I've Decided To Get Invisalign!

My obsession with my crowded teeth probably started around 4 years ago. I just discovered a passion for photography and an outlet to sell images. The photos that I create are sold as stock photography and are used in anything from magazine ads to billboards to television commercials, etc. When I started this hobby/business I needed models for my images but I didn't have the time or studio space to hire them. I am a stay-at-home mother and at the time my babies were still quite young. So, I decided to jump in front of the camera while they took naps and pose for my own shots. This was tons of fun for me as I had a dream at the age of 14 to be a model. My shyness held me back from ever pursuing that fantasy. Here I am 21 years later fulfilling an old desire! I love being in front of the camera as much as behind it but there was one thing that really started to annoy me. My teeth! From straight on, they aren't "too bad." But turn me to the side and WOW! I never realized that the were so jammed in there. Over the years I got really good at Photoshopping my teeth to perfection! So good, in fact, that I actually found a dentist using one of my photo on his website when I was searching for Invisalign!

So, why did it take me so long to finally do something about this? Part of it had to do with the cost and the other part was due to my insecurity about it. My husband is the most wonderful man on earth! He so often told me that my teeth were beautiful just the way they were despite hours of listening to my complaining about them. I believe that he feels that way but I don't feel that way when I see them for myself. I would on and off think to myself that maybe they are fine. Then I would plan my next photo shoot with myself. And I would be back to the beginning with wanting to fix them. So, I started saving some money in case I got bold enough to do it.

Here I sit after a four year struggle with myself about what to do about it. I recently visited 2 orthodontists that had total different opinions on how to fix my problem. One was an old schooler and really tried to push me into traditional braces. At 35 years of age, the idea of that doesn't excite me (or my husband). The orthodontist even went to the extent of pointing out a click in my jaw and would insist that I sign a waiver in case there should be any problems. The second orthodontist was a younger woman who happened to work on my husband's teeth when he was a teenager! I really liked her and she said that my click was so minor that she doesn't see it being a problem. She said that I was a perfect candidate for Invisalign. She was even willing to just correct the top (which really bothers me) but highly recommends doing both. The price difference wasn't much. I thought that the bottoms looked just fine and wasn't going to fix them but after taking some additional images, I see where improvement could be made. Plus, I would hate to have any regrets of not doing it.

So, I have an appointment set for Monday the 15th with the female orthodontist to have the records taken! This is it! I am really going to do it! I'm so excited and quite honestly frightened as well. I know that there is pain involved and also tooth shaving. (it hurts just to say that...) But like they say, "No pain, no gain!" Below are some snapshots of where I am today: