Heading towards the Invisalign finish line
I am partnering with the Invisalign® brand, but all opinions expressed are my own. Full disclosure.
It’s hard to believe that just a couple of weeks ago, I received my LAST set of Invisalign® clear aligners, and I should be done in February.
(After that point, I’ll receive my retainers and will transition to only wearing them at night, instead of the 22 hours a day.)
Since early spring Invisalign clear aligners has been a big part of my everyday life and has become such a habit. It’s strange to think that I’m almost done and I won’t have to wear them anymore. For the first time ever, in a fraction of the time that I had traditional metal braces, I’m going to have straight teeth.
When I went into the office, my orthodontist (who is awesome, btw), asked how I was doing with the clear aligners. I’ve been diligent about wearing them the 22 hours a day -only taking them out to eat, drink something hot/colored, and brush- and I told him I’d been slacking a bit with the rubber bands.
“Why haven’t you been wearing them?”
“I had a baby two weeks ago, and I just haven’t felt like it.”
He forgave me for that one (haha), and I’ve gotten back on the rubber band wagon. I’ll only have to wear the rubber bands until set #18 -I’m on 14 right now- and then my bite should be good to go.
Some of the things I’ve noticed during my treatment journey:
-It feels great to brush and floss more often. I used to do it 2x a day, but since wearing the clear aligners, I like to keep my teeth super clean, I now brush more often. This is a good habit that will likely stick with me.
-As an adult, with a busy schedule, I was really thankful that I only had a few orthodontist appointments. Instead of the constant visits when I was younger, often to make adjustments, change the wires, etc., I’ve only needed to go a few times to get checked and receive my new trays. It was nice to not feel bombarded with constant appointments. When I go, it’s quick and easy. No picking, prodding, wiring, or drawn out appointments.
-A couple of front bottom teeth are loose, which freaked me out at first. It was good to learn that this is totally normal as the teeth shift, and everything can settle into place.
-SO many people are curious about Invisalign clear aligners. No one seems to notice the trays from afar, but I’m often asked about how I like my treatment. I’m always excited to share the word with how convenient they’ve been. They’re inconspicuous, I can take them out to eat, and they work well, and quickly. For a long time, I didn’t think I’d be a candidate for Invisalign clear aligners because of my overbite/crossbite situation. The technology has become so advanced that they’re able to treat more difficult cases, so it’s definitely worth getting a consultation if it’s something you’ve considered. Click here to find a doctor near you.
-I’m going to do what I need to do to maintain my results, whether it’s through a permanent retainer, or continuing to wear my refinement trays after my treatment is over. I’m already so happy with the results, and I can’t wait to see what the final outcome looks like.
Xoxo
Gina
To learn more about treatment, check it out here!
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I finished my Invisalign treatment about two years ago. Mine was pretty basic…no rubber bands and only 18 trays….but I’ve maintained my results just by wearing the aligners at night. (I feel like this also helps my teeth-grinding, which I tend to do when I get anxious about something. So that’s an added plus!) Invisalign definitely made me even more obsessive about flossing, but that’s not a bad thing! So glad you’re having a good experience too!
so happy to hear you had a good experience, too! i’m determined to keep up with the aligners when i’m finished so my feet don’t shift again
Your feet??? LOL! 🙂
Derp. Those too. Haha
Wonderful to hear! Though my mum is a dentist and she says be careful brushing your teeth more than twice a day, you can scrub the enamel off by doing that .
My dream, after I’m not paying daycare tuition anymore, is to get Invisalign! I’ve had braces twice growing up and my bottom teeth just never set right. They bother me daily and I’d love to straighten them up someday.
I started Invisalign around the same time as you – I did an Express 10 case, so I only had ten aligners, but SO MANY buttons. Seriously, like 21 and a bunch on my front teeth. Thankfully, I only had to have the buttons for ten aligners, but my teeth still weren’t perfect so I got a set of revisions – it ended up being seven trays, since we didn’t have the buttons to speed things up. And during THAT set, a weird gap opened up that the orthodontist didn’t like, so I’m doing a second set of four refining aligners. I only have one left, and I cannot wait to be DONE!
I am waffling between keeping up with the aligners at night or getting a permanent retainer. I’d love to hear your thoughts and what you end up doing!
ahhh i bet you’re ready!
i’m not sure yet. i’d rather do the aligners at night but i’m worried about my overbite coming back
If you’re open to it, I would recommend the permanent retainer! It seems weird, but it’s SO nice to not have to worry about your teeth at all. The unfortunate truth of the matter is that teeth will always shift to some degree, no matter what, so the permanent retainer keeps things almost perfect. I did both traditional braces as a kid, AND invisalign in college, and my teeth shifted back both times. The only time they haven’t moved was when I was in a permanent retainer. Just something to consider!
can you really have it in forever? i just wonder about cleaning behind the wire! otherwise, i’m sold 🙂 xo
I’ve had a permanent retainer behind my lower teeth since I got my braces off — at 14. I’m 26 now. I have never even had it checked by an ortho since (the dentist just cleans around it and checks it during my check ups). It’s super easy to floss between once you learn how and I love never thinking about it. My mom had to get braces at 60 on her lower teeth because they had crossed back so badly — I’m not letting mine do that!
I met with my ortho last week, and we decided to go with the Invisalign-style retainers for now. She says she sees a lot of nasty permanent retainers, because they can be hard to clean, and they do eventually have to be redone. They also allow for more shifting.
I clench my teeth, and I’ve given myself TMJ disorder from doing it. 😐 That’s another reason she thought I’d prefer this type of retainer.
She did say, though, that she would be happy to put permanent retainers in if I decided I didn’t like the ones I am getting! (I get them in next week).