You want to know about Invisalign? Well here’s a list of the good, the bad, and the beautiful! All the things I’ve experienced to date and how it will affect your lifestyle. I’ve also covered the Invisalign prices too because this is something I get asked quite a lot about. P.S. The below will be your handbag essentials for the foreseeable so get a bigger everyday bag!
Something to note before you read ahead, is that this is my personal experience. Each Invisalign clear braces journey is different I’m sure!
Your Lips Will Look Bigger
So clearly I’ve started with the important items first. Your lips. These will look bigger when you have your braces on. It’s probably to do with having a chunk of plastic surrounding your teeth and also the added attachments in your mouth. This was the highlight of my Invisalign journey for sure. Oh and then I went and got Lip Fillers which you can read about here.
You Will lose Weight – Hallelujah!
This is because you’ll stop being arsed snacking. By the time you remove your braces, eat the food, brush your teeth, brush your braces, put the braces back in, you’ll be ready to snack again. It’s annoying. So you won’t bother eating treats throughout the day at all. It’s called the Invisalign Diet. You should get the braces just for that alone! I kid I kid..kind of.
There Will Be Pain
Every two weeks for about 2 days in fact. You will be zero craic to be around. The best way to describe how your teeth will feel is tender, and the best way to describe how your head will feel is SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!!! Enjoy that. On the bright side though you do get used to it!
Table Etiquette Be Gone!
So initially you’ll go to the bathroom and remove your braces in private, this will last a whole of about 8 days. After this you’ll be whipping them out across from your date in a crowded restaurant with saliva running down your chin with not a care in the world! And yes, it’s just as attractive as it sounds. You’re definitely going to score a second date after that too. Winning!
Your Purse Will Hurt
Invisalign doesn’t come cheap. You’ll get those deets here. But it’s not just the cost of the brace you are quoted that you need to consider, there’s some extra bits too! Firstly you will need to cover the cost of any work done that you need on your teeth before you even get the braces on. For me this was 2 x fillings at €120 a pop, and a few visits to the hygienist at €75 each time. You need to get attachments for your braces and although the standard white ones come free, these don’t look ‘invisible’ on your teeth (which defeats the purpose) so you have to pay €150 to avail of the clear attachments. At the end of your treatment you get retainers to keep your teeth in position which are free, but if you want a permanent gold bar fixed so that you don’t have to worry about retainers, these cost €150 each. Then of course you may need further work on your teeth following the treatment to get the ‘perfect smile’ – I need to get 2 teeth fixed which will cost around €300.
Curry Is Not Your Friend
Unless of course illuminous yellow teeth is your thing. Curry isn’t the only thing that stains your braces though so watch out for food with a strong colouring like that. Anytime it’s happened I’ve not been able to remove the stain from the brace at all, very annoying! And there’s nothing worse than smiling for a photo and only remembering afterwards what you had for dinner..
No one will believe you
‘No really, I do have braces in’ – and then wait while the person sticks their face right up to your mouth eyeballing your teeth to make sure you’re telling the truth. Every, single, time. Of course this is the whole point in getting them in the first place so it’s a testament to how invisible they really are. But this same conversation every time you meet someone can get pretty boring.
You will have two homes
Pick a convenient dentist location wise and someone who’s very lovely because it will feel like your second home. You will be in and out of here a lot during your treatment for very regular checkups to ensure your Invisalign are on track, and to collect your next batch of braces! I moved to a new apartment and new job location to city centre so now it’s inconvenient to get to mine!
You’ll realise just how lazy you are!
You’ll stop being bothered leaving the room to remove your brace before you eat. You’ll stop snacking between meals purely because it means brushing your teeth every time. You’ll stop using the protective case while you’re eating and instead use tissue. You’ll learn which foods you can eat that doesn’t require immediate brushing before putting them back in. This one is gross but like, needs must.
You will miss them when they’re gone
Bye bye bigger lips and weight loss! But also for some reason I preferred smiling in photos when I had them in, the appearance looked better for some reason. I miss them that much I’m actually getting mine back in! Also because I’m not entirely happy with my result after 1 year so I’m getting them back again for a little longer. Happy days!
There you have it. The everyday things you need to know. Anything else you’re curious about comment below or email/snap me!
AJ x