Erinn's Invisalign Journey

Erinn's First Entry

Welcome to my Invisalign adventure! I hope you find this blog to be both informative and insightful as you embark on this rollercoaster of emotion and transformation with me. Let me just start off by saying, I am SO not the limelight type. I am totally putting myself out there for this blog and yet it is a bit terrifying, I think it will overall be a good experience.

My teeth have always been a concern of mine, which I can thankfully attribute to my small arch and not so great dental genes. I have always appreciated the quirkiness of my inadequate smile but it has also lowered my self-confidence because my teeth are indeed overwhelmingly imperfect. For years and years I’ve thought about how beautifully straight teeth would change my appearance. Or how the teeth themselves would look all lined up perfectly. Or how my smile would change. Or how this new smile would make me feel. Unfortunately up until this point I have not had the opportunity to take the plunge for multiple reasons. I’d been to several Invisalign consultations in the past but never went through with the procedure…until now!

After finding a great job I’ve been blessed with the option of finally getting Invisalign. Drs. Null, Seidel and Dental Associates is not only a place I can call home from 8-5 every day, but even as a patient I don’t feel that I could find a better place to take care of my dental health needs. The entire staff is attentive, understanding, friendly, and take care of you like you are the only one in the office. I’m not thrilled about having to do orthodontic treatment as an adult, however my eyes are on the prize (not to mention I am oh so thankful that there is virtually invisible orthodontic treatment these days!).

Going into this lengthy process (approximately two years!), I have a lot of nervous excitement. I’ve read a thousand blogs, reviews and articles trying to learn everything I can before I get my first set of trays. From what I can tell it’s going to be quite an adjustment; no snacking, no sipping coffee throughout the day, sore teeth, and not to mention a complimentary lisp for a short time. Between that and flossing, brushing and rinsing several times a day, I imagine it is going to take some time getting used to. I’ve promised myself I am going to enjoy the process, so I am looking forward to the good days and the more difficult ones. All in all I am excited to get started, get finished, and share everything in between with you! The next visit I have is for impressions. Though I’ve read about different experiences with the impressions visit, I’m really not too concerned about it.

Erinn
Patient Relations Coordinator
Drs. Null, Seidel & Dental Associates
353 York Street Front
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Phone: 717-334-8193
Fax: 717-334-0884
www.GettysburgFamilySmiles.com

10/31/14
Digital Impressions

The appointment for taking impressions was fairly quick and simple. The assistant took several photos, facial and side profile pictures. They also had me sit while I was given cheek retractors so photos could be taken of the upper and lower arches, inside and outside of the teeth as well as the occlusal (chewing) surfaces.

Next they took digital impressions. These were not those bulky, gooey, plastic, mouthguard-type impressions that you see in many offices. Dr. Seidel used a digital scanner to take impressions that will be electronically sent off to Invisalign. The digital scanner is really neat and is one of the most advanced pieces of equipment I’ve seen at a dental office. They begin by holding the cheeks with cheek retractors. Then they dry the teeth with air before applying a white powder sprayed on to the teeth. This is not uncomfortable whatsoever. The powder does produce a “steam” that might get into your nose a bit but it is odorless. The doctor then guides a wand-like tool through the mouth over all surfaces of each tooth, without actually touching the teeth. On the end of this wand there is a blinking blue light that takes pictures as it is moved around the mouth.

The screen for the digital scanner sat next to me on my right. I could see it out of the corner of my eye, the wand taking pictures as it’s moved around the mouth and being transferred to the screen. Once the procedure is finished, you can see each full arch. The monitor is a touchscreen so the 3-D image can be twisted and turned upside down and backwards with just the touch of a finger. It seems much easier and far more advanced than those gooey impressions, and I can say I do appreciate this level of technology used. This 3-D impression is what is sent off to the lab electronically. That was it! Easy as pie. Once that was done I popped into the bathroom, brushed and rinsed with mouthwash and was good to go.

The next visit is a ClinCheck appointment. Once Invisalign receives the digital impressions, they’ll work their magic and come up with the treatment plan. They determine how many trays you will need (from this point. There is often, and will certainly be in my case, a refinement sometime during the process which will change the amount of trays I will have before the end of treatment.), how many attachments will be placed, if and where you will need IPR (interproximal reduction, makes space to allow tooth movement), and all sorts of other stuff. I’ll have more information following the ClinCheck appointment!

