Long time, no post

Wow - over 3 weeks without a post. Things have been so quiet that there was nothing to say.

While the time was uneventful, I was a bit lax with aligner set #10. I left them out for longer than I should have for a few days last week - one afternoon for a barbecue, one night from before dinner until bedtime, etc... I know some people feel it is OK to slack off near the end of a set of aligners, but I decided to extend my wear until yesterday, 2 days extra, so I would get enough hours for that set (supposed to be 280 to 300 hours per set).

#11 went in tightly, and my teeth are sore all over my mouth. The last few weeks were nearly discomfort-free, so I slacked off on Sensodyne as well, but I am going to use it at least twice a day for the next few days. It really does help with the discomfort.

Good checkup

Ortho checkup this morning went very well. As in the past, everything looks good; my teeth are tracking the aligners and moving nicely. The bone loss issue from my dentist seems to be a non-issue - my ortho says that (1) it would take 6 to 9 months for bone loss to result from invisalign, and (2) the panex panoramic x-ray he took looks fine - there is no evidence of bone loss.

I asked about refinements, but he said it was too early to tell. I also asked about IPR (interproximal reductions - filing small spaces between certain teeth to allow for movement), and he said that he planned the case to have no IPR, which I am glad to hear.

I was given 3 more sets of aligners, and sent on my way for another 7 weeks.

Number 9 Number 9

Breezed right through aligner set 8 and into set #9. This set went in much more easily than the last 2 sets - there was no struggle to get them in, and minimal discomfort. I do find that the trick I used to remove the lower aligner doesn't work anymore, so I had to find a new spot in the back to use a nail and remove it.

Orthodontist appointment next week. Still need to look at the bone loss issue seen by my dentist. Fingers crossed that it is nothing.

Meanwhile, I continue to see real changes in my smile and bite, though the temporary misalignment on the left side molars remains annoying.