals. But, I digress.

My attachment that keeps coming out is one that is there to keep the tray in place...my John Shuster, if you will. With all of the difficulty it has caused, I am kind of hoping the attachment gets benched soon.

I also am now up to Tray 3. The start of this tray has been interesting. This might be weird, but I can feel the movement of my teeth in my nasal cavity. Sure, everything up in there is connected, but it is just weird to feel this. I have hopes that maybe my Invisalign will fix my deviated septum, though I think this is just wishful thinking.

Pain Level - 4 (more of an ache, but I feel headaches coming on, too)
Dedication Level - 9
Irritation Level - 4 (just hoping this attachment stays on this time)

Invisalign - DAY 33

I can't believe it has only been 33 days...9% of a year...12% of the way through this process. I thought, being past 40 years old, that this would just fly by. I mean, the rest of my life is passing quickly though the hour glass, why isn't this?

The waiting from tray to tray seems to be an eternity. I feel like I have been in Tray #2 for at least a month. Waiting...waiting...waiting...

Now I know how Evan Lysacek felt after skating his Long Program in Figure Skating and into the Gold Medal position, just waiting for everyone else to skate, not knowing if he did enough to win. In the end, the waiting was well worth it as Evgeni Plushenko didn't have the goods this time. Of course, Lysacek only had to wait about 45 minutes, not 9 months.

But I'm sure it must have felt like 50 minutes. An hour, tops.

Only 240 days left...hopefully Dr. Azani won't extend the length of any future trays like he did with Tray #1...the way Nobunari Oda of Japan had to prolong his program because his skate laces came undone.

Trust me, the last thing Dr. Azani would want to see is me come 'undone'. Are you reading this, doc...I'm just saying...

Pain Level - 1 (I find it weird that the pain so random from day to day)
Dedication Level - 9
Irritation Level - 4

Invisalign - DAY 32

I was brushing my teeth today (the first time, not the eighth) and I am still noticing some 'pain' on my two back bottom teeth. Not a pain that Japanese Halfpipe Snowboarder Kazuhiro Kokubo felt when, after a solid run that could have put him above the eventual Gold Medal winner Shawn White, he did a faceplant on his last trick, the double cork. No, that physical and emotional pain is not what I am talking about.

It feels as if my teeth are a little loose but not to the touch. When my toothbrush pushes against them, they have that ache that runs through the nerves. I am going to see Dr. Azani in 4 days to get the attachment that fell off placed back on my molar. While he is back there, maybe he can take a look at the other teeth to make sure nothing strange is going on.

Also, my congrats go out to Lindsey Vonn (Gold) and Julia Mancuso (Silver) in the Alpine Downhill, Shawn White and Scott Lago (Bronze) in the Snowboard Halfpipe, and Shani Davis (Gold) and Chad Hedrick (Bronze) in Men's Speedskating (1000m) the for all of their medal wins today. It was a good day for the USA!!!

Pain Level - 4
Dedication Level - 9
Irritation Level - 4

Invisalign - DAY 31

I can see how people start to get lazy with putting their aligners in for 20-22 hours a day. It is weird to keep these plastic trays in your mouth when you feel they are doing absolutely nothing.

Sure, for the first couple of days your teeth hurt and you know the aligners are doing something (that reminds me of Carl...inside joke, I tell you later). But now, I just feel like I have these contraptions in my mouth that give me something to chew on all day. It is akin to chewing plastic gum with no flavor...and you can't even blow bubbles. Come on, now!!!

I have heard the teeth move the most for the first couple of days with the new aligners. Although I am only guessing here, since I am not an Orthodontist, I think it is the same concept as weighlifting (don't worry, I know I have to reference the WINTER Olympics...I'll get there) where you work a muscle hard at first then rest it, only to work it hard again. Any Orthodontists reading this can chime in. I don't have a problem being told I am completely wrong.

Look, I only want to do this once. I will keep my tasteless aligners in for the 20 to 22 hours (that sounds cool, "20 to 22 hours"). I don't want to put all of this time in, get to the end and know that I did a "Method Grab" like Lindsey Jacobellis at the Torino Olympics in 2006 and screw this up. I do not want to take the chance of coming back hoping for a different result only to have "contact with the gate" and not get closer to the Gold Medal my second time out (see, I told you I would get there).

BTW, Carl is a programmer that would write code and, whether the data was correct or not, as long as it "did something" he was happy. Carl was a very happy man.

Pain Level - 0
Dedication Level - 9
Irritation Level - 6 (they should flavor to the aligners - it would be great to be chewing on chocolate 22 hours of the day)