Have you looked in the mirror and noticed that with time your smile has slowly started to change? Maybe your teeth have begun to shift or maybe you have noticed changes in your bite or jawline. These are just a few of the reasons that caused me to start thinking, “Should I consider braces again as an adult?” Here are my top 5 reasons I chose to get Invisalign:
1) STRAIGHTEN TEETH
I had braces as a child and did not follow through with wearing my retainers. Over the years I have noticed a slow, progressive shifting of my teeth, much worse on the bottom teeth than the top. The first sign that I began to notice was overcrowding of my bottom teeth and specifically one tooth on the bottom that started tilting inward significantly. Parts of the tooth and gum were exposed in a way I knew was not normal. I realized that if I didn’t do something to stop the progression now my teeth would continue worsen.
2) ALIGN JAW
Have you begun to notice tension in the muscles around your jaw? Have you noticed that you tend to chew more often on one side of your mouth? This might be an indicator that your jaw has become misaligned. As my teeth have shifted this has also affected my jaw alignment. My bottom teeth began to narrow and the mandible, or the bottom jaw began to recede. I also began to notice some irregularity with the TMJ joint from side to side as I opened my mouth. One side of the temporomandibular joint was more prominent than the other when opening and closing my mouth with some intermittent clicking. These changes happen fairly slowly over years or even decades so it is easy to let things go unnoticed.
3) COSMETIC
I work with people closely everyday and want to have a professional smile helping me to feel the most confident I can. It was important to me to maintain a professional look while I am in braces. With invisalign, I am able to continue my work without interruption and many people do not even know that I have braces. As my treatment progresses I am starting to see more of my bottom teeth in my smile as my bottom teeth become less crowded and overall a bigger, brighter smile.
4) PERIODONTAL HEALTH
Due to the overcrowding and shifting it has become more difficult to keep my teeth clean with brushing and flossing. At regular cleanings I was noticing more plaque building up between my teeth despite consistent efforts on my part to keep my teeth clean. Since beginning Invisalign I have noticed that I am able to floss easier in between my teeth and I don’t get as much build up between my teeth.
5) ALLEVIATE NECK AND JAW DISCOMFORT
With the changes that have occurred in my teeth and jaw, I have occasional neck or jaw pain that I want to correct with the help of braces. Getting invisalign to help improve my bite and jaw alignment will relieve strain on my temporomandibular joint that can contribute to headaches, neck pain or jaw pain. In my early stages of treatment I am already beginning to feel that my teeth come together better, my teeth are less crowded and I am chewing more evenly.
Choosing invisalign over metal braces allows me to be correcting my teeth while still having the freedom to take off my braces. It also allows me to have no restrictions on foods that I eat and the ability to keep my teeth and gums cleaner than with metal braces. I never have to worry about dental emergencies from wires coming out or brackets falling off. I am so happy to be on my way to a straighter, healthier smile with the ease Invisalign offers.
