Metal Mouth Message Board

My orthodontist is strongly recommending that I get Clear Ceramic braces instead of opting for Invisalign, however I really don't want it to make my teeth look even worst than how it looks right now. I was thinking of getting Invisalign, finish off school, go for interviews, secure a job, THEN switch to braces if it doesn't fully straighten my teeth. I'm not sure if that is the best idea.

Did anyone here start off with Invisalign then have to get braces because it didn't fix all their problems?

My orthodontist says that Invisalign can only fix 90% of what needs to be taken care of. He has a 5 star rating with 144 reviews on a very popular website where you can rate mds.

Any input will be really appreciated.

Listen to your orthodontist! Invisalign can only move the teeth so much. It is not for everyone.
If you go with your plan you will probably be spending twice as much in money AND time!
Having braces on is no big deal. I have the clear braces and they are great. More discreet!
Good luck!

Invisalign sounds tempting (what with all the marketing) but as Bracesat57 recommends go with the orthodontist's recommendation. There are probably (as I recall) people here who have switched to braces following an unsuccessful trial with Invisalign, and perhaps a search on that word would bring them up. You may have deeper orthodontic issues for which Invisalign would be inappropriate -- but in any event, discuss the pros and cons with your orthodontist! Best of luck to you.

Why pay double? Not sure of the logic there.

oldfart wrote:Why pay double? Not sure of the logic there.

Exactly. You will probably have to pay your orthodontist to switch to braces if they even agreed to go the route of changing in the future.

I've known a few people who have had Invisalign and told me if they had to do it again, they would have gone with braces. There are cement anchors they put on your teeth to hold the trays on, so your teeth won't look perfectly natural regardless.

Hey janedoe - I guess I have a bit of a different view. If your ortho approves of the plan that you're proposing, and it aids your lifestyle/interviewing/self-confidence needs, then it's a viable option. It's not unusual to finish with braces at the end of Invisalign for a variety of reasons, including the need to get movement that the aligners aren't making progress on. So, what's the problem if that sequence is just built into your plan from the start?

If it adds to the cost, that's a decision that you'll need to make. Btw, based on one option offered to me, it might not add much, if any, to the cost of the Invisalign treatment. If braces were needed at the end, the treatment cost wouldn't have changed. I guess there's enough margin in Invisalign treatments that using braces to finish doesn't screw up the ortho's economics, or maybe it even works out better than the time/visits required for a bunch of refinement trays/visits.

Bottom line, everyone's plan has to work for both them and the ortho. It seems most people wind up happy with whichever option they choose, so whether you go straight to ceramics or choose the combo that you're thinking of, you'll likely be satisfied. Nonetheless, it's a big mental hurdle to pull the trigger, so if the combo i) helps you make the decision to start sooner than later, ii) allows the ortho to deliver great results with high certainty, and iii) the economics works, then do it and don't look back.

I had Invisalign 6 years ago. It fixed some spacing on top and unravelled the crowding on the bottom. It did not, and could not fix my bite. I was told if it "doesn't bother you then don't worry about it". It was big mistake to listen to that advice. Five years latter I developed TMJD that was absolutely killing me, I had bone grinding against bone and a displaced disk. I was told by a TMJ specialist that I needed regular braces to fix my bite or else the TMJD would get even worse. So here I am almost a year into braces at 59 and the pain has diminished somewhat. My advice to you, if your issues are purely cosmetic then Invisalign might be OK. If you have bite problems, run from Invisalign.

Money must not be an object.

I have heard of people getting the teeth straight with Invisalign, and then getting braces to fix the bite. Sounds expensive though and I doubt nothing that braces alone couldn't fix for most likely less. Probably an aesthetic thing.

desertd wrote:I have heard of people getting the teeth straight with Invisalign, and then getting braces to fix the bite. Sounds expensive though and I doubt nothing that braces alone couldn't fix for most likely less. Probably an aesthetic thing.

Of course its an aesthetic thing, so many people apparently scared of obviously having braces, like if somebody knew, their life would be over

Whoever tells you invisalign is not visible is feeding you a bunch of hogwash btw. The same with Essix retainers. Now in pics they aren't noticable, but if the flash isn't right the plastic covering your teeth really makes your teeth look slimy. And with a clear (supposed) retainer, I hate talking with people up close.

Thank you for all the replies. After careful thought, I've made the decision to go with ceramic braces over Invisalign.

Here's to the next two years! I'm not psyched about all the pain that comes with braces but I'm excited to see the end result. The last picture of me smiling with teeth showing was taken in grade 6 and that was 15 years ago!!

I forgot to mention that If I were to switch to braces after Invisalign then the cost of ceramic braces wouldn't change that month. I was quoted 600$ for 6 months If I remember correctly.

Ceramic braces alone is 7100
Invisalign alone is 8500

I'm currently looking into switching from Invisalign to ceramic braces because Invisalign is the worst thing I have ever experienced. I was not aware of several things about invisalign prior to getting them. I've had them a month now and am troubled with constant dry mouth, gritting feeling from the attachments on my teeth, unable to chew food properly & awful plastic that makes speaking difficult on top of dry mouth then there's the inconvenience of having to clean them not rinse but actually clean with soap and water each time after you eat. I don't mind the brushing and flossing but the pulling them out process each time is a mess. Especially, if you travel with work and don't have access to a rest room immediately after eating. You always feel rushed to eat b/c you can't take them out for more than 2 hours a day supposeably. You have to carry a water bottle and supplies with you every where you go. it was a huge mistake and DO NOT recommend anyone to waste their time or money with Invisalign. My Ortho said they are a better choice to fix an Omega alignment and crowding on the bottom. But, I just can't help but wonder exactly how much of a difference ceramic braces would have made in correcting this?? I have an appt next week to discuss.

cargo47 wrote:I'm currently looking into switching from Invisalign to ceramic braces because Invisalign is the worst thing I have ever experienced. I was not aware of several things about invisalign prior to getting them. I've had them a month now and am troubled with constant dry mouth, gritting feeling from the attachments on my teeth, unable to chew food properly & awful plastic that makes speaking difficult on top of dry mouth then there's the inconvenience of having to clean them not rinse but actually clean with soap and water each time after you eat. I don't mind the brushing and flossing but the pulling them out process each time is a mess. Especially, if you travel with work and don't have access to a rest room immediately after eating. You always feel rushed to eat b/c you can't take them out for more than 2 hours a day supposeably. You have to carry a water bottle and supplies with you every where you go. it was a huge mistake and DO NOT recommend anyone to waste their time or money with Invisalign. My Ortho said they are a better choice to fix an Omega alignment and crowding on the bottom. But, I just can't help but wonder exactly how much of a difference ceramic braces would have made in correcting this?? I have an appt next week to discuss.

Hey, thank you for the reply. I had totally forgotten about this forum. I'm glad I didn't choose Invisalign after all. I went with Ceramic braces and I see that I made the right decision as I saw significant changes just a couple of weeks in...well apart from yes the constant dry mouth and inability to kiss without the brackets pushed against my inner lips, I don't regret it.

So how did your appointment go? Will you be switching to ceramic braces now?