Your Smile Direct - Onto The Retainer And The Final Steps Of The Treatment

After six months (or a little over that, I messed up my scheduling of things – utterly my own fault), I'm finally on the retainer stage of my aligner treatment with Your Smile Direct. And, after another six months of 22 hours of wear a day, I'll only have to use them at night. While the treatment has been comparatively bump free, especially having had traditional braces as a teen, I can't say that I won't be happy to be able to walk around without a mouth full of plastic during the day.

In saying that, as I look back on things and having actually experienced it for myself, I have to say that I really and truly believe this to be an excellent option for lots of people who have always wanted to straighten their teeth.

Yes, it's cheaper and that's a big deal, but there are lots of things about the treatment process that I preferred to my braces (which I hated so, so much). Although, in saying that, depending on what you need done, aligners do have limitations. Some people will need traditional braces and other treatments in order to correct issues they have and, personally, my bite could not be entirely fixed by either braces or the aligners. I would have had to have had my jaw broken and reset and I decided I wasn't doing that a long time ago. Instead, I simply had my upper row of teeth widened to align with the lower row more comfortably and the results are subtle but noticeable. The gap between my teeth is much smaller. I'm pretty happy with the result, even if I'll never have a perfect smile.

What I am completely happy with, however, is the whole process of using Your Smile Direct. I talked about the consultation process and how the aligners work in a previous post, then about getting my aligners and getting used to them here and about the halfway point of the treatment here, if you want more detailed information about the whole treatment from beginning to end but I thought it might be a good idea to outline the main points that I think really sealed the deal for me on why it's a great option.

1. Convenience

Aside from my initial consultation (which can be done in person or online using moulds – I went in person), everything was done online. Your aligners are sent to you in one package, you get your retainer at the end and if you have a freak accident and something happens to the retainers, they'll post another set out to you. No taking time off from work or having to travel for appointments. Considering how busy I always am, this was incredibly beneficial and convenient and I imagine most people would feel the same way.

2. Pain is lesser

I won't lie and say there was no pain. The aligners can rub and the pressure of your teeth being realigned can be painful but nowhere near as painful or as invasive as traditional braces with their wires, tightening and gum rubbing. When I first got them, the aligners were hard to adjust to and I had all sorts of issues with saliva, a lisp and pain but, as the treatment continued, these issues almost all went away and the pain and lisp would only return a little when I moved on to the next aligner and last less than a day or two. Being able to take the aligners out also means that, if it gets real bad, you can pop them out for a few minutes reprieve, which was not an option with the braces I had wired into my skull. However, bear in mind that you can't eat or drink (anything other than water) with them in and remembering to put them back in and making sure you wear them for at least 22 hours a day can be a pain and cramp your lifestyle a little: going for cocktails for a few hours is a lot less glamourous when you have to keep pulling plastic out of your mouth.

3. Cost

While I didn't pay for my treatment as I was working with the brand to review the process, I do know that it would have costed a fraction of what my parents paid for my treatment as a teen. Being able to undo the relapse in my teeth that I had stupidly caused by not wearing my retainer was brilliant as I had always felt guilty about it and wanted to right that wrong. I was even already looking into the brand before they contacted me and I know that they would have been the only viable option for me finances-wise atm.

4. Aesthetics

No, I'm not talking the charming minimalist aesthetic of the brand, its packaging, website, literature etc, I'm talking about how they look. As in, you can't really notice them at first. Really. Barely anyone spotted them without being told first (I even made out with someone once and didn't have time to take them out and he didn't notice them – tmi?). The one time a friend made a comment about it, she simply thought I'd had my teeth whitened as the shininess caught her eye. So, if you're self-conscious about the idea of having braces, this might be a good option for you!

5. Customer Service

Admittedly, I was working with the brand as press, however, I was often dealing with people who weren't aware of this and the customer care was always impeccable throughout. When my aligners needed replacing, it was done asap, when I was making my original appointment and following up after the consultation, everyone was attentive. Not being there in person throughout the treatment doesn't mean you're just abandoned and the balance of attention and convenience was perfect.

So, all in all, if you've always wondered about braces or getting orthodontic work done, this might be a more affordable and time-efficient option for you. Just contact the team at Your Smile Direct and book a consultation to see if it's for you!

(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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Your Smile Direct - A halfway point through the process, progress and pain

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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The Hero Skincare Products That Have Saved My Skin This Winter... (ft. Pestle & Mortar, & Other Stories, Alpha-H Liquid Gold, and Ingenious Beauty Ultimate Collagen+)

I'm a pretty warm person, physically (though I'd like to think emotionally, as well!) but I work with two Italians (well, an Italian and a Sicilian) and they cannot hack the cold at all. So, for forty hours a week during the winter, I am blasted with central heating. Last year it was bad but, this year, it has wreaked positive havoc on my skin. I'm not quite sure why. Perhaps, it is simply because I am older and my skin is already producing less natural oils (happens to all of us as we age) or because it has been rather cold this year. Who knows? Either way, the result is unhappy skin.

