I’ve always had busted teeth. Let me take you back to 1999 when I was in middle school, and I was taken to the orthodontist for a consultation. He told my poor parents that I would need headgear to correct my bite. HEADGEAR. In MIDDLE SCHOOL. It would also cost $4,000 in 1999 money. He was adamant that Invisalign wasn’t an option because it couldn’t rotate my teeth in the way that I needed. I cried at the thought of being the new kid at my middle school, a slurpy, metal-mouthed monster, AND a financial burden at the same time. Fast forward to the future, November 2017. We can fix my busted teeth. We have the technology. I went to Dr. Yazji's practice and was thoroughly impressed with how put together the office was compared to some other clinics in the area. Not only was the clinic nicer, but the prices were reasonable, too. They told me $350 was due that day, $350 next month, then $96 per month for 24 months after that. Bonus: I was able to get half of the cost paid for by my insurance (look into that)! They scanned my teeth with the iTero scanner that day, and the tech said Dr. Yazji would review my scans to make custom adjustments for the lab to produce. Updated on 24 Oct 2019: The first set of aligners came in January 2018. I remember thinking that I could never get used to the feeling of having the aligners in my mouth (spoiler alert: I did eventually). My tongue was crazy irritated from me compulsively running my tongue over the edges of the aligners, even after getting the edges buffed down. I bought some orthodontic wax, rolled it thin, and wedged it into the small gap between my teeth and the aligner trays. My tongue instead touched the soft wax and HOLY CRAP WHAT A RELIEF. I always kept a supply of wax on me until my permanent retainers came in around July 2019 (the retainers extend over the gums, too, so I stopped needing to wax up). After the first few trays, I had tiny, barely noticeable attachments added to my teeth. These attachments are the technological breakthrough that made busted teeth like mine treatable with Invisalign. They started off super sharp, and my poor tongue got cut up YET AGAIN. Eventually, taking the trays in/out wore them down so that they felt more like nubs than baby shark teeth growing sideways out of my actual teeth. Updated on 30 Oct 2019: Once I was done with my full treatment, I had two additional sets of refinements, and I got impressions taken in July 2019 for my permanent aligners. While the iTero scanner is used to get the Invisalign aligners made, the retainer is still made with old-fashioned goopy, gross impressions. Unfortunately, the impressions were done incorrectly, so I had to come in again to get them redone about a week later. I still wear my retainers for 22 hours a day. I’ll update my review in November when I go in for my last appointment, where I should transition to only using my retainers at night.
I've always neglected going to the dentist because of a bad experience. I found this really good dentist who said I either get 8 teeth pulled or invisalign because my teeth are really crooked. I wanted invisalign because I wanna feel better about myself. I really hate how my teeth are so this is for me! Updated on 7 Jan 2015: I've been using invisalign for 3 weeks and I can't stop smiling! My best friend can even tell I'm not self concious anymore. Updated on 14 Jan 2015: I started tray 3 today and can't believe it's a month since I started! I'm starting to feel really good about myself and I can't stop smiling! Updated on 12 Feb 2015: I can't stop smiling and I feel better about myself! I'm only 10 weeks in invisalign and it changed my self esteem. Updated on 8 Apr 2015: Okay so my bottoms look the same but my top teeth are looking really good! I feel more confident and can't wait to see the final results! More pictures coming soon! Updated on 8 Apr 2015: I hate my bottom teeth. Yuck and I hare how they look. Updated on 4 May 2015: I finally am getting the smile I've always wanted! Been recommending Invisalign to people and they want it! I feel more confident and can't believe I'm doing this! Updated on 14 Jul 2015: Okay so 32 weeks ago, I made the decision to get invisalign! I'm so happy with the results! Updated on 23 Sep 2015: I can't believe I'm 42 weeks in! I feel so much more confident and before I would hide my smile. Now, I'm not afraid. My bottoms are still crooked but I'm getting the buttons on the bottom soon to make them straight. I have straight teeth on top and it feels amazing!!!!!! Updated on 4 Nov 2015: Okay so I feel so much more confident and can't stop smiling! Updated on 18 Nov 2015: OK so I can't believe it. My top teeth are pretty straight in my bottoms are getting there. I can't stop smiling and I know it's weird but I hated my teeth before. Updated on 2 Dec 2015: I'm almost at a year with Invisalign! I can't believe it! My teeth are getting straighter and my friends see that I'm more confident. I can't stop smiling and my self confidence is over the roof! They're still kinda crooked