I Had Invisible Braces. Here’s What I Wish I’d Known First

The initial process of straightening your teeth with Invisalign or another invisible brace brand is fairly straightforward. This will vary slightly depending on the brand you choose but will generally consist of getting a mold of your teeth, sending it back to the company, and then building your aligners based on your molds.

Getting your impression molds

First, you’ll need to get a mold of your teeth and gums. The company will use this mold to build your invisible braces. You can get your mold completed at your local dentist or if you’re doing the process online, you’ll get an impression kit. When I got my invisible braces in 2020, Smile Direct Club (which has since gone out of business) sent an impression kit.

This impression kit uses two special putties that you mix together. Once you combine the putty, you need to put it into a plastic mouthpiece quickly as it will harden. Once you put the mouthpiece lined with putty in your mouth, you bite down and hold for a few minutes. The putty then becomes the mold impression of your current bite.

Getting your retainers

Once you complete your mold, you will send it back to the company. They will then start the process of building a set of invisible aligners for every week of treatment. Getting your aligners back will generally take a few weeks but will vary depending on the brand and your location.

You need to adjust aligners before starting treatment

Before starting treatment, you may need to make some adjustments to your aligners. They are made of hard plastic so there’s going to be some sharper edges around the bottom of the aligner and near the back. I had to use a nail file to smooth out some of these parts.

Unfortunately, my initial aligner did not fit correctly. I could see the bottom aligner was way off and trying to fit it on my teeth would simply not work. I contacted Smile Direct Club about this issue and they needed me to complete a new mold. This added a few more weeks to the process but I eventually got new aligners that fit properly.

Even if you get the correct aligners, getting the first few retainers on your teeth can be a challenge. Invisalign and other brands offer “chewies,” which are little pieces of hard foam that you chew on to help set your aligners into place. These definitely helped!

Beauty

Dental Aligners vs. Braces: What’s the Difference?

In decades past, fixing your teeth sometimes involved multiple forms of orthodontics (a retainer, braces, a palate expander and head gear — sometimes all at the same time!). Aside from being very expensive, it also took quite a bit of time, and could be quite painful. However, modern orthodontia makes it far easier to obtain […]

How long your treatment lasts will depend on the severity of your case. My case only took six months since my teeth were already fairly straight and I had a small front gap. Some more severe cases can take one to two years, so keep that in mind. More specifically, Invisalign tends to have longer treatment duration than its competitors. Invisalign says it is “the discreet alternative to unsightly braces that can provide you with predictable results in as little as six months.”

My dentist initially quoted me one year of treatment for Invisalign while Smile Direct Club only needed six months. This may also be why Invisalign is generally more expensive than its competitors.

Before I started treatment, I didn’t do much research on the side effects of invisible braces. The most surprising aspect was how painful it was. On a scale of one to 10, the pain level in my teeth and gums was a three-to-five depending on the day. Because invisible braces are shifting your bones, I also got neck and headaches when I first started treatment.

Discomfort or pain is completely normal but it caught me off guard, and it got better as treatment continued. However, the first few weeks were quite uncomfortable. I had to take an over-the-counter ibuprofen on several occasions, so if you have any trouble taking it or acetaminophen, you should talk to your doctor about your options for pain relief.

If you’re in the market to straighten your teeth, you essentially have two options: Invisible braces or traditional braces. Dental insurance sometimes will cover traditional braces but they can be more expensive than their invisible alternative. You should check with your dental insurance plan to see what is covered, but here’s what you can expect to pay with Invisalign and some other invisible braces brands:

I choose an Invisalign alternative due to the cost

Invisalign was the pioneer when it came to invisible braces. When I consulted my orthodontist, she quoted me over $4,000 for Invisalign treatment. This was too expensive for me at the time so I started looking for cheaper alternatives. I ended up paying $1,200 in 2020 for my invisible braces six-month treatment with Smile Direct Club.

Ways to reduce the cost of invisible aligners

While the sticker shock of invisible aligners is understandable, there are a few ways to reduce the cost. First, your dental insurance may cover some invisible braces. Next, using an HSA or FSA can also lower the overall cost. Lastly, some brands offer payment plans spread out over a year or two, with many offering 0% APR as long as you pay it off completely by a certain date. According to Invisalign, “You can pay for Invisalign aligners using your FSA, HSA, financing plan, or insurance. Plus, your insurance may be able to cover up to $3,000 of orthodontic care.”

Beauty

Cosmetic Dentists: The 7 Best At-Home Ways To Whiten Sensitive Teeth

Get the most "white" for the least "ouch" — for $100s less than in-office whitening

Because you have the retainers in your mouth for 24 hours during treatment, it affects your speech. I developed a noticeable lisp when I had the aligners on. However, it only happened when they were in my mouth. If you have to do any type of public speaking during your treatment, it’s something you should consider.

During my treatment, I worked as a manager for a travel company. Because I was going to an office, I had to start packing a small dental bag filled with my toothbrush, floss, mouthwash, and aligner holder. Before you eat, you’ll need to remove your aligners. Then when you’re finished, you need to floss, brush your teeth, and clean the aligners with cold water and soap.

This became a bit of an inconvenience as the weeks went on. One positive side effect was that I stopped snacking and lost about five pounds. I usually had a mid-afternoon snack but started skipping it due to not wanting to have to brush and floss again.

Wellness

6 Bad Breath Triggers and Natural Ways To Get Rid of Odors for Good

Research-based tips to keep your breath fresh.

Straightening your smile is a lifelong process once you get treatment. Your teeth want to go back to your original position, so you’ll need to start using retainers when you sleep to maintain your smile. Even now, by the end of the day, a small gap starts to return in my smile. It’s barely noticeable but it shows that your teeth will start shifting back to their original position if you don’t use a retainer. After wearing the retainers for the night, my small gap closes completely.

Getting retainers

Many companies offering aligners also offer retainers. In most cases, they will simply make a copy of your last aligners. However, you may need to take a current impression mold. Invisalign and many other invisible brace brands recommend replacing your retainers every six months. Expect to pay at least $100 for a set of clear retainers.

Keeping aligners and retainers clean

It is important to wash your aligners and retainers every day with cold water and soap. I use a spare toothbrush to help keep them extra clean. If you don’t, the invisible aligners start to become discolored, and frankly, kind of gross. Bacteria and plaque will also build up in the aligner/retainer, which can cause other issues with your oral health. This also happens after months of use and is why you need to replace them every six months.

While many of the issues I experienced were annoying, I don’t regret getting clear braces. I initially wanted Invisalign due to the brand recognition, but it was too expensive. I chose a cheaper alternative and I am very happy with the results. Despite this, you should research to find what works best for you.

Most Invisalign alternative brands promote that an orthodontist will be reviewing your case. While this may be true, I never communicated with Smile Direct Club’s orthodontist reviewing my treatment plan. If there was an issue, I am not sure if he would be very much help since it was never explained how he was “monitoring” my case.

There is value in meeting with a dental professional in person, which is why I still used my regular dentist during my treatment. For some, that might be worth paying extra for Invisalign or Byte+ to get in-person attention.