Yesterday, I began my fifth set of aligners from Your Smile Direct, marking the halfway point of my journey and, given the fact that some time has now passed since I began, I feel better equipped to really reflect on my experience of the process thus far.
My mother asked me if I could see a difference in my teeth yet, at the weekend, which gave me pause to consider it. "Not really," I answered after some thought. "It works in stages - two weeks per aligner - moving my teeth gradually - so it's hard to notice."
As I right this, I consider it again. I run my tongue over my teeth and ponder over it some more, it occurs to me that my upper and lower teeth do seem fit together a bit better - a natural misalignment that I was told years ago could only be fully resolved by breaking and resetting my jaw, something I wasn't too keen on. But, as I assess it again, now, I do think that don't have to adjust my bite as much. The treatment is widening my upper row of teeth to rest more comfortably against the bottom and, when I consciously pay attention to it, I cansee it working.
That wasn't how my answer to my parents ended though. I continued, "I'm noticing other things, though."
Like what?
I mentioned the side-effects of the aligners in my last post - the discomfort and the fact that they made me salivate more at times and my mouth completely dry at others - this resulted in my having to drink more water and use lip balm more often, which has improved my skin and hydration levels. My paranoia over having bad breath due to the aligners has made me brush my teeth more frequently and they've gotten visibly whiter. These side-effects, I told my parents, are more apparent at the moment, than the gradual changes in my teeth. But both are great.
Pain is something I wanted to readdress. I think I was too much of a baby in the last post about it all, or perhaps I've gotten used to it - I'm not sure - but I definitely don't think it is as bad as it seemed at the beginning. Each time I change my aligners to a new set, there is more pressure and discomfort for a few days, this is true, but it is manageable and no worse than traditional braces. In fact, the only reason I dwell on it so much is that I had no option but to deal when I had braces but, with the aligners, I can take them out if I want to. I think that indulges babyish tendencies.
Having said that and having reconsidered that the pain really isn't all that bad, I will say that, like with braces, you can expect some rubbing and the odd blister. It's nothing major and usually clears itself up within a few days but it has happened a couple of times so far.
Taking the aligners out and putting them back in again for meals and drinking anything other than water remains a pain but I'm (slightly) smoother about it and more used to it. I do still occasionally forget for a little while and going for cocktails, specifically, is a pain as it forces you to choose between going over your aligner-free limit for the day (you're meant to wear them for at least 22 hours a day) or awkwardly take them out and put them back in repeatedly.
All of that being said, the fact that there are no appointments with an orthodontist necessary makes this whole process incredibly easy and smooth. There are the minor bumps that I have mentioned but, really, this whole thing is so handy and revolutionary. Of course, if you need more complicated orthodontic work, it's not a goer but for anyone looking for a lower price point and a stress-free treatment plan, it's amazing!
For more information, see my initial post about getting started and the consultation process and my second post on beginning the treatment.
To see if it might work for you, hit this link.
(This is not an ad or sponsored. My treatment is being provided free of charge by Your Smile Direct but all opinions are my own.)
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