Erinn
Patient Relations Coordinator
Drs. Null, Seidel & Dental Associates
353 York Street Front
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Phone: 717-334-8193
Fax: 717-334-0884
www.GettysburgFamilySmiles.com

Erin's ClinCheck Videos

 

ClinCheck appointment (it was on 11/20/14).

The ClinCheck appointment was very informative, exciting, and really brought the entire treatment to reality. What has always been a thought of “what if” has turned into an “oh my gosh is this really happening” moment. What’s really amazing is the digital picture of your teeth, the progression of movement from tray to tray, and what the final product should look like. I have a hard time imagining what my teeth would be like straight, and this has really brought that to reality.

From what can be told at this point in the treatment, I will have approximately 28 trays, upper and lower. The treatment will only be 12-18 months which is much shorter than I originally thought. It is surprising to me how quickly Invisalign works even on a set of teeth that needs as much movement as mine do. With traditional braces it would have taken several years to finish treatment. Invisalign is virtually invisible and is a quicker treatment, but does not compromise quality for any of that. To me the choice is obvious for anyone considering orthodontic treatment.

Fourteen attachments will be placed on several different teeth in each quadrant. Thus far I have never heard anything negative (such as noticeability or discomfort) about attachments, and quite frankly have never noticed them on any other Invisalign patients. These are tooth colored “bumps” that are placed on certain teeth that help with movement. The ClinCheck videos are shown above and you can see where the attachments will be placed. The diamonds with the ‘.5’ in them is where IPR is needed. IPR stands for interproximal reduction and is where Dr. Seidel will create a space between two teeth to allow for movement. Now I have read elsewhere that this can be a fairly uncomfortable procedure. I have a pretty high tolerance to discomfort and am more than comfortable having dental work done so I’m not terribly concerned about it. Everyone here has such gentle hands too which makes for the anticipation of the appointment a little easier.

Overall this appointment was so helpful in becoming informed on the whole process. As a patient I understand how important it is to be educated about the treatment and involved in the process. Dr. Seidel and his team really do a great job of keeping the patient informed and up to date.

An afterthought: If you watch the ClinCheck videos above, notice how Invisalign not only straightens the teeth but completely opens the entire arch. Amazing right? I still can’t believe how much movement they will have been through from tray 1 to tray 28. Overall, totally thrilled about the results.

Erinn
Patient Relations Coordinator
Drs. Null, Seidel & Dental Associates
353 York Street Front
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Phone: 717-334-8193
Fax: 717-334-0884
www.GettysburgFamilySmiles.com

Appointment for Tray Delivery

What started as a normal work day quickly turned into a surprise early morning appointment to have my first trays delivered. Thoughts? I am so excited to finally get this show on the road. But will it be noticeable? Is it going to hurt today? How am I going to work the rest of the day with a lisp?! I’ve had all this time to think about this day and I’ve never thought about the actual appointment, just having the trays in. Face reading? Calm, just going with the flow as I often try to do. Feeling? Excited! A little nervous, thankful, and very humbled.

Before even being seated I was offered advil and initially declined but was advised to rethink that decision because I may have some soreness a few hours from now. I definitely jumped on the advil train, no questions asked.

The attachment procedure is super simple and no pain or discomfort is involved. A template comes along with the Invisalign trays that helps in securing the attachments in the correct locations on the teeth. First they dry and prep the teeth. To apply the attachments, the template attachment wells are filled with composite and the template is placed onto the teeth. The template fits like the actual trays do, only a little less durable. Once the template is on the teeth they use a curing light, this hardens the material onto the tooth. They will place and remove the template until all the attachments have been placed. That’s the easy part of the appointment…

Now for the fun part. I’ve read about how awful and how terrible the IPR portion of this appointment is but in all honesty, it’s not so bad. I do agree that some parts of the appointment are a bit uncomfortable so I can see how someone that is not a fan of dental work would say those things. I think however it’s what is to be expected when you think about a little itty bitty saw going at it between your teeth.

