‘I could see the difference in just a few months’
Prima’s features director, Karen Swayne, tries Invisalign. ‘Almost four decades on from wearing chunky braces as a teenager, I’m looking to restore my youthful smile. Being on video calls during lockdown, coupled with the shift in teeth that comes with ageing, meant that I was increasingly conscious of my wonky teeth. So I was intrigued when a pal had great results with Invisalign clear plastic teeth aligners.
I visited local specialist Dr Iain Hoeltschi at Splash Orthodontics in Hove (splashorthodontics.co.uk), where my mouth was mapped out using a 3D digital scanner.
A month later, my bespoke braces were ready, so I went back to the clinic for a fitting. I was sent away with two boxes of 25 sets of aligners, each a marginally different shape. I wear each one for 10 days, before taking a video of my teeth on my phone to send off to be checked. A few hours later, I get the all-clear to move on to the next set. At first, my teeth ached slightly and I had a bit of a lisp, but I soon got used to it. And I loved that no one could see them.
For best results, they need to be worn for 22 hours a day and should only be removed for eating and drinking anything other than water. After doing either, I have to floss then brush my teeth. It’s important to keep them clean, so for ease I bought a dental pod (£69.99, zimadental.co.uk), an ultrasonic cleaner.
It’s no quick fix – the treatment will take at least a year – but I noticed the difference after a couple of months. I see Dr Hoeltschi every few months and once I complete my treatment, I’ll need to wear my retainer at night to stop my teeth regressing. It’s a big investment (of both time and money), but I’m excited to smile without feeling self
conscious again.’
Find out more at invisalign.co.uk