Re removing the Invisilign, my orthodontist’s office suggested using a crochet hook instead of the specialized tool. I went to JoAnne’s and got the smallest possible hook - #2, I believe, and it worked very well.
My other life saver was a small metal nail file. I used it to smooth any rough edges every time I started a new set of aligners. There always seemed to be a few little spots that rubbed. I also used the file to smooth tiny points off the buttons when they were first attached - a couple of them were irritating my gums when eating. I could have kept running into the office but I needed immediate relief.
Another hint from my orthodontist office was to use hydrogen peroxide to soak them when off. They didn’t mention that until AFTER the 3 years, and I was on maintenance retainers (instead of permanent wire retainers). Works great. Wish I knew that sooner.
Little S just had first follow-up appt. He’s doing great! He’s on tray 8, and doesn’t have to come back till tray 20. At that point he may be done! It depends on if he has too much spacing or not. Either way, he’s fine with it. He likes these much more than regular braces. Alot of his friends have the Damon style and he says they seem like much more of a pain. He’s not restricted at all by what he eats and his mouth is alot less cut up. And it takes alot less time!!
I’m planning on S19 getting his wisdom teeth out after xmas and then getting him in to see Little S’s Ortho as soon as he’s healed. Little’s S’s mouth was much more of a disaster than S19’s and it was so QUICK to get it fixed! S19 will be home for spring smester so I would bet he’d be done before he went back to college in the fall.
We were originally quoted 12 months with the caveat that there could be up to a 6 month pause if his 12 yr old molars interfered. Now they are saying he could be finished at 20 weeks. At that point his teeth will be straight, but they may be widely spaced. He may or may not have to finish the rest of the trays for “over correction”.