My Experience with Invisalign as an Adult
#For Adults #Patient Care
Dr. David McIntosh is an Invisalign Diamond Provider, and his team see no less than 100 Invisalign patients annually. Some of our staff also have first-hand experience as adult Invisalign patients, and share their observations and advice daily. For this blog, we're interviewing our very own Kelly, who is a Treatment Coordinator at McIntosh Orthodontics. She's had wonderful results, and is of course a model patient who is following up treatment with retainer-wear at night.
As an adult, what made you decide to get Invisalign?
I had noticed that in certain photos my smile wasn’t as broad as i wanted, and had a dark shadowing. Even though others may not have noticed the things that I did, I wanted a better, wider smile. I didn't have braces as a child, and being in a professional environment I preferred the subtlety that Invisalign offered.
How was living with Invisalign?
In the beginning I had to get used to wearing my aligners, but didn’t take very long to get into a routine. I encourage all of our patients to give it a full 2 weeks to get used to wearing the full time aligner - its a routine you adjust to and it’s easy and comfortable.
Wearing Invisalign also helped me to connect with patients who were considering treatment. I was able to share my experience, and most of the time patients didn't even realize I was wearing them! My speech wasn't affected in any way, which is a common concern our patients voice, so they were very surprised to find out I was undergoing Invisalign treatment.
What was it like to get closer to completing treatment?
It was so exciting! Especially after I finished treatment and looked at old photos I could see such a big difference in my smile. It may not have been something others noticed, but I feel much more confident now that the aspects of my smile that I was insecure about are fixed.
Was it easy to remember to wear your aligners?
Yes, it took a few days but then it became very easy to remember. Wearing the aligners also prepared me to wear my retainer now that I'm in the retention phase of treatment. I've been wearing my retainer nightly, and sometimes more often, for a bit over a year now. As a positive side note, wearing my Invisalign retainer has helped with my teeth grinding and clenching. For me, it also functions as a night guard to protect my teeth from the wear of grinding.
Would you recommend Invisalign?
Yes! I would highly recommend Invisalign to other adults who aren't completely satisfied with their smile. It's been an amazing experience, and after 15 months of treatment I am so happy with my results.
Such great answers from Kelly! Her experience as an adult Invisalign patient provides an excellent point of reference when she consults with our patients before, during, and after their treatment. She's doing well with wearing her retainer and keeping her smile bright and healthy. Way to go Kelly!
