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  • 2 days ago
Join me for the latest update on my Invisalign journey! I’m currently at week 7 of my 13-week revision plan and heading back to Proud Smile Dental to see Dr. Erwin.

In this video, I address the "black triangles" appearing at my gum line by undergoing an IPR (Interproximal Reduction) procedure. I admit I was feeling quite nervous about having my teeth shaved down, but the process was quick, painless, and much easier than I expected.

I also share the transition into my week 8 aligners. While they are feeling tight, I’m thrilled with the progress I’m seeing and how much straighter my teeth are becoming. It’s a very positive step forward in my journey to a better smile!
Transcript
00:01Hi guys, welcome to week 7 of my new 13 week Invisalign plan.
00:07It was originally a 19 week plan, but I have already had one revision at about week 10.
00:14So my teeth weren't tracking as quickly as they should have been.
00:17So I had a scan and a revision.
00:19So now it's week 7 and today we are heading into Proud Smile to see my dentist
00:26because I need a procedure before I move on to the week 8 trays.
00:30And the procedure I need today is called interproximal reduction, which is basically IPR.
00:39And why I need that is because as my picket fence line of teeth are straightening and coming together,
00:47I've got some teeth that are already touching at the curved end.
00:52And so because they're already touching at the curved end, as the teeth are moving together,
00:57the curved end bit where they're already touching is basically just sort of jamming tighter and tighter together.
01:02And it results in these black triangles.
01:05So if you think of my gum line here, and my teeth are like this, and the biting end is
01:10here,
01:11the tighter these jammed together, then I'm left with these black triangles basically.
01:15So interproximal reduction or IPR is basically shading off about 0.1 to 0.5 millimetres of active teeth.
01:26So then they're going to come together a little bit straighter basically.
01:32And then I'll also have a little bit of room here to floss because at the moment,
01:36if these keep jamming together tighter and tighter, this bit here is going to have no room to put in
01:41a floss.
01:41And so I'll have more difficulty cleaning my teeth.
01:46So to say I'm anxious about it would not be an understatement.
01:51I am anxious about it.
01:53I was up at 2 o'clock in the morning thinking about it.
01:56Because even though it's not a drill, so it's not going down towards the nerve,
02:00it's still, I think the dentist is going to use a disc or a strip to basically shave away some
02:07of my tooth now.
02:08So some of the tooth and some of the enamel and you still can feel it.
02:12Like I looked up, does it hurt?
02:14And it's not meant to hurt, but you can still feel the vibration and the pressure and what have you.
02:20And obviously you can see I'm wearing my Invisalines and they just feel bulky in my mouth.
02:26So to say that I'm looking forward to this journey ending is also an understatement.
02:31But anyway, like any dental procedure you're not particularly looking forward to,
02:36the best thing to do is just go in, get it done and then it's done.
02:39So let's go.
02:52Okay, so we're here now.
02:54I'm just waiting nervously in their beautiful lounges.
02:58So tell me the way you're going with your...
02:59Yes, sick of them.
03:01Sick of them, yeah.
03:02Oh, I'm so sick of them.
03:04But good, this second lot that, you know, how I had the adjustment, they seem different.
03:09They seem a bit higher or they fit better on my teeth or something.
03:13I'm sure I'm probably imagining it, but they actually do.
03:16I was a little bit worried last week though because I warped one again.
03:20So I bit, you know, the walls that they're trying to push them back.
03:23And so I thought, oh, they're not tracking.
03:25But this one now fits fine.
03:27Yeah.
03:27And I can put them in and out.
03:29Yeah.
03:29It does feel pretty tight though.
03:30So you're on number seven a bit.
03:32Yes.
03:33Okay.
03:33And so I need that shape.
03:35Today we need to do it.
03:35Oh, no.
03:37It's quite simple actually.
03:39Is it?
03:39I'm just any movement or anything on my teeth.
03:43Yeah.
03:43No, I think it should be okay.
