It has been so fun sharing my Invisalign journey with you. I can’t believe the process took less than a year for me… because looking back, my teeth were so far out of alignment! Straightening my smile has given me an incredible confidence boost. I mean, in all honesty, being able to smile big without any insecurity about crooked teeth is a priceless feeling. So, spoiler alert… I LOVED Invisalign if you can’t already tell.

To recap, I’ve already shared three other blog posts on Invisalign. The first one went up about a year ago and shared what you can expect at the very beginning if you’re starting this process. The second post had a Q&A with my dentist featuring questions you all submitted. The most recent post was a general update and some tips I have for you if you’re looking to get started. Today I’ll share a final before and after, as well as any final thoughts.

This picture was taken on August 14th, 2018. This was the day I started Invisalign a year ago!

I’m standing with Dr. Tatum, my dentist, and Dr. Granger of Tatum Dentistry. I chose to do Invisalign with them because they are a Gold Provider of Invisalign. What does this mean? Basically, they’ve completed a lot of successful Invisalign cases and they are being recognized as one of the very best providers around.

Above, you can see the crowding I had in my teeth. It is something that started a handful of years ago and got much worse as I got older and went through a couple pregnancies. I went into all of this in more detail in these posts.

Here’s a computer generated model of my teeth showing these issues. In addition, you can really see the open bite I also had.

Dr. Tatum is all about having the latest technology, which is not something I had ever experienced at a previous dentist. She has this device called the Itero Scanner, which basically takes tons of photos of your mouth and instantly shows an exact replica of your smile on the screen.

Then, with a click of a button, the scan is sent to Invisalign and within a few moments, you can see what your teeth will look like after the Invisalign treatment is complete. I talked more about this here.

Below is a simulation showing what my teeth looked like at the very beginning vs. how they were projected to look after treatment.

The whole process, for me, took about 9 months or so, but it varies from patient to patient. I switched my aligners every 5-10 days or so. Dr. Tatum kept a close check on the progress and made a few adjustments and tweaks to my treatment plan throughout. That’s one of the main reasons I think going to an Invisalign provider in person is very important, rather than using one of the mail-in straightening programs you see advertised here and there.

I know you all are here for the before/after pictures. So here we go!

I was then provided with retainers called Vivera Retainers. The retainer is something that happens at the end of all Invisalign cases. They are clear, just like the aligners. I’ll wear those for a few months all the time, then go to wearing them just at night.

Here’s something really cool about Invisalign in terms of post-treatment. Within 5 years of your start date, you can begin treatment all over again if it’s desired or needed at no additional cost. In other words, if my teeth start to shift again and I need a touchup within the next 4 years, then I can do that at no cost. I would just go back to Dr. Tatum and she would then re-scan my smile using the Itero Scanner. Then I would restart the process again.

Thank you so much for following along. If you’re thinking about getting started, then click here to check out all of my Invisalign posts! Also, Brandon has actually started Invisalign now too. He has one pesky tooth that is out of place, so he is doing an express treatment. I’ll keep you updated on that because I know a lot of you are in the same boat where there are just 1-2 teeth out of place. His treatment will be much quicker than mine!

Tatum Dentistry is located in downtown Charleston at 92 Courtenay Drive, which is right on the crosstown. Their office is always super easy to access no matter where I am in town—plus they have a parking lot! Which, if you’re familiar with any city’s downtown area, then you know that’s always a huge perk. My treatment was provided by Dr. Tatum in return for sharing my thoughts with you guys, which is something I’m so grateful for. Brandon and I have since transitioned to Dr. Tatum for all of our dental needs, like cleanings, etc. They are a super team and I wouldn’t steer any of you wrong if you’re considering trying a new dentist or getting Invisalign—or both!

Their number is (843) 577-6453.