And essentially that’s all that really happened for the IPR portion of the appointment. What you see above is the metal strip that is used for the reduction. It looks like a doll sized saw (I don’t know what kind of doll uses a saw, but if it did that’s what it would look like) - it’s about the size of the top half of your thumb. First they applied a topical numbing agent that really didn’t do much in the way of numbing which ended up being okay. I was asked if I was doing okay and wanted more applied, but I declined because I figured it wouldn’t take too long.

What they do first is thread the metal strip between the teeth, starting with the narrowest strip first. There is a specific amount of space that is to be achieved and they use a few different size strips to get there. Getting the strip in and moving is really the most uncomfortable part. You feel a lot of pressure here because if you think about it, there is really not much, if any, space between your teeth (this would vary of course patient to patient). I have enough trouble getting floss in between sometimes let alone a strip of metal! But once the strip gets going, it’s easy. The only discomfort I felt at this point was a few times when the strip nicked my gums. Other than that, no pain. You can however hear the metal strip at work, it sounds like if you were sanding a piece of wood. But again, all you feel is pressure. Once Dr. Seidel was finished with this he took a polishing strip between the teeth to smooth it out. That’s it!

After that, Jaclyn, Dr. Seidel’s Expanded Function Dental Assistant, rinsed my mouth and showed me how to insert and remove the trays. Dr. Seidel put them in the first time. And let me tell you, it was a tight squeeze! Tooth number 10 is a crazy one but didn’t cause as much trouble as initially thought. The first time removing the trays and inserting them myself was a little awkward. After a few times though it’s easy to get the hang of.


Erinn
Patient Relations Coordinator
Gettysburg Dental Associates
353 York Street Front
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Phone: 717-334-8193
Fax: 717-334-0884
Gettysburg Dental Associates
www.GettysburgDentalAssociates.com
Just Kids at Gettysburg Dental Associates
www.JustKidsGettysburg.com

January 30, 2015
Tray 1 – The First 36 Hours
Holy soreness! Let me just tell you, IPR is an afternoon at the beach compared to the first 36 hours of the first tray. I wanted to cry every time I took them out and put them in. The only thing I can compare the feeling to is when you have a ponytail in for far too long and all you want to do is take it out. There is a lot of pressure and they just feel so tight on your teeth. Before sending me off with tray 1 I was given aligner chewies – described to me as “glorified cotton rolls” that you chew on to make sure the trays get on nice and tight.

I appreciated these so much for the first few days. In addition to all the pressure of the trays, my gums felt…itchy? – the best way I can describe what I was feeling. If I could guess what a teething toddler feels when all they want to do is chew on something, this would be it. But the chewies really helped alleviate that irritation.

Another discomfort that took the longest getting used to was an uncomfortable edge. There was one rough edge on the first lower tray right behind the front teeth. I found that it scraped the bottom of my tongue while talking, drinking and with any movement really. About a week in however I no longer found it irritating. I’ve read about filing down uncomfortable edges but I just decided to leave it as I was afraid I might make it worse. Time heals all things right?

And then there’s the dreaded lisp I’ve read so much about. The first set of trays I did not find myself having this issue (so thankful!) My job requires a fair amount of talking so I was most appreciative to not have this problem.

Dr. Seidel advised that I leave these first trays in for as much of the first 48 hours as I can– eat, drink, everything with them in to really get the treatment started and teeth moving. I did eat lunch that day with the trays in because I just had them delivered about an hour prior. Eating with trays in is an odd feeling and a bit uncomfortable with that one rough edge. After that I took them out for everything I ate. I contemplated skipping many meals for the first two days of having the trays in. After taking the trays out so I could eat, my teeth were extremely sensitive and sore when trying to bite through anything. And then after putting the trays back in, it gave me a pounding headache for about an hour. But because I like food so much, skipping a meal was not ideal. I would say for the first 48 hours I had the trays in for the better part of 46 hours. Jaclyn told me if I can make it through the first week, the absolute hardest part of the treatment (she has already been through Invisalign treatment, so she can easily relate to the patients), the rest of my Invisalign adventure would be a breeze.

