As most of you know I recently started my Invisalign journey and I am so excited to take you all along for the ride! I’ve wanted to do Invisalign for a long time and I’m so thankful to my husband for pushing me to finally pull the trigger. Long story short, I had braces as a kid, didn’t wear my retainer diligently, and am prone to crowding. When my teeth shifted I became very self conscious about them and had been looking for a way to fix it without braces. Thankfully I’ve now started Invisalign which should correct this in a little over six months. Below I’m answering the questions you all submitted and my experience so far!

Questions and Answers about Invisalign

How painful is Invisalign?

Overall I would say that Invisalign is pretty pain free! The first day I got my trays it definitely took some getting used to but it felt like the same soreness as after a cavity. I put in a new set of trays weekly now and they are definitely tight and I feel some soreness but definitely not pain. Typically I just avoid eating super hard foods like almonds on those days but other than no pain!

How noticeable are they?

So I’m a bit undecided on this one because I feel like mine are super noticeable but I don’t notice them on other people. My dental assistant had them in during our whole appointment and I had no idea. But I feel like mine are super visible so who knows? It’s probably because it’s my teeth versus someone else’s. You will definitely notice them on yourself but I think overall most people don’t pay attention to them. I haven’t any weird questions or stares since I starting wearing mine.

Is is hard to talk with them in? Do they give you a lisp?

Your first few days your lisp will definitely be noticeable! No way to sugarcoat that! Your mouth needs to get used to them being in and just give yourself some time. That being said, give it a week or two and even you will stop noticing! Within my first hour of wearing them I was on the phone with my mom and she had no idea that I was wearing them. So again, this will be way more noticeable to you than to someone else.

How long to you have to wear them for?

Your treatment plan will be decided by your dentist so it really depends on your teeth and what you want to do. Mine are supposed to last for about 6 months which is pretty exciting to me! As far as day by day you are supposed to wear them 22 hours a day. I’ve read online that anywhere between 20-22 is good but my dentist said 22 so that’s what I’m doing. But it’s not hard to hit that! I rarely have a meal longer than 30 minutes so I’m easily under every day. But if you know you’re going to have a long dinner or something, just make sure you plan ahead!

How inconvenient are they?

I’ll be honest, they are a bit of a time suck. Every time you eat or drink something other than water you have to take them out. Then you have to brush your teeth and rinse your trays before you put them back in. Not the most fun I know. But thinking about how much my smile will change and how much I will love it is worth it to me. I’ve also noticed that I’m snacking SO much less and drinking way more water. Those are both great things for my health and it’s definitely helping me get in better habits!

I hope this answers your questions! If you have any others, leave me a comment below!