a weird thing happened, and then i bought this

I had a weird dream last night.  Actually, it wasn't the dream that was too weird, it was what happened this morning.

Typically I have these really crazy dreams that go on and on and on... and then I usually tell my mom about them in full detail, and she's like whoa you have the weirdest dreams, how do you remember all that?  It's just a gift, I guess. 

So last night, I had a dream that something plastic (I don't know what it was) flew across the room and hit me accidentally in the mouth.  Then when I went to take out my invisalign trays (yes, I have super cool adult braces... read more about that here) they were all broken.  That was just a short piece of the entire dream, so I definitely won't bore you with anything else about it.

But here's the weird thing.

This morning in the shower, I was taking the cap off a bottle, and it flew off full force, out of my hands, into the shower wall, ricocheted off the wall, and hit me in the mouth!!!!!

Whoa. 

Then that part of the dream came flooding back to me... and I swear the feeling of it hitting me in my dream and the feeling of the cap hitting me this morning was the exact same.  Now, if I were always accidentally hitting myself in the mouth with a piece of light plastic, I wouldn't find this too weird.  But I can't say that's ever happened before....

Weird, right? 

At least it didn't break my invisalign...

Okay, you're probably yawning by now and thinking the only reason this is weird is that you think it's weird...  Yeah, I know. 

Well, once I got over the fact that my dream came true, I bought this!

Yes, I went out and bought this beauty that I originally saw a few days ago at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore.  I couldn't stop thinking about it!

I'm not sure exactly what I'll do with it yet, but with a small price tag ($22) and it's huge size ( 25" x 46"), I didn't want to pass it up.

So that's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

Happy Friday!


Pin It Now!

Invisalign Photo Update

Hi!  So I've just started week 7 of my Invisalign treatment, which is my 4th set of trays.  I was curious how different my teeth really are, and I thought some of you might be curious, too.  Here's a photo update.  I tried to point out things I have noticed, as well as what I know is happening based on conversations with my dentist. 

I know that these differences are subtle, but I can definitely see and feel the changes.  This week, I seriously feel pressure on my bottom teeth that are supposed to be rotating. 

These suckers hurt like heck the first few days when I have to take the trays in and out.  It really feels like my teeth are being ripped out of my mouth.  The good news about this is that it's only for about 5 seconds.  So I KNOW that this is better than having braces as a kid in the 90's (which I never did).  At least according to Andy.  He tells me sick stories about getting his braces cranked tighter and tighter, and it sounds miserable.  I think one difference is that you would get your braces cranked about every 6 weeks (is that right?) and I change my Invisalign trays every 2 weeks, so they aren't changing as much each time as getting braces tightened.  Does that make sense?  Of course, I'm no dentist, so that theory may not fly. 

So as much as it hurts to take them out and chew the first few days, I really don't notice much pain when they are in my mouth doin' their thang.  Some soreness, sure.  But I kinda like that because it reminds me that yes they are moving!  Halleluia amen. 

Real smile update!

Can anyone else see the difference in my front teeth?  See how invisible the attachments are?  You can really only see the side ones, but I have them all across my front teeth!  Two on each of the front teeth!  Pretty cool I'd say.  And no, my "before" teeth aren't really that yellow, it's just a yellowy tinted picture.  Although I WILL get a free whitening treatment when I'm all done, so that is another bonus! 

If you're new here, you can check out my Archives page to see my other Invisalign posts.

Anyone out there thinking about getting Invisalign?  Have it now?  Let me know if you have questions!

 

Pin It Now!

All About Invisalign

All about Invisalign!  Here are some pros and cons, tips and tricks for anyone reading this who's thinking about getting Invisalign.

It's now my third week of Invisalign, and I'm on my second set of trays.  They were super tight when I put them in, which is uncomfortable, but I kinda like it because I can feel it working.  And I swear, my front teeth have already moved.  Maybe it's all in my head, but I think they have.  Andy thought so too.  They're still overlapping, but they're more even, if that makes sense. 

If you want to see what my teeth with Invisalign look like, see my first post here.

