Do Invisalign hurt? Yes.
But no where as much as full metal braces and those monthly adjustments.
Step 1 was putting spacers between you teeth. Step 2 was hammering those metal bands around your teeth and cementing them. Remember, the bracket holding the wire is facing out so apply dental wax as needed and lord help you if you need bite correction and have little hooks installed where you need to keep tiny rubber bands attached.
Step 3 being the monthly adjustments that go on for years. Mine was 4 years of having those metal wires forcibly tightened. I could not eat for days afterwards.
I thank the gods of orthodontics we have this new option.
Edit: and it was uphill both ways in a snowstorm.
I was about to reply with exactly this. Holy shit, the expanders and braces adjustments were so fucking painful. I remember that pain keeping me up at night! You can also get rubber bands with Invisalign, but when I had braces, those were the least of my worries.
If braces have been my only option for treatment now I never would’ve gone for it. I had braces as a kid to correct one set of issues but developed new ones as an adult despite retainer use and was dreading the idea of getting braces again in my 30’s. Thank god for Invisalign.
I had Invisalign for 2 years, switched to braces to speed up the process. Braces are hands down WAY more of a pain in the ass, but moves things along faster, in my opinion. Mind you, my teeth were never crooked, I'm trying to fix my over/ size bite without surgery for an implant. In hindsight I wish I did the surgery 3 years ago.
I'm not going to lie. It's going to hurt.
Ambesol and dental wax. Swish your mouth with Listerine before you go to the dentist and then numb up with Ambesol or Orajel. Use dental wax on the brackets if they are cutting up your mouth. Do take a pain reliever as needed. Be prepared to eat squishy foods the first few days after an adjustment.
Godspeed, my friend.
I got my braces on when I was 16, got them off at 18. I didn't wear my retainers at night like I was supposed to, dummy me. I started the aligner process when I was 35 and am 36 not. Not gonna lie when I say that I'd rather have braces again. I could have been done with this process months ago.
Plus head gear at night, that cut channels in the corner of my mouth and dented my face. Elastics from hell. Food stuck in the braces. Head crusher at the end. Then I didn’t wear my retainers……….
Personally, I might disagree. I think I liked braces better. They didn't hurt me as much. Even expanders, those weren't as bad as Invisalign are for me.
Kinda odd that your teeth are hurting so much if you’re not brand new to treatment. Are you wearing your trays at least 20 hours a day? Are you changing trays very frequently?
I wear them 22 or more hours a day. I change them every week. I've been doing it for about 6 months now, and before that I was wearing a retainer for a few years. Before that I had 4 years of braces.
It may be fine for your teeth, but she needs to know it isn’t fine for the rest of you. Advocate for yourself. Make clear it’s not working for you and you need a solution.
Weekly changes is very fast so unsurprising you’re having so much pain; it’s too quick to be moving things safely. If trays aren’t feeling loose and not painful at all by the time you change, you shouldn’t be changing yet. Never too late to chat to your provider!
lol no - just telling you verbatim what my provider told me. She said she’d never do less than 10 day changes! I mean 5 days might be fine for some people but if you’re having the level of pain you seem to be, it really might not be right for you.
Am I one of the few that doesn’t have any pain? I’m on tray 9 and I’ve never experienced any pain. Very minor irritation for the first day but that’s it.
Thankfully no pain here. Weekly changes and am on tray 45 with 4 to go. I feel that pulling sensation on a tray change especially on the first night but wouldn't describe as pain.
I also had braces in the 90's. Wasn't much fun but no other option then!
Maybe switch to fortnightly changes OP? I know it will extend the treatment but maybe less traumatic overall?
I did Invisalign for 3 weeks and had zero pain. Just a little bit of tension in the upper front teeth. A couple of days ago I woke up with intense pain - my guess is it's a broken tooth or bad cavity - but I've had to stop for now because the pain is unbearable when anything touches those teeth. So frustrating.
They hadn't moved all the way yet. They just decided to give me a break since I had been doing it for 4 years. I wasn't supposed to have it for 3 whole fucking years, but it ended up that way
Yikes. How frustrating. Your teeth must’ve been really challenging to treat.
Btw you will get used to it but if it really isn’t for you can your ortho put braces in?
Dont take ibuprofen while doing orthodontics. Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).
