You’re Never Too Old for a Great Smile

Once I hit forty and had already put braces on two of my kids, I sort of gave up on ever having straight teeth myself. Well, I figured I might have straight dentures one day.

We could probably have swung the expense, but I just couldn’t see myself in uncomfortable, hard-to-clean metal train track braces for two years.

I’m too old for all the mess, bother, and discomfort of old-fashioned braces. Also, the thought of metal mouth in two year’s worth of photos was just a deal killer.

And, the expense was still something to consider. All I could think about was “five-thousand dollars. Braces cost five-thousand dollars!”

This was so silly, since you don’t have to pay that all up front. All orthodontists in my area offer monthly payment plans that are usually interest free. I think this is an industry standard. The manageable monthly payment is a worthwhile investment in your health, too.

Straight teeth are usually healthier teeth. It’s easier to floss, which is so important to the health of your gums.

I want to keep my teeth my whole life, and that will be so much easier now that I have Invisalign. I’m more than halfway through my treatment and have noticed some big changes.

It’s correcting my underbite and my teeth meet properly when I chew. With my bite in better alignment, I notice my jaw pops less. Less of a problem with my TMJ has translated to fewer headaches for me. 

I’ve always been a smiler. Normally this is a good thing, but I do recommend toning it down a little when you are walking in a big city. Smiling freaks big-city people out.

Now I can smile and not have to worry about my crooked teeth. Friends swear they never noticed, or didn’t notice it much, but I noticed. I never liked seeing pictures of myself smiling. All I could see was a dark spot where my tooth was so far back that it was invisible.

Vanity? Sure, but everyone is allowed a little of that, right?

More importantly, I have seen a big improvement in my gums. My straighter teeth combined with my already-frequent brushing, flossing and rinsing has eliminated any gum problems I had from when my teeth were so hard to get really clean.

And my semi-annual dentist appointments are a breeze. There’s almost nothing for my dental hygienist to do. She used to have to saw the floss back and forth to get it between my overlapping teeth. It hurt! After my last appointment, for the first time I left without feeling like I’d been flossed with barbed wire.

Where I grew up, it seems like the transition from middle age into senior-citizen territory was marked by getting all your teeth pulled and getting dentures. I want to keep all my teeth all my life. My grandfather lived to almost a hundred, and I think some of that is due to having his own healthy teeth.

I won my Invisalign treatment last year from a giveaway hosted on some top blogs. I’m so happy with my treatment that the Invisalign PR firm asked me to tell you about my experience.

I’ll be writing a series of sponsored posts over the next few months. The posts will be on topics of my choice and I’ll give you my honest opinions.

If you have any questions about Invisalign, I’ll be happy to help you out in the comments section. Invisalign has been one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself, and I’m a happy advocate.

I truly recommend it for adults who want an improved smile. There’s so much more to it than just straight teeth!