In 2020, when the pandemic led to lockdowns and staying home became the norm, I took the opportunity to do something I had been considering for a while since I started my online business and looked at myself so much in all those Zoom calls and going live. I was ready to get Invisalign to straighten my teeth. At 50 years old, I figured there’s no better time than when we’re all laying low and making video appearances from home!
Was I Too Old For Invisalign in my 50s?
Like many people, I had gotten braces as a teenager but over the decades, my teeth started to shift again, leaving me with a crooked smile that bugged me whenever I looked in the mirror, and my dentist said it might get worse and lead to problems when I get older.
Obviously, the thought of going through the ordeal of braces again in my fifties didn’t appeal to me but that got me reconsidering. My grandmother was 101 when she passed so really, with her genes I had half my life before me.
And Invisalign really where nothing like the metallic braces I got in childhood. They’re nearly invisible, removable plastic trays that straighten your teeth gradually over time. And with their discreet clear appearance, it seemed perfect for a season of life where I’d be doing a lot of video calls and virtual meetings while working from home during the pandemic lockdowns.
My Invisalign Experience in my 50s
The process began in early 2020 with going to an orthodontist to get a model taken of my teeth. They used these to create my custom treatment plan of a series of aligner trays that would slowly move my teeth into perfect alignment over several months.
When I picked up those first few sets of aligners and looked at my “future smiIe” in the computer visualization, I was amazed at the transformation in store. It was like seeing a whole new me being unveiled!
From there, it was just a matter of sticking to the treatment by wearing the trays diligently for about 22 hours per day, only removing them for meals. Every 1-2 weeks, I’d switch to the next set of aligners which were shaped slightly differently to keep shifting my teeth into place.
I’m not going to lie – the first few days of getting used to each new set of aligners involved some discomfort and putting pressure on my teeth. But the pain was very manageable.
The hardest part was just remembering to keep the aligners in as much as possible and resisting the urge to snack when you have to take them out each time. But with all the extra time at home during those COVID lockdowns, it was actually the perfect chance to build that new habit.
The Final Results of My Invisalign Journey in my 50s
After about 6 months of progression through my treatment plan, the final trays moved my teeth into their goal positions. I couldn’t believe the change when I looked in the mirror – my teeth were straight and my smile looked years younger! Even though I was in my 50s, feeling confident about my smile made me feel like a whole new person.
Invisalign was an investment financially, no doubt, but in my opinion the boost in confidence was absolutely worth it. If you’ve been thinking about Invisalign even though you’re already in your fifties, I highly recommend taking the plunge, even if you’re a little older. Your smile is one of the first things people see, so why not enhance it?
Susanne Rieker is the founder of Midlife etc. She moved to Majorca in Spain with her pup Luna, loving the slow island life in the Med. She’s also a business coach, helping women in midlife build a purposeful online business. Follow her on Instagram @susannerieker.
