Time for Refinement…
It has been a while since I have written anything about my journey – but I sure have been talking about it quite a bit. I have completed wearing my final set of aligners, #20, the last set of aligners provided to me from Gallagher and Kuhn Dental Group. I need to have an appointment to ‘see where I am’ and get refinement aligners to fully complete this process. Needless to say, I am a bit disappointed that I need MORE, but I certainly understand that refinement is part of the process.
I was unable to get an appointment before a vacation so I have been wearing my #20’s for longer than the two weeks that I wore the previous nineteen pairs, and I can see and feel how they are affecting me… I have no idea if the refinement will be one set of aligners or many, but this is the closest I have ever come to the feeling I assume is what it is like to wear a retainer.
Chipped Tooth!
I do not know if I shared, but a few months ago I chipped one of my front central upper teeth (I can never remember the numbers). I asked Dr Gallagher if I could have the bottoms of my teeth filed, to eliminate the ridges – even more ridges – before I get my refinement aligners. My front upper teeth are still ever-so-slightly inverted, but there is significant improvement, and I would like to have the bottoms of my teeth smoother as I continue this journey. Therefore, it is necessary to file the bottoms of my upper teeth before I get scanned for more aligners. Anyway… I need to get into the office so that I can move forward, towards total completion of this journey.
More and more Selfies!
In the past several months I have been taking more selfies than ever. I often have my aligners in when I take these pictures, which gives an unfair advantage to my smile. I have been intentionally taking photos of my smile without the aligners so I can see the changes and my progress. On a recent trip I took some selfies without my aligners in and in the photos my teeth, and my smile, look pretty good. At first, I thought my aligners were in and then I was like, ‘OH WOW, those are my teeth!” For the past few years, I have been embarrassed by my smile and now I am liking it instead of hiding it.
So… I share with others that I have been through this journey with GK Dental.
I tell others what fabulous Invisalign dentists they are. I also share that this has been relatively easy and pain free (I know, I have shared about my uncomfortable sensations from time to time). The hardest part for me has really been remembering where my aligners are when I have taken them out, finding them on my bathroom counter, and knowing where my case is. I have had to return to my house a few times, after breakfast – before work, to get the aligners.
I share that I am happy and that my teeth and my mouth feel better – also different. I do not get food caught between my teeth, my bite is more precise and my tongue rolls over my upper arch smoothly. My cousin has started his own Invisalign journey, and I have friends convinced to try it.
How do we take the best care of ourselves as we get older?
As women (and men) get older, we are all trying to figure out how to take the best care of ourselves and look our best. Invisalign is an answer to both of those. Our secondary/permanent teeth start arriving around the age of seven and are completely in by the age of twelve or thirteen. There are so many factors that affect our teeth, food stains, beverage stains, breakage, our own movement, medication, disease. I have learned that there are a multitude of ways that the dental field can improve our teeth – their health, function, and appearance. After being in the office of Gallagher and Kuhn Dental Group I have seen a number of patients leaving the office in (happy) tears because Dr Gallagher, Dr Kuhn or Dr Maxwell have helped them with their dental problem. People have come in with a broken tooth days before their child’s wedding, or had tremendous swelling accompanied by terrible pain – these patients leave the office with relief.
My problems have been simple. I wanted a better smile; I wanted straighter teeth. I know that I have dental care ahead of me. As was predicted, my teeth are getting in a better position to repair a broken filling or insert a needed crown. I trust the office of Gallagher and Kuhn Dental Group to take care of my oral care needs, because I have seen the SMILES made when they provide care.
Time for refinement…
Louise C.
