I had my braces removed not too long ago (and by “not too long ago” I mean the memory is still fresh in my mind, lol!), and for me braces were a long drawn out process. I had the standard braces with wire and metal brackets, and now I wear a part-time retainer. I initially had braces to correct an overbite, as well as crooked teeth, and a space between my two front teeth. As a teen my main concern was completely cosmetic – I absolutely was willing to endure any horror or pain just to have straight teeth. I had no idea the world of good that having straight teeth would do for me.
I can honestly say being able to be completely comfortable and happy with my teeth has made a world of difference in terms of my confidence and comfort in various public settings – plus, my teeth and gums have never been healthier since I’ve had my teeth straightened and braces removed. I am really so pleased with the way my teeth have turned out – but my road to straight teeth wasn’t always smooth. I remember the stress of having to thread floss through my braces, stress of constant maintenance the anxiety of not always knowing if I had food stuck in my teeth, and how the metal brackets irritated my gums.:
I would endure these setbacks again in a heartbeat for the set of chompers I have today, but if I could do anything differently I would’ve certainly considered using Invisalign. Invisalign is the clear alternative to the wire and bracket braces that I had. And unlike my braces, with Invisalign you don’t have any food restrictions (woo hoo! that means you can eat gum!), and nobody can tell you’re wearing them! As a girl who had to walk around college with a metal mouth I can’t tell you how many times I wished my braces were invisible!
Invisalign braces look a lot like the retainers I wear now
I know my orthodontist is Invisalign certified- not all doctors are, see if your dentist or orthodontist is certified by using the Invisalign Doctor Locator here. I know Shawn (my ‘lil bro) is considering getting Invisalign, so we’ll see- he took the Invisalign Smile Assessment Test, it was pretty interesting to determine his primary dental condition and alter the model. It’s definitely worth checking out if you’re interested in Invisalign too.
First impressions really are everything. For me, having straight teeth was extremely important.
I have to admit, the thing I love most about Invisalign is that you can actually see results in as little as 90 days of starting the process. I had to wait four years to finally see the how my teeth had really turned out – and I didn’t even see them then, I had to wait until my gums (which were irritated from the metal brackets) had returned to a normal healthy state. I really can’t believe what technology and science has done for orthodontry – but if Invisalign is the future of braces (which it’s shaping up to be) then kids like Shawn won’t ever have to go through the horrific rite of passage that once meant headgear (so I’ve heard), metal wires and brackets (so I’ve had) – which I think is pretty great!
To learn more about Invisalign check out the links below:
Invisalign Homepage: http://shout.lt/gmt1
Invisalign Smile Assessment: http://shout.lt/gmtQ
Invisalign Doctor Locator: http://shout.lt/gmt5
I’ve been seriously considering Invasalign. It looks like I could deal with Invasalign since you can take them out to eat if you want and they won’t look as bad as metal braces.
Do they make Invisalign for kids/younger teens? My poor daughter needs braces and I would rather go this route.
This is wonderful! Too bad they didn’t have this when I needed braces!
This is looking really fantastic. I haven’t seen anyone wearing these kind of braces. Once I had wire braces. Those were recommended by a dentist in Dublin. I had a six months braces treatment, after six months my teeth came in a regular line and my oral appearance got improved a lot. I have a good experience of braces too.