Amy's Journey

My gaps between my front teeth have always bothered me as well as my twisted canine. When I first started at Oakbank Dental Care Ailsa filled my gaps with white composite fillings that matched my teeth perfectly. Eventually these fillings either stained or chipped off so I decided that Smilelign was a safe and more permanent option to have my gaps closed and my other tooth rotated. After my consolation with Ailsa – which consisted of x-rays, impressions and photos that got sent to the lab – I was told that my goal for a gap-less mouth was achievable. I was warned at this time that my twisted canine won’t completely rotate as there wasn’t enough space behind it to fit; I was also told in detail how the process worked – even as a dental nurse this was all new to me! – And after very little consideration I signed my consent form.

I’d like to say at this point that this process requires A LOT of commitment. These trays are to be worn everyday and only removed when you eat and clean your teeth. The trays are clear so nobody can see you wearing them and to be honest after a couple of days you forget you even have them in! Every Smilelign case is different and the amount of trays you receive depends on the severity of your case so altogether I had 6 trays that got changed every 3 weeks. The trays are VERY tight when they are first fitted but after a couple of days they settle down and are easier to remove. In my case I had to have ‘attachments’ fitted to certain teeth, these attachments are white fillings that help the trays push the teeth into the desired place. I recommend NOT to eat curry or any other foods that stain teeth during the process… you can see the results of that in my video on our facebook page! The attachments are easy enough to replace if any come away and they required no drilling when fitted.

Being completely honest only 2 of my trays were very uncomfortable when they were first fitted but I personally didn’t take any painkiller which is sometimes advised. It’s more of a ‘bruised’ feeling but you have to bear in mind all your teeth are being pushed into a different position. After a couple of days the feeling lessens. During the 3 weeks of wearing the trays they will loosen, I believe some cases now will only be 2 weeks instead which I personally feel is more beneficial as by the end of week 2 they don’t feel like they are doing anything. I would say I noticed my teeth had moved by my 3rd tray so in my case the process was quick and kept me motivated.        

After the process was finished the attachments were removed and I finally had white teeth again! Final impressions were taken and send to the lab to make a fixed retainer – this is a thin metal bar that is bonded by a thin layer of composite material behind the teeth that have moved – and removable retainer to wear at night-time. My mouth got used to the fixed retainer pretty quickly and doesn’t interfere with how I bite.

It’s been a couple of months since I finished the process and I can’t stress enough how much this has changed my life, I feel more confident when I smile. You can watch my process of Smilelign on our facebook page!

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