Liz. Invisalign Day 21. I woke up to more dry coughing and then hideous dry retching so out they came…..enough is enough, this cannot be right! I couldn’t face a train journey to work coughing and heaving. After the first two weeks of getting used to them this is SO frustrating.  I contacted my dentist again who is being really good and taking my concern seriously and he arranged to speak with a representative from Invisalign today. We agreed that I would not put them back in my mouth to see how my symptoms develop – from my perspective would they go? At the end of today I am still coughing and my throat is very red, and chest a little tight but the coughing has lessoned after 12 hrs with no aligners in. I googled “systemic allergy Invisalign” and was shocked to see a long list of problems people have experienced with allergies to Invisalign……….it does suggest my symptoms could well be allergic. It feels like a reaction to something very toxic.  Why on earth don’t they recommend some kind of initial allergy test!?!! My dentist spoke to someone at Invisalign at midday and passed on details of my reaction to the aligners and they are forwarding a report to their product safety advisor who will get back to him in a couple of days. They have advised my dentist that there is an option of having trays “processed differently”  – what does that mean exactly???? and why don’t they offer the option in the first place? If I can get them in the next few weeks that would be helpful. If I still react then I will have to terminate treatment with the aligners.  I am sitting here with mixed feelings, glad to have them out of my mouth but disappointed I am not moving forward on my teeth journey and worried about what I do if this is not a viable option for me. With no aligners in I assume my teeth could move again. Right now I just want to feel back to my healthy self.

Liz. Invisalign Day 20. Today was a tough day, I coughed a dry stratchy cough from dawn until dusk, and as my voice began to fail me, I decided to email my dentist with my worries. I am sure it is a reaction to either the trays or the Retainer Brite. During the afternoon it was so bad, I took out the bottom tray which gave me almost instant relief. Right now I feel disappointed and worried about the implications are. My dentist was quick to respond to my concerns and told me to stop immediately wearing the trays that had been soaked in the Retainer Brite, and rule that out straight away, and then go on to try the next set of trays. I could not get home fast enough and spend some time washing in plain water the third set before putting them in. An hour later……same problem, horrendous dry cough, and my body wants the bottom one OUT. The next 24hrs will be really important to me if I can stomach these. My dentist is going to ask about the option of Hypoallergenic trays……it appears from other blogs this may be an option. We will see. Right now I am really fed up. This is not a problem I saw coming.

Teeth Trays no 2

Liz. Invisalign Day 19. I thought that it might be helpful to show what my trays no 2 actually look like….sparkling and clean after their now daily soak “ting” The upper tray has more work to do as my arch is very narrow especially at the back and will take months to widen out, some teeth have become compressed inwards and I tend to play with one tooth with my tongue all the time. I took a nail file to the bottom tray this morning as it was horribly stratchy and wow what a difference, smoothing off the plastic meant that I no longer feel so horribly aware of the tray in my mouth, so I might go and buy a range of files of different smoothness to really take the edges off. For the price I would have hoped that the trays would not be sent out with such sharp edges. I wonder if this could be a regular requirement? I am also beginning to realise how important it is to wash hands thoroughly as taking the trays in and out could be a great way of picking up bugs, so many things to think about….