Ashley started her ortho-treatment with Invisalign aligners today.

I included these pictures, because many people have never heard of or seen it. Word has it that braces, as we know them, will be obsolete in the very near future!

She will wear each set of aligners for two weeks. Then she will graduate to the next set. Each set will move her teeth little by little. Every six weeks, we go into the dentist, and get the next 6 weeks worth of aligners.
Her treatment plan included 29 aligners. That means that she will wear them for 58 weeks (1 year and 6 weeks). There is no metal involved (hallelujah!!) and she can take them out to eat, brush and floss three times a day, and also for dental cleanings.

Unless you know she has them on, it is hard to tell. They fit her teeth perfectly! This is important for a teenage girl with extremely crooked, crowded teeth! They do make her talk kinda funny. She will get used to them!

Yes, she is in pain tonight. They apply a lot of pressure, and her teeth are aching. I told her to just be grateful that there are no metal brackets ripping the inside of her lips, as well! (coming from someone who wore braces for 3 years!)

Our prayer is that Alex and Nikki will continue to have beautiful straight teeth!
I would include a picture of Ashley with her aligners in, but understandably, she is a bit sensitive about her looks right now.