Notice that upper centre front gap is almost totally closed now and my right side premolars are beginning to widen outwards - making for a fuller grin ( to compare, that's how my teeth looked 3 months ago with set#8).
The last 9 upper trays in my plan will keep moving my central incisors inward until they are fully straightened. I can tell from my profile shot that they still can move inwards quite a bit. The lower trays will keep working on separating the overcrowded centrals (one front central still overlaps the other) while widening my arch as well. It will make a huge difference once that one "snaggletooth" gets pushed into line with it's neighbours. This is how they appear now - still a long ways to go for the lowers :
I wasn't able to get any better profile shots today -
so here's just my right side:
14 comments:
Amazing! Isn't it just great when the aligners get to work on the front teeth? You look awesome.
Once I was about halfway through my plan after most of the "distilization" had taken place where the back teeth had been shifted somewhat towards the back & as my arches are getting wider, there's room enough for the front teeth to straighten and shift back, too.
This is when you can actually see the more apparent movements in the mirror & in pics. Yes - it is just great - you're absolutely right about that, Dawna!
Thanks for the compliment ---
Anne
Your progress looks so wonderful! It's inspiring to see that you are experiencing such good results. I'm only on set #2 and am anxious to see some visible progress. Patience....
Congratulations, very good progress! I too just got my aligner set #15 this week (18 total upper, 29 total lower) and also have been seeing the past month the gap between my two front upper teeth nearly closing now. I also have a single 'snaggletooth' on a lower front, though mine sticks out rather than in and so all the rest of the lower teeth are expanding out to match it. Already improving very noticeably now. Our progress seems to be tracking very similarly!
Thanks for checking in, BB - since you, Betsy & I, are about at the same stage in our treatment plan & having pretty much the same successful results it's like we've become the Three Musketeers (not the Three Stooges thankfully) at the forum.
Just want you guys to know - I appreciate your support.
I really do.
Regards,
Anne
& if you ever post pics anywhere - do tell, please. I intend to post a full face smiling wide open at the end of all this, so as not to be so anonymous when done. We are more than our mouths afterall - even if it pretty much seems that way right now...
I'm about half-way thru my Invisalign series now but didn't have the foresight to take camera photos from the beginning. I do however have my animation files that I have now uploaded to a free streaming media hosting site for others to view. Just click on each of the icons to view each of the animation video files, it will take a moment to load then it will automatically play. Its possible to move the slider manually to see each stage in the progression. I'm at about the 1/2 way mark on the slider right now. I have a front view, upper, and lower view available.
Here is the link: http://www.putfile.com/badboyzone/media
Nice to meet your teeth, BB - thanks for the link.
Those Clinchecks are pretty amazing -
you are gonna have one (two even) good lookin' arch there!
Very cool.
Anne
BB ---
Wanted to tell you that the file photos my dental office sent to me are actually still screenshots of each tray set's tooth positions. I can just click through the sequence to see exactly which teeth will be moved by each tray - really helps rather than trying to figure out whereabouts you are in the animated Clincheck by moving the manual slider in the animation.
Did you get those along with your .avi files, too?
The still shots are neat to compare to actual photos of your teeth with each set, also. It's quite revealing & easy to gauge that way.
No they only had the AVI files available for me. However I have some freeware video editing software that allows me to easily step one frame at a time or move to a specific frame easily and the AVI is made such that each frame corresponds to the algner of the same number, its really just a series of individual still shots anyway. Works great for me to see what teeth are moving with an aligner by simply quicking switching between two aligner frames. I can see that after about aligner 20 to the end of the bottom series, its only moving one tooth. So the rest of my teeth should be done before aligner 20 and I'm on 15 now!
OK then - what you're able to do by switching between frames shows essentially the same thing. That one last bottom tooth - is it your snaggletooth? You are getting close to completion with the others' then - that is exciting!
Just by comparing my 18th set, there should be quite a visable change finally in my lowers. That one I have that sits higher than it's neighbours because of how crowded they are will be pushed down quite a bit, making the front lowers much more even. My doc explained how they will be proclined outwards a bit before they all are moved back into their final more upright positions. Nothing much more will move on my upper left side - it's pretty much my right that has to move into place & widen outwards from here on in.