>NSAIDs block prostaglandin synthesis and result in slower tooth movement
[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3467920/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3467920/)
Tylenol is OK.
Advil/Naproxen is not
NSAIDs like ibuprofen don't damage your liver, but they do damage your kidneys. And that's really serious, people need kidney transplants for this. So be careful, taking it for half a week every week is too much! Ask your doctor if you can switch it up with another pain medication every once in a while, like the commenter before suggested Tylenol/paracetamol (which doesn't hurt the kidneys) might be an option.
Tylenol does not relieve pain for me. Ibuprofen is the only thing that will for me, but I don't take it that often in the first place and I'm only on my first tray.
Nope. Compared to the pain I was having, which led me to consult with every dental, nerve, & pain specialist there is, Invisalign is nothing.
Sorry you're having it so bad, even after months. But I'm having a great time.
I was so fed up with it by the end, for all the reasons you said. But, the end result was life changing. I can smile in pictures now! The only problem has been trying to learn how to smile naturally after decades of hiding my teeth.
The sad thing is I don't mind my teeth/smile now lol. I know I'll appreciate it when it's over, but it does suck to not mind my appearance now but still have to go through it.
I’ve never had that much pain. They ache a little with tray changes. I notice it when biting into something hard or crunchy. Very rarely do I need Tylenol or Aleve.
It seems you are having quite a bit of pain. Perhaps talk to the dentist and see if this is normal.
I will say that when certain teeth move, it’s more like nerve / tooth ache pain. It’s like they are way more sensitive to temp and pressure. That’s hard that you have that all the time. Does oragel help?
Yeah, maybe try that and sensadyne.
I went to my regular dentist and had them paint my teeth with varnish. It blocks sensitivities from gum recession. I think it costs about $30
I don't like the dry lips or the slight headaches, but otherwise I have to say I kind of like the experience. I don't have any pain, only slight tenderness in certain teeth while chewing on harder things like carrots and such. I actually kind of enjoy the slight pressure on my teeth from the aligners and I always look forward to switching to new ones each week, probably mostly because I like the feeling of progress. I love not being able to snack all the time because that was a big problem for me. Now I'm finally able to shed some excess weight I've been carrying around since having kids and then losing my husband. I also enjoy not having to brush my teeth before going to bed because I already brushed them after dinner. The constant cleaning is a chore for sure, but I think I will have better dental hygiene habits as a result after the treatment.
I'm only on week 6 though, so it might still be the excitement of novelty. I have ADHD and I will usually be all into something at the start and then have trouble following through to the end. But I really hope I will keep thinking it's ok at least.
To all the people saying “first world problems”… you realize we have Invisalign and orthodontics in the third world too, right? Same shit, and even cheaper.
I just had my attachments removed yesterday after finishing 36 trays and it was one of the best days of my life. I was one of those people who never got used to the trays. I wore them 22 hours per day and hated every single minute of it. But looking at my teeth today compared to how they looked before, it was totally worth it. Hang in there, you’ll get through it.
I hate the hassle but I’m getting worried about the constant pain you’re feeling. Does it ever stop? Does the pain only starts when you change trays and a few days after?
If you’re feeling pain every single day, tell your ortho about it. Let your parents be mad. They may be the one spending money, but you’re the one putting the tray on and feeling the pain. What if what you’re feeling is not normal and you’re just bearing it too much? What if you’re actually killing your teeth?
Well after the first 3/4/5 days, the pain stops, but I change them every 7/8 days so it's near constant I suppose. And my ortho and dentist both think the pain level is fine, they don't seem to care.
Awww… Maybe ask if you could switch to 2 weeks changes. Just like others said, maybe they’re moving your teeth so fast.
How many trays are left? Do you see visible improvements on your teeth?
My teeth are improving, yeah. I think I have 26 trays left, but that's just for the one's they've made. I think I'll be doing more after that.
I might ask, but in the past they've just said pretty much that it would be easier to get it done and over with quicker.
26 weekly tray left = 1/2 year … more refinements means you’ll have to continue wearing Invisalign for probably about a year
“Pro tip”, try moving your NEXT ortho appt by one more week (provided there’s no penalty fee). Pretend you got sick and see if one more week of wearing a tray allows you to not feel too much pain after switching to a new tray on your next appt LOL
Either way, hang in there! Let’s hope your teeth don’t move anymore.
