Invisalign - thoughts?

[misschung]

Posted: 9/6/11 at 8:43pm

I am considering Invisalign, but have heard both horror stories and great praises about it. Can anyone who has used this please comment on what they liked and didn't like about it. Does it work, is it painful, and were the results what you expected?

We couldn't afford braces when I was growing up, and the more I hear about this the more tempted I am to try it out.

thanks in advance!

[wonkit]

Posted: 9/6/11 at 11:19pm

I say go for it! I am about 2/3 of the way through my correction, and I have had no problems whatsoever. (Kind of curious about the "horror stories" you've heard??) You have to be patient though: my orthodontist offered me metal braces for a 7 month correction or invisalign over about 16 months. I change the appliances for the next set every three weeks (you have to wear them at least 22 hours a day to get the proper effect). The first night the new appliances are tight so I usually take an Advil before bed, and by the next morning they are pretty tolerable. And you have to be super good about brushing/flossing/rinsing, and about washing and brushing the appliances off. But they really don't show unless someone is really up close and personal.

[Select a Member Name]

Posted: 9/6/11 at 11:29pm

I'm finished my Invisalign and I now wear a retainer every night. I had Invisalign for a year and a half and loved it. When you first start out, it does make your teeth feel sore but as you get further along, it hurts less. And I have to say my teeth look MUCH better.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 9/7/11 at 12:43am

Do the braces that hide behind the teeth work as fast as regular braces? I'd probably try those before invisalign. 7 months sounds much better than 16.

[StockardFan]

Posted: 9/7/11 at 7:27am

I had invisaligns for about 1 1/2 years. They worked great. When you first change to a new set they can be hard to get in and out, but other than that it's no biggie.

[misschung]

Posted: 9/7/11 at 7:42am

Wonkit, the horror stories I've heard are that they have to file down some of your teeth in order to fit the aligners in; loose teeth; malformed bite afterward, etc. But I think those are probably risks you take with any orthodontic treatment, and can probably be avoided if you go to a good doctor.

CATS, I don't know if everyone is a candidate for the lingual braces - I think it depends on your situation and how the teeth are aligned. I have a lot of crowding so I probably can't get that, but you never know.

Do all of you see dentists in NY? If so, would you mind PMing me the information?

[MotorTink]

Posted: 9/7/11 at 9:02am

I wore invisalign for the last year. I've been in "retainer phase" for a few months. I would definitely suggest it but understand it is a commitment. Like others said, they stay in unless eating or drinking (i generally only took them out beverage wise if drinking red wine or something like it). It can hurt like a b*tch after changing a new set (I switched every two weeks. Some weeks there was no pain, others it hurt. not a screaming hurt, just a severe feeling of pressure). They did have to file inbetween my bottom teeth a lot to free up more room to move. It really wasnt that invasive.

I have a specific issue and have to wear the retainer pretty my 24/7 still until I cough up the money for a permanent behind the teeth retainer.

Invisalign screwed me towards the end and it took me over a month to get my retainer after my last set finished. To compound that, as soon as i was able to finish the last set I had major work done on the top to fill in cavaties, and they kinda bonded some teeth and reshaped them. Looks great, but they couldnt take the molds for retainer until after that. and then invisaign had a "back up" for 4 weeks, so I was left with no upper brace for a month. My teeth began to seperate and it hurt like hell when I finally did get the retainers. But no pain no gain, right?

[Tom1071]

Posted: 9/8/11 at 11:04am

I did it and don't regret it one bit.

The spaces filed between teeth is called interproximal reduction (IPR) and it's not exclusive to Invisalign. It gets done with conventional braces as well. It just depends on the amount of crowding you have. It's not the most comfortable experience. I had to have it done in 10 sites but I had a lot of crowding. You just have to focus on the end result.

More than cosmetic improvement, in the long run straigtening your teeth is orally healthier for you because it will improve your own ability to clean your teeth better and reduce your risk of tooth decay, gingivitis and periodontal disease.

Don't think that you can't negotiate the price either.





Updated On: 9/8/11 at 11:04 AM

[wonkit]

Posted: 9/8/11 at 11:22pm

Rule number one has to be : get the best orthodontist you can find. He/She will be able to explain the pros and cons of all the different kinds of appliances, including the price differences. My dentist asked for $450 up front, and then divided the balance by 18 months and billed me over time.

I ended up using someone here in suburban Connecticut and he charged about 2/3 of what I was quoted in New York City. (The guy in NYC was a "celebrity chaser" so I couldn't get out of his office quickly enough - expensive name-dropper-creep.)

[misschung]

Posted: 9/9/11 at 11:05pm

Thanks for the input, everyone - I really appreciate it!

It's very hard to find a good orthodontist who isn't what you just described - a celebrity chasing, scam artist. I've had some dentists tell me that I should go to an orthodontist and look into some type of correction, and then my last dentist didnt say anything at all. I will probably start shopping for an orthodontist in my area. I have heard that reducing crowding also reduces your chances for other gum/tooth problems too, although up to this point I've been pretty lucky - no cavities or other problems, but maybe my luck will eventually run out, lol.