Quick Invisalign facts on wear and care:
-Optimal wear is 22 hours a day (not hard to do if you are not lazy with them).
-You should really only drink water with them in
-You should not eat with them in (I found this to be really uncomfortable anyhow)
-Keep your tray case with you at all times, never leave trays on a napkin, table, or anywhere else (some have been known to throw them away, dogs chew them up etc.)
-Carry a “travel bag” with your case, toothpaste, toothbrush and floss for while you’re out. That way you’re prepared at all times
-Ivory soap is good for cleaning the trays due to its purity (I use ivory soap with a toothbrush to clean them and an occasional soak. It does wonders and therefore I don’t really see the need to use anything else-plus it’s a dollar and who hates the affordability of that)
-Use aligner chewies 5-10mins/day

After the first 36 hours, the rest of the two weeks in tray 1 were a breeze. It really didn’t take much time getting used to the constant brushing/flossing, but did take a few days getting used to having a large amount of plastic in my mouth. By the end of the two weeks though I hardly noticed it.

I’m looking forward to the remainder of the treatment. It is something I have only been able to hope for and to know that it is happening and in progress is very exciting. For those of you considering Invisalign treatment who have reservations about it, don’t. The staff here at Gettysburg Dental Associates is so understanding, informative, relatable, and will show you their excitement as you embark on your own smile makeover journey. It’s hard to be nervous when the staff taking care of you is as excited about your results as you are.
Keep smiling everyone, there’s always a reason to!

Erinn
Patient Relations Coordinator
Gettysburg Dental Associates
353 York Street Front
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Phone: 717-334-8193
Fax: 717-334-0884
Gettysburg Dental Associates
www.GettysburgDentalAssociates.com
Just Kids at Gettysburg Dental Associates
www.JustKidsGettysburg.com

February 20, 2015 - Tray 2
A normal day in the life of Erinn with Invisalign looks something like this:

Wake up/Shower – 7:30am
Getting ready for work – 7:50-8:15am
Breakfast – 8:15 - 8:30am (Trays out)
Wash trays/Brush/Floss – 8:30-8:40am
Leave for work – 8:40am (Trays back in - out for a total of 25 mins)

Lunch – 12:00-1:00pm (Trays out about 30-40 mins)
Wash trays/Brush/Floss – 12:45-1:00pm

Home – 6:20pm
Eat Dinner – 7:00-7:30pm (Trays out about 45 mins)
Wash trays/Brush/Floss – 8:00-8:15pm

Sleep/Repeat

In total the trays are out about 2 hours per day and in about 22 hours which keeps me in the “optimal wear” zone. It really isn’t hard to keep the trays in for the majority of the day as long as you limit snacking. I love to snack but with everything going on in my mouth I did not find it difficult to avoid. So by not snacking, and keeping the trays in until just before I eat and replacing them right after (and after brushing and flossing), getting 22 hours with the trays in is not difficult.

Weeks three and four (tray 2) proved to be difficult for me for the very same reason week 1 and 2 were easy (tray 1). The novelty had kind of worn off at this point and it really felt like there was so much upkeep to make sure they stayed clean and my teeth clean too. I found myself wanting to snack more and not wanting to clean the trays and brush every time I removed them. So tray 2 was really about me finding a happy medium, a regimen that I could stick to that would work for me and my daily habits.

It turns out that it doesn’t differ much from what I had been doing for Tray 1. I don’t snack a whole lot now, but if I do, I simply rinse my mouth and the trays well and reinsert them when I’m done. On occasion, I will only rinse and floss after lunch, depending on what I’ve eaten and how much of a hurry I’m in. Otherwise I still brush, floss, and wash my trays at least two times per day and always after waking up and before going to bed.

And as far as pain goes there really isn’t much to say. I didn’t have much discomfort with tray 2. It felt almost as if I was wearing tray 1 for four weeks, which was really fine with me. I was more concerned about getting comfortable with the trays.

“Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.”  Thich Nhat Hanh


Erinn
Patient Relations Coordinator
Gettysburg Dental Associates
353 York Street Front
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Phone: 717-334-8193
Fax: 717-334-0884
Gettysburg Dental Associates
www.GettysburgDentalAssociates.com
Just Kids at Gettysburg Dental Associates
www.JustKidsGettysburg.com


March 13, 2015 - Trays 3 & 4

Tray 3 was a little tough for the first three or so days. I could tell there was some movement going on with teeth #6, #7 and #8. You can see which teeth those are in the picture to the right. #8 is the upper right front tooth and the two teeth behind are #7 and #6. This is a very unflattering angle so it’s almost hard to see which teeth are which. I have them numbered to make it easier for those who aren’t as familiar.

