A few months ago I shared about why I decided to get Invisalign. It was a decision that weighed on my mind for a couple years before finally deciding to give it a go. Since I had braces as a child, my teeth were pretty much perfectly straight (for over 15 years). I wore my retainers for the first 10 years of that but had no clue that I really needed to continue to wear them indefinitely. My teeth gradually shifted – but nothing major. Then pregnancy happened. And then it happened again. I am certain that pregnancy hormones made my teeth move even more (or at least the timing coincides perfectly!) My teeth were no longer straight and it was really starting to bother me.
My bottom teeth had moved so much that one tooth was causing me some problems and my top teeth bothered me cosmetically. After looking into Invisalign at Madison Smile Solutions I knew right away that the time was now. So here I am… 5 months under my belt and my teeth have already moved SO much!! I am so excited to watch them get back to where I want them to be!
Before I got started I had four concerns… those have all been alleviated!
Concern #1: How could I possibly wear these for 22+ hours a day when I like to eat… aka graze all day long?!
Surprisingly, this has NOT been a problem whatsoever! In fact I don’t even like to have them out. Obviously I need to take them out to eat, but aside from that I keep them in. In a weird way it has actually helped me be better about eating meals instead of snacking constantly (so that is just an added bonus!)
Concern #2: Won’t this hurt? Like a lot??
The pain factor (or lack thereof) has also been a pleasant surprise. I really have very little discomfort. My very first set of trays left my mouth feeling pretty sore, but since then it’s been minimal. I’m a little bit strange in the sense that I almost like to feel discomfort so I know it’s working, but since I can clearly see that my teeth are moving I find the lack of pain an added bonus!
Concern #3: Will people notice them in my mouth? How will they look on me?
My guess is that many people have this concern. I notice them because I KNOW they are there. My friends and family notice them because they, too, know they are there. But many people are surprised when I tell them they are in and some people say they can’t see them at all. Regardless, I am okay with people knowing that I am having orthodontic work done!
Concern #4: COST
This was a big deterrent for my husband since he wasn’t sure I NEEDED Invisalign and especially for the cost. However, there are ways to reduce the overall cost. One way is to pay in full if you are able. Another way is to use your flex spending account (if you have one) and that saves you from paying tax on the money you are spending on orthodontics. Payment plans are also an option. I had decided that it is worth it because I am only 32 and this means I will have straight teeth for the rest of my life and if you break down the cost by years of my life (that I hopefully have left!), the cost becomes pretty minimal.
I am truly thankful that I took this leap and that in less than a year my teeth are going to be back to how they were in high school and college. I know that my kids will likely need braces someday… chances are pretty favorable that I will have THREE kids in braces at the same time. So I am really glad that I am doing this for myself NOW. And I promise to never ever get rid of my retainers again!
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If you are considering Invisalign I highly recommend checking out Madison Smile Solutions. They are friendly, knowledgeable and never keep me waiting. Not only that but I have taken my toddler with me a couple times and they make it fun for her (markers, lollipops, PBS Kids… need I say more!)
Call 608.227.7000 to book a free consultation.
Thanks for your post. I have had some of your concerns about invisalign. I am scared that they are going to hurt and that I will be constantly taking them out to snack. It is nice to know that at least my pain fear is unfounded. However, I guess only time will tell if I will continue to snack.