03:45And then I'll give you an eight, nine, ten, probably five or six months.
03:51Yes.
03:52Yeah, because it's only a week, a 13 week.
03:54But I was then asking your receptionist that if I get to week 12 or even 13 and they haven't
04:00tracked exactly as they should have, can we still ask for another adjustment?
04:05Yeah, because I'm on unlimited.
04:07Yeah, yours is on a bigger package.
04:08So we can ask as many revisions as we need.
04:11Oh, awesome.
04:11Yeah.
04:12But I think...
04:12Obviously, you're getting sick of them.
04:13But if we have to, then...
04:16I do want the good result.
04:17Yeah.
04:17I'm really happy.
04:19And they're definitely straightening.
04:21I'm sure they are.
04:21Like, I really am sure they are.
04:23Right.
04:23And what teeth are you doing?
04:25Is it these two front teeth, the top ones?
04:26No, it's the lower.
04:27It's the lower front.
04:28Oh, it's the lower.
04:30So these top ones.
04:31Because these are the bunny rabbit ones, the top ones.
04:33So they're okay, aren't they?
04:34But it's more about the bites as well.
04:36Yeah.
04:36You need to match top and bottom teeth.
04:38Oh, okay.
04:39So I'm on your lower teeth over too forward.
04:41So I'm going to try and tuck them in behind the top teeth.
04:44I can bite my lip now.
04:47I have not been able to do that for years.
04:50Like, that is a change.
04:52I really can now get my teeth closer together, these front ones.
04:56Because I have not...
04:56Oh, yeah, because you have that gap, yeah.
04:58Yeah, I have not been able to get them that close to even bite my top lip for ages.
05:02All right, let's have a look.
05:03Definitely changing.
05:04Well, there's changes there.
05:06Positive changes.
05:07But my teeth are going yellow as well.
05:09Yeah.
05:11Good job, baby.
05:13You can try...
05:14During the spirit, you can try those whitening to the face.
05:18Okay, yep.
05:19And I've got the gunk in them as well.
05:22Oh, thank you.
05:22Oh, yeah.
05:24I do wear the teeth mousse all the time.
05:29So what are you using to do the shape?
05:31Is it a disc or a strip?
05:34I think those will be a little burr.
05:37Okay.
05:38What's that?
05:39A drill?
05:39Yeah.
05:41Let's not go into too much detail.
05:43Okay, good.
05:44It's probably best if you don't know too much.
05:45Yeah, okay, good.
05:47I like if you're going to be executed.
05:49I want to say that this.
05:50Yeah, true.
05:53Okay.
05:58Okay.
06:12Yeah, they really are, aren't they?
06:13Like, I can now start telling the difference.
06:21I wish these two front teeth weren't so big, though.
06:24But the reason they're so big is they haven't worn down at all, have they?
06:27These two big ones at the front.
06:30I thought that was going to be what you were going to be shading away, the top ones.
06:34No, I mean, we can do that towards the end.
06:37Oh, yeah, can you if they're looking horrible still?
06:39Yeah, yeah.
06:40It could have been a bit of a shame.
06:43We can definitely do that.
06:44Well, they just haven't reduced at all because I haven't been chewing on them at all, have they?
06:48No.
06:50Is that the progress of them?
06:53I could see that when you...
06:54Yeah, this is where you are now.
06:56Okay.
06:56It started here.
07:00I could actually...
07:01Not long, sorry.
07:03Yeah, you started here.
07:05Oh, yeah.
07:06So it was quite narrow.
07:07Yeah.
07:08And now we are here.
07:12Oh, wow.
07:13So it's much around.
07:14Oh, it is.
07:16And so much straighter.
07:17Straighter at the front.
07:17Yeah.
07:18And usually it was more like this kind of thing.
07:21So that tooth was quite behind.
07:22Yeah.
07:24Yeah.
07:25So...
07:25And they do.
07:26They do look straighter.
07:27I can now see.
07:30I can now see.
07:43I can now see.
