10 things I wish I knew before getting Invisalign

I had Invisalign on for about a year and a half and am now finished treatment.  :)

While the ALFIE Team did an excellent job discussing with me about what to expect, these were the 10 things I wish were bolded, underlined, highlighted and emphasized with a big neon sign before I started treatment.  

Don't get me wrong - none of these things were permanent - and I love, love, love the results - I suppose it's just different being told what to expect and experiencing first-hand.

1) There will be sensitivity.  

There's no getting around this one.  Your teeth are moving because of the pressure created by the Invisalign trays.  I was skeptic at first, "Really, those plastic trays are going to shift my teeth?"

But once I had those babies on - especially on the first two days of a new set of trays, I was very, very aware of the sensitivity.

2) Sometimes, a tray will not fit properly.

This happened to me.  At first, I was a little panicky.  But it turned out that it wasn't a big deal, I called the office - we did a new digital scan and sent it off to the lab and I received new trays that did fit.  

3) Sometimes, your teeth might not be moving the way it was "supposed" to move.

Again, this was not a big deal - I had a gap that just wouldn't close properly.  Dr. Shirley checked it out and determined that the anatomy of my tooth (from the back) was preventing the closure - so the choices were - leave it as is (that wasn't going to happen to my teeth!) or shape that tooth and use more trays.  Solution 2 worked like a charm.

4) Changing to new trays at night before bed is better than changing it in the morning

I figured this one on my own - As anyone who's worn Invisalign can attest to, new trays feel tight and have lots of pressure.  If you change it during the day, you'll feel it the rest of the day before your teeth get acclimated to the pressure.  If you change it right before bed and then go to sleep, you don't feel it as intensely because you're asleep.

I thought I was a bit of a genius when I started doing this :) :) :)

5) Payment plans are available for Invisalign at ALFIE!

When I first heard of Invisalign, it sounded awesome (because I didn't want to wear the ugly traditional braces), but the price tag was a little intimidating.  When I spoke to the Alfie Team however, they informed me that they do offer monthly payment options for all braces!  That was such a relief - that I kind of wish I started sooner, so that I had more time to enjoy my smile.

6)  Don't use toothpaste on your trays

This might just be me and the toothpaste I use, but I noticed my trays became more yellow when I brushed them with toothpaste when compared to just brushing them with water.  Try it yourself and see - as I know it sounds counter-intuitive.

7)  Most people will not notice the Invisalign

When I had my attachments put on, I thought it looked sooooo obvious.  But, when it popped up in conversations, many people were surprised that I was wearing even braces...or maybe they were too polite to say so.  Yup, probably the latter category, as I now distinctly remember some kids point out my "weird teeth".  So, I suppose it's only invisalign to a certain degree? LOL

8) You might have a slight lisp in the beginning

Mine lasted about a week or so after I got them, then *for the most part*, I got used to them and spoke normally-ish.  Now and then, I'd get to a word that just didn't work with the Invisalign aligners in my mouth, and we'd all have a good laugh.

9)  Attachments can come off

But it's not a big deal, just book an appointment with doctor and have them reattached.  They're supposed to alter the pressure the trays are applying to your teeth to move them in the right direction.  How?  I'm not sure, but it's a neat idea and I really didn't want to risk having one come off, not getting it replaced and then having my teeth move weirdly.  And then having to wear a whole new set of trays to fix it.  Not that that's guaranteed to happen, but still - better safe than sorry.

10) Retainers for forever

Retainers are recommended after Invisalign treatment to keep all the teeth in place for the rest of your life.  I didn't think this was such a big deal, but some people are surprised by it.  

I don't know about you, but Invisalign was an investment for me and I have no intention of reversing any of the work we've done to make them straight.  

If you're interested in Invisalign, I would highly recommend ALFIE Dentistry - book your consultation now at (416) 226-6688.

- Written by Guest