Left: NO aligners RIGHT: Day 1 wearing aligners.

If you've been following me for a while you know that Jordyn had traditional braces in kindergarten. If you haven't, you can read about why she had the need for braces so early HERE

Now that all her baby teeth are gone, it is time for phase 2 of her braces treatment. We originally were going to go with traditional metal braces again but after doing my research I spoke with our orthodontist about the option to do Invisalign instead. 

We are now in week 5 of her treatment and I figured that now that we've gotten used to our treatment plan and have been at if for a few weeks,  i'd answer a few of the questions I have been getting. 

Keep in mind that I am no expert, I am just speaking on our experience with Invisalign and trying to answer some of the questions you all had!

WHY DID YOU DECIDE ON INVISALIGN RATHER THAN TRADITIONAL BRACES?

I know a lot of people have this idea in their head that orthodontist try to push Invisalign to make a quick buck but in our case i'm the one that brought it up. Jordyn is really active with sports, she plays basketball 5 days a week so I knew that with metal braces she was going to have to wear a mouthguard so that in the event that she gets hit in the mouth, she doesn't get cut up by the metal. Now, wearing a mouthguard wouldn't typically be a problem but with braces in, you can't really mold mouthguard to the mouth so they wouldn't be able to fit properly. I brought up my concerns to my orthodontist in hopes that maybe there was some sort of special dentist mouthguard option I didn't know about and get this, he actually coaches his daughters basketball team. HA! He said he recommends Invisalign over traditional braces for athletes because of the braces/mouthguard problem. We also wanted to make this braces experience as comfortable as possible for Jordyn. Her braces experience before wasn't terrible but this round was going to be top & bottom braces plus rubber bands to adjust her bite. So she was going to have to watch what she ate, make sure she didn't have food stuck in her braces after eating, plus take her rubber bands in and out at school....It just seemed like A LOT of work for her. With Invisalign, she just goes to the bathroom before lunch, pops out her aligners, and goes about her business. 

I will say this.....you should know your childs maturity level before deciding on Invisalign. They must be worn 22 hours a day and a lost aligner costs upwards of 150 dollars to replace. 

WHAT IS THE PROCESS OF GETTING STARTED LIKE?

We had a consultation with our orthodontist. Once he decided she was a good candidate for Invisalign  he took digital scans of her mouth and 2 sets of dental records. One for their office and one to be sent to Invisalign to make the custom aligners. It took about 6 weeks before we actually got her aligners. When our aligners came in our orthodontist went through the treatment process in depth and answered every question I had. They also worked with Jordyn to figure out how to pop her aligners in and out. They put 4 attachments on Jordyns teeth but I have read reviews from people who have had attachments on nearly every tooth so be prepared for more attachments than you may think your child will have. 

HOW LONG WILL TREATMENT TAKE?

The length of your treatment depends on the severity of your case. Jordyns treatment process is set at 35 weeks with new aligners changed out every week. There are some treatment processes that take longer, with aligners being changed out every 2 weeks rather than each week so talk to your orthodontist about that. 

IS IT AS PAINFUL AS TRADITIONAL BRACES.

I wouldn't say it is as painful as traditional braces but  Jordyn does feel the same type of tightness she would feel when she got her braces tightened, whenever she puts in a new tray. The feeling of tightness usually wears off in a day or so. She says its more of an  uncomfortable feeling than a painful feeling which is normal and a sign that the treatment is working because your teeth are shifting. 

TOP: Week 1,Day 1 BOTTOM: Week 4,Day1. 

CAN YOU EAT WITH THEM?

No. The beauty of Invisalign is that you can take them out whenever it is time to eat. The only thing you can drink with your aligners in is water obviously because colored liquids can stay. I'm totally happy about this because it means Jordyn is drinking more water and less juice!! 

It's also recommend that you brush after eating and before you put your aligners back in to maintain proper hygiene. Jordyn doesn't take a toothbrush to school but she does rinse her mouth out after lunch and once she gets home from school and has her afternoon snack, she brushes. 

CAN THEY SLIP OFF?

No. The aligners are custom fit to her teeth so they fit extremely snug plus they put attachments onto her teeth that are designed to help hold the aligners in place.

ARE THEY HARD FOR HER TO GET ON AND OFF?

