Wednesday 17 February 2010

The Inman Aligner

So, after my successful visit to the dentist, I think I've finally found an alternative to veneers and fixed braces. I started looking up this mystery appliance and discover that it's called an Inman Aligner. http://www.inmanaligner.com
Basically, you wear it for 16-20 hours a day, it's removable, it's clear and it sounds ideal for what I want.
I found out through reading the manufacturer website and countless other websites that it's not for everyone. It will correct minimal wonkiness and overcrowding but cannot be used for severe orthodontic work. I only have a minor case so well in. I can take it out for singing, you have to take it out for eating and brushing your teeth anyway, and I can get most of the hours in a night or when I'm asleep. From what I can gather from a user forum I found (http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=26628&sid=594d39782c62091f644b15a63bd7b4a2) it's relatively painfree, quick to work, with good results. I admit to getting a little over excited in the surgery.
I made an appointment to make impressions the following week. Yes, I exhausted the joke about making an impression on the dentist!!
Week later, go for impressions *Happy Birthday Mister Dentist*. Sunny tells me that this bit is the most intrusive part of the whole process. Thank goodness! I didn't enjoy it at all.
To talk you through the process, the casts are taken by this really weird putty stuff. First of all the mould trays are tested to make sure they fit in your mouth. Top ones fine, bottom ones did not fit. Smallest set and they wouldn't go in. I revelled in the thought that my mouth was too small for a bit then Sunny jammed it in my mouth, declared "that'll do" and we moved on. Lovely dental nurse filled they tray up with this putty stuff and the trays went back in my mouth, and then forced onto my teeth to cast the right mould. Top and bottom. Took a couple of minutes to set or whatever it did. I listened and sort of "urgh"'d in agreeance while Dentist and dental nurse talked about Sunnys birthday plans. No, I didn't consider turning up!!
Removing the trays with my wonky fang teeth imprints in strange, cold putty clay stuff was fun. They have of course set now and are solid around my teeth. Pulling them away felt like my whole oral interior was going with it. I'm sure that must be how they perform teeth extraction...

So, impressions made to be sent off to be custom made for me. Appointment made for two weeks time to pick up my new appliance. Counting down the days.... I actually cannot wait!

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