Greetings from quarantine! This past week I switched into my 10th set of Invisalign retainers out of 15 sets created for my case. It’s wild to think that I’m about two-thirds of the way through this process (unless there are trays added for refinements), particularly when it has felt like time is dragging on lately.
Truthfully though, this hasn’t been the worst time in the world to go through Invisalign. I even chuckled to myself when I watched Busy Philipps lament that she hadn’t started an Invisalign treatment during quarantine. Considering that we can’t go out to bars and restaurants or to others’ houses, the whole routine of bringing a toothbrush and floss everywhere I go, discreetly taking out my trays, brushing after eating, isn’t even necessary anymore. Feeling self conscious about smiling in photos during all of the events we had planned for these past few months? Not a worry now.
One of the biggest lifestyle changes of Invisalign has been the reduction of mindless snacking and drinking. That certainly made a difference pre-quarantine, but it has made a big difference while we’re stuck at home. I imagine that I would be snacking non-stop at home if I could, but it’s just not worth taking out the trays and brushing/flossing my teeth every time I’m craving a pretzel or a second cup of coffee. Just kidding, that second cup of coffee has usually been worth it.
The only concern I had early on in quarantine was whether or not I’d be able to get the second half of my trays from my dentist’s office. Ideally, I’d be going in every eight weeks to have my progress checked and pick up the next few sets of aligners. Thankfully, when it was clear that the office would need to remain closed, I emailed my dentist and she kindly shipped me all the rest of my trays.
As far as my progress goes, it’s pretty wild to compare early photos to now. My case wasn’t a severe one, but even so I can see a dramatic difference in my teeth, particularly on the bottom row. The lateral incisors that were creeping over the canines have been pulled back, while the lateral incisors on the top row are tilting back into their proper position.
Here are some before and during photos, along with a few things I’ve learned or realized during this process with Invisalign.