Check Out My Grill-Cheese

Many years ago when I was a teen, I didn't listen to my mother.  What teen actually does?  Well years later, I am now paying for my mistake.  I didn't wiggle and get my tooth pulled out when I was suppose to.  So another tooth grew behind my tooth.  Eventually the old tooth came out but I was left with this:

I have always wanted to get my tooth fixed but of course my parents could not afford to get braces out on me.  That is not the only problem my mouth had.  I also have my front bottom teeth crooked.  Which to be honest I never really paid that much attention to them before.  All I ever saw was the one tooth that sits behind the others and I sometimes bite my tongue when I chew or speak.  I also do not have a problem with my smile, not even when I went before a panel of judges and they told me to get my tooth fix and then the four letter word...NEXT!  I like my smile:

Recently when I took the entire family to go see the dentist I went ahead and took the big plunge and made the decision to get braces.  ADULT BRACES....omg...so not cool.  I remember when I was younger I would see adults with braces and think to myself that is not not cool.  Parents have to lead by example to teach our children.  And I of course put my foot in my mouth this time and am biting the bullet, guess you got a full grill in their mouth? Me.  From the ortho words I have several things to be corrected, underbite/overbite, blah, blah...  I have been sentenced to 18 to 24 months of this.  I went in all smiles and happy I was going to get my braces put on.  First, I had to brush my teeth and make sure they were clean.

Then my brackets were put on one by one.  Bottom first.  Adjusted by ortho and then the top.  I got to select what color I wanted.  I went with silver at the top to camouflage and still look some what professional when I talk.

 When I have a small smile you can bearly see them.  But when I smile big or exaggerate then you can see the pink at the bottom.

All the brackets were not added and the rubber bands that will be used to align my jaw will not be put in until next month.

Adjusting to my mouth full of metal has been really hard.  The first day I was all smiles but after that, i guess my teeth started moving/adjusting and that is when the pain started.  I think on day 2 I regretted getting them and I am still adjusting.  But I guess in the end my jaw will be corrected and my teeth will no longer be crooked.  Some friend have told me I look like a younger person not so far as a teen but maybe college.  And they say I look skinnier already.  Yes, 1 week of no eating only on liquids will make you lose weight.

Did you have braces when you were younger?  Do you have braces now?  Any suggestions, advice?

Invisalign Straight Talk

Disclosure-This is a sponsored post. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is me and my mouth full of teeth.  Do you see what I see everyday I look at this smile?  My crooked teeth, and one tooth that did it all.  The one tooth I was scared to pull out myself, that I refused for my parents to pull out as a teen, and then came it's brother that grew behind it.  I have always been very bothered by this tooth.  I love to smile but am always aware of this tooth.  Growing up my parents could not afford braces and I of course did not want to be a metal mouth.  Now, I am a grown up and want to get my teeth fixed but am embarrassed to walk around with a mouth full of braces like a teenager.  So I have been thinking of Invisalign. 

Invisalign® takes a modern approach to straightening teeth, using a custom-made series of aligners created for you and only you. These aligner trays are made of smooth, comfortable and virtually invisible plastic that you simply wear over your teeth. Wearing the aligners will gradually and gently shift your teeth into place, based on the exact movements your dentist or orthodontist plans out for you. There are no metal brackets to attach and no wires to tighten. You simply pop in a new set of aligners approximately every two weeks, until your treatment is complete and you achieve the confident smile that you've always wanted. The best part about the whole process is that most people won't even know you're straightening your teeth.


So I can go about my daily life and no one has to know that I am wearing Invisalign while my teeth get fixed.  It is good to know that technology has helped with this advancement.  There are options other than wearing metal braces.  With these removable aligners, now every teen would easily volunteer to get their teeth fixed and won't have to be embarrassed to have a mouth full of metal.  The aligners also can be removed.  So you can eat, brush and floss like normal.  I know my teen, anything that will embarrassed him, he will not do.  And of course with teens, everything is embarrassing.  I am so glad there is this option for him, for all teens, and even for parents like me who never had the chance before and would like to fix them now.  I also like that this system usually requires fewer office visits, shorter appointments, and no "emergency" visits for broken wires or brackets.

•  Metal wires and brackets can cause irritation or even accident-related injuries, especially for teens involved in sports.

Oh no, that cannot happen.  I have a teen who plays Soccer and runs Cross Country for his school.  I already have to worry about sports injuries.  I do not need to worry about these kind of injuries too.

So for both of us my son and I, Invisalign is the option we would like to go with. 

If you are looking for more information or thinking about getting Invisalign yourself:

-Visit the Invisalign website for more information about the clear alternative to braces.

-Research.  Find an Invisalign provider and schedule a visit with the Invisalign Doctor Locator.

-Take the Invisalign Smile Assessment to find out if Invisalign is right for you or your child.

Have you been thinking of getting Invisalign?  Have you or someone you’ve known used Invisalign? And if so, what was their experience?