My Invisalign Cost Nothing!

I hate my smile.

Specifically, I hate my crooked teeth.

See, a no-teeth smile, my specialty. —>

Last spring I was only a few months into blogging and Twitter. I stumbled upon a local blogger’s site, Linneyville.com (formerly shortpumppreppy.com) written by Linda Sellers.

Linda was one of five blogging moms on the Invisalign Mom’s Advisory Board hosting a giveaway for one free Invisalign treatment.

What a coincidence. When I started blogging seriously, I sat on my friend’s couch and told her my first goal was to earn enough to pay for Invisalign for myself. Winning it would be even better.

When I saw the giveaway, I worked that thing like a job. Tweet about contest once a day? CHECK! Learn answer to question on one blog and write answer on another? CHA-CHECK!

When I got the e-mail from the PR company telling me I’d won, that I could stop worrying about the cost of Invisalign treatment, I screamed and ran through the house. I think I made the chihuahua leak a little, but really, anything does that.

It was difficult to wait while a deal was set with a local ortho who specializes in Invisalign treatment, but it was worth the wait.

The orthodontist who agreed to see me is the same guy I went to for a consultation thirteen years ago. I was pregnant with my third child and working in a corporate gopher den. A great smile is an important part of a professional appearance, but three little kids (and later a fourth) put braces out of my reach.

Also, I developed a pesky sensitivity to metal. I can no longer wear most jewelry, even my wedding ring, I can only tolerate earrings for a little while and I coat the rivets on jeans with clean nail polish. Could I tolerate a mouth full of metal for two years?

Since then, I had investigated Invisalign as the answer to my problems. Reading about the treatment over the years, it seemed like I might not be a good candidate. I needed major correction to my bite and had some severely crowded teeth.

During the blog contest, I read more about the latest advancements in Invisalign treatment. Later I even wrote a post for them. With new advancements, they can correct more types of alignment issues. But could my teeth be corrected?

The first step in treatment is a consultation. I went to the office of Doctor Rick Marcus. I was greeted by cheerful and professional office staff.

After a short wait, I met with Doctor Marcus and he examined my teeth. I was indeed a candidate for Invisalign, but might not have been even a year before. The new G3 advances in their technology now made my problem teeth fixable.

I asked Doctor Marcus to rate the difficulty of my treatment from one to ten. Eight and a half! And most likely untreatable just the year before.

I was so excited I didn’t have to be in my forties with metal mouth or crooked teeth! My hopes for straight teeth had dimmed. My best hope looked like straight dentures in the old folks home.

The second appointment is for taking pictures, x-rays and making impressions of your teeth. I had been through the impression process as a teen and remembered it as being a nightmare of peppermint plaster of Paris getting in my throat and gagging me. This time it was faster and much easier. I did gag a little, but it wasn’t too bad. Leaning forward helps.

I would recommend taking a Tylenol before the second visit. The technician had to press on the molds as they set and this made my jaws ache a bit after.

The third visit is the clincheck. This is a really cool appointment. At clincheck, you sign the treatment waivers (it’s hard core, yo) and you get to see computer animation of your treatment.

I got a little misty as I saw my teeth magically straighten out over the projected eighteen months of treatment.

Check it out—it’s cool!

 

By the end of treatment, I’ll have had twelve little metal buttons on my teeth to help the straightification process. The buttons are surgical-grade metal and shouldn’t be a problem. I’ll need so many because of my specific problems. I think most people need fewer to none.

My fourth visit is Monday, a week from today. Then I’ll get my first set of trays to wear and two others to take home. I’ll switch trays every two weeks.

I am beyond excited! I’d like to thank the PR firm who found an Invisalign expert for me, Doctor Marcus and his staff, and Linda Sellers and the other bloggers who hosted the Invisalign giveaway: Anissa, Sugar Jones, Busy Mom, Amanda at Parenting by Dummies. I really appreciate it!

Although I wrote a sponsored post for Invisalign previously, we are currently in no way affiliated. I was not required to write nor compensated for this post. It is my honest opinion and entirely my own thoughts.