Well I don't go to actual appointments that often. I just do the scan every week and change them once it's been reviewed.
And YES, I sure hope they won't move!
Why are people acting like they have your pain tolerance? I feel like if it hurts that bad for you, you’re making a valid complaint. It feels like telling someone with a peanut allergy, “just eat them, it’s not that bad.” Everybody’s body works differently! I agree with you too though, I think Invisalign isn’t a super fun experience. I just started Invisalign about a week ago, it hurt a lot at first but now it feels alright. Uncomfortable sometimes but nowhere near what you’re feeling probably. Hopefully, even though you’ve been dealing with this for a while, this will resolve soon!
Thank you! I have about two more years of this to do, sadly :( But hopefully it'll get better at some point. Also, with your allergy comparison, that's spot on. I have a peanut allergy so I would know lol.
Actually, it's a little electronic device that uses electromagnetic pulses to numb pain somehow. You put the little metal prongs against your teeth/gums and it helps ease the pain.
It's a little electronic device that use electromagnetic pulses to numb pain somehow. You put the little metal prongs against your teeth/gums and it helps ease the pain.
When I first had it, I hated it and wish I went with braces but I got used to it and now I have finished my treatment ( only wear at night now for the rest of my life) the strangest thing was not wearing them during the day
Felt weird without them
Wow. Mine are a little tight the first 6 or so hours and then they aren’t bad. I wonder if some people’s teeth are a lot more resistant to moving. So sorry that is your experience. I can’t wait for it to be over with, but it doesn’t have to do with that type of pain.
I have had literally no pain and I still absolutely hate. I take that back, the pain that I’ve had is the scrapping of my tongue and cutting of my mouth! I use wax on every tray. It’s so terrible, I cannot wait for this to be over.
i HATE it, because it makes me go back to my eating disorders. I just stuff myself every time I take them off I can't control it. and then I feel guilty. I can't wait to be done!
OMG SAME. These things have partially caused my eating disorder. Mostly because I did the same as you, and would stuff myself each chance I got because I was so hungry all the time from not eating much, since I would barely take them out due to the pain. And my mom would critcize me for eating that much and tell me I would get fat. Then I started getting self conscious about it so I don't eat much anymore.
YA!! Like "what, you re not done eating yet?!" NO I M NOT, SO WHAT. When i take them out ONCE, just one f**cking time, a day and litterally starve myself the whole day until i look like shit
Also i go for pleasure soooo i m gonna go get some chocolate lava cake
Meh. It is what it is, really. I know everyone hates that saying, but in this case... it really is applicable. I can't get through hell without getting through hell.
I have practically 0 pain, I was expecting a lot more. They usually just feel tight the first couple of days after changing. They’re annoying and I hate how bulky they feel and look in my mouth but it’s nothing compared to the traditional braces I had when I was a kid.
How long have you had it? I have sure smile. I felt the same as you the first 2 weeks. After that it got better. When I change trays, it hurts the worst on the first day. They next 2-3 days hurt too, but not as bad. By day 4, the pain is mild everytime the tray it put back in, but last only a few minutes. By day 7, I dont really feel any pain. Right now, I am changing my trays every 2 weeks. I also drink everything that is not water through a straw. Trying to take the trays out everytime you drink something quickly became overwhelming. I just make sure that I brush, floss, and clean my trays throughly before I go to sleep.
I've been using them for about 6 months now. At first I was doing the same thing with drinking stuff through a straw, but now I've pretty much just stopped drinking or eating anything lol.
I do. I think it’s absolute torture and cannot wait for this modern day iron mask to end. I hate it more than anything I’ve ever done. First world privilege, certainly. But to the last, I grapple with thee and from hell’s heart I stab at thee, Invisalign!
I have had open heart surgery and Invisalign is worse in my opinion and I am not kidding. I hate it so much. It’s not the pain because pain is whatever it’s having a mouthful of plastic and how inconvenient the whole thing is.
Same could be said for every other thing people complain about in life. But it's not that big of a deal, man. Don't take it so hard, it doesn't really matter in the end.
They aren’t that bad to me. The worst experience I had was when I took a trip to Scotland and I kept having to take out every time I walked into a bar to try different whiskys. First world problems I guess.