Seriously, seriously unhappy skin.

Normally, I get one eyelid (always an eyelid and always one, for whatever reason) that becomes incredibly dry and, as a result, sensitive and angry. However, this year, my skin was not only dry and unhappy, it was visibly dehydrated and liney (okay, I think only I noticed this part - I've been told by older relatives to feck off about "wrinkles" but they're already coming for me, I swear!).

Then, to make matters worse, holiday indulgences over Christmas were a real shock to my system, which had become accustomed to a fairly regimented life of mostly (I'll never be perfect or even very good) good behaviour. Look, you don't say "no" to my Mam's cooking.

It simply isn't done.

Cue some congestion in my t-zone and some especially bad hormonal breakouts (during the two - yes, two - times I was attacked by menstruation in December).

The result? Very sad, very angry, very moody, spotty, dry skin. I couldn't ignore the fit my face was throwing and had to step up my game when it came to winter skincare. Thankfully, some great products came into my life and an old favourite came back into play, to save the day. These guys really did rescue my skin.

1. & Others Stories Punk Bouquet Mini Hand Cream, €5 (not available online but I've found it in store before)

This wee gem is only 5 quid, is perfect for popping in your handbag and is a delicious-smelling (cruelty-free) dupe of the Laura Mercier Ambre Vanille scent. There are probably more effective hand creams on the market but this smells so good that I remember to apply it more regularly to my chapped paws.

2. Alpha-H Liquid Gold Rose, €42

My mam got this as a sample in her M&S advent calendar and I nicked it as I've wanted to try it out for a while now. Normally, I wait two months (at least) before talking about a skincare product but I can't help it. I'm in love with the stuff! The very next day after I used it, my expression lines in my forehead (my biggest concern) looked less pronounced and less on-the-way-to-wrinkles-territory. It's helped almost entirely rid the bumpies and congestion from my t-zone, as well. Colour me thoroughly impressed!

3. Pestle & Mortar Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum, €43*

The kind peeps over at Pestle & Mortar actually sent this to me to try out (with the below as a gift set, which can be bought at a special price of  €86 here) just before Christmas. I've now been using them for around a month and a half (breaking my own rules again, I know!) and I genuinely think they are largely responsible for saving my skin this winter. 

This serum goes so far! I've been very generously applying it on the daily and haven't made that much of a dent in the bottle, considering. I was in serious need of some hyaluronic acid in my routine again and this is the perfect product to inject it back in. I pat some into my skin around ten minutes before I moisturise (when I'm really on it with my routine), using about three drops from the pipette, and it absorbs super-fast.

4. Pestle & Mortar Hydrate Moisturiser, €48*

Then I follow up with two pumps of this guy. By the end of the two steps, my skin feels bouncy, dewy and peppy again!

BONUS: Ingenious Beauty Ultimate Collagen+, €42*

This guy is a "bonus" because I'm not sure. When I attended a press meeting about it, it was bigged up majorly and I was super-excited to try it and start ingesting some collagen on the reg. However, the kinds of results I was told about didn't quite happen. 

I think that maybe I wasn't taking them for long enough to really see the effects. 

However, just before Christmas, I wasn't about buy more and to spend 60 quid on supplements for myself! I do really like collagen as an ingredient but, for the amount of money this costs, I didn't quite see the results. 

In saying that, I was taking them when my skin started to get better so, who knows? I'd be keen to try them for longer and see but the post-Christmas financial situation isn't much better so that'll have to wait. Either way, even though I'm still on the fence about this product, for honesty's sake, I was using it when my skin started to improve so I had to include it in this post!

Thankfully, this combination of things seems to have worked and my skin isn't quite summer-happy but it's getting better and, for now, that's good enough.

(The products marked with a "*" were gifted to me as press samples but this is not a sponsored post and all opinions are my own.)

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Getting my Aligners From Your Smile Direct - How They Look, The Amount of Pain and The Lisp(?)

Pretty much a month ago, I posted about Your Smile Direct and how we had begun working together (read that for more information on the brand and how their treatment works). I went to their Dublin office and had a 3D scan done of my mouth to create my aligners and treatment plan. They then sent me the proposal for my approval and, having seen the incredible progress they hoped to make with my teeth, I decided to go ahead and try it out.

For context, I have had traditional braces before, as a teen, but I didn't wear my retainers properly afterwards and my teeth pretty much shifted back into their original position - much to my shame, given the investment into my orthodontistry that my parents had made. I was already considering trying out Your Smile Direct, as a far more affordable way to fix my silly mistake, when they contacted me. It was kind of like fate. The treatment itself costs 70% less than traditional methods and works out at 4 installments of €399 each or one once-off payment of €1499. So, it really is a good option for people who have always wanted to have their teeth straightened but weren't quite able to afford it.

