Before and After My Invisalign Journey

My story starts last year when I started working with Invisalign on their Mom Advisory Board.  As part of that program, I received complementary treatment in exchange for writing about it here on Kids Activities Blog. But the story starts before then.  As a teenager, I had traditional braces.  I had headgear.  I had oral surgery.  I had spacers.  I had rubber bands. I pretty much had every orthodontic appliance known to teenage girl in the 80s. It was long, it was painful. And in the end I was thrilled with the results!  Straight teeth and no pronounced overbite.  Oh, and all my teeth fit into my mouth. My orthodontist put in a permanent retainer and off I went very happy with my smile. Fast forward 10 years.  I went to a dentist for a cleaning.  He talked me into letting him remove the retainer.  He said that it had been so long that I didn’t need it any longer. He was wrong. I have since learned that teeth never stop moving.  It was a slow move, but over time, my front teeth were crossing. Argh!

Holly before Invisalign treatment 2/19/14

I started looking into options after my 40th birthday and decided that Invisalign was the best fit for me.  Life got busy and I put it on the back-burner until I went to a conference sponsored by Invisalign.  I may have stalked their unsuspecting representatives in hopes of getting a chance to work with them. Yay! My second go-around with “braces” was very different than my first.  The whole process is a little different because there is just a ton of flexibility with Invisalign clear aligners that I didn’t have with the traditional treatment. The Invisalign clear aligners are smooth and much more comfortable to wear, but my favorite part is that I can remove them.  I remove them to eat and brush my teeth, but I also have the ability to remove them for other reasons as well.  What this did was allowed me to get my teeth straightened without interrupting my life. I was able to visit the orthodontist every few months vs. every few weeks.  It gave me control over when to change the clear trays – there were a few times I kept them in longer because it felt like my teeth hadn’t completely moved inside.  There were a few times I was able to wear a set of trays for less time because they just fit well.  Each decision was guided by my orthodontist, but it was really nice having the ability to do what was best for me. Most people I see regularly didn’t even know I had them.  The Invisalign clear aligners are clear!  If you look really closely, you will see them.  But in most aspects of life, no one noticed.  On one occasion, I was sitting and chatting with a few close friends about Invisalign because someone had asked.  We had been talking for several minutes when they said, “Are you wearing them now?” Yep. I had just assumed it was obvious that I was wearing Invisalign!  She hadn’t even noticed even though we were discussing it. The best thing about the entire journey was the results.

Holly after Invisalign treatment 4/21/15

My teeth are straighter than I expected.  And I have been given some “revision” trays that will even make a few additional adjustments. My smile is something that I am proud of! If you or your child is thinking about Invisalign, please check it out.  I can’t recommend it highly enough!  The first step is to visit with an Invisalign trained doctor in your area for more information. A huge thanks to Invisalign for being a Kids Activities Blog sponsor and letting me be a part of this adventure.  All opinions expressed are my own.