BIG SMILES on the weblog in the present day as a result of I completed my clear aligner therapy with Lewis Orthodontics in Edmond, Okla.! I am unable to suggest Dr. Lewis sufficient, my whole orthodontic expertise was implausible and I’m so happy with how my smile turned out. I shared about my first two weeks with Lewis Orthodontics and did a Q+A in THIS weblog publish, however I’m going to recap the method for you from begin to end under, in case you’re inquisitive about how clear aligners work (notice, Dr. Lewis presents conventional braces, as nicely).
I used to be blessed to develop up with actually straight tooth – I by no means had a lot of a necessity for braces. As I acquired older, although, one tooth began to shift, transfer ahead, and switch a bit of which crowded my entrance tooth. Being a blogger, I take an obscene quantity of photographs and movies and that tooth actually irked me after I would have a look at it. It wasn’t a serious snaggletooth by any means, however I used to be involved it might proceed to shift extra over time. A number of of my buddies had clear aligners and beneficial them, so I made a decision to get forward of the difficulty and repair my snaggletooth earlier than it acquired worse.
I selected to go along with the OrthoSmile model of clear aligners – it is extremely just like the identify model “Invisalign” nevertheless it was created by Dr. Lewis herself to be extra funds pleasant. The trays may be made / printed in-house which saves a whole lot of money and time (particularly if one breaks mid-treatment). OrthoSmile clear aligners begin at $149 per thirty days!
Free Seek the advice of
The clear aligner course of begins with the preliminary seek the advice of – which is FREE, I’d add! You may schedule a seek the advice of with Dr. Lewis by clicking right here OR you possibly can join a digital seek the advice of right here. At this appointment (if in-person), they take x-rays and photos of your tooth, focus on the several types of therapy out there, and speak about the price, cost plans and insurance coverage choices. It’s mainly a proof of the method and a highway map of your therapy plan.
Preliminary Scan
When you resolve to make the leap and start ortho therapy, it is time in your first scan! They mainly stick a instrument in your mouth that takes 3D photos of your tooth to create a digital mould of your mouth (means higher than the OG putty molds, yuck). The primary digital mould is your beginning place and your whole clear aligner trays are based mostly off of that transferring ahead. Dr. Lewis will entry the scan digitally and create the small, weekly changes that will probably be mirrored in your trays. The scans and digital tray molds will then be despatched to print! Relying on what number of trays you want and the present wait time, the printing course of will take wherever from every week to a month or two.
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| Right here is photograph from proper earlier than I began therapy & one a about seven or eight months in. You may see I am carrying the trays however they don’t seem to be overly noticeable! |
Set up
When your trays are all printed and prepared, the group at Lewis Orthodontics will set up the attachments. These are little clear or tooth coloured buttons which can be glued onto particular tooth to each maintain the trays in place and act has handles to control how the tooth will transfer all through the therapy course of. It differs from individual to individual as to what number of attachments you want and what tooth they go on. After the entire attachments are glued on, Dr. Lewis will put your first tray in and can make certain it matches accurately. From then on, it is as much as you to put on your tray as a lot as attainable and change it out each week to progress ahead in your therapy.
Dr. Lewis instructed me to put on my trays 24/7 until consuming, brushing or cleansing the trays (I soaked them for about 20 minutes each morning whereas I ate breakfast and drank espresso). You’re allowed to drink water with them in, however consuming is a giant no-no. Do not inform Dr. Lewis however I did sometimes drink iced espresso, alcohol or Weight loss program Coke with my trays in (you are not alleged to, oops), I simply made positive to swish with water and/or brush afterwards.
Verify Ups & Re-Scans
Each eight weeks or so, it is time for a verify up with Dr. Lewis! These appointments are fast and painless, they simply be certain that your tooth are transferring in response to plan. If they don’t seem to be, changes may be made on the fly. After you end your first spherical of trays, they may re-scan you (if wanted) to print extra trays (whereas ready for brand new trays, you proceed to put on your final tray). You’ll repeat this course of as many occasions as obligatory till your smile is ideal!
Attachment Removing
When your therapy is full, the attachments may be eliminated! PRAISE! To take away them, the employees mainly simply information them down with an electrical instrument (kind of like what they use for fillings) till they attain your tooth. It’s fairly painless….dusty and noisy, however painless. Then, they take extra x-rays and photos for earlier than and afters. They’ll scan you one final time to create a retainer tray that you just put on 8 hours a day (aka solely whereas sleeping) to maintain your tooth in place transferring ahead. To rejoice, you get to choose your favourite sweet (or an alcoholic beverage in the event you’re an grownup)…..I in fact selected Bitter Patch Children and ate the whole cup in 24 hours.
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| Have a look at this earlier than and after! Wowza! |
Wanting again, the clear aligner expertise was rather a lot simpler than I anticipated. I acquired used to carrying my trays fairly shortly. At first, it actually damage to place the trays in or take them out, however the ache and general tenderness went away a number of weeks after beginning therapy and I may pop them out and in simply whereas on the go. They solely ever damage the primary evening after placing in a brand new tray, and advil would at all times assist me sleep by the ache. The trays would sometimes rub on my lips/cheeks/tongue and trigger a bit of sore, however since you modify to a brand new tray each week, the sore spots by no means lasted lengthy. Sure, I had a little bit of a lisp at first, nevertheless it went away fairly shortly!
Sporting the trays additionally actually helped me maintain my serial snacking in verify – I solely took them out if one thing was actually value it!! I at all times made positive to hold mini waterless toothbrushes with me so I may brush after consuming whereas touring for work out when out with buddies. I additionally purchased a number of plastic retainer holders off of Amazon to maintain in my purse, my kitchen, my automotive, my rest room, and many others…..that means I by no means needed to wrap my trays in a serviette and danger throwing them out by mistake! It was a bit of awkward and annoying to take the trays out in entrance of individuals at a restaurant…hey saliva!…however I at all times simply made a joke and laughed it off.
I used to be truthfully shocked at how white my tooth have been after getting the attachments eliminated. I feel that’s as a result of I swished + brushed a lot and at all times flossed at evening. I might positively recommend staying on prime of brushing (and cleansing your trays every day with Retainer Brite) as a result of I’ve seen different folks with stains and attachment marks post-treatment. Brushing additionally saved me from getting cavities for the reason that trays have been by no means sitting on soiled tooth.
General, I am SO GLAD I selected Lewis Orthodontics and OrthoSmile clear aligners! It’s clearly extra cosmetically interesting but additionally far more handy because the bodily time on the orthodontist could be very minimal since you modify the trays out your self each week versus having wires manually adjusted such as you do with braces. My therapy took 9 months complete and am so happy with my outcomes! I have been flashing my pearly whites continuous since getting my attachments off…it feels so good and appears even higher.
Have you ever ever had braces or clear aligners? If not, would you need them? Even in the event you simply have one drawback tooth like I did, I feel it’s 100% value it. I extremely suggest Lewis Orthodontics in the event you’re within the OKC metro space….schedule a free session and inform her I despatched you!
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