What Invisalign taught me about exercise science

In 2019 I finally made the decision to book an appointment with an orthodontist. Surprising many in my world as on the surface my teeth looked pretty nice.

I hadn't had braces when I was a kid and overall my teeth were relatively straight. My biggest reason to have my teeth checked was because I have seen family members struggle with their teeth breaking down into their later years.

I do not want that for myself.

And truth be told, my bottom teeth were shifting in a way that I did not feel were as aesthetically pleasing.

Well, was I on to something…

In fact, my teeth were not functioning properly at all. Although on the surface they looked like they were in alignment but with the expert eye of the orthodontist, she quickly saw my oral health future. Worn down enamel due to contact with the top teeth on the bottom ones. Poor chewing mechanics due to crowding and misalignment between the top and bottom molars.

Any reservations I had about moving forward were quickly vanished as I knew this was the preventative strategy I needed for properly functioning teeth in the future.

With this decision made, I opted to invest in Invisalign. Essentially retainer like braces that are clear and fixed to the teeth with "cement like" attachments.

Each week was a new pair and even though they looked nicely transparent and relatively harmless - oh my, they were not!

Pain and discomfort were only part of the consequence with wearing the Invisalign trays. It was more so the cuts and abrasions from having foreign plastic trays in my mouth! I'll spare you any more details.

Yet as the weeks past, I settled into the habit and my mouth adapted to the new situation. Every week the Invisalign trays moved my teeth ever so slightly. Small tweaks at a time care of my orthodontist's attention to detail.

Fast forward 17 months later, my teeth (and their function and alignment) completely changed.

So why share my oral health history?

Because the same principle of progression applies. In last week's post, I told you all about the FITT Formula+ with the added concept of progression.​

For change to happen, small even micro changes each week add up to substantial change. My Invisalign trays retaught me about the exercise science principle of progression.

What does that mean to you?

Take the time to adjust and change your physical activity, maybe every week and see what begins to happen.

Making active change, whether is be the type of activity you choose, the frequency of your choice activity, the duration of each session and/or the intensity of your activity will progress your program forward to get the results you want.


Need help with that? That's my job.​
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Getting adult braces was a big commitment of behaviour change (you should see my oral health routine now!), time and money. The investment I would make again in a heart beat.

The best outcome of all, beside well functioning teeth, is that I was retaught the power of progression and that change is possible!

Stay well and happy moving,
Lisa

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P.S., My opinion and experience are my own. The team at Strathcona Orthodontics are amazing and their care and attention must be recognized. This is not sponsored content.

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