32 invisalign trays completed, time for braces?

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#1 Post by **viciousgiraffe** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 5:51 pm

So after about 15 months of treatment I am on my last tray of invisalign (32 of 32 upper, 11 of 11 lower). To be honest I am disappointed with the results. My bite has seen minimal improvement, and I feel my teeth still have a long way to go. I brought up my concerns about my treatment with my orthodontist a month ago and he told me that we would just have to do some revision trays. At this point I don't think that revision trays are going to produce the result I want if 32 trays only slightly improved my bite. And thus, I think I'm going to have to go with braces to get the results I want. I have class 2, division 2 malocclusion, my maxillary midline is shifted to the right by about half a tooth and my left curve of spee is too deep. I'm definitely not excited by the idea of having braces, as I'm about to start my sophomore year of college, but I don't think I have much of a choice if I want a better smile. Any feedback would be wonderful... would revision trays be worthwhile? can invisalign correct a deep curve of spee? are braces more effective at correcting midline issues?

#2 Post by **landela** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 6:07 pm

I can't see your pictures due to being at work, but originally I was going to do Invisalign and changed my mind when I went for my consult with my ortho. They were up front with me and said that in the end I would most likely need to get braces to achieve the results I desired. After hearing that I figured that I might as well just do braces. I was going to do ceramic brackets, and last minute decided on metal. I'm 24 and going to be a junior in college (just transferred and starting up after being out for 4 years), and I don't really care what people think. If they think I look goofy with braces, oh well. In the end my teeth are going to look amazing, and I'll be happier. If you end up having to get braces to get the results you want, just do it, its worth it, and its only for a few months and in the end you'll have a lifetime of a great smile. Also, people don't notice them as much as we think they do. I just saw a friend that I hadn't seen for abput a year and I asked him, "Do you like my grillz?!" and he told me that honestly, he didn't even notice I had braces. And I added colors to my bottom brackets, and no one has noticed unless I point them out. So reall, if you have to do braces for a few months in the end, just do it...and if you're worried about how they'll look, get ceramics.
Good luck with everything!

#3 Post by **purpleteeth** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 6:11 pm

Sorry you are disappointed, as I would be too. It sounded like you had a moderate case to begin with - why didn't they just recommend regular braces in the start? Invisilgn isn't best for everyone.

Braces as an adult isn't a big deal, even in college. You might have to make extra trips home to see your ortho or you might just want to go with someone "locally" where you are studying.

#4 Post by **iBorg** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 6:22 pm

I can honestly say that when I thought about having braces a second time it was like the end of the world. The world hasn't ended yet. While I was hesitant about having braces in my late 40's I can honestly say that now I don't know why. You may think its weird to sport wires and metal as a junior in college but you'll soon realize a lot of your friends will share their experience with you. You might even inspire others. I know that as a college teacher, having a student with braces tell me it was a good thing helped make it a lot easier.

What I would be concerned about is why did your ortho (hopefully a trained orthodontist versus a dentist who dabbles) didn't recommend traditional braces with your list of issues. My ortho looked at my teeth and almost at the beginning of the consultation told me that Invisilign (she is listed as a Premier Provider) wouldn't give the results I desired.

Best of luck....Have fun..... and remember the world won't end if you have traditional braces.

Mike

#5 Post by **viciousgiraffe** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 3:33 pm

Thank you for you insight landela, purpleteeth and iBorg. I guess braces really aren't as big of a deal as I am projecting them to be. As for why my ortho didn't recommend braces in the first place: I think he either misevaluated my case or just hoped that I would be satisfied with the results that invisalign would give me. The strange thing is that he is a Premier Provider, which makes me wonder why he didn't recommend braces in the first place. Also, he didn't go over my clincheck with me before my treatment; I actually didn't know what a clincheck was before I came across this website. Anyway, I'm going in for a consultation next week to see what can be done, so I'll likely be braced and looking wondrously awkward soon.

#6 Post by **real2** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 5:25 pm

You have an interesting skew in your plane, that is almost exactly like mine

I'm getting something called inspire ice braces to fix it though. Still looking for reviews about it though.

