Guys, I have no idea where the time has gone but somehow I’m already a third of the way through my Invisalign treatment! I’ve given a few updates on Instagram and your responses are proof that teeth are a hot topic.

Those of you who’ve had Invisalign are passionate about it and those considering getting treatment have a lot of questions. So, today I’m giving you the inside scoop on my Invisalign experience so far. Plus, I’m teaming up with Bright Dental to answer some of your frequently asked questions.

PSTT – after 14 months, I just finished my Invisalign treatment and you can read all my thoughts on the entire experience here.

Invisalign 101

Looking for a picture-perfect smile? To fix an overbite? To close a gap? To reduce migraines? Invisalign could be just what the Doctor – or, in this case, Dentist – ordered!

Using a series of clear, plastic aligners custom-made for your mouth, the Invisalign system sequentially moves teeth toward their ideal position.

The process is quite simple. First, your dentist will take a 3-D scan of your mouth and photos of your teeth. He’ll create a treatment plan, delegating how and where he wants your teeth and jaws to sit. Then the team over at Invisalign will fabricate your customized aligner trays.

When the trays are ready, your dentist will affix some small attachments, or buttons, directly to your teeth. They act as an anchor for the trays and are the mechanism for moving your teeth where they need to go.

And that’s it – you’re ready to start the Invisalign process!

For optimum results, the goal is to keep your aligners on for 22 hours a day. Throughout your treatment plan, which varies in length from person to person, you’ll have regular visits with your dentist to ensure your teeth’s movements are on track.

And voila – the result is straight teeth! Which look amazing – yes – but also make for a healthier mouth, as teeth and gums are easier to clean when properly aligned.

The Backstory: Why I Got Invisalign

First things first, I have to tell you that Bright Dental is amazing. I moved over to Dr. Frank Neves about six years ago on the high recommendation of my husband and sister.

Bright Dental is such a fun, lively office with the friendliest staff and state-of-the-art equipment. And now that we’ve been there for a while, we feel like our hygienist, Michelle, really knows us. Over the last two years, she and Dr. Neves have been monitoring the impacts of my teeth grinding.

As Dr. Neves explained, “When a patient clenches and grinds, it’s because their teeth, jaw and the muscles surrounding that area aren’t where they need to be. The teeth aren’t lined up in the proper position and the muscles are trying to compensate to get them there.”

Though my teeth, aesthetically, are quite straight and look good, I have an overbite. Because of this, I grind. Hard. All night long. To the point that my gums are beginning to recede quite badly.

The solution to get my bite to where it needs to be, so my muscles can relax? You guessed it: Invisalign.

My Invisalign Experience (So Far): Is It Worth It?

Short answer: yes. Absolutely.

Full disclosure: the process has been a bit more involved than I was initially prepared for – but it’s a livable inconvenience that’s very much worth the results.

As I mentioned earlier, recommended wear time is 22 hours a day. Which makes total sense; your aligners need to be in your mouth to correct your teeth!

To have success, it’s important to stick to this… but being diligent does take some discipline.

You need to remove your Invisalign when eating or drinking anything other than water, and need to brush and floss before popping them back in again. For the most part, I spend my days with the kids and work in my home office, so my Invisalign experience hasn’t been too hard. But I can imagine that working lunches and business meetings might make the process a tad more difficult.

But, as I mentioned, the discipline is worth the results… and that’s coming from a person who is going through this process solely for the long-term health of her teeth.

I feel like if your main focus is getting aesthetically straighter teeth or stopping severe headaches or migraines caused by grinding, you’d have even more incentive!

Spillin’ the Tea: What I’m Not Loving About My Invisalign Experience

Hands down, this was my most asked question from you guys!

Call it laziness on my part, but the biggest adjustment for me has been around eating. Long story short, I’m a snack machine. All day and night long, I want to graze on food. Or leisurely drink a coffee. Or sip a glass of wine.

With Invisalign, that’s not exactly convenient (or recommended). So, for the most part, I now just have a solid breakfast, lunch, dinner and one snack.

Spillin’ the Tea: What’s Surprised Me

I was asked what I’ve learned that I hadn’t even considered before signing up for Invisalign. Here are a few: 

• How Quickly I Started Noticing Results.
  Like, my bottom four front teeth look perfectly straight right now. It’s amazing. I was honestly so surprised by how quickly I started noticing results.
• Invisalign Is Really Quite Discreet.
  I’m a content creator for a living and half the time, in photos, I don’t even remember to take my Invisalign off. They’re really quite discreet and I often forget I’m wearing them.
• I’m Now A Floss Convert.
  Hand up if you don’t floss all that often (I’m going to go ahead and assume your hand is up right now – lol).I used to floss occasionally but not religiously and, I have to say, I’m now a floss convert. When you floss every day, it’s impossible to deny the difference it makes.
• I’m Eating More Mindfully.
  And have actually lost a bit of weight. Perhaps I won’t return to ‘constant snacker’ status after this. There’s something to be said about sitting down to enjoy your food instead of mindlessly snacking all day.
• Lipstick Isn’t A Smart Idea.
  It can stick to your aligners or get trapped underneath. Not cute.

More Invisalign Questions I’ve Received
What Is Your Treatment Plan?

27 trays: the first two trays for two weeks; then one week per tray after that. Right now I’m on tray 12.

How Many Buttons Do You Have?

I have ten in total. None of them are on my incisors – just my canines and premolars, so they aren’t too visible.

Is It Painful?

I think this answer might vary a bit from person to person but in my case, not at all! I haven’t had to take a Tylenol at all.

On the days I pop in a brand new aligner tray, my teeth can be a bit sore… so I just steer clear of apples and corn on the cob until the tenderness subsides.

Have You Had Braces Before?

Nope! Aesthetically, my teeth are actually quite straight and braces were never brought up by my childhood dentist.

But as we age, our bodies change – and so do our mouths – and new issues, like grinding, can arise. That’s another reason why it’s so important to have regular dental checkups.

How Much Does Invisalign Cost?

I can’t speak to all providers but at Bright Dental, Invisalign costs $6,600. They offer flexible, interest-free financing as low as $199/month, as well as direct billing to insurance.

Consultations are free so book one to find out more!

Can Kids and Teens Get Invisalign?

Short story: yes. Long story: it depends on your child.

From aesthetics to sports, I can think of numerous reasons why teens would prefer Invisalign over traditional braces. However, the success of Invisalign is based on wearing them 22 hours a day (and removing for food and drink, followed by brushing and flossing).

Currently, Bright Dental’s youngest Invisalign patient is 11 as a child’s second adult molars must have erupted to be a candidate. For younger patients, Dr. Neves is able to insert an arch expansion appliance to give their adult teeth the space they require to grow in properly.

However, Bright Dental recommends making an appointment to chat through all the requirements to see if Invisalign is the right fit for your youngster.

What Difference Do Elastics Make to the Invisalign Experience?

I don’t have elastics myself, so turned to Bright Dental who shared that elastics are used for patients who need help with their jaw position.

Elastics are affixed to metal buttons placed on your back teeth to help move or pull your jaw forward or backward, depending on the correction you need. Elastics are most often used for patients with TMJ or headaches, or those with an underbite or end-to-end bite.

I hope you guys found this information helpful and I look forward to sharing my results when my Invisalign treatment is complete.

Thanks also to the fabulous team at Bright Dental for partnering on this post and providing me with Invisalign in exchange for some photography work and exposure here on the blog. As always, all thoughts are my own.

Xo Holly Hunka

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