Guest Blog - Invisalign: A Patient's Perspective

For a wee change this month we have a guest blog from Gillian Cowie one of our lovely patients.  Gillian's Invisalign treatment finished in January of this year and she has written a great account which we really feel could help other patients thinking of having their teeth straightened.  When I called Gillian to ask if she had any photos I could share of her after her treatment she laughed and said she had so many to choose from because she just smiles all the time now!! A great story!

My treatment lasted 8 months, pain free, easy to use and one of the best investments I’ve ever made. 

Invisalign teeth straighten aligners are an alternative to metal wired braces and are virtually invisible. Only when I pointed the aligners out to family and friends they noticed I was wearing them.

I can’t recommend Invisalign enough, along with the Professionalism, Guidance and Care of my Dentist John Broers of Coatbridge Family Dentist. To say I am over the moon with the results is an understatement.

My teeth were overcrowded top and bottom, also I had a discoloured baby tooth that was hanging on by a thread! In fact, all my teeth were stained and yellowish in colour and not a pretty sight! John and I had talked at length at my options from removing the baby tooth, straighten my teeth and teeth whitening, something I wanted to do for a very long time. John talked me through my options, Invisalign appealed more to me.
He also showed me a 3D scan of my teeth pre-and post-treatment, when I saw the potential end results, I knew instantly this was the treatment for me. The fact the aligners are invisible and removable allowing to eat, brush & floss instead of unsightly wires, that I imagine would be painful when tightened. I was so excited and couldn’t wait to get started.

I signed up and nervously attended my 1st appointment for impressions, after a few weeks I received my 1st 1-4 week aligners, at this point John removed my baby tooth and filled in the gap in my aligners that looked like a tooth. I was shown how to fit my top & bottom aligner for week 1, I couldn’t believe how easy it was and I continued at home changing the aligners on a weekly basis.

An added bonus was when wearing the aligners it really makes you think twice about removing them just to eat for the sake of eating. This helped me focus on my eating that fitted in nicely with making healthier choices, eating and exercising. I couldn’t believe how much snacking I done between meals. You must keep the aligners in for 22 hours and after eating brush and floss, I mainly stuck to 3 meals a day and drinking lots of water.
I religiously brushed and floss my teeth after every meal and believe this aided on my pain free treatment with no inflammation or mouth ulcers.

At the end of my treatment, John fitted my bridge where the baby tooth was and fitted fine wire retainers top and bottom behind my teeth that can’t be seen, also retainers to wear overnight to minimise any natural movement. I finished off with a 6-8 weeks of teeth whitening.

For the first time in my life I am smiling with complete confidence and I love my teeth. My friends and family continue to comment on how good they look and the noticeable difference.

With the support from my Dentist John Broers, I found the whole process extremely easy, pain free and one of the best investments I have ever made, I wish I had done it years ago.

Should anyone be considering straightening their teeth I would highly recommend John Broers from Coatbridge Family Dentist and the Invisalign Treatment.

Thank you so much from a very happy smiley
Gillian Cowie :)""  "