5 Lessons About Change I’m Learning From Wearing Invisalign

Earlier this year, I started the process of Invisalign to straighten my teeth.

The process has been a daily reminder about the nature of change and a metaphor for how change happens in other realms as well.

Here are 5 lessons about change that it is reminding me.

(1) The Pace of Change is Slow

I started with my first set of aligners in February. Every two weeks I change to a new set. I’m currently on set 15 out of 20, for the first series. After the initial 20 will come another series of 20.

Teeth don’t move overnight — unless, of course, you’re knocking them out. Destructive change may be instant, but the change that happens when you’re building something is a slow process that requires commitment to daily action.

(2) Progress is Often Imperceptible

I wear each set of aligners for two weeks before switching them for a new pair. On a daily basis, I don’t see much movement happening in my teeth. Even from one pair of aligners to the next, there’s not a drastic difference.

But when I look at my teeth now compared to when I started, or if I compare my first set of aligners to my current set, I can see a big difference.

This is similar to the experience for most of the changes we make in life. Just because you don’t see evidence of change doesn’t mean it’s not happening, or that what you’re doing isn’t working. You may simply be too close to it to see it.

(3) Sometimes It Hurts

The aligners put pressure on my teeth that isn’t alway comfortable. Sometimes my teeth hurt from them. When I remove them to eat, I’m often tempted to leave them out. But I know that will simply prolong the process.

Change is often uncomfortable. This is part of the process. If I want to have straight teeth, I must be willing to tolerate some discomfort. Discomfort today will lead to rewards in the future.

(4) When You Change One Thing, Other Things Change

I had one bottom tooth that was significantly out of alignment with the others. That tooth is now almost completely back in line. But in the meantime, the tooth next to it has been pushed out.

My orthodontist said this is normal. As the teeth move, they push each other around. With time, they will all make room for each other.

This is a great reminder that you can’t change only one thing, but you don’t have to try to change many things at once. One small change inevitably leads to other changes just by the natural course of how life works.

Another example of this phenomenon is that when you start to exercise every day, it will naturally lead you to eat better. You don’t have to try to improve your diet.

(5) No Change is Permanent

When I was in my pre-teens and teens, I wore braces for years to straighten my teeth. I thought I had changed them, until they moved in my adult years.

When I’m eventually done with the Invisalign process, I know that I’ll need to wear a retainer to keep the teeth from shifting back. It will become part my lifestyle.

This is no different from how change works in other areas. Again, exercise is a great example of this. If you exercise consistently for a while, you’ll see results. If you stop after seeing the results, then you will eventually go back to how you were.

Change is the law of life — everything is moving all the time.

If you want to make a change “permanent” then it has to become part of your lifestyle through a process of daily rituals.