When I was younger I was lucky to have relatively straight teeth. However, as I got older my teeth started to move and ended up being quite crooked. It was something I became quite self conscious about, so I decided to explore my options for straightening my teeth. I have seen so many ads for quick and easy braces (like Smile Direct Club), so I went to my dentist to see if that was an option for me. Unfortunately, it was not because braces like Smile Direct Club are more for individuals who have had braces in the past and just needed minor fixes to their front teeth. My only options was braces or Invisalign. As I am in my late 20’s I felt a bit self conscious to have braces on. Therefore I went with Invisalign. This is my Invisalign journey complete with before and after photos!
Is Invisalign for you?
There are many pros and cons you need to weigh before embarking with Invisalign. The most important factor (aside from cost), is that you can be dedicated. It is very important you wear your Invisalign at least 22 hours a day. I’m not going to lie, it was definitely a commitment.
My Invisalign Experience
Everyone’s plan is different but for me, my treatment started May 2019 and ended January 2021. This includes the initial treatment plan, my revision round and the arrival of my retainers. The timing for my particular treatment was slightly longer due to the complications of COVID-19 and the shutdown of clinics.
You have the option of going to an orthodontist, but I felt comfortable with my dentist at 943 Dental assisting me through the process. My dentist – Dr. Christopher Hsia – has taken over the practice of my long time dentist Dr. Loh. Dr. Hsia, is personable, friendly and very professional. He made sure to familiarize himself with my case, and followed through to make sure that my teeth were tracking correctly.
The first three months of receiving my Invisalign was extremely painful. As part of the treatment, your dentist will glue ‘buttons’ to your teeth that will help hold your Invisalign in place. Unfortunately for me, I needed a lot of buttons. I’m pretty sure I broke a record for number of buttons. However, because of the number of buttons in my teeth, the inside of my mouth was pretty cut up in the beginning. It did get better as the treatment progressed.
My treatment plan was set as one new tray changed every two weeks. As the trays are made out of plastic, you can imagine that they do get stained. I find that the best way to keep my trays clean is to drop it in a cup with some Polident and giving it a quick brush after with a toothbrush.
Invisalign Before and After
Start 
Midpoint 
End
Before I started treatment I got to see some predicted scenarios of how my teeth would turn out. I don’t have a lot of picture before my treatment as I was very self conscious about my teeth. I always smiled with my lips pursed together, so I had to dig pretty deep to find some teeth showing photos!
Definitely one of the biggest problem areas for me was my two front teeth. One of them was completely slanted to one side! My bottom teeth weren’t any better as they had started to overlap.
Start 
Midpoint 
End
As my teeth shifted, there was quite a difference to my jaw as well. My protruding teeth were pushed back and as a result my face got smaller.
All in all my Invisalign process took approximately 1 year and 7 months including my refinement period. As a food blogger it was definitely a change because a lot of events last much longer than an hour, so it was definitely a juggling act trying to keep my aligners in for as long as possible.
Overall I am very pleased with the results. I am a lot more confident in my smile and I am definitely trying to make it a habit to smile with teeth more now!
