Metal Mouth Message Board

Hey guys,

I have a mild-ish cross bite, where my bottom mid-line is in the right place, but my top mid-line is 1/4 inch to my right. I also have some teeth that have shifted due to my unaligned bite.

I recently went to an orthodontist who said a simple treatment of Invisalign would fix my problem. I went to go get a second opinion, and that orthodontist said he would definitely recommend getting an expander and braces at the same time.

I'm a college student, and while I realize this time isn't as crucial as my adult years where having braces is less appropriate, I am extremely vain (at least I admit it ) and cannot have train tracks while in college.

The orthodontist who said I needed an expander and braces also said that he wouldn't recommend Invisalign for my case. But when I asked why, he just said it may not turn out as well as it would with conventional braces. And when I asked what the difference would be, he says he doesn't know.

I'm extremely torn because while I want the best thing for my teeth in order to achieve the most perfect smile (vain, I know...), I also want something like Invisalign where no one can see that I have something on.

Has anyone else gone from the expander & braces route to the Invisalign route? Or possibly even expander & Invisalign route? What could the differences be between getting braces and Invisalign in terms of differing results?

Thanks!!

Each situation is different and has to be evaluated by an experienced Invisalign doctor. Invisalign can be used to correct crossbites and to expand arches. The key is that Invisalign is a technique, not a product, so a lot of the variation comes with who you seek treatment with. Take a look at this link that describes some of the difference between Invisalign and braces for a better explanation... http://www.torontoinvisalign.com/compare/

I have moderate crossbite and I did look into Invisalign put from all the orthos I saw they told me they could not get enough expansion for it to be worth while. I could have got them but only to straighten my teeth not to fix my bite. Also the hassle of having to brush and floss ater every time you eat plus the extra cost and time in them is not worth it. Two orthos I saw wanted me to have surgery but that was never an option for me. The third ortho offers suresmile and I would only be is braces for 15-18 months rather than 24 months if I went with the damon system. He believes he will give me a healthy bite without surgery with the extra control he has with suresmile. The other good thing is he is using damon clear brackets for the top six teeth which the others did not offer and they are going on tommorrow!

Well you said you absolutely cannot do the metal braces so shouldn't the decision already be made?

I don't know too much about invisalign other than its done a lot of amazing things that I didn't think was possible with just plastic. I would at least get a third opinion from someone who does both invisalign and metal braces to see if they can give any sort of comparison to advantages/disadvantages for your specific case. Crossbites vary person to person so one persons crossbite correction might not work for anothers.

From what you wrote it sounds that maybe the ortho who didn't recommend invisalign made his recommendation because he isn't skilled in that area and does not know the capabilities of the treatment (from the answer that "he doesn't know"). Personally, I wouldn't go with anyone who makes a professional claim (it won't turn out as well), and backs it up with nothing to support that claim (he doesn't know why). It would lead me to believe his claim is not made in your best interest (effectiveness) but rather in the interest of his business (you choose him instead of invisalign provider).

If you can get an evaluation from someone who is experienced in both areas, you can trust that his opinion to do one or the other isn't influenced by whether or not he will get your business (unless there is a major cost discrepancy).