but now it's like I'm not embarrassed anymore. Before I would fake smile and now I smile for real! I love it! Updated on 17 Dec 2015: I cannot believe it's been one year since I got Invisalign!!!!!!! My self esteem has risen and I can't stop smiling! I get complimented a lot and it feels good! Before I would hide my smile but now it's like I'm proud to show them off! If anyone doesn't think it'll work it does! My teeth were bad before and almost straight now!!!! I recommend it to anyone and it has seriously changed my life forever. I still have a lot more to go but so far I feel really confident and i'm not afraid to show it off anymore. A lot of people ask me what changed and I tell them invisalign has seriously changed my life. Updated on 4 Feb 2016: I can't believe it! I'm almost done!!!!!!!! My teeth are almost straight and loving it!!!!! I had an orthodontist appointment last week and she said I could be done in 4 months!!!!!!!!!! I'm so happy!!!!!!!!!! Updated on 4 Feb 2016: So I have 9 more sets to go and so incredibly happy! People ask me all the time why am I so happy and confident and I tell them Invisalign and they want it! I've had like 6 people ask me if they qualify! Updated on 3 Mar 2016: hey everyone! Sorry I haven't updated in a few days. Been battling a cold so now I'm feeling better. I'm on aligner 34 and so excited to show off the new smile! My top teeth are straight! My bottoms are almost there! I can't believe that just a year and 3 months ago I got Invisalign. Smiling more everyday and my best friend even told me I've always been beautiful to him. That just made me want to feel it. So I promised you more pictures and here's one more and I'm so happy! Since day one, I knew I wanted this. Updated on 29 Mar 2016: Hey Everyone! So I'm on aligner 38/40 and in 8 weeks I get refinements! I'm so happy and still can't stop smiling! I love my teeth now! Updated on 11 Apr 2016: Going on aligner 40 then refinements! My teeth are straighter and can't stop smiling! Updated on 8 May 2016: I'm so excited! Next week I get refinements! My teeth are straight and still can't stop smiling! I remember the first day getting them and it drastically changed my life. I love how I look now. Updated on 7 Jun 2016: I have 20 refinements plus rubber bands. Has anyone had the bands? Too me it feels so weird. The refinements are 5 months but my teeth are super straight! I'm so happy! Updated on 15 Jul 2016: Hey everyone! Sorry I haven't been online lately. I've been going through a lot of stress right now and I wanted to give you an update. I feel more confident knowing that my teeth are finally straight and I still can't stop smiling. I get people who ask me all the time if I really have braces and I said yes. They want it. I'm on refinement number six right now and every week I switch because I haven't acceldent so I switched yesterday and the trays were tight but today they're not. I'm supposed to wear rubber bands but they cut my lip so my orthodontist that I don't have too. Updated on 27 Jul 2016: hey everyone! So I have like 4 1/2 more months to go and my self-confidence has gotten skyhigh to the point that I'm not self-conscious anymore and I'm smiling a lot more. I have been super happy with the results that this has changed my life forever! I have friends that beg for Invisalign now because they see a huge difference. Updated on 10 Aug 2016: hi everyone! So today I switched to aligner 10 on refinements! I have 20 refinements and so far I'm not feeling any pressure. I can't wait till I'm done! My self confidence is super high and still can't stop smiling. Updated on 12 Sep 2016: Hey everyone! So I had an orthodontist appointment today and I just found out I have seven more weeks! I am so excited for this to be over and can't wait to see the end results! My teeth are straight! My self-confidence is still so high and I am not embarrassed anymore of how I look. I can't stop smiling still and a lot of my friends noticed that before I could barely smile but now I can't stop because this has really changed my life! Updated on 12 Sep 2016: OK so I forgot this picture but here's 7 weeks before I'm done! Updated on 31 Oct 2016: Hi everyone! So I had an orthodontist appointment today and I just found out that I have one more week to go!!!!!!!!! It would've been today but I told her that there is one tooth that is being stubborn so she told me to keep wearing the same tray and she made a little bit tighter which actually help a little bit I think because it actually started to move and I can feel it so I still can't stop smiling and can't believe I'm done!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Updated on 7 Nov 2016: Hi everyone! So I have a problem. I love my new smile but my bottom teeth aren't how I pictured them. One tooth is still not moving the way I thought it would and my orthodontist said it looks good. Am I crazy? It's the bottom tooth in the middle that is still crooked. Has anyone ever had this? Updated on 9 Nov 2016: Today was my final orthodontist appointment and I'm done!!!!!!!!!! I'm so thrilled with my smile!!!!!!!!!! Updated on 16 Nov 2016: Hi everyone!!!!! I got my retainer and it feels so weird!!!!! 