They aren't difficult but the first few days were a learning curve. She pops them in and out like a pro now! This again goes along with knowing your childs maturity level before deciding on Invisalign. 

IS IT MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE?

Invisalign is more expensive but in our case, it wasn't THAT much more. It was about 800 dollars more than the traditional braces treatment plan and I mean, 800 dollars more for the convenience and comfort Invisalign offers is a really great deal. 

HOW OFTEN DO YOU HAVE TO VISIT THE ORTHODONTIST. 

We are on an 8 week follow up plan. We currently have weeks 1-8 of aligners, at our next follow up visit we will get weeks 8-16...so on.

Barely visible!! 

HOW DO YOU CLEAN THEM?

My favorite part of the Invisalign process is the ease of cleaning both her teeth & the aligners. When she had traditional braces it was SUCH a hassle but with Invisalign you literally pop them out then brush and floss like normal. Our ortho said you just brush your aligners like you would your teeth and that you could even use Dial soap on them but.....Jords sticks with toothpaste.  

WILL SHE NEED TO WEAR A RETAINER AFTER HER TREATMENT IS DONE?

Yes. Just like traditional braces wearers, retainers after treatment ensure that her teeth will stay straight. This isn't anything new she will have to get used to because she's been wearing a retainer since 1st grade anyway. 

Overall i'm very happy with our decision to go with Invisalign. We are 5 weeks in and Jordyn is doing a really great job being responsible with her aligners. There was a lot of back and forth with Zeke and I about whether or not she was responsible enough to handle not losing her aligners at school and if she'd remember to put them  back in after snacking but so far she is doing great.....lets just hope she sticks with it. 

I tried to answer all the questions you all had but if you have anything else you'd like to know please do leave a comment or contact me via email!

Xo,

Jeanice

4 Things I Want My Daughter To Know Before 4th Grade.

4th grade is right around the corner. Literally, it starts on Monday. 

Honestly, i'm filled with so many emotions.....Good, bad, and ugly. Listen everyday Jordyn came home with some crazy story about something new that happened in school. Everyday it was something about boys, friends, grades, or teachers....the 3rd grade drama was so real. I don't know if i'm totally prepared for the roller coaster that i'm sure 4th grade will be but I know that there are 4 very important things I want the girl to know before she starts. 

So, here are the 4 things I want my daughter to know before 4th grade.

BE "FOR" YOUR FRIENDS.

Speak highly of your friends & don't allow anyone to run their names through the mud. Don't be the girl that stands by and lets others speak badly about someone you consider your friend, steer conversation to a positive light or walk away. Cheer for your friends, point out their strengths, rather than their weaknesses and be happy for any wins they may have even if you wish you could have had them for yourself. Avoid being envious, remember that we are all good at something & your friends wins don't mean you are a failure. Don't be a doormat, it is not your job to lose yourself trying to make your friends happy. You will disagree with your friends know that it's ok to speak your mind & stand your ground. Just make sure you speak with grace, say the hard truths gently and don't coat them with insults or sarcasm. 

Listen to your friends, forgive easily, say sorry when you're wrong because...you will be wrong...and don't let boys come between you.....and speaking of boys.......

BOYS HAVE COOTIES...

You will like boys ( or girls....whatevs) I can't change that and as much as it makes me want to cringe, its a normal phase of development  Feel free to talk to me about any crushes you may have, I promise I will always honor and respect your feelings and emotions but know that boys are off limits for anything other than friendships. Boys will be around for a long time, you have no reason to rush. You will have friends that make boys the center of their world, you don't need to. There will be boys that will try to push your boundaries, understand that NO is a complete sentence. No always means NO. Drill that into your brain and never forget it.

 Remember that you were made to chase your dreams, not boys. 4th grade is a time to focus on friends, extra-curricular activities, and grades. And, while we're on the topic of grades....

GRADES ARE IMPORTANT, BUT THEY'RE NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.

Know that your best is good enough. I do not expect straight As from you, I expect you to give your best work and if that results in straight As....then i'm proud. Alternatively, if your best work results in Bs...or Cs....i'm still proud. Your job is to try your hardest &  give it your best effort. And if you're putting your best food forward and still not getting something, I promise i'll do my best to give you all the tools, tutors, and help I can to assist you. 

Don't ever take anything at face value. 