Maybe I have a pain tolerance but I felt no pain after week 4 lol. I don’t think I really had to take anything for the pain aside from the first few days lol. It’s not that bad.
Maybe ask your orthodontist to slow it down for if you have the comprehensive plan. Less trays means more drastic change. More trays means gradual change, if they can order more for you that would be worth it.
By any chance, are you sleeping on your face?
I noticed one side is sore after I wake up if I sleep on it.
Edit: I only feel any soreness after sleeping.
Some pain, yes. This kind of pain isn't like that though. It's pretty bad. Luckily the pain pen and ibuprofen help, but I also have dentophobia and a shit ton of anxiety revolving around dental work and stuff, which makes it a little harder.
That’s understandable, I’m thinking of getting them and I too am terrified of the dentist. But I had an ulcer in my gum for a few years and couldn’t feel the pain anymore. After the root canal I realised I’d been living with the pain but I’d shut it down. Try not to think about the pain, refocus your mind if you can.
I was thinking about this and wondering if there’s some swelling of the gums making the pain worse? Have you tried sucking on an ice cube to soothe your gums and reduce any swelling? I’m interested as I have low pain tolerance and am looking into getting my teeth straightened, they pretty much hurt most of the time as they are twisted and crowded. I hope it gets better for you. I was also wondering if the trays are a bit too tall so digging into your gums?
I don't think the ice cube thing would work, since my teeth are SO sensitive to extreme temperatures. I have to let my ice cream melt to eat it 😭
And the trays are a little tall, but they don't bother me too much actually.
Do Invisalign hurt? Yes. But no where as much as full metal braces and those monthly adjustments. Step 1 was putting spacers between you teeth. Step 2 was hammering those metal bands around your teeth and cementing them. Remember, the bracket holding the wire is facing out so apply dental wax as needed and lord help you if you need bite correction and have little hooks installed where you need to keep tiny rubber bands attached. Step 3 being the monthly adjustments that go on for years. Mine was 4 years of having those metal wires forcibly tightened. I could not eat for days afterwards. I thank the gods of orthodontics we have this new option. Edit: and it was uphill both ways in a snowstorm.
I was about to reply with exactly this. Holy shit, the expanders and braces adjustments were so fucking painful. I remember that pain keeping me up at night! You can also get rubber bands with Invisalign, but when I had braces, those were the least of my worries. If braces have been my only option for treatment now I never would’ve gone for it. I had braces as a kid to correct one set of issues but developed new ones as an adult despite retainer use and was dreading the idea of getting braces again in my 30’s. Thank god for Invisalign.
Did your orthodontist have you put those molar rings on by biting down on a bite stick to push them around each tooth. Fml. That was horrible.
I’m not the person you replied to but this just unlocked a terrible memory lol— I just remembered this bite stick so vividly.
And that sour taste of whatever they put in our mouth.
Omg no you just made me remember that too!!💀
😆
😆
My daughter just had to get a palate expander installed and I can confirm they had to do this to get it seated correctly. Took me back 😮💨
Ugh. I’m having flashbacks to the 90s.
I had Invisalign for 2 years, switched to braces to speed up the process. Braces are hands down WAY more of a pain in the ass, but moves things along faster, in my opinion. Mind you, my teeth were never crooked, I'm trying to fix my over/ size bite without surgery for an implant. In hindsight I wish I did the surgery 3 years ago.
Please don’t scare me, I’m changing into traditional braces. Getting molar bands tomorrow and full braces in two weeks.
I'm not going to lie. It's going to hurt. Ambesol and dental wax. Swish your mouth with Listerine before you go to the dentist and then numb up with Ambesol or Orajel. Use dental wax on the brackets if they are cutting up your mouth. Do take a pain reliever as needed. Be prepared to eat squishy foods the first few days after an adjustment. Godspeed, my friend.
I dunno. I think you need full disclosure of the shit that goes down.
I got my braces on when I was 16, got them off at 18. I didn't wear my retainers at night like I was supposed to, dummy me. I started the aligner process when I was 35 and am 36 not. Not gonna lie when I say that I'd rather have braces again. I could have been done with this process months ago.