6 months everyday and after 6 months every night for the rest of my life. I'm so happy!!!!!! Updated on 20 Nov 2016: For everyone that has a Invisalign and wants to know what the retainer looks like here it is. Updated on 24 Dec 2016: Hi everyone!!!!!! I just wanted to do an update aboht having perfect teeth! I still can't stop smiling!!!! I have more confidence than ever before and it feels amazing!!!!!!!!!! I get compliments everyday and I love it! I love my new smile! Updated on 30 Dec 2016: Okay so happy new year everyone! Hope 2017 will be amazing! What was my resolution for 2016? To have straighter teeth! Well I did it! My teeth are straight and I love it!!!! I can't stop smiling and still so confident! I absoultely can't believe I have my confidence back! Updated on 15 Feb 2017: Hey everyone! So I found out tomorrow I'm getting more alingers to make my smile perfect! Turns out my orthodontist thought my teeth are straight but I wasn't happy so she ordered more alingers. I will keep everyone updated! Updated on 7 Apr 2017: So I went back into refinements because one tooth was not moving into place and I think it's now perfect! I still can't stop smiling and I've noticed my self confidence is to the moon! I had 6 refinements to make it perfect. Now, I'm on refinement 5 and Monday I have an orthodonist appointment to see if it moved more for the retainer! The one I have is a temporary one. I feel like this experience has really made a huge impact and I'll never forget it. When I had the first few trays in the beginning, I was in pain. It was like pressure/pains but Aleve worked! I'll keep everyone updated! Updated on 13 Jun 2017: Well, I'm not done. The same tooth that I thought was perfect didn't move like I thought it would. So now I have to go back into refinements. This'll be the third set of refinements and I'm still not 100% satisfied. I mean I love my smile but every time I look in the mirror I see a slanted tooth that's barely noticeable. I told my orthodontist and she said we're fixing it. But it's been like 4 months and it's not even close. what would you do if this one tooth was not perfect? Updated on 6 Jul 2017: Hi everyone! I'm so thrilled at what Invisalign can do! My teeth are straight and still can't smiling! Updated on 28 Aug 2017: So today I have my orthodontist appointment to find out if I am done for good. Still loving my smile and feeling super confident and still can't stop smiling! Updated on 6 Feb 2018: Hey guys! I have been officially done with Invisalign since August 29,2017! This has truly changed my life and ever since they came off I don’t stop smiling. Before, I would fake smile and now I am really happy I had my self-esteem has been Sky high and I can’t stop smiling. It is so hard to not smile now because of my teeth. I get compliments all the time now oh my God you look different and stuff like that and I just say it’s because I’m confident! Updated on 23 Dec 2018: Hey guys! I know I promised to update and here it is! So I finished in 2017! Got the permanent retainer and only wear it at night. I wore it everyday for one year all day and now it’s every night for life. So far it’s been easy. Some nights I forget to put it in but that’s either because omg really tired or forgetful. But they’re still straight! The only part I don’t like is my teeth are sensitive to cold. But I switched to Sensadyne and it works! I still can’t stop smiling and it’s been so worth it! I still feel confident! I never thought Invisalign would work for me but it did! I got the smile I’ve always wanted! My orthodontist is a life saving! Happy holidays! I’ll post more when it’s 2019! Updated on 17 Apr 2019: So tomorrow I have an orthodontist appointment to see what can can be done about a tooth that is starting to shift back into the old position. My orthodontist told me to wear the final aligner again. But my teeth hurt! It’s like pressure I’m feeling again. Updated on 12 Jan 2020: Hey everyone! So it’s been 5 years since I found out I can get invisalign. 3 years since I finished. It’s been amazing to know that I have self confidence still and still don’t stop smiling. The pressure I felt every week from changing the aligners was worth it. I still have straight teeth! Only wear the retainer at night and have sensitivity but the orthodontist said it’s normal. I use Colgate sensitivity and it works! I highly recommend invisalign to anyone! It’s made me a different person. My friends notice I’m happy and I have no regrets! Happy holidays and hope everyone has a great 2020! Updated on 11 Dec 2020: Hey everyone! So 2020 is just about over and I wanted to give you guys a brief update on my smile. Every day I am more and more in love with it and still don’t stop smiling. I wear my retainer at night and my teeth are so sensitive but I’ll take that and it’s just giving me a whole new sense of life.
