Reporter shares first stages of teeth transformation

12 January 2021

Reporter Ben Jolley talks about his ongoing teeth transformation that he is undertaking with Invisalign specialist Dr Kishan Patel at March Dental Surgery.

Near the end of 2020, I began my teeth transformation and I’m happy to say that the process is – aside from the first few days – pain-free.

The fit, as Dr Patel warned me, is undoubtedly the worst part of it all. But as for the Invisalign itself, it’s extremely simple and very easy to use.

The tiny, virtually weightless plastic retainer just slots into place under your top teeth and on top of your bottom ones.

Included in the Invisalign pack is a carry case to put the retainers in (to be used whilst eating, or drinking anything other than water).
There’s also a crystal cleaning kit, which helps to prevent odours coming from the retainers following repeat use.

As well as rinsing them with a toothbrush and toothpaste each night, I would recommend cleaning each retainer once (half way through the week-long cycle) by emptying the sachet into a cup of warm water and then ensuring the retainer is fully covered.

This, in turn, means that every part of the retainer gets a good thorough clean…
For those with a low pain threshold the first evening with Invisalign in will be a bit of a challenge at the start.

But that’s only because your teeth will already be feeling sensitive because of the treatment prior to fitting.

I’ll admit, on my first night I was searching Google to find out if the pain lessens. Thankfully, I discovered that the answer is yes.

For me, the tightness around the upper teeth was the worst part, but it does gradually wear off after a day or two.
As the weeks go by, the pain quickly softens – only a dull ache remains when you put the next weekly brace in, as it hasn’t yet adjusted to your teeth shape…

I’m now nearly seven weeks into my Invisalign treatment and am extremely pleased with the results so far.

The gap between my front two teeth has more than halved while the rest of my teeth are looking much straighter due to the tightening.

With just three more sets of retainers to go, my dream of a perfect smile is quickly becoming a reality.