So, although you probably could not tell from my pictures, I’ve been wearing Invisalign for the last ten weeks. Yesterday was supposed to be my last day with them, but obviously my orthodontist office is closed due to COVID-19. The brackets on my teeth are not super visible and I’m definitely used to them, but I am so looking forward to them opening again so I can get them off. 🙂
Why Invisalign? Well, I had one tooth in particular that did not stay in the right place. I had braces as a kid, but if this tooth continued to move it would eventually shift other teeth as well. I wanted to correct the problem before it got out of hand. My orthodontist offered an amazing price, so I really just could not say no! I go to a great orthodontist who I’ve been going to since I was a kid and I honestly wouldn’t trust anyone else. He assured me it would be a quick and easy process.
You can particularly tell in this picture. In the past, I probably wouldn’t have posted it! But, I realize, it’s not bad at all. I also feel good about it because I ultimately did something for me and the process has 100% been worth it. (Zip up is L.L. Bean.)
When I first got them put on, I was super upset. I didn’t quite understand ahead of time that the brackets would be different sizes, and there’s one near the tooth that needs to be moved that I find particularly noticeable when I look in the mirror. I was starting a new job and I was so scared that I wouldn’t look like myself or talk like I normally do. In the end, my speech wasn’t affected at all and both my friends and co-workers didn’t even notice until I told them. Overall, I would say they are really easy and I find them to be comfortable. Plus, I’m happy with the results!
Downsides? The process of brushing your teeth each time and taking them out while I eat has been, well, annoying. I’ve been told you can drink coffee with them in, but I’ve also heard horror stories about terrible staining in the process. So, unless I’m drinking water, they come out. It’s not my favorite process and made it a bit tough when I went out with friends or at work. Teaching doesn’t have a ton of flexibility to go to the bathroom whenever you need to, so I had a small window for this process. But, I made it work! And, truthfully, it was so worth it!
I had been planning on doing a big reveal for the end of the Invisalign process here on the blog – so this little update is a *soon* post! Overall, I’m so happy with how my teeth have shifted. It’s a small difference, but huge for me. It’s also way more noticeable than even I thought it would be! I’m so happy I did it.
Have you had Invisalign? Did you feel the same about the process?