I was under the misconception that you made your first payment and then they sent out your first aligner, with each of the following being sent out accordingly. However, you actually receive a box with all of your stages of aligners at once, which makes far more sense, tbh.

My personal plan will last about 5 months, with each aligner being worn for two weeks before moving on to the next one, moving my teeth into position little by little with each new aligner. At the end of the whole process, I will have to wear my retainer all day for 6 months and then at night, thereafter, to maintain the results.

This morning, I put the first ones in and began my journey.

My initial feelings are that it is rather uncomfortable - not unbearable but it'll take some getting used to. Luckily, I don't have quite the lisp that my braces gave me, just a wee touch of one. Putting them in and taking them out is very easy - if not a little gross and messy. I also have quite the case of dry mouth, which I read can happen but may actually be for the best as it is forcing me to up my water intake - something I needed to do anyway! On the plus side, however, they are utterly unnoticeable when I'm wearing them, which is great!

Honestly, I'm a little worried about the discomfort right now, it's fine during the day, when I'm working, but I hate anything getting in the way of being utterly relaxed in my downtime. That's me being a bit of a baby, I suppose, and I'm sure I will get used to it. Either way, I'm gonna stick this thing out and let you all know how it goes, each step of the way!

To see if it will work for you, check out 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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Affordable Orthodontic Treatment With Your Smile Direct

I was listening to my favourite podcast, My Favourite Murder, a few months ago when I first encountered an ad for, and the concept of, a mail-order orthodontic treatment service. Immediately, I was intrigued, as it claimed to offer straighter teeth at a fraction of the price of traditional orthodontic treatments, fewer to no trips to the actual orthodontist and fast, efficient service. Then, funnily, in the weird way that the universe works sometimes, I got an email a few days later from the Irish sister company, Your Smile Direct. They were discussing working with bloggers on promoting their service and, as my retainers were too unbearably painful, my teenage orthodontic work had since all but reverted. I jumped at the chance to fix this and to try it out. I had considered seeking out a company and treatment option like it myself, anyway, and they were offering me the chance to trial the service, free of charge...what impeccable timing.

The process begins with a home impressions kit, which costs €99 and takes moulds of your teeth to help figure out how to proceed with your treatment. Or, if you can make it to their Stillorgan Clinic, you can get a scan done in-house, instead, for the same price. I opted for the latter and the whole experience was perfectly pleasant, considering. 

Upon arrival, my orthodontist spotted me looking for the building in confusion, guessed that I was a patient and brought me up to the clinic. As I sat filling out the forms, he brought me a cup of tea (the first I'd had that day - the saviour!). The forms themselves were not overly long or complicated and the setting of the clinic is minimal, stylish and office-like (as opposed to hospital-like) enough that it makes the experience seem less intimidating for those who may be nervous of such things. The only thing, in fact, that put me ill at ease throughout the entire experience was the consent agreement that I was told to read and sign. I'm perfectly aware that such things present the worst-case, highly unlikely scenarios and I've signed plenty before (for my laser-eye surgery, for example) so I wasn't overly concerned but it was a wee bit alarming. As I say, however, it was the only blip in an otherwise smooth visit. 

Once the forms were all signed, I went into an office where my orthodontist chatted to me politely to put me at ease (even going as far as to put on a K-pop playlist to distract me) and then the scanning process began. This process involves wearing a mouthpiece to keep your mouth wide open for a half hour while all of your teeth are mapped to produce a 3D model. It isn't exactly great fun but isn't unbearable or overly uncomfortable either. They've done a good job in making it as painless as possible. 

Then, I headed on my merry way and, a week or so later, I was sent a treatment plan detailing how they hoped my teeth would look at the end, how long it would take (5 months) and how long each stage of the treatment would last. When you are sent your plan to review, you can either accept and go ahead or decline to pursue it. If you accept, you make your first payment and they send out your first aligner. Then you receive each of your following aligners accordingly, as promised in your treatment plan. Each aligner ensures a certain amount of movement so that, as you get each one, your teeth are straightened bit by bit. You must wear each one throughout the day, unless you are eating or drinking anything but water. In this case, you simply remove and then replace the aligner. At the end of the whole process, you receive a retainer to maintain the treatment. 

The treatment itself costs 70% less than traditional methods and works out at 4 installments of €399 each or one once-off payment of €1499. So, as you can see, it is quite the bargain.

So far, I have to say that I have been incredibly impressed with the staff and service and am really delighted by the results we are aiming for. If my teeth look anything like it by the end, I'll be really happy. I'll continue to update you all throughout the experience so I hope you'll stick around for this journey with me! Check out Your Smile Direct if you're interested in trying it out for yourself.

Now

The end goal - no more gap!

(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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