I’m beginning to feel that my Invisalign braces and I are a bit like an old married couple. We muddle along through life quite happily with each other, they irritate me every now and then, but generally I just ignore them and they don’t bother me too much. The only problem is that I probably neglect them a little these days, and don’t shower them with attention as I did in those first few heady weeks.
At the beginning of this experience I used to read on the various Invisalign forums of people who didn’t brush their teeth after meals, sometimes left their braces out for a whole evening and generally didn’t follow their orthodontists advice. I would post my self righteous responses, recommending they wear them more, brush and floss more, generally be more diligent in their care of their teeth. Then one day last week I realised that I was now one of those people. How the mighty are fallen!
The analogy of the old relationship is true. I didn’t mean to, and I’m not even sure exactly when it started but I can feel myself sliding into bad habits. So this week, starting tomorrow (when else!) will be braces boot camp. No more lingering over long coffees. No more taking them out for breakfast and not putting them back in before I leave the house an hour later for the school run. I need to get this relationship back on track before it goes rotten. Before my teeth are filled with cavities and my aligners are filled with air where my teeth haven’t moved where they were supposed to.
Despite my lax attitude over the last week or so the impact on my teeth as far as I can tell has been minimal as you can hopefully see from the Invisalign pictures below. I did find the first time I went to insert the bottom aligner that it was almost impossible- in fact I took it out to check the numbering because it was so difficult. Once in however, they felt tight for a few minutes but then were completely comfortable. They weren’t even difficult to remove (although they were a little difficult to insert for the whole first 2 days) Now though, just about a week in, they are as comfortable as an old, much loved pair of trainers.
I have posted Invisalign pictures below so that you can see the progress from my first to seventh set of aligners. The visible changes are still very minor, although I can probably see them more easily in my mouth. The relationship between my top front teeth and my incisors next to them shows the most change. Also, although you can’t see it in the pictures a gap is starting to open up that my crazy bottom tooth can move into.
The other great event this week has been the much longed for arrival of my mother in law. All I can say is that she has done an admirable job of restraining herself- not a word has been said about my braces, and it must have been so very tempting for her! My father in law, however, took me aside 2 minutes after his arrival and asked me whether I had “new teeth” So much for the invisibility that we all pay so much for! He was probably the only person I know that would be forthright enough to actually ask, so I suppose they must really be fairly visible, at least to people that already know you and how your teeth look.
Still, even if people I know can tell the difference I still think the Invisalignare worth it. I would rather have less visible braces now and my teeth slightly less perfect later, than have metal braces now and have perfect teeth. Isn’t vanity a funny old thing?
Invisalign Braces Pictures Sets 1-7
Invisalign Braces set 1
Apologies for the lack of focus.
I can’t see any difference from the first picture and the second. Did it really work that good? And isn’t it **** expensive?! :S
>Hi there,
No I haven't at all, in fact if anything the opposite. I sometimes think my face looks a little rounder these days. But that may just be the cake!
Thanks for reading!
>do you notice any difference in your face shape i read that if you have a small chin and a slim face that invisalign can give you hollow cheeks'
>Not to be redundant but WOW! I can really see a difference just in those 7 aligners! You go girl!!! I love the way you write, quite comical.
>Hi! I’m also from Brisbane and considering getting invisalign braces. I had wire braces put on TWICE as a teen but neglected to wear a plate (I really wish I could go back in time and slap my 17 year old self) AND my wisdom teeth came down (I was told I’d have room for them, but apparently not) so my teeth have gone fug. So I’m starting again from scratch. New dentist, new orthodontist. I’m so glad this blog exists so I can not feel so alone in the process! None of my friends have even heard of invisalign so it’s hard for me to get opinions initially. I shall bookmark ya 🙂
>I have to say, your blog has been incredibly helpful. I have been following along while I made the decision to go with invisalign or not. I finally took the plunge and on Thursday, April 9th, my first tray was inserted. I have brushed and flossed my teeth for what probably feels like 1000 times since then. I’m having trouble with the feeling of all this stuff in my mouth and luckily, not a lot of soreness. I’m in for a total of 15 trays on the top and 14 on the bottom. I’ve had the ‘what was I thinking’ thoughts over the past few days and wondering if I’m going to make it through. I’m moved by the lure of beautiful straight teeth so hopefully, I’ll tough it out. In the meantime, I love your blog and thank you for all the great information and especially, the pictures. (Terry, Toronto Canada)
>Love your blog!
I have some friends that are REALLY forthright, I know they would blurt out “what the f is up with your mouth” if they saw the aligners. So I kinda tested the invisibility factor by not telling them straight away and see what they said. One of them noticed, two didn’t. So they can be seen (obviously), but I think most people don’t notice it!
Even my friends that know about it keep offering me chewing gum and stuff all the time, they forget I have them in since they can’t see them.
I’ve also been asked if I’ve whitened my teeth and stuff like that, some people seem to notice that something is up but they don’t know what. Nobody has heard of invisalign here in norway, I think that helps!
I agree that it beats metal braces even if they’re not all that invisible:)
>I can see differences too. Wow, Im so excited and only half way through my 3rd set.
Your blog is great to read by the way! 😀
Kezzakattami
>Wow, I can really see the difference! Your tops and bottoms are really beginning to line up better. Good luck with braces boot camp!