My Mom thought I was perfect.  It wasn’t until I was around 9 that   our family dentist had to tell my Mom that my ” big strong teeth”  was a big strong overbite.  She was an artist and Dad was a writer , pretty alternative and  were  opposed to the idea of  the discomfort of  traditional braces.  At a rally for Adlai Stevenson, they met an equally alternative dentist who believed that my teeth were sticking out because my lips were too weak to hold them back.  His solution?  I was to hold  a coin between my  lips to give them an isometric exercise.  I was to start with a dime and gradually work my self up to a quarter.  This approach lasted two weeks.  I gave up and that was the end of  my orthodenture  until  this year when I started Invisalign.

I am now on the last of nineteen aligners.  Last month Dr Jacquie switched my alignment schedule from every two weeks to every  10 days.  My mouth definately knew the difference.  While all aligners are tight initially, the sensation wears off in a few moments.  On the 10 day rotation, the aligners stayed tight.  By the end of the day, I would look forward to taking a break in a few hours.  When I got a headache or  congestion, I need extra breaks.   In the last 30 days I’ve had to drop bagels and corn on the cob from my shopping list.    I’ve been eating  more chicken and fish  rather than chewier beef and lamb.   My teeth are not more sensitive to heat  or cold  so iced coffee and soup are still on the menu.

At the  end of my planned Invisalign program the results are impressive. The photo at the top  was taken at the start.  There is such an overbite  on both top and bottom and I’m surprised that I could eat  solid food. 

The photo on the bottom shows PERFECT alignment on the bottoms  and at least 60% reduction of flare on the upper jaw.   I’ve been living with an overbite with more than 40 years and in the last 38 weeks my crooked flare has been brought into line.  ( no pun intended). I’m delighted at the results, but Dr Jacquie is an artist.   I’m scheduled for another facial scan so that additional aligners can be created to finish the job– and at no extra charge.   I don’t know how  many aligners are in store but I’m ready to for the last  push.

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