FINALLY! 

Oh my goodness, guys, I was so excited to make this post! 

Guess what?!?! It's been coming a long time and today (9.13.21) it has actually happened. Let's see if you can guess based on the timeline...

  February 2017 (i think;-) I got 7 teeth pulled. Then I got a retainer (not plastic, not exactly the wire ones that go behind your teeth). Then I got braces, then I got invisalign on December 16th 2019. Now what do I have??? 

NOTHING!!! I know, right! Exciting!!! So, I do have a night retainer but compared to Invisalign it's nothing. 

Reading optional: (just me talking about Invisalign) 

The thing about Invisalign is that they're in your mouth 24/7 You're supposed to wear them 22 hrs a day. Also, you need to brush your teeth AND your retainers before you put them back in. So living in Alaska where shopping trips/appts. are 2 hrs away and you're spending about 5+ hrs away from home, that's really tough. On roadtrips or camping trips, which we frequently do, it's a constant stress. If the next gas station is blank miles away and I'm starving...like that. With camping trips, like after you eat b-fast, lunch, dinner, you have to brush them, and it's cold, and you only have a water jug. You know? You're also pretty much always in some sort of pain. Or there's plastic rubbing on your cheek, or your metal pin broke off while you were eating a burger and you swallowed it...not wanting to have a snack whenever because it's just not worth the time. Having to say "sorry, I can't, I have my teeth in." (btw, I call my retainers my teeth, because it's simpler). 

So, yes. In 6-8 weeks I will go back to the orthodontist to get a checkup on my nightly retainer wear. Also, I will get the edges of my teeth straightened (apparently retainers make the edges ridged and bumpy). So, that's exciting and that's my blog post! 😁💜