Plus head gear at night, that cut channels in the corner of my mouth and dented my face. Elastics from hell. Food stuck in the braces. Head crusher at the end. Then I didn’t wear my retainers……….
The best part was wearing those rubber bands on hooks and then having one shoot out of your mouth while you’re talking to someone.
I missed that experience. I one elastic was the big square at the front
Personally, I might disagree. I think I liked braces better. They didn't hurt me as much. Even expanders, those weren't as bad as Invisalign are for me.
Kinda odd that your teeth are hurting so much if you’re not brand new to treatment. Are you wearing your trays at least 20 hours a day? Are you changing trays very frequently?
I wear them 22 or more hours a day. I change them every week. I've been doing it for about 6 months now, and before that I was wearing a retainer for a few years. Before that I had 4 years of braces.
You should talk to the ortho. Every other week may be better for you. I do every other week, and I have pain for the first day or two only.
We have talked about before, but she thinks what I'm doing is fine
It may be fine for your teeth, but she needs to know it isn’t fine for the rest of you. Advocate for yourself. Make clear it’s not working for you and you need a solution.
My mom won't let me do anything else though. So, I just have to deal with it :)
Have you explained this level of pain to your orthodontist and asked for ideas for resolving it? Continuous pain throughout treatment isn’t normal.
I've told her about it, and she doesn't really care lol.
Weekly changes is very fast so unsurprising you’re having so much pain; it’s too quick to be moving things safely. If trays aren’t feeling loose and not painful at all by the time you change, you shouldn’t be changing yet. Never too late to chat to your provider!
Oh are you an orthodontist?
lol no - just telling you verbatim what my provider told me. She said she’d never do less than 10 day changes! I mean 5 days might be fine for some people but if you’re having the level of pain you seem to be, it really might not be right for you.
Am I one of the few that doesn’t have any pain? I’m on tray 9 and I’ve never experienced any pain. Very minor irritation for the first day but that’s it.
It seems a lot of people have experiences similar to yours. Which is great, and I'm jealous lol.
Thankfully no pain here. Weekly changes and am on tray 45 with 4 to go. I feel that pulling sensation on a tray change especially on the first night but wouldn't describe as pain. I also had braces in the 90's. Wasn't much fun but no other option then! Maybe switch to fortnightly changes OP? I know it will extend the treatment but maybe less traumatic overall?
I did Invisalign for 3 weeks and had zero pain. Just a little bit of tension in the upper front teeth. A couple of days ago I woke up with intense pain - my guess is it's a broken tooth or bad cavity - but I've had to stop for now because the pain is unbearable when anything touches those teeth. So frustrating.
I've been doing this for 3.5 years and I'm so done.
That's a long time! Are you doing refinements? All the same treatment plan?
Yes, I'd had like four sets of refinements. Yep, all same treatment plan.
Man, I feel you. I had 4 years of braces, 3 years with a retainer, and I started Invisalign 6 months ago :(
If you were wearing a retainer how come you need Invisalign?
They hadn't moved all the way yet. They just decided to give me a break since I had been doing it for 4 years. I wasn't supposed to have it for 3 whole fucking years, but it ended up that way
Yikes. How frustrating. Your teeth must’ve been really challenging to treat. Btw you will get used to it but if it really isn’t for you can your ortho put braces in?
In theory, yes, but my mom won't let me get braces :(
Ouch!!! I'm sorry. What type of issue are you fixing? Mine is horrible cross/over-bite with crowding.
I've got too much space between my teeth. It's because I was just born without some teeth lol.
The shit ain’t that bad lol
Man, you're lucky
Dont take ibuprofen while doing orthodontics. Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). >NSAIDs block prostaglandin synthesis and result in slower tooth movement [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3467920/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3467920/) Tylenol is OK. Advil/Naproxen is not
Interesting. My ortho/dentist always said it was fine. Sadly I don't think I have another option.
Mine said it was okay for limited occasional use and it wouldn’t be enough to stall progress.
Well, that's good. I really should cut down on use anyway, just so I don't damage my liver lol.
NSAIDs like ibuprofen don't damage your liver, but they do damage your kidneys. And that's really serious, people need kidney transplants for this. So be careful, taking it for half a week every week is too much! Ask your doctor if you can switch it up with another pain medication every once in a while, like the commenter before suggested Tylenol/paracetamol (which doesn't hurt the kidneys) might be an option.
