I had a rogue tooth that had went AWOL in my adult years. It had previously been fixed with metal braces during my teen years, but, as my wisdom teeth came in and perhaps the shape of my jaw changed, the tooth had slowly begun to move away.
Back when I had fixed braces, orthodontists did not tell you to wear a retainer for life. I wore mine for six months and then stopped. That was the general rule back then and, hence why, my teeth begun a natural progression outward again.
I had been wanting to get my tooth fixed for a while. Invisalign felt like a natural choice, but the price out me off. Plus, you have to pay in one lump sum. It was then that I stumbled across a package with Dental Members that allowed me to straighten my teeth with clear aligners. They also offer a payment plan for those that may not want to pay in bulk upfront.
I was impressed with the level of service. Dental Members are not DIY. They take a thorough examination of your teeth, how you bite, and do 3D impressions. They can then map, digitally, how your teeth would most likely progress with aligners. After impressions are taken, you wait a couple of weeks for your trays to come in and then visit the dentist again.
Aligners are given with strict orders- you’re to wear them 22 hours per day, taking them out for food and drink. They can harbour bacteria, so cleaning them and your teeth regularly is a must. You also have a dentist working with you- and regular appointments-to ensure that your teeth are tracking as they should.
The Packages
After sending my picture to one of the dentists, and then having scans taken, it was shown that I would need the medium package. This included trays for both the top and bottom teeth and also a scale, polish and whitening at the end.
Trays are changed every two weeks. They can feel tight at first, which doesn’t hurt, but may feel uncomfortable, and then loose towards the end of the two weeks. Each new tray will feel tighter to start with and when you eat, you may feel slight sensitivity. That’s telling you that the trays are doing their job.
I had regular check ups with Dental Members in Sydney City. I also felt that I could speak to their highly knowledgeable receptionists about my treatment too. It shows that every member of their team gets specific training on aligners. Your teeth are certainly in safe hands.
Because Dental Members don’t do risky DIY, your teeth will straighten at a natural rate. With DIY, you’re not being monitored and you won’t have the spaces between your teeth created. This is natural for your teeth to have room to actually move. At Dental Members, this is one of the first things they do pre-treatment. They also check for cavities and any other issues that could be exacerbated by aligners.
The Results
It is hard to see the changes in yourself from week to week, but others certainly noticed. It was only when, half way through treatment, that I saw the big changes. Teeth move so gradually. My treatment took almost seven months. I also had fixed braces as a teen for 6-7 months, so the timing is similar. However, your mileage may vary. We can only predict teeth moving, but we cannot know for sure how they will move and how fast. For this reason, some people need longer or more trays.
Post treatment, Dr. Jane polished and filed my teeth. I had a bike accident when I was younger and fell over the handle bars going down an embankment. My two front teeth had been chipped. Although a previous dentist had filed them, Dr. Jane wanted to perfect this and make them cleaner and straighter. I also was given some teeth whitening so I could control the level of whitening I wanted. I certainly didn’t want to go all Ross Gellar from Friends with it.
I’m pleased to say that my teeth are much straighter, more polished and whiter. I can smile with ease and I am more confident laughing and smiling in photos. The team at Dental Members are certainly worth it.
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