Heading towards the straight and narrow
I've spent more time in the bathroom this week than I normally would in an entire month.
Wait - it's not what you think! I've just been busy, brushing my teeth. Four, five, six times a day.
Now that I finally have a decent dentist, I figured it was safe to take the plunge and get Invisalign. Unlike traditional braces, Invisalign is a series of clear plastic aligners that you wear over your teeth, essentially 20-22 hours per day. The only time I'm supposed to take them out is to eat, and because I am in the habit of eating 4-5 small meals every day (good for metabolism!), I'm literally at the sink every four hours brushing my teeth before putting them back in.
As the name would suggest, the liners are mostly invisible, especially compared to braces or the retainers we all wore as kids; they're not, however, perfect. Anyone with eyes can tell I have a thin layer of plastic over my teeth, which I wouldn't mind if at least I could speak well. I mean, I can speak fine, for the most part. If you can get past the slight lisp and that I am a 32 year old woman who thuddenly thounds like Thindy Brady. Maybe I should practice my tongue twisters.
Clearly, I am still a little self-conscious, though not nearly enough to not wear them. I paid a lot of money for these things - I'm going to get straight teeth if it kills me, and even if that bully Buddy Hinton wants to tease me after school.
The upside is that I think this will be the most effective diet I've ever tried. I haven't snacked in six days. Haven't had wine to wind down. I have to ask myself whether I'm really hungry or just in the mood to eat. Is it worth taking the liners out, losing the time, and then having to go back to the bathroom to put them back in? The answer is usually "no".
The one person I knew who tried Invisalign years ago claimed he lost ten pounds, because it was just too much trouble to eat. At the time, I thought that sounded like a wonderful problem to have. Now, I can completely see where he was coming from.
The one person I knew who tried Invisalign years ago claimed he lost ten pounds, because it was just too much trouble to eat. At the time, I thought that sounded like a wonderful problem to have. Now, I can completely see where he was coming from.
posted by Lori @ 7:46 PM
4 Comments:
I didn't know you were getting Invisalign! How exciting! Although I'm a pretty big teeth person and I never noticed your need for them. Maybe I just think you're too cute.
I must be missing something here, 'cuz I've seen your pictures and you seem to have an awfully purdy smile already!
And I thought it was just me...You have such a beautiful overbite, I couldn't imagine you needed to change at all! In fact it was something I remember distinctly when I met you...how beautiful you were in every way. Often I think, my ex must have known that I found someone fairer than her, in that first week of college.
My brother got it. He said the speech issue will get better the longer you wear them. He also noticed he ate less frequently. And btw, I could see a difference after just two months. It's at the point where every time I see him, I ask him to smile because it's changed from the last time.
BTW, I don't know if your dentist told you this, but each time you switch to a different mold (or whatever it's called), put the new one in at night, before you go to sleep. The first 8 or so hours of wearing a new set is most uncomfortable, and if you put it in at night, you'll sleep through that discomfort.
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