Okay, I am not sure why it took me so long to coherently get my thoughts into words on this one, but here it is. Please note: I am not a dental professional of any sort. This is solely my opinion and experience with Invisalign since I just finished my treatment plan.
Last year we all had one main thing in common: we were mostly stuck at home. Some people tackled home improvement projects. Some people cooked for the first time in their lives. Some people watched the entire Netflix catalog. We all figured out what Zoom was. Leave it to me to decide a week before Covid hit to embark on getting Invisalign. Side note for anyone who doesn’t already know: Invisalign is an alternative to traditional braces in the form of clear aligners (trays) that can be taken in and out of your mouth. I realized that whenever someone found out that I had them, a lot of questions would immediately follow- so I decided to write a blog post about it to answer the most common questions I get.
Obviously my dentist and I had no idea what was about to happen with the pandemic otherwise I probably wouldn’t have started when I did. Although looking back on it now, it wound up being the absolute best time for me to begin the process. Back when my dentist first suggested I try Invisalign, I immediately brushed it off. I already had braces for years as a kid and the thought of having any kind of orthodontia again, especially having to pay for it, was a hard pass for me. I pushed aside the recommendation literally for 2 full years before I started to think twice.
I was done with my original set of braces by the time I was fifteen and let me tell you, I couldn’t wait to get them taken off. I was sick of the orthodontist visits monthly, the irritation of all the metal in my mouth, and never being able to eat Milk Duds at the movies. After they were taken off I got a “permanent” wire put behind my front bottom teeth (this is pretty standard after braces) and a retainer was made for me to wear on the top while sleeping every night. The thing was, no one told me that retainers are intended to be worn for life… otherwise your teeth can and will shift again in the future.
Let’s just say after a couple years that retainer got lost and never found its way back into my mouth ever again. I even wound up having that wire removed from behind my bottom teeth because it wound up causing irritation in my mouth. Even after about five years of braces my bottom teeth never completely straightened out and I was just over caring about it. By the time I was done with high school, I never wanted to hear the word orthodontist ever again and I just prayed that I never got any cavities or wisdom teeth to deal with.
Somewhere in 2019 after I had been living in New York City for a couple of years, I started to notice my smile was changing. My teeth had definitely shifted and it had become visible. Once I realized I was becoming self conscious and actually trying to smile differently in photos, I knew it was time to talk to my dentist.
I genuinely believed that getting Invisalign would be purely for vanity reasons which I just could not justify spending the money on. My dentist did an amazing job of explaining all the benefits outside of just looks, but I was still hesitant. It wasn’t until over a year of being truly unhappy with my smile along with having multiple other problems that I got serious about investing in the process. I am so grateful for my dentist being so informative yet not pushy with information. She made me feel comfortable versus scaring me into it. Finally when I went for my regular cleaning in February 2020, I decided to talk to her and officially embark on my Invisalign journey.
Fast forward to now, May 2021 and I am so happy to say that I have completed my treatment plan and have made it to the retainer stage! I would have completed the process much sooner but I got delayed (due to Covid and moving). At first I was going to explain exactly how the Invisalign process works from start to finish, but since I am not anywhere near a dental professional I figured it would make much more sense for anyone reading this to check out the Invisalin website directly for all technical info and questions. To try to limit rambling even more, I broke it down below.
How much does Invisalign cost?
I am going to get this one out of the way because I know it’s usually the one thing people are wondering- which is understandable considering it is a large part of the decision making process. The cost will vary depending on the treatment plan needed, but an investment regardless. Just like traditional braces, Invisalign will cost a few thousand dollars (which will cover the entire treatment process and retainers afterwards). My dental insurance did not cover it at all (my plan only covers orthodontia for children) so I had a monthly payment plan set up in the beginning.
How long does the process take?
This also varies by person and their specific situation. In my individual case, I was given a treatment plan of 33 aligner sets. Time wise, this worked out to about 9 months as typically each set of trays is changed every week or two (depending on where you are in the process). Then usually you see your dentist once every 3-4 weeks just to check progress and that there are no issues. I started in March of 2020 and I should have been done theoretically by the end of the year, but Covid wound up causing delays. The number of aligner sets will depend per person (think of it as the more your teeth need to move the more sets will be needed). Once you complete your initial treatment plan, then you graduate to retainers.
How long do you have to wear the aligners each day?
The general rule for Invisalign is that they should be in your mouth unless you are eating or brushing your teeth (which is at minimum 20 hours a day). Leaving them out longer during the day on a consistent basis will slow down progress during your treatment plan. Once you finish the treatment plan you will have a set of retainers which you wind up wearing overnight. If you don’t wear your retainers then you should expect your teeth to shift once again in the future.
Is it worth it?
I didn’t realize until I had Invisalign how many people would actually be curious about it. It never occurred to me that many adults might be unhappy with their smile. The one thing I have consistently told every single person who is considering it for themselves is that it is a big commitment and investment. I stress the point that besides the cost, it also would be a complete waste if you aren’t going to fully commit to the process. Literally the only time you are supposed to have them out of your mouth is when you are eating or brushing your teeth. If you know you will forget to put them in while you sleep or might leave them out for hours when you’re out on the go, you may want to think twice.
Bottom line:
Personally I am very glad I wound up getting Invisalign. While there are pros and cons (just like anything else) in the end I definitely think it was worth it. Taking away the fact that my treatment took longer than planned due to Covid and moving out of NYC, I am glad I started when I did. It actually wound up being easier for me to be home the majority of the time versus being on the go. I’ll be honest y’all, it can really be annoying having to take them out for a single bite of food. Then flossing and rinsing before putting them back in. Does it make having a quick snack difficult? Yes. Is the end result worth it to put up with temporary inconvenience for a few months? Also yes. I have been blown away by the amount of compliments I have received on my smile over the last few months (when I still wasn’t even done with treatment yet!) I believe this truly qualifies as one of those situations in life that boils down to how much you truly want it and how much you truly care. It may sound silly, but it really is a commitment and your teeth are something you will be dealing with the rest of your life. If it’s something that you never have given a fraction of thought to, then why bother? On the flip side, if your smile is something that really bugs you every single day or you are having dental problems that could potentially be improved, to me Invisalign is definitely worth the investment for the rest of your life. One last thing: I have to give a shout out to my dentist, Dr. Abernathy. She got me through various dental issues I have had over the last four years and helped me become happier with my smile than I ever anticipated would be possible. If you are looking for a dentist in NYC I truly cannot recommend her enough. Now don’t forget to floss! 😉
nicole kanz 