#7 Post by **dojo** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 4:44 am

Your teeth look very nice, but the bite is indeed unhealthy. Maybe regular braces are a good idea in this case, even if you dread this situation right now. It will pass and you'll have a nice smile and also a good bite. Best of luck and please keep us posted on the progress.

#8 Post by **Folk Ballad** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 6:25 pm

Just thought I'd pop in and say I, too, am going to be a sophomore in college (you're not alone!) and I've just gotten my upper braces (trad. metal ones at that) put on about a week ago.
I know what you mean about being adverse to the idea of heading back to school with a mouthful of metal, but I have a feeling it's not going to be nearly as big a deal as I keep wanting to think it will be.
Our imagined scenarios are usually far worse than reality.
And honestly, it's what - about a year, maybe, of our lives? And in return we get years and years of a fantastic smile and functional bite? Sign me up.

I can't say much as far as invisalign goes, but it seems to me that 9 times out of 10, if you want the job done good and proper, straight up braces are the way to go.
In any case, good luck with your treatment. I hope everything works out for you!

#9 Post by **PARR** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 7:59 pm

from what i hear said invisalign can close some gaps, straighten teeth etc, but not rotate or deal with bite issues well. Certainly not expeditiously. Couple folks on the invisalign threads tell of going with brackets after being disappointed with treatment results. It's your mouth the choice is yours.

#10 Post by **crystalct1** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 12:32 pm

There is always a catch....isn't there? You can't see them....but they don't work as well.

15 months is a long time to wait for straight teeth, not to mention the price, just to be disappointed in the end. Never half-step.

Well, it's water under the bridge now, but let your story be a lesson to others that may consult you in the future - or consult this post.

Good luck with your braces. I'm sure they'll give you the smile that you want. And remember this too: People have reported that their teeth have moved back after Invisalign - even more so than with braces and not wearing the retainer.

Don't worry about what people say: I'm sure there are plenty of people that wish they had your teeth as is - and even more who wish they could get braces.

No one teases or worries about it anymore. The world has become very vain and health conscious, which fits in nicely with your decision to straighten your teeth - the right way.

#11 Post by **viciousgiraffe** » Fri Aug 08, 2008 8:27 pm

Thanks for all the comments. I feel much more comfortable about the prospect of having braces. I really don't know why my ortho recommended invisalign in the first place as he is a Premier Provider. Anyway, I have an appointment on August 12th and will either get braced then or soon thereafter. I'm looking forward to the process and I'll keep updating everyone on my situation.

#12 Post by **alex** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 11:19 am

I'm not a frequent poster here, but have been a member since I got braces and check the boards semi-frequently.

I am also about to start my sophomore year of college and got my braces right before the start of my freshman year in August 2007. I'll try and give you some of my thoughts on what I've experienced as we're in similar situations.

You will notice and worry about them way more than other people will. The majority of people I met at school either don't notice/care about them. A couple of my friends have mentioned them, but mostly just to ask when they're coming off. There has only been one rude comment that I remember specifically, but I never saw the person afterwards and can't remember his name.

You're definitely not alone. Since I now have braces, I definitely notice when someone else has them too. I've seen at least 20-30 other students on campus that have them, and even more that I've just seen in pictures or other places.

All in all, I think it would be a good decision to get them. Even though it hasn't been fun, I would be more upset with myself now if I hadn't gotten them. Either we can have braces for 1-2 years of our lives or be unhappy about our teeth for the rest of our lives. It goes by faster than you think too!

#13 Post by **viciousgiraffe** » Wed Aug 13, 2008 5:53 pm

Thanks for the words of inspiration alex. Its good to know that there are other people my age in the same situation; I've seen a handful of braces college aged people on this site.
To update everyone on my situation: I had a consultation with my orthodontist and expressed my concerns and thoughts about my disappointment and what I thought the next course of action should be. I will be getting braced on August 27th and am supposed to get a small surgery to get an "anchor" installed in my mouth so my maxillary midline can shift. Im excited to get going on this, but also not happy that I had to go through 15 months of invisalign just to have to get like another 15-20 months in braces. Awesome!