So… my ‘wearing’ of my second aligners began exactly when I started vacation…
“HOW WOULD THIS WORK?!?… could I wear them jumping into the water?… on a walk? What if I stopped for a snack?” Overall, it went pretty well. Turns out you can wear them in just about any situation, except eating (though I heard about this guy who ate with them in… Dr. Kuhn still is not sure why or how he did it). The hardest thing for me was remembering to put them in their case and put the case in the same place every time I took them out. I have come to referring to liner removal as…’taking out my teeth.’ Which is very annoying to my family. I am not taking out my teeth, I am not ancient – I am doing something to improve myself…. One plastic set of aligners at a time.
After getting used to them…
taking them in and out, brushing them, etc. it is going well. The bottom (and tops) of my teeth are jagged, so it feels interesting when I rub my tongue along the bottom of the smooth aligners. Dr. Gallagher says that I will have my teeth filed (or something like that) when I am finished so that the line is smoother. I look forward to that, when I bite my tongue, I can cause bleeding. But for now, the aligners.
I am on a two-week rotation plan. Dr. Gallagher wants to make sure that none of my teeth are loose and that the bone structure of my mouth is tolerating this situation well. Perhaps I can reduce the time I wear each aligner by a few days… may change them every 10 days instead of every 14… I could have a decent smile by Christmas!
I could have a decent smile by Christmas!
I must say…I do not think I’ve taken this good care of my teeth since I started kissing. I brush them first thing in the morning, teeth, and aligners… after every morsel of food (both), after every meal – at least once during the evening – and again in my bedtime routine. I am now carrying a toothbrush and toothpaste in my purse. And I am consistently flossing. How’s THAT for improved dental care?!?
I no longer feel like I am yanking out my teeth, and I have no pain – but I do have sensation. Of course, the sensation(s) I feel are where my teeth need the most change. I know that these buggers are working because I can feel that they are messing with my mouth, (particularly the fourth tooth from the bottom on my left side), I will have to ask Dr. Gallagher or Dr. Kuhn the number of that tooth so I sound like I know what I am talking about…
Two weeks passed with tray # 2 and on to #3.
I am taking a lot of selfies to see if I can detect any change. Maybe I do… to celebrate I bought some lipstick! I have no idea when I bought lipstick, or the last time I decided to draw attention to my lips (maybe around that kissing time). I have never wanted to outline my smile, but by fall I think I will be trying some of those amber/autumny shades…
After #3 I will consult with my professional to see if I can reduce my ‘wear time’. I know that all good things take time, but I am eager to share the results of this journey…
with a great big grin!
To be continued…
– Louise C.