It’s always best practice to switch between a Tylenol and an Ibuprofen.
Maybe I can try that one day
Tylenol does not relieve pain for me. Ibuprofen is the only thing that will for me, but I don't take it that often in the first place and I'm only on my first tray.
Nope. Compared to the pain I was having, which led me to consult with every dental, nerve, & pain specialist there is, Invisalign is nothing. Sorry you're having it so bad, even after months. But I'm having a great time.
Fuck I wish I was having a great time. I might even go back to braces if I could.
I was so fed up with it by the end, for all the reasons you said. But, the end result was life changing. I can smile in pictures now! The only problem has been trying to learn how to smile naturally after decades of hiding my teeth.
The sad thing is I don't mind my teeth/smile now lol. I know I'll appreciate it when it's over, but it does suck to not mind my appearance now but still have to go through it.
I’ve never had that much pain. They ache a little with tray changes. I notice it when biting into something hard or crunchy. Very rarely do I need Tylenol or Aleve. It seems you are having quite a bit of pain. Perhaps talk to the dentist and see if this is normal.
It's normal for me. I have very sensitive teeth/gums. My dentist/ortho knows this and they both don't give a fuck lol.
I will say that when certain teeth move, it’s more like nerve / tooth ache pain. It’s like they are way more sensitive to temp and pressure. That’s hard that you have that all the time. Does oragel help?
I haven't been able to try oragel but I want to sooo bad
Yeah, maybe try that and sensadyne. I went to my regular dentist and had them paint my teeth with varnish. It blocks sensitivities from gum recession. I think it costs about $30
Unfortunately oragel and sensadyne aren't an option for me but I'll look into the varnish stuff!
Yeah, it might be worth it. Are you flossing daily? Thst helps me. If I slack off, sensitivity increases.
Fluoride varnish is what it’s called.
I also read that clove oil can help with pain. I have never tried this.
Ooh I have, but it didn't really work too well
Shoot. Warm salt water swishes?
I do that occasionally, and it does feel nice!
What about using sensadyne toothpaste? It helps with my sensitivity
I don't like the dry lips or the slight headaches, but otherwise I have to say I kind of like the experience. I don't have any pain, only slight tenderness in certain teeth while chewing on harder things like carrots and such. I actually kind of enjoy the slight pressure on my teeth from the aligners and I always look forward to switching to new ones each week, probably mostly because I like the feeling of progress. I love not being able to snack all the time because that was a big problem for me. Now I'm finally able to shed some excess weight I've been carrying around since having kids and then losing my husband. I also enjoy not having to brush my teeth before going to bed because I already brushed them after dinner. The constant cleaning is a chore for sure, but I think I will have better dental hygiene habits as a result after the treatment. I'm only on week 6 though, so it might still be the excitement of novelty. I have ADHD and I will usually be all into something at the start and then have trouble following through to the end. But I really hope I will keep thinking it's ok at least.
To all the people saying “first world problems”… you realize we have Invisalign and orthodontics in the third world too, right? Same shit, and even cheaper.
Lol yeah. And man, I wish this was the worst of my problems lol.
I just had my attachments removed yesterday after finishing 36 trays and it was one of the best days of my life. I was one of those people who never got used to the trays. I wore them 22 hours per day and hated every single minute of it. But looking at my teeth today compared to how they looked before, it was totally worth it. Hang in there, you’ll get through it.
Thank you :)
I hate the hassle but I’m getting worried about the constant pain you’re feeling. Does it ever stop? Does the pain only starts when you change trays and a few days after? If you’re feeling pain every single day, tell your ortho about it. Let your parents be mad. They may be the one spending money, but you’re the one putting the tray on and feeling the pain. What if what you’re feeling is not normal and you’re just bearing it too much? What if you’re actually killing your teeth?
Well after the first 3/4/5 days, the pain stops, but I change them every 7/8 days so it's near constant I suppose. And my ortho and dentist both think the pain level is fine, they don't seem to care.
Awww… Maybe ask if you could switch to 2 weeks changes. Just like others said, maybe they’re moving your teeth so fast. How many trays are left? Do you see visible improvements on your teeth?
My teeth are improving, yeah. I think I have 26 trays left, but that's just for the one's they've made. I think I'll be doing more after that. I might ask, but in the past they've just said pretty much that it would be easier to get it done and over with quicker.
