Ever since I was a teenager, I have wanted braces. I know, it sounds strange, especially because I don’t have crazy crooked teeth, but I decided to let you in on a bit of my neurosis through this Invisalign-sponsored post.

I remember as a teen asking my parents for braces because I hated my bottom row. The top was straight and the bottom had a few teeth who didn’t want to get in line.

My parents told me that my braces weren’t in my dad’s “cafeteria plan” and though I had no clue what that was, I knew it meant: “No, not now.”

Fast-forward through an unmentionable number of years and one of my BFFs had reached the same epiphany as me when it came to her teeth. We often have these shared epiphanies. When she mentioned she was thinking about doing Weight Watchers again. It turned out I had the same thought and we did it together.

I once wanted to get a new make-up routine and dragged her along to the make-up counter for moral support. A short time later, she also got a new routine.

And one day, I mentioned to her how I’ve always wanted straighter teeth. She said she had the same thoughts and talked about how she was considering Invisalign. That is a series of nearly invisible, removable aligners that are used to straighten the teeth without metal or wires.

I talked to my dentist and while he didn’t warn me against Invisalign, he just was not affiliated with it and so recommended orthodontic braces. I was referred to an orthodontist who assessed my case and determined it would take about 18 months for me to have the straight teeth of my dreams.

My BFF dove into Invisalign and was put on an “Express Treatment” route. That is a five-stage treatment for folks with minor orthodontic issues such as mild crowding or spacing. However Invisalign can be used to correct much more complex cases.

They worked great for her, you couldn’t see them unless you were standing about a foot away and looking directly at her teeth. So much better than a mouthful of metal. (Anyone else remember the Sex in the City episode where Miranda got metal braces? So embarrassing.)

For me, because of the cost of traditional braces, my work schedule and the necessary doctor appointments to get the program moving, I never got them.

And so here we are, it’s three years later and my friend has straight teeth and I’m back at Square One. However this time, I want to take the Invisalign route, especially after recently attending a blogging event called StraightTalk.

I got the chance to hear about the aligners from a dentist, an Invisalign representative and a family of Invisalign wearers including a teen and a tween. I like that the cost was comparable to metal braces, and covered by most dental insurance plans. Also, the vanity in me likes that they are clear, the foodie in me likes that — unlike metal braces — there are no food restrictions and the busy working mama part of me loves that there’s fewer doctor appointments.

So we’ll see. I’ll keep you posted on how Operation Straight Teeth 2.0 is coming along. What about you? Did you have braces? Want braces? Or one of those people like my sister and niece who have perfectly straight teeth?

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own