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 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)