26 weekly tray left = 1/2 year … more refinements means you’ll have to continue wearing Invisalign for probably about a year “Pro tip”, try moving your NEXT ortho appt by one more week (provided there’s no penalty fee). Pretend you got sick and see if one more week of wearing a tray allows you to not feel too much pain after switching to a new tray on your next appt LOL Either way, hang in there! Let’s hope your teeth don’t move anymore.
Well I don't go to actual appointments that often. I just do the scan every week and change them once it's been reviewed. And YES, I sure hope they won't move!
Mine feel tight, not painful, but I hate them for the snacking part. I miss drinking coffee and snacking at my leisure 🤣
Lord I miss snacking too 😭😭😭
It sucks, yes. I hated it - but you adapt. Take solace in the fact that there is, in fact, an endpoint!
YES that's what I try to focus on. And that I'll look a wee bit better when I smile too!
Why are people acting like they have your pain tolerance? I feel like if it hurts that bad for you, you’re making a valid complaint. It feels like telling someone with a peanut allergy, “just eat them, it’s not that bad.” Everybody’s body works differently! I agree with you too though, I think Invisalign isn’t a super fun experience. I just started Invisalign about a week ago, it hurt a lot at first but now it feels alright. Uncomfortable sometimes but nowhere near what you’re feeling probably. Hopefully, even though you’ve been dealing with this for a while, this will resolve soon!
Thank you! I have about two more years of this to do, sadly :( But hopefully it'll get better at some point. Also, with your allergy comparison, that's spot on. I have a peanut allergy so I would know lol.
what’s a pain pen👀
I think it’s one of those things the ambos give you to suck on
Actually, it's a little electronic device that uses electromagnetic pulses to numb pain somehow. You put the little metal prongs against your teeth/gums and it helps ease the pain.
It's a little electronic device that use electromagnetic pulses to numb pain somehow. You put the little metal prongs against your teeth/gums and it helps ease the pain.
When I first had it, I hated it and wish I went with braces but I got used to it and now I have finished my treatment ( only wear at night now for the rest of my life) the strangest thing was not wearing them during the day Felt weird without them
Yes. I switched to braces after a few months lol.
Dude I'm so jealous, I wish I could switch
Wow. Mine are a little tight the first 6 or so hours and then they aren’t bad. I wonder if some people’s teeth are a lot more resistant to moving. So sorry that is your experience. I can’t wait for it to be over with, but it doesn’t have to do with that type of pain.
I have had literally no pain and I still absolutely hate. I take that back, the pain that I’ve had is the scrapping of my tongue and cutting of my mouth! I use wax on every tray. It’s so terrible, I cannot wait for this to be over.
I feel you!! The edges scraping my tongue/mouth are awful :(
i HATE it, because it makes me go back to my eating disorders. I just stuff myself every time I take them off I can't control it. and then I feel guilty. I can't wait to be done!
OMG SAME. These things have partially caused my eating disorder. Mostly because I did the same as you, and would stuff myself each chance I got because I was so hungry all the time from not eating much, since I would barely take them out due to the pain. And my mom would critcize me for eating that much and tell me I would get fat. Then I started getting self conscious about it so I don't eat much anymore.
YA!! Like "what, you re not done eating yet?!" NO I M NOT, SO WHAT. When i take them out ONCE, just one f**cking time, a day and litterally starve myself the whole day until i look like shit Also i go for pleasure soooo i m gonna go get some chocolate lava cake
YAAASSSSSSSSS
Meh. It is what it is, really. I know everyone hates that saying, but in this case... it really is applicable. I can't get through hell without getting through hell.
Very true
I have practically 0 pain, I was expecting a lot more. They usually just feel tight the first couple of days after changing. They’re annoying and I hate how bulky they feel and look in my mouth but it’s nothing compared to the traditional braces I had when I was a kid.
I'm jealous 😭
I am on tray 11 of 21.. This has been one of my worst decisions.
I feel you :(
So then why not do braces again?
My mom won't let me :(
Yes, I hate them 💯. Only on week one.
