Over the past few years, I noticed my teeth getting progressively more crooked. Overall, they were pretty straight, but every time I looked at myself in photos I just hated how my upper teeth looked. I noticed I started smiling less in the pictures and that made me feel sad.
So I decided to do something about it and I made the plunge and decided to try Invisalign as an adult.
My goals of treatment were just to get my teeth straight. Yes, I have an open bite but I decided not to address that because it would have been a 2 year treatment plan to fix it, and frankly, I don’t care that much.
Here’s how my progress has been going on so far… this is week 13.
BEFORE:
AFTER: (13 weeks)
I was placed on the Invisalign Express schedule – meaning I change my aligners weekly.
There are a few things I have been disappointed about.
- When they gave me 13 trays, I thought that was IT. Like I was done with treatment. Nope, it turns out I had to get rescanned and then MORE trays were ordered. 6 weeks more (for now… we will see).
- When they did the rescan, there was a delay in production of the trays due to high demand so my trays were delayed 2 whole weeks – which meant 2 more weeks of wearing these things. UGH
A few things about Invisalign that I DON’T like:
NO they are *not* invisible. People do notice them.
THERE IS NO SNACKING which is horrible to me since I prefer to eat like 4-6 smaller “meals”. The 3 meals a day deal just doesn’t work out – and in fact, I’ve lost 3 pounds unintentionally with these things. Which I suppose is a bonus, but I did not enjoy losing it.
Also, no drinking hot drinks with the aligners because you could overheat them and they can distort and lose their shape. Really you should only drink water with them in and nothing else. Sometimes I’d cheat and drink a diet coke. I always took them out for coffee (iced or hot).
You will get sick of brushing your teeth. I brush my teeth at least 3 times a day. Every time you eat, you have to brush your teeth before you put them back in. If you don’t, well your teeth are covered in food, and bacteria loves food, and then the bacteria are “locked in” with the trays and you can get cavities. THAT said, when I went to my dentist most recently my gingivitis test, you know, when they poke your gums to see if they bleed, went really well. No bleeding. Got all 2’s and 3’s. So I suppose there really is a benefit to brushing your teeth everyday.
They place little “buttons” on your teeth that are enamel colored – I was told I’d have one or two… yeah I have two on one tooth alone. The buttons give the trays something to pull/push against. I have l0. Some people get them on every tooth.
There is this thing I didn’t know would happen, I showed to an appointment one day and my teeth were “overcrowded” so they filed down like 1mm off a few teeth – um, it was the oddest feeling ever and I did not enjoy it and hope I don’t have to do it again. THAT said, my teeth are straighter now, so… winning.
THINGS I do like:
My teeth are straighter!
They are better than metal braces, I swear. I had metal braces as a kid and these are way better.
They are minimally uncomfortable when you switch trays, but NOTHING like when you’d get a new adjustment with metal braces.
Did I mention my teeth are straighter? So I’m willing to suffer with the things above, if my teeth are straighter.
But SERIOUSLY when will I be done? Cause home girl here is HONGRAY.
