Week 2-3

It's not going badly this week!  I have started the second tray, and in anticipation of the discomfort I felt with the first tray, I requested permission to start the night before so that I could sleep through the worst and have extra time to remove the new aligners for the first time the next morning.  I also took Tylenol and ibuprofen just in case.  No problem.  I wish I could see some progress, though.  I know it is early, and the changes are gradual.  Still....

Next Wednesday is the IPR, or interproximal reduction.  My research so far does not hint at any pain or complications.  It sounds gross, though.  "Filing" up to a half millimeter from the sides of my lower teeth...well, give me shudders.

Onward, though.  I have never settled for "good enough."  Improving is always possible, and improving my smile feels like an investment in something about which I often get comments and compliments.

First Day and Week

It is only, what, 6 days since I started my Invisalign journey.  (As I have learned in my work, I will count Day 1 as the day the braces were put on my teeth.)

Observations:

• More achiness/discomfort than I expected.
• Sore spot resulting in a canker-like sore on the inside left lower lip where an attachment rubs
• Back molar, #31, sensitive when I bite down.  Did NOT expect those back teeth to be affected.  Better today.
• Lower teeth much achier than I expected.  My upper front teeth are the ones most noticeably crooked.  However, those lower teeth will have to be "shaved" through IPR (InterProximal Reduction) to make room to straighten.  Now that I know that, I guess I understand the achiness.
• 22 hours is somewhat hard to manage.  I am getting close, but I cannot say with certainty that I am hitting it.  With eating, drinking, medicating, and brushing/cleaning, it may be in the 21+ hour range.  Oh, well.  Gotta live.