With this current set (I change to #16 tonight) one of my upper centrals has been sitting a bit more forward than the other - it'll "catch up" with this next one. No one else notices I'm sure, but I do when the trays are out. Can't wait until the attachments come off & I'm able to take full advantage of the whitening.
Wow - only one attachment for your entire treatment! It does sound kinda like a tradeoff with the many IPR's. Just finished looking at various IPR tools/strips/wheel dics - think I'll stop now...
Yeah the look of the "tools" are the only scary part, thats why I learned to shut my eyes during the process and try to think happy thoughts!
Yeah the last few aligners just are to pull up my lower front tooth with an elastic. Not visible on the ainimation is also one of my upper front teeth (though now straight) is longer than its partner. One was filed down a bit when I was a little kid since it got slightly chipped, the difference is more obvious now that they are straight. So my dentist can file the other one down to more closely match them after the last upper aligner in a couple months hopefully before the molds for the upper retainer are done. To me the upper teeth look finished now, any final movements are going to be very slight and hardly perceptible it appears.
So where will the elastic attach? Assuming it will hook onto an upper - will you need to wear it whenever your trays are in or just at night...or...?
I'm wondering if your tooth that was filed down earlier has been any more suseptible to decay? Has it been a concern at all?
I notice some little jagged edges on the edges of my upper centrals & wondered if filing would be an option.
Ha - how picky I'm suddenly getting...
It's such a minor thing. Too much time scrutinizing, I guess.
You'll have a head start on stabilizing your uppers if the movements are pretty much finished for them then. That'll only help your retainment phase. It'll be interesting to feel how tight each new upper will be.
Keep us posted please, BB.
I'm not totally clear on the elastic thing yet, might not be necessary depending on how things go. I think I'd have to wear it the full 22hrs/day for nearly 2 months (4 aligner sets) - I heard it hooks onto something that is added to the upper aligner like a rubber band on a hook. I don't think I'll be going out much during that period and I'm really hoping I won't have to go thru it. Doesn't really look like it would be needed much anyway - maybe a little filing on the teeth next to it might line them up without going thru it.
I've never had an tooth decay issues, since I appear to have a genetic anomoly - I have never had a cavity or any detectable decay, I have never had a filling. Dentists have always been amazed. I'm the only one in my family that way too, its strange but I'm not complaining! Since I've never had to spend a lot of money on dentists, just cleanings, at least I can afford to straighten my teeth instead.
I know exactly what you mean as far as getting picky. As my teeth get straighter I start to look and notice very minor things now that I would never have cared or noticed before. I also find myself looking at others teeth more too.
Here's hoping you won't need the elastic at all then - have seen pics online somewhere before of how the hook is attached it would be in an obvious spot for you.
Your anti-decay ability is enviable! Have been a little better off than most in that regard myself - have only needed fillings for decay & 2 crowns in my molars & those were done more than 25 years ago. Was told by one dentist that as you age, your teeth tend to become more resistant to decay so there's a definite bonus to getting older. Certainly didn't take good care of my teeth as a child at all - it really wasn't a big concern for folks back then.
Was also told by one dentist that I was lucky my upper centrals were "splayed out" like they were since it made cleaning so much easier - HA! I secretly always hoped my anteriors would all rot out & I'd HAVE to get them capped (as all 4 of my sisters' have) when I was younger - how dumb was that?! Only now am I thankful to have healthy teeth/gums - we get older as we get wiser - or sumthin' like that...
Anyways, did end up having a few fillings put into "wear" areas at the base of my lower anteriors & an upper canine - these apparently will need touching up once the whitening process has taken place. I can actually see a difference in the sheen of those areas now in comparison to my tooth enamel. Too much scrutinizing again...
& I am ALWAYS looking at other's teeth more - pointing out to my husband how so & so could really benefit from aligners...he must be getting tired of hearing it. It is amazing though to realize just how many people (especially around my age) have bad teeth. Seems we are the last "generation" to be this way - I mean for my own peers anyways.
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