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My job as a blogger comes with spending a lot of time daily staring at photos and videos of myself. Sounds silly, but it’s true. Over the past five years since I started blogging, I’ve noticed my teeth shifting a little bit and a few particular teeth sticking out further than I’d like them to. After completing my own research on the Invisalign process, I decided to move forward with Invisalign with Dr. Drew Ferris. Dr. Ferris is a world-renowned orthodontist here in Santa Barbara, CA who believes that behind every beautiful smile is self-confidence and I couldn’t agree more! I’ve shared a little about my Invisalign process on Instagram over the past few weeks, but I’m excited to dive deeper in today’s blog post about my Invisalign journey thus far! I’m only 1 week in, but already feeling SO good about the progress + my confidence! Today I’ll be sharing everything you need to know about Invisalign, especially if you’re interested in going through with the treatment yourself!
One of the biggest things I’ve learned throughout this process is that Invisalign is just a tool like
braces, and the result you get is only as good as the person designing it. So, before we dive in to the FAQs of Invisalign and what my Invisalign treatment plan looks like for the next few months, I wanted to chat about the amazing Dr. Ferris (you can find him on Instagram @ferrisorthogroup and @dr.drewferris) and his awesome team!
Dr. Ferris is regarded as one of the top Invisalign providers in the world, and I feel so fortunate
that he lives right here in my hometown of Santa Barbara. I also learned that his orthodontic
expertise is so sought after that people from around the world (New York, Florida, Atlanta,
Texas, Amsterdam, Paris, London, and Hong Kong to name a few!) are actually being treated by
him at a distance. Dr. Ferris is one of 7 Invisalign “master faculty” in the world and a Diamond
Plus Invisalign provider (the highest distinction you can get and the only doctor of this level in
the region). The experience I received was amazing. From the second I stepped into the huge, warm, and welcoming orthodontist office, the first thing I noticed was the friendly and comfortable environment. I knew right away I was in the right place, where I’d be welcomed with warm smiles and somewhere I felt comfortable.
Dr. Ferris and his team are dedicated to the highest quality orthodontic care with some of the latest technological advances in the industry to receive the most effective care possible. I can firmly stand behind this statement considering I had a consultation with another local orthodontist that failed to provide me with a successful consultation after attempting to get molds using ooey-gooey sticky trays (no thank you)! Two of the coolest things
that I experienced while there was a one minute scan that showed me a simulation of where my teeth are now and what they will look like after treatment as well as a 3-D x-ray of my head that showed all layers of my anatomy (my skull, face muscles, and skin!). You can see the photo below! Now I’m sure I’m being taken care of with the most precise and targeted customized Invisalign treatment plan to achieve my smile/bite goals!
Now some FAQs that you may be curious about:
What is Invisalign?
Invisalign straightens your teeth without wires and brackets, using a series of clear, customized, removable appliances called aligners that are customizable to you.
How does Invisalign work?
Invisalign aligners are designed to move your teeth in small steps to the desired final position prescribed by an orthodontist. Each aligner is precisely calibrated and manufactured to fit your mouth at each stage of the treatment plan.
How long is the treatment period + how long do you wear the aligners for?
Generally it can take anywhere from 4 months to 18 months, however it varies depending on your personal needs.
Do the aligners hurt?
The aligners do exert a little pressure on the teeth in order to align them correctly, but I’ve barely noticed it. There can be minor soreness or discomfort but nothing major!
Do you take the aligners out to eat/drink?
The Invisalign aligners are supposed to be worn about 20-22 hours per day. Therefore, you take them out when you eat meals or snacks. Drinking water, coffee, etc is fine with them in! They can easily be brushed to clean them.
What are the benefits of Invisalign?
The benefits of Invisalign are endless and SO WORTH IT, but my favorites are that they’re virtually invisible, easily removable, comfortable, and convenient!
Besides the fact that Dr. Ferris has achieved the distinction of becoming the top 1% of elite Invisalign providers, he utilizes the highest quality orthodontic care through use of the most advanced technology including the iOC scanner and the Planmeca ProMax 3-D CBCT. Essentially, these tools capture the most precise impression from the start and achieves the most precise and seamless scan. Now I can ensure I’m being taken care of with the most precise and targeted Invisalign treatment plan to achieve my smile/bite goals!
Now I want to share a little bit about the process and what it takes before you actually get your aligners in your hand. Dr. Ferris and his team make it SUPER easy, seamless, and efficient to ensure that you will achieve the smile you’ve dreamed of!
STEP 1: There are no yucky, sticky, gooey teeth molds here… Dr. Ferris uses the newest and best technology ((iTero Element scanner) that quickly captures an accurate 3D image of your teeth, called iTero Element scanner!
STEP 2: Dr. Ferris then works with his specially trained Invisalign team to fine tune each precise shift of every tooth using ClinCheck software (again- the newest, latest, and greatest technology)! This is essentially the road map to my new smile 🙂
STEP 3:Dr. Ferris showed me my new and improved smile! During this same initial appointment he pulled my case up on a big screen and showed me how my smile would progress week by week and month by month. It’s pretty cool to see the progress that we’ll be making with my teeth and smile! It really solidified what the final product will look like and got me super excited to start!
Right now I’m two weeks into my Invisalign treatment plan! I’m actually LOVING it, not noticing any other changes in my regular day-to-day routine, except for the fact that I’ve been brushing my teeth more (that’s a bonus)! I ensure I take out my trays when I eat, brush my teeth, then put them back in all day + sleep with them at night. It’s honestly so simple, no one really notices, and my lisp is super minimal, if not, nonexistent at this point! Like I mentioned before, I have a couple minor teeth adjustments, and Dr. Ferris noticed a bite adjustment that needs to be taken care of. Overall, I’m very excited for my bigger and straighter smile in the next 12 weeks! Stay tuned for a full blog post review, including before and after photos, at the end of may Invisalign treatment 🙂
A huge thank you to Dr. Ferris for partnering with me in today’s blog post! And thank you for supporting all of the brands I love to work with on Torey’s Treasures!