The soreness I felt with tray 3 was a similar feeling to how tray 1 felt, only on a scale of 1-10, discomfort was about half of tray 1. It is fairly uncomfortable inserting and removing the trays until the teeth move somewhat to the shape of the new tray. I’ve found that by Monday, the trays feel pretty comfortable.

Side note* It’s a common question/concern that patients are worried about the amount of discomfort a patient might experience during Invisalign treatment.

If you think about how much movement the teeth are doing from start to finish, (mine probably significantly more than a lot of cases) the discomfort is seriously minimal. Unlike traditional braces, Invisalign doesn’t move all teeth at the same time, certain trays focus on specific teeth.

Take a look at this:

These are my teeth at tray 1 insertion, and the end of treatment after tray 28. That is a lot of movement and to be honest, I would be worried if there wasn’t any discomfort. I think so far my favorite part of treatment is putting in new trays. So long as there is some soreness I feel like they’re doing exactly what they’re supposed to. And in between tray changing, it’s really rather boring. Not a whole lot goes on and you can honestly do just about anything with Invisalign.

Things Erinn does with Invisalign trays in:

Run, sleep, shower, cook, shovel snow, take out the trash, go hiking, date nights with the boyfriend, work, shop (if you’re grocery shopping however, you’ll be skipping the free sample tables), drive, and practice yoga. Really, you can do just about anything besides eat-Invisalign couldn’t be any easier.

I change my trays every two weeks on a Thursday night before I go to bed. And I have found that after finding my comfort zone with tray 2, it’s all so easy. You really get into a habit that will work best for you and your daily routines.

Tray 4 was much like tray 3. Most of the discomfort for the first few days came from teeth #7 and #8 but after that everything was a breeze as usual.

Tray 4 is when I started to notice some teeth beginning to move. Not so much as visually, but I could feel that there were two teeth that now touch, one on the upper arch and one on the lower arch, that never touched before. It is just the slightest difference, but it’s still enough to reassure me that things are moving and changing and that makes me very, very happy!

Erinn
Patient Relations Coordinator
Gettysburg Dental Associates
353 York Street Front
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Phone: 717-334-8193
Fax: 717-334-0884
Gettysburg Dental Associates
www.GettysburgDentalAssociates.com
Just Kids at Gettysburg Dental Associates
www.JustKidsGettysburg.com

July 10, 2015
Tray 15 Officially Half Way Done!

I can’t believe the day is here that I am officially half way complete with treatment. Halfway! It seems like I just started yesterday and I am just amazed at the results I am already seeing. I have a total of 28 trays, and last night I put in tray #15.

The past few trays have been very uneventful in the way of treatment. It has become a part of my daily regimen. No pain. No inconvenience. It just, is. And I couldn’t be happier about it. I think it’s time I announce my self-proclaimed, unofficial ambassadorship for Invisalign (so unofficial, but who’s keeping track). I just love telling patients about the benefits of Invisalign. I become so much more comfortable with my smile since the start of treatment. Many people I spend most of my time with, mostly coworkers and family, have mentioned that I smile so much more now. I didn’t realize how much I tried to hide my teeth before and how uncomfortable it was to smile. But now I smile with ease, and enjoy smiling and laughing more than I ever have and I want others to know they can feel this way too (and this is only at halfway!)!

My overall smile and general tooth movement has come such a long way and I really haven’t had to give anything up for it; not food, activities, time etc and can still remain completely compliant through treatment. It literally is THAT. EASY.

I also wanted to take a minute to mention whitening during treatment. I started whitening in my third set of trays which is typical, about one month after Invisalign treatment has begun to give the patient time to adjust. In all honesty, whitening is not my favorite thing to do, however the results are so fantastic. Depending on your teeth and how sensitive they are, whitening can be somewhat uncomfortable. I never in the past have noticed having terribly sensitive teeth however through whitening, my teeth do get sensitive. There are several different strengths of whitening gel. Patients are usually started at the lowest gel, 10%, and may be increased throughout treatment based on overall sensitivity and other factors. 10% was my favorite as you can wear it up to ten hours, so I would just place it in my trays before I went to bed and rinsed it out in the morning. I also personally experienced little to no sensitivity with 10% gel. I’m now using the 15% gel, which is worn 4-6 hours, and do have some sensitivity after wear, even after using it for several months now. I do however find that the results far outweigh the discomfort and is why I continue to whiten despite some sensitivity.

