How I Decided on Invisalign

In February 2017, I went to the dentist for a routine checkup and cleaning. The hygienist mentioned Invisalign as an option to correct the crowding I have in my front lower teeth. She said she had recently completed her own Invisalign treatment and was really happy with both the process and the results. I asked some questions and told her I would think about it. I also talked to the receptionist about it - she was still going through her invisalign treatment and spoke very highly of it. Prior to them discussing it with me at the dentist, I had read Keiko Lynn's blogposts about her treatment experience. I had seen the commercials. After the dentist mentioned it and I got a quote for the cost of treatment, I did some more research. Searching for invisalign on instagram yields a lot of results from all over the world! People post progress pictures all of the time! At the end of February, I decided to go for it. I made an appointment and had the 3-D imaging done. Most impressive is the planned "after" of my bottom teeth:

*Please excuse the less than professional quality of this photo. I literally took a picture of the screen in the office.* What I knew: I knew I would have to get attachments (I'll explain those later) attached to my teeth to help move them. I knew my treatment would take about a year. I knew it was going to cost me almost $5,000 (my dentist's office was running a special at the time, so I saved $1000 on my treatment). At the end of it all, I would have straight chompers, an easier time flossing because the crowded area would be gone, and possibly my TMJ issues would be improved (this would not be a guarantee, but the Invisalign will help adjust my bite, which may in turn affect my TMJ). I knew I would have to brush and floss my teeth after every time I ate. I knew I would have to carry around my little retainer case and a little bag (a purse inside my purse) for a toothbrush and other dental hygiene necessities. What I thought: I thought was going to be a little uncomfortable for a day or two. I thought it wouldn't be very noticeable. I thought I would have a slight lisp/speech impediment for a day or two. I would be able to continue to eat or drink whatever I wanted without the restrictions that come along with traditional braces. Why did I think these things? Because this is what I was told by people who experienced Invisalign. The rest of the blog is what *actually* happened with my Invisalign experience. I decided to write about this because most of the blogs I read about first-hand Invisalign experiences were written by people who had complementary Invisalign treatments. And my experience seems to be a little different than those, not as uhhhhhhh, complimentary, I suppose. By no means do I want to discourage anyone from following their dental dreams and getting straight, attractive teeth. But I feel it only fair for people to know what they might run into along the way. Again, Invisalign has not in any way paid for or sponsored my treatment. I am paying for it 100% myself. All of the thoughts and opinions about my Invisalign process are my own.