My Invis Journey: What I Paid, How it Worked and Why it Was Worth it
If like me, you have an overbite or “buck teeth”, as my bullies used to call it, you will know how conscious your smile can make you.
And over the years, I cannot begin to tell you how my smile has impacted my confidence.
As a person who wants to promote self-love and positivity, I found it difficult to fight my insecurities, which had disrupted many significant activities in my life.
I tried to embrace my smile
Ever since I was old enough to be aware of my overbite, I have been self-conscious of it.
Of course, I was teased in school, mainly by the boys, which made me feel even worse.
I think every girl wants to be perceived as attractive, and for me, I just wanted to be liked like the other girls in my year were.
I had a little stint with metal braces, which worsened the comments. And even when the braces came off, my teeth were straight, but the overbite was still there.
Being a teenager, I was not very good at following the rules about wearing my retainer (even that was embarrassing). Now my teenage insecurity has carried over into my adult life, where I feel its effects even more.
I have quite a high profile job. I chose a career where I constantly need to present, speak and advocate.
And even though my nearest and dearest told me it didn’t matter and that I was beautiful the way I was, it, of course, mattered to me.
Time for a change
My anxiety and stress got so bad last year that at the age of 29, I began to look into treatments like Invisalign.
I met with various dentists across London and was quoted thousands and thousands of pounds, which I could afford, but as I am cautious with money, I began to consider how I could justify the cost.
Only a year later, I came across an advertisement for The Perfect Smile that made me reconsider the treatment.
They quoted the treatment as £1,500, which is a lot cheaper than other Invisalign dental practices I was consulting with in London.
Because they are based in Hertfordshire, prices were a lot more flexible – plus, I often work in St Albans, so the travel was not going to be an issue for me.
After learning about the experience and reading their reviews, I booked an appointment – and the rest is history.
How it worked
For me, it was pretty straightforward because I have had braces before, and my teeth were very straight.
So my Invisalign dentist Dr Shah, recommended that we target the overbite, which was my main area of concern.
Using something called the iTero scanner, Dr Shah took impressions of the smile and showed me how it would move and change over a few months.
Within a year, I would be free with a renewed smile and newfound confidence.
Treatment length
I wore my removable aligners for 12 months. I was able to remove them to eat and drink – the only downside is that you have to clean your teeth after every meal not to stain the equipment.
However, even though this means I have to be more proactive, it did wonders for my oral health as I was ensuring they were clean more often, so I cannot complain really.
In the beginning, they were slightly uncomfortable to wear as my teeth got used to them, but this quickly disappeared – plus, you swap out your aligners every two or so weeks as your teeth gradually move.
What and how I paid for my Invisalign treatment
So I was quoted £1,500 for my treatment. I was able to afford this but to progress with treatment quickly. I thought it was best to spread the cost of my treatment over 24 months because it’s interest-free.
In the end, I paid £62.50 a month for my treatment, which is less money than my phone bill a month.
I didn’t put a deposit down on the treatment, although I could have, which would have taken my monthly payments down further. View costs of Invisalign.
Note from the doctor
Overbite occurs when the top front teeth extend over the bottom front teeth, and it is pretty standard for many to have a slight overbite.
Slight overbites are healthy—however, the more severe the overbite, the more consequences for your overall oral health.
For example, overbites can lead to tooth decay, gum disease and jaw pain. Overbites can be caused by genetics, but they can also be caused by pacifiers or thumb-sucking in childhood.