Whether you understand something or not, ask questions. Ask your teachers, your friends, your parents, and yourself. Never stop asking questions because that is how you learn. 

YOU ARE BLACK GIRL BEAUTIFUL.

Just like last year, you may or may not be the only black girl in your class this year. I hope you look at it as a way for you to stand out and if there is another black girl in class, go introduce yourself to her, she may be feeling some of the same feelings you are. Your hair & skin are beautiful but they do not define you. You are not pretty for a black girl, you're skin color has nothing to do with how beautiful you are....your looks don't even have anything to do with how beautiful you are, it's whats inside that counts.  You don't represent all black people, despite what your white peers may think. Being black is just one thing about you....some of your peers or teachers may see it as the most important thing, but its not and its not your job to educate people on the black experience jus because you may be the only black girl they know. 

Your accomplishments may not always be recognized by society, don't ever let that stop you from being proud of any of your accomplishments. 

and finally, it is perfectly ok to smack someones hand if they reach in to try and touch your hair after you've told them no. 

I hope you dive head first into 4th grade..I hope you shock the world with your talents, be a change-maker & do amazing things!

Xo, 

Jeanice.

Natural Kids Back To School Protective Style Hair inspiration.

We love a good protective style over here. Mostly because we are just so busy it's easier for all of us if we don't have to worry about doing hair constantly. It's also easier for the man when I have to go to work...I love him to death for attempting to make a bun look decent but I wouldn't say hair care is his calling, he should definitely not quit his day job. 

Back to school is right around the corner & I know I can't be alone in struggling to figure out which hairstyle our kiddos are going back with?!...Jords has finally decided how she wants her hair but for a while, I was scouring Pinterest & Instagram for inspiration. 

Since I know I can't be the only one searching for hair inspo on the web, I decided to share my 4 favorite protective styles that Jordyn has worn. Just in case one of you happen to be as stumped as I was. 

CLASSIC BRAIDS. 

Individual braids are a classic, beautiful style that lasts for weeks with very little upkeep maintenance. 

GET THE LOOK.

This look was created with braiding hair from Sally Beauty

& styled with the Eden BodyWorks Kids line.

INDIVIDUAL CROCHET HAVANA TWISTS.

Individual crochet braids give you the time saving & protective benefits of crochet braids but gives more versatility when it comes to styling! 

GET THE LOOK.

I used Zury Hollywood Kids Havana crochet hair for this style. 

You can watch our Individual crochet braid video HERE

 MARLEY TWISTS.

Marley twists are my favorite protective style for both Jordyn & myself. 

They're easy to do and offer so much convenience & versatility when styling. 

GET THE LOOK.

I used about 2 packs of marley hair from my local beauty supply store that were around 4.99 per pack . For the shorter look, the hair was cut in half and I only used about 1 1/2 pack of hair.

 Most of the time I style with Curls Blueberry Bliss Twist N Shout Cream

You can read my post on the installation process HERE

The longer twists may look like a lot of hair but they are extremely light weight & can be styled in so many different ways. 

CROCHET FAUX LOCS

We love, love, love these faux locs. Crochet faux locs offer up the beauty of locs with an easy installation process.

GET THE LOOK.

Unlike the individual crochet braids these faux locs are crocheted onto cornrowed hair. 

Read all about the installation process in my post HERE

BENEFITS OF PROTECTIVE STYLING.

Protective styling is not only really stylish but they also ease those busy school mornings, offer protection from the elements, help maintain moisture, provide length retention & help minimize damage to young hair. 

TIPS.

Start with freshly washed hair-You do not want to protective style on dirty hair that you plan on keeping in for weeks.

Don't pull too tight at the edges- The point is to protect the hair, if you're pulling hard on your edges, you're doing more harm than good. 

Moisturize- add moisture to your childs natural hair & scalp regularly. My favorite sort of DIY spray is a combination of water & leave-in conditioner that I spray onto the hair & scalp. I also use oils & scalp balms like Just For Me soothing scalp balm. 

Pre-treat the extension hair- There are almost always chemical coatings on synthetic hair. To protect your child from allergic reactions soak the hair in a 3 parts water, 1 part apple cider vinegar mixture for about 15 mins then rinse and let dry overnight.

Happy protecting!

Xo, Jeanice :)