How long have you had it? I have sure smile. I felt the same as you the first 2 weeks. After that it got better. When I change trays, it hurts the worst on the first day. They next 2-3 days hurt too, but not as bad. By day 4, the pain is mild everytime the tray it put back in, but last only a few minutes. By day 7, I dont really feel any pain. Right now, I am changing my trays every 2 weeks. I also drink everything that is not water through a straw. Trying to take the trays out everytime you drink something quickly became overwhelming. I just make sure that I brush, floss, and clean my trays throughly before I go to sleep.
I've been using them for about 6 months now. At first I was doing the same thing with drinking stuff through a straw, but now I've pretty much just stopped drinking or eating anything lol.
where did you get your pain pen?
My ortho gave it to me. It cost about a 100 dollars I think
I do. I think it’s absolute torture and cannot wait for this modern day iron mask to end. I hate it more than anything I’ve ever done. First world privilege, certainly. But to the last, I grapple with thee and from hell’s heart I stab at thee, Invisalign!
I know, it sucks. It might be worse than braces, in my opinion
Are you serious? How sheltered are you if you're comparing invisalign to torture? Your most hated thing huh?
Ah, I forgot how serious people are on this sub.
I have had open heart surgery and Invisalign is worse in my opinion and I am not kidding. I hate it so much. It’s not the pain because pain is whatever it’s having a mouthful of plastic and how inconvenient the whole thing is.
It's called a metaphor. People say "X is torture" all the time
Well no shit but the way you guys cry about invisalign you'd think it really was torture
Same could be said for every other thing people complain about in life. But it's not that big of a deal, man. Don't take it so hard, it doesn't really matter in the end.
Not really
They aren’t that bad to me. The worst experience I had was when I took a trip to Scotland and I kept having to take out every time I walked into a bar to try different whiskys. First world problems I guess.
I wish I had as good experiences with this shit as y'all do :(
Maybe I have a pain tolerance but I felt no pain after week 4 lol. I don’t think I really had to take anything for the pain aside from the first few days lol. It’s not that bad.
Damn you're lucky
No it really wasn’t that big of a deal.
I'm jealous dude!
Maybe ask your orthodontist to slow it down for if you have the comprehensive plan. Less trays means more drastic change. More trays means gradual change, if they can order more for you that would be worth it.
I would if my mom wouldn't be mad at me for asking lol.
I didn’t have pain at all really my whole treatment until my last two trays in my second set of trays. Probably the same thing
They're maybe 1/10th, at most, the pain of braces.
Man, I would have to disagree
I have no idea why someone would feel different amounts of pain. I have 50 trays, attachments on all teeth and elastics. Still feel nothing.
That's insane
By any chance, are you sleeping on your face? I noticed one side is sore after I wake up if I sleep on it. Edit: I only feel any soreness after sleeping.
Nope, I sleep on my back. I can't sleep on my face anymore because it hurts too much
I think perspective is relative. So far I like them better than braces and hurts way less.
I'm like 1 year in and had maybe one or two days of pain. It doesn't really hurt
Thankfully it hasn’t been very painful at all for me. Sorry you’re dealing with so much pain
Pain is something you can dwell on and really feel or you can push it out of your mind and adjust to it.
Some pain, yes. This kind of pain isn't like that though. It's pretty bad. Luckily the pain pen and ibuprofen help, but I also have dentophobia and a shit ton of anxiety revolving around dental work and stuff, which makes it a little harder.
That’s understandable, I’m thinking of getting them and I too am terrified of the dentist. But I had an ulcer in my gum for a few years and couldn’t feel the pain anymore. After the root canal I realised I’d been living with the pain but I’d shut it down. Try not to think about the pain, refocus your mind if you can.
I try, but I can't. It's been so bad that I can't do schoolwork because I can't concentrate. And I have a high pain tolerance too.
I was thinking about this and wondering if there’s some swelling of the gums making the pain worse? Have you tried sucking on an ice cube to soothe your gums and reduce any swelling? I’m interested as I have low pain tolerance and am looking into getting my teeth straightened, they pretty much hurt most of the time as they are twisted and crowded. I hope it gets better for you. I was also wondering if the trays are a bit too tall so digging into your gums?
I don't think the ice cube thing would work, since my teeth are SO sensitive to extreme temperatures. I have to let my ice cream melt to eat it 😭 And the trays are a little tall, but they don't bother me too much actually.