It has been one full year that I have had Invisalign. And there have been a lot of changes. To show you my progress, here is a photo of my mouth in week 1 and today, week 52, while wearing my trays.
Quite the difference, eh? It is amazing how much they have moved. You don’t really notice it until looking at these two pictures side by side. I still have a ways to go (along with getting veneers for my two front teeth when I am done) but it has been a crazy realization of how far I have come.
Here are a few things I’ve learned in a year of wearing Invisalign.
- Ibuprofen is your friend. New trays hurt. Every time you switch out your trays you are moving your teeth again. A little ibuprofen makes a world of difference.
- Nail files are also your friend. Invisalign is a hard plastic. Sometimes the edges of new trays are sharp. After a day of talking on conference calls, my tongue and gums are often ripped up from a new tray with sharp edges. A little light filing with a nail file helps them not cut into the sides of my mouth.
- I don’t have to drink solely water. They tell you to only drink water with your trays in because it will stain. While you can’t have hot beverages, because they’ll warp the trays, other drinks are not solely off limits. I’ve learned that I can drink beer with my trays in, as long as it is light colored. I can also drink iced coffee/tea with straw so long as I am not keeping the drink in my mouth and swishing it around.
- Red anything is off limits. Those WILL stain your trays. No red drinks, no tomato sauce, nothing. Red is the enemy while having your trays in. It’s a shame because red IS my favorite flavor.
- The Invisalign diet is a myth. True, I can’t snack like I used to because taking my trays out isn’t always worth it. Instead, I eat 10x as much during meals so I am not tempted to snack. No weight lost because of Invisalign.
- Soak them like it is your job. They don’t tell you to do this but I have found it makes a huge difference. Every time I take them out to eat, I soak them in water. In the morning, I soak them in equal parts water and Listerine. I didn’t do this when I first started and the smell was like a death sentence. You’ll thank me later.
- Your romantic life doesn’t end. Dozens of blogs warned about not being able to make out with your partner because of the trays. It doesn’t matter. Maybe if you are in a new relationship it would be harder but my wife loves me no matter what. Marriage allows you to look past things that others may not be able to.
- Enjoy your new lisp. I had a lisp when I first got the trays but then my mouth adjusted. Now, I have a lisp when I take them out. It is very difficult to talk without a lisp when the trays are out as my mouth is so used to having the trays in.
- Singing is not a problem. I was worried, being a singer in a rock band, that I’d have a hard time adjusting to singing while the trays were in. There was a slight adjustment period while I got used to my new bite but now it is better than ever. In fact, it has improved since as my teeth are moving, my palate is expanding.
- It’s now the new normal. I’ve had them in so long (20-22 hours a day for one full year) that it is more strange when they aren’t in. I miss random hot coffee breaks in the afternoon and the feeling of running my tongue over my teeth but it is a small price to pay for the end result.
Already, I am able to smile in photos and it looks like my teeth are straight. Sometimes unrecognizable to me. It took me so long to break down and get braces but I am so glad that I did. They are worth every penny, every wince of pain. The confidence boost I get from not having to hide my teeth is priceless.
If you are on Long Island and interested in getting Invisalign-check out CoolSmiles in Medford or Port Jeff. They have been AMAZING at guiding me on this journey and I am so grateful for their care and attention.
Mixtape Musings 