Remember, “You’re never fully dressed without a smile.”  – Martin Charnin

Erinn
Hygiene Scheduling Assistant
Gettysburg Dental Associates
Eric Seidel, DMD  |  Cleveland Null, DDS
www.GettysburgDentalAssociates.com
Just Kids at Gettysburg Dental Associates
Stephanie DeFilippo, DDS  |  Kristin Russo, DMD
www.JustKidsGettysburg.com
353 York Street Front
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Phone: (717) 334-8193
Fax: (717) 334-0884
www.gettysburgfamilysmiles.com

October 1, 2015
Trays 16, 17 & 18

So here’s where we’re at. Tray 18, and we’re closer than ever to completing this treatment and it has already completely transformed my smile. I have only Dr. Seidel and his team (of course Invisalign too) to thank for their wonderful work and care. To the left are my before and midcourse photos. Dramatic right? Who would have ever thought I had such lovely teeth?! They just needed some good old fashioned love!
 (I also am very aware that these close ups are not the most pleasing to the eye but bear with me here).

At just past halfway done, I am so pleased with the results thus far. Most obvious is the straightening of the teeth. But if you look both of the arches, you can see how much they have expanded over the last 34 weeks (seriously, 34 weeks? Where does the time go?).

Don’t forget! Invisalign is not just for crowding, but is recommended to fix a number of concerns. We actually have several employees that just began their own Invisalign journeys, each for different reasons, and let me tell you it is a different experience for everyone!

You’ve read in this blog about how easy my experience in Invisalign has been. I can assure you that the experience will be different for everyone (because, let’s face it, we’re all different. Keeps life interesting right?!). I’ve heard a number of stories from Invisalign patients – trays get tossed, lost, chewed up by the dog, tossed in the fire pit, forgotten at home during a long day of work. I know some of those lazy days are harder than others, but you must be mindful of these dear trays. If you keep them where they are supposed to be most of the day (on those teeth!) you shouldn’t have any trouble keeping track of them. Don’t forget, it is recommended to wear your trays at least 22 hours per day. I highly recommend you do this unless you want to greatly extend your time in treatment. You guys are smart, make it work for you! You will figure it out, I promise.


Erinn
Hygiene Scheduling Assistant
Gettysburg Dental Associates
Eric Seidel, DMD  |  Cleveland Null, DDS
www.GettysburgDentalAssociates.com
Just Kids at Gettysburg Dental Associates
Stephanie DeFilippo, DDS  |  Kristin Russo, DMD
www.JustKidsGettysburg.com
353 York Street Front
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Phone: (717) 334-8193
Fax: (717) 334-0884
www.gettysburgfamilysmiles.com

Tray 19

 

Tray 19 has been a great tray. In these two weeks I have really started to notice how absolutely horrible the occlusion of my teeth were. I find it   difficult to describe in words but am going to give it my best try for you.   Before I started Invisalign, my teeth never sat together properly when the  jaws were closed. As a result, I have wear on my teeth where there shouldn't   be. I also have a fractured tooth which can also be a result of  malocclusion. Malocclusion causes stress and pressure on areas of opposing  teeth that are not designed to receive so much pressure. I was aware, but  also unaware of the severity of the situation. When a patient has their   comprehensive exam at Gettysburg Dental Associates, the hygienists do a  fantastic job of taking high quality photos that will show you areas of  concern that you may not be able to see or recognize just by looking in the  mirror. The photo to the left is a photograph I had taken at my  comprehensive exam that shows some gum recession due to malocclusion. Today,   I feel that my teeth fit properly together when I close my jaws. This has  been one of the most exciting and surprising milestones. In today's world  you get caught up in the aesthetics of things, so I was really anticipating   the straightening of my teeth. But to know and see results that I wasn't   expecting, or wasn't expecting to notice so significantly, is really  exciting. Smiling used to be a really unbearable, thought-conscious task but  now I can finally say that I smile with confidence and ease.