07:49I can now see.
07:52I can now see.
07:55All right.
07:56So let's do this.
07:57So you should be kind of pretty okay.
07:58But let me know if you...
07:59Do you have a squeeze ball?
08:02I can't get you one.
08:03Oh, can you?
08:04Yeah.
08:05That's right.
08:05I'll just pinch my leg.
08:07Don't worry.
08:08You don't have one.
08:09We do.
08:10There's someone.
08:10Oh, don't worry about it.
08:12Obviously, yeah, I'm positive.
08:13I'll be all right.
08:15Okay.
08:45I'll be all right.
09:05I'll be all right.
09:15I'll be all right.
09:23Getting your teeth cleaned is actually worse because they go closer to the gum line when
09:27you're getting your teeth cleaned.
09:29Yeah.
09:29Yeah.
09:30But that actually felt like my teeth being cleaned, basically.
09:33Yeah.
09:34You feel likely to my teeth are coming off.
09:38Let's do it right here.
10:16I'm just wondering if just before the end, we should have another look to make sure they're
10:24okay.
10:25What you can do is we can maybe do like eight, nine, ten, which is, you should do it every
10:31week.
10:31It's six weeks.
10:34Okay.
10:35Yeah.
10:35That's fine.
10:35And then we'll do the other three.
10:37Yeah.
10:38And see if they're tracking okay.
10:39Yeah.
10:39But you think they are?
10:41Yeah.
10:41The fact that the trade fits is already an indication of that.
10:45Okay.
10:45But also looking, comparing with the digital setup, it seems to be fine.
10:51Thank you very much.
10:53I really appreciate this.
10:54I have definitely no positive changes and yeah, I'm very happy about this.
10:59Yeah.
10:59Getting there.
11:00Getting there.
11:01All right.
11:02Well, thank you so much.
11:03Oh yes.
11:04I've got nine, eight in, eight, nine, ten.
11:07Yeah.
11:08Okay.
11:08And can I take this container for nine?
11:13Okay.
11:14So we're back now.
11:15So I've advanced to the week eight aligners and like all new aligners, when they're first
11:20put in, they feel really, really tight.
11:22Yeah.
11:23Like they're really pressing, putting a lot of force on a few teeth in particular, but
11:27that was really good news to see how my teeth have progressed.
11:32Like they've, basically the arch has definitely gotten wider, which was the expansion was one
11:38of my key issues.
11:38And the crookedness along that really narrow expanse has definitely gotten a lot less.
11:44Like they are looking straighter.
11:46Um, they've definitely expanded.
11:48So that was good validation to see on screen what I have been seeing in the mirror, basically.
11:54So there's definitely positive changes and the actual, now let me try to remember what
12:00it was, IPR interproximal reduction.
12:06That, I mean, it was, I was really scared before that happened, but it wasn't actually
12:11as bad as I thought.
12:12Like the sensation was like having your teeth cleaned, basically.
12:17Um, although it was even a little bit better than having your teeth cleaned because when they're
12:21cleaning your teeth, they tend to go right down to your gum line.
12:24That was just sort of at the top end of my teeth.
12:27So there was a couple of bits at the beginning where I thought, Oh no, that's really sensitive.
12:32This is actually going to feel really bad.
12:34But then that died away very quickly.
12:36And then the rest of it was just, um, yeah, it wasn't as bad as I feared.
12:42But anyway, so that's really good.
12:44So I'm on week eight of my new 13 week plan.
12:48And I have another appointment in another few weeks, just because, um, just another appointment
12:53before I reach week 13, just to make sure that my teeth are tracking in the right direction
12:58and on time.
13:00So anyway, but that was really positive.
13:02So that's done.
Comments
suvisjournalism
Creator
I’m so happy to have that IPR step behind me! It’s funny how nervous we get about dental procedures, only to find out they aren’t so bad after all. Are any of you currently on an Invisalign journey, or thinking about starting one? I’d love to hear how you’re going! 👇

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