About two months ago I went for a consult for invisible aligners to correct some minor shifting issues I was experiencing. While there, I was told that I needed to get a root canal and the sooner the better.
“What happens if I don’t?” I asked the young woman taking my images.
“One day you’ll wake up in pain with a swollen face and need treatment for a medical emergency,” came her unhesitant reply.
I was further informed by the orthodontist that he wouldn’t even proceed with my aligners as a root canal can change the shape of a tooth rendering your specific aligner trays no longer accurate. Furthermore, I was told that it would take about 6 weeks of healing after my root canal to resume the alignment process.
Disappointed to hear all of this, I was grateful for this vital knowledge as I was asymptomatic. At the endodontist’s office I was informed that the infection in that specific root region was significant. The affected tooth happened to be a molar with a crown which made it a more complex procedure.
I scheduled right away and with some magical pills I was prescribed, the hour-long plus procedure went well (no cracked crown) and felt like it lasted for only ten minutes. Six weeks later I was back to the orthodontist and the alignment process began in full progress. Another six weeks after that, I was introduced to my 21 trays of aligners (21 weeks give or take) and the rules for my new dining future.
First of all, to perform at peak capacity, the aligners must be worn at least 22 hours a day. That doesn’t leave much time for leisurely dining. But, it does make me conscious of how I eat. After meals and snacks, I need to brush and floss and get those plastic molds right back on.
“I’m on the clock,” I remind anyone I’m dining with before ducking into the Ladies Room to swish with mouthwash and “realign.”
The first weeks are about “making space” in the arc of the jaw to create room for the movement of the teeth. I was off to a slow start and wasn’t allowed to move on to Tray #2 on schedule and reminded to make sure I was adhering to my schedule. Remote imaging is done by a contraption that takes images of your teeth via an APP that is sent to Alignment Headquarters! Only then is it determined that I can graduate to the next tray. I’ve read by week 6 you can begin to actually see significant movement.
Had I known how involved this was, I might have hesitated to proceed, but there are lessons here. No one can even tell I’m wearing them and that every moment there are glacial changes taking place. There is some discomfort, but I’ve learned to live with it because I know that in time, I will achieve the results I want.
I’ve learned to accept this slow change of first making space and respect how much force these seemingly lightweight molded pieces of plastic can exert over time. I find myself making some comparisons between this process and my path forward on the widowed trail. Lately I’m reading how many very newly widowed people seem to expect a “quick recovery” with an actual date when they might feel normal again. I wish I had a quick “fix” for them, but all I can share is that at five years on this path, I’ve learned that slow, steady nearly imperceptible changes can occur overtime to help us arrive at a better place emotionally and physically.
Taking care of one’s dental and mental health is so important. I’ve become more present in how, when and what I eat and that has had some positive benefits. I’m also more focused and aware of how I’m spending my time. The other day my bank had my favorite donuts on their treat table. “Old Me” would’ve been all in, but I just walked on by knowing the sugary price I’d pay if I succumbed. I’d also been doing a two week stint of “Sugar Busting” so instead, I hurried home, removed my aligners, had a healthful lunch, and put myself back on alignment track.
Have a self-aware and healthful weekend.