 

 "I just like to smile, smiling's my favorite." --Elf

Erinn
Hygiene Scheduling Assistant
Gettysburg Dental Associates
Eric Seidel, DMD  |  Cleveland Null, DDS
www.GettysburgDentalAssociates.com
Just Kids at Gettysburg Dental Associates
Stephanie DeFilippo, DDS  |  Kristin Russo, DMD
www.JustKidsGettysburg.com
353 York Street Front
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Phone: (717) 334-8193
Fax: (717) 334-0884
www.gettysburgfamilysmiles.com

November 2015
Tray 21
Tray 21 has been an exciting one and let me tell you why. This is the first tray where my front two teeth, #8 & #9, officially no longer overlap! This has probably been the most exciting milestone thus far because I have been waiting so long, 23 years long, to see these two teeth aligned and I think that at least deserves a shout out right!?
 
 
Tray 23
I’ve been fighting with one of my lateral incisors, #7 to be exact, for a few trays now. #10 was the tooth that I was originally having troubles with. However the last few trays have been near impossible to get fitting properly around #7. At my last appointment, Jaclyn and Dr. Seidel described the lateral incisors to be the toughest teeth to keep the trays on because they are like watermelon seeds, very slippery. #10 now fits great but #7 is not doing what it is supposed to, and unfortunately no matter how much I chew on the chewies it does not seem to want to fit. I definitely feel that this is having a negative effect on the progress of that tooth. It doesn’t seem to be rotating exactly the way I was hoping it would and I was advised I may need refinement after treatment is complete.


Erinn
Hygiene Scheduling Assistant
Gettysburg Dental Associates
Eric Seidel, DMD  |  Cleveland Null, DDS
www.GettysburgDentalAssociates.com
Just Kids at Gettysburg Dental Associates
Stephanie DeFilippo, DDS  |  Kristin Russo, DMD
www.JustKidsGettysburg.com
353 York Street Front
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Phone: (717) 334-8193
Fax: (717) 334-0884
www.gettysburgfamilysmiles.com

Tray 24
Tray 24 has been very uneventful. Jaclyn advised me that we can take impressions for refinement at this time, with only 4 more trays remaining. #7 is not progressing as it should be and I’m hoping with starting refinement early that ultimately there will be less trays, but also that we can fix this problem with #7 sooner than later.

I had impressions for refinement taken the day before I put in tray 25 (out of 28). The impressions have been sent to Invisalign and will be returned to the office once Invisalign has worked up the proposed treatment plan. If we like what we see then we will accept treatment plan and Invisalign will begin fabricating the trays for refinement and will send them to the office once complete.

I am actually really excited to see this clincheck video. I’m curious to see how this difficult #7 will turn out. I’m so pleased with #10 (and of course, the rest of my teeth) so I’m hoping #7 will turn out just as fantastic. I’m also interested to see how many trays of refinement I will be needing. I’d be lying if I said I was thrilled about having extra trays. Though Invisalign is still the easiest thing I’ve ever done, I sure do miss my snack time. But when I find myself slacking, I can easily get myself back on track by remembering what the ultimate goal is, beautiful, healthy pearly whites! Though it’s beginning to look like treatment should be almost done, there is just a few more adjustments to be made to get the result I am looking for. I am willing to put in the time and effort to get what I want. Who’s to complain anyway? Anything worth having or doing takes time, and really, the time is going to pass anyway, right?

Erinn
Hygiene Scheduling Assistant
Gettysburg Dental Associates


Tray 25/Tray 1 of Refinement
Tray 25 was the last tray I completed of the initial Invisalign treatment before going into Tray 1 of refinement. Refinement is defined by Invisalign as the option to use additional aligners after the initial treatment if further tooth movement is needed in order to meet the original treatment plan goals. The photo shown below shows my teeth after tray 25 of treatment and before going in to tray 1 of refinement.

The next photo shows how my teeth should look after the last tray of refinement. Through many small adjustments there is an overall impact. I really thought my smile couldn’t look much better, but I sure do like how the final results (after refinement) look. The reason, in my case, for doing a refinement is to correct the overjet and deep bite as much as possible (there are additional corrections being made as well that effect the overall smile). An overjet is the horizontal space between the lower anterior teeth and the upper anterior teeth when the mouth is closed together.





Erinn
Hygiene Scheduling Assistant
Gettysburg Dental Associates