I'm also feeling better about wearing them.  I don't feel so awkward.  I went to visit my brother and sister-in-law and they didn't even notice them until I said something about 10 minutes later.  Unless they were lying to make me feel better...  Maybe Andy told them to say that, I don't know.  But anyways...

My 10 Things about Invisalign (so far): 

1.  Your teeth will be sore the first few days of your new trays (aligners).  You put in a new tray every 2 weeks.  Now, I never had braces, so I can't compare how bad the pain is, but I don't think it's too bad.  It's sore more than painful.  I take some Advil and avoid food that I have to bite into, like sandwiches or apples. 

2.  The attachments will feel really rough and you'll think they're sticking out of your mouth.  But they're really not.  It's only week 3 and I barely notice them anymore.  In some lighting, you can't even see them. 

3.  The time you spend on dental hygiene (wow I've never written that word before and had to look it up) will increase.  Of course you have to brush after every meal or snack now.  But you also have to brush the trays, which takes longer than you may think.  You also floss every night.  I'm also using mouthwash at night, too.  Because the trays completely cover your teeth, you don't want anything trapped in there that may cause cavities, so be extra thorough. 

4.  Going out to eat will become a bit of a pain.  You have to bring all your Invisalign stuff, find a good time to take out your trays (which is weird when someone else is at the mirror in the bathroom), and then brush your teeth in a public restroom after.  You may be thinking, why don't you just take them out before you leave the house and put them back in when you get home?  That may work, depending on how long you'll be out of the house.  You're supposed to wear them 22 hours a day, which means you have 2 hours to eat, drink, brush and whatnot.  So I've been taking them out at the restaurant to cut down on the time they're off my teeth.  A couple times I've had a snack at a time or place when it's really not convenient to brush my teeth, so I've used those Wisp disposable brushes.  They work in a pinch, and then I brush when I get home.

5.  If you're someone who likes to enjoy sipping on coffee, pop, or alcohol, you'll have to think twice.  The only thing you can drink while wearing the trays is water.  Anything else, and you have to take them out, drink, brush, and put them back in.  And remember, your trays shouldn't be off your teeth for too many hours in a day.  The positive to this is that it forces you to drink more water, which is a good thing!

6.  You will have to go to the dentist more often.  I am going every 4 weeks for a quick check and to get my new trays.  Not a big deal, but still something that will need to fit into your schedule.

7.  You'll be able to say funny things like "Just a minute, let me go put in my teeth."

8.  This is totally a just-for-me-and-may-not-apply-to-you thing, but I grind my teeth at night.  It causes some trouble for my teeth (cracking and messing up fillings), so wearing Invisalign at night is like a built in mouthguard teeth protector.  So it's a real positive for me.

9.  One thing I like about my new daily routine is that my teeth are all brushed, flossed, and mouthwashed right after dinner.  Then I don't have to worry about doing all that later, when I'm half asleep and just ready to be in bed. 

10.  Seeing and feeling your teeth move will make it all worth it.

So there you have it!  All about Invisalign.  Is anyone out there thinking about getting it?  If you have any questions for me, please leave a comment!

Pin It Now!

My Smile for the Next (almost) Year

Announcement:  I decided to straighten my teeth. 

I had always liked my teeth and smile, with my slight overbite. But when my wisdom teeth grew in, my teeth shifted and caused some crowding and an overlap of my two front teeth.

I'd been thinking about getting Invisalign for a while, and finally went for it this spring. There were some suprises, like the attachments.  The ads never show you these little attachments that may need to be placed on the fronts of your teeth.  I get why they're necessary, but I still don't like them.  My dentist has been great though, and has made the whole process feel easy breezy.

And here's my new (but temporary) smile.  I've had them for over a week, and I'm getting used to the way I look, but I do wonder what other people think.   I feel the need to explain to everyone what's going on in my mouth, because I don't know if many people know that Invisalign may look this way.  Or even what Invisalign is.  I wonder if they look like weird growths, or fangs or something. 

But hey, I feel blessed and lucky to live in this modern day where something like this is even possible.  Until next time, I'll keep trying to smile at strangers without feeling like a vampire. 



Pin It Now!