difficult case.
My dentist told me I was not a candidate for Invisalign. I have a number of issues/damage to my teeth resulting from a severe crossbite as well as one baby tooth that is still in place. (I am 35.) She recommended that I see an ortho and I did. At the first consultation, he took a number of measurement said Invisalign would work. However, after getting back the impressions, he recommended wire braces, but agreed to the Invisalign saying that it would still work, and would make a tremendous difference and prescribed an 18-month plan. I am going in late this week to get the aligners started.
I really want Invisalign over wire braces, but with the significant time and financial commitment, I want to be sure this will work for me. According to him, the high failure rate is due to people not wearing them since wearers must be dedicated to something that's removable.
He seems very intelligent and has a solid practice and reputation. He isn't the kind of doctor who would just recommend something to make money that wasn't going to work, especially since he took a very, very long time to detail the severity of the damage cause by my crossbite.
He is an older man and a top Invisalign dr. Maybe he is more experienced with Invisalign? I'm just concerned about the limited involvement of the ortho and I do NOT want to get into this and have to start over. I spelled that out to him but he said "It will work." Yet he didn't tell me why he shied away from it momentarily.
I want to believe him that this will work, but I am so skeptical. I've asked him straight out 2-3 times now. All I have left is to survey other user and see what you all think.
I know I could get another ortho's opinion, but I don't have the time and money for that since I do like this practice overall.
THANK YOU so much for feedback. I am eager to correct my bite so I can move on to all the restorative work I need. I want to do it right.
Please share Invisalign experience, esp. if you had a >
Moderator: bbsadmin
I too had (have) a fairly complex case - quite a bit of crowding and a slight crossbite. I had four teeth extracted and I know my ortho was nervous about closing up the gaps. I have 42U/47L and am switching to tray 30 tonight.
My ortho was also initially reluctant to try Invisalign for me, because of the extraction - I too was recommended wire braces, which I REALLY didn't want. So we went ahead with the Invisalign plan, and it's going great so far. However, it was made clear to me from the beginning that I will likely have to finish up with wire braces (I'll get ceramic) for a couple months; that potential cost is included in my whole treatment cost. I'm not thrilled about this, but the projected treatment time (and the cost) for Invisalign v. traditional braces was about the same, so I figure at least I can do 80-90% of it in Invisalign.
I would probably trust the doctor; as you say, he's well-known for Invisalign. BUT I would also ask that any refinements - including non-Invisalign refinements - be included in your overall treatment cost. That way, if the Invisalign doesn't work, or only works to a point (which happens to a lot of people with long treatment times), you're not going to have to pay more. For what it's worth, my ortho told me that Invisalign usually works really well for up to about 20 or 25 trays, and then that's the point where any small errors along the way show up and are magnified. But like I said - I'm up to number 30, and in my ortho's words, I've been "flying through the trays."
Good luck! I'm really happy with my choice to do Invisalign and I would absolutely do it again.
My ortho was also initially reluctant to try Invisalign for me, because of the extraction - I too was recommended wire braces, which I REALLY didn't want. So we went ahead with the Invisalign plan, and it's going great so far. However, it was made clear to me from the beginning that I will likely have to finish up with wire braces (I'll get ceramic) for a couple months; that potential cost is included in my whole treatment cost. I'm not thrilled about this, but the projected treatment time (and the cost) for Invisalign v. traditional braces was about the same, so I figure at least I can do 80-90% of it in Invisalign.
I would probably trust the doctor; as you say, he's well-known for Invisalign. BUT I would also ask that any refinements - including non-Invisalign refinements - be included in your overall treatment cost. That way, if the Invisalign doesn't work, or only works to a point (which happens to a lot of people with long treatment times), you're not going to have to pay more. For what it's worth, my ortho told me that Invisalign usually works really well for up to about 20 or 25 trays, and then that's the point where any small errors along the way show up and are magnified. But like I said - I'm up to number 30, and in my ortho's words, I've been "flying through the trays."
Good luck! I'm really happy with my choice to do Invisalign and I would absolutely do it again.
Thanks, Blair! That is a good way to word it >
I can ask him about working the cost into my treatment plan. I really don't want any surprises in terms of time or money. He seems confident it will work, which is odd why for a minute he said he wasn't sure. I think this impacted adult tooth (above a baby tooth they want to try and bring down but can't do with Invisalign) is throwing everything off. He said only braces can make a space for it, but there is no guarantee a tooth will come in at my age, I could opt for Invisalign and a crown over the baby tooth, that the baby tooth probably isn't moving anywhere if it's in firmly at 35 years old.
So I've opted for the Invisalign since there is no guarantee they'd be able to save this nice, shiny new tooth lurking upstairs.
It's all so frustrating because it's a guessing game. I hate to not have my new tooth come into place, but if there is no guarantee I would be pretty mad to go through braces and an extraction and it's still not how it should be.
I hope I can get used to keeping the trays in all day. I fear I will be lazy about it, but I think with the cost I'll be more inclined to keep them in.
Thanks a lot, your post is very helpful.
So I've opted for the Invisalign since there is no guarantee they'd be able to save this nice, shiny new tooth lurking upstairs.
It's all so frustrating because it's a guessing game. I hate to not have my new tooth come into place, but if there is no guarantee I would be pretty mad to go through braces and an extraction and it's still not how it should be.
I hope I can get used to keeping the trays in all day. I fear I will be lazy about it, but I think with the cost I'll be more inclined to keep them in.
Thanks a lot, your post is very helpful.
Glad to help. As for keeping the trays in, I was really really good about it for the first 10 or 12 months, as I had little fill-ins in the extraction spaces to hide the gaps. Now that the gaps are almost closed, they're not really noticeable unless I open my mouth really wide, so I'm a little sloppier about the trays.
But here's how I think of it: it's really important to keep the trays in the first week or so, because that's when your teeth are really moving, and you'll feel pain/discomfort when you put them back in if you've left them out more than 30 or 45 minutes. The second week, I usually am a little laxer about putting them back in after meals, maybe giving myself an hour (or sometimes two when I'm bad). But since my teeth have mostly moved for that tray, I think it's not as big a deal. I still aim for 21-22 hours a day though, and I don't think it's hard to do. You just get used to wearing them, and you'll feel kind of naked without them. I also think it's easier, because I drink (water, alcohol) with them in and just try to brush my teeth or rinse with Listerine as soon as possible - but that may be a couple hours away if I'm at a bar. I haven't really had any problems with cavities (the only one I had was not Invisalign-related).
Just remember that like your ortho said, you're more likely to have problems if you leave them out - you don't want to find yourself having to wear the trays three weeks at a time and expand the treatment time by 150%. Even once my gaps are all the way closed, I think I'll be pretty strict about time in trays - I want this to be over as soon as possible!
But here's how I think of it: it's really important to keep the trays in the first week or so, because that's when your teeth are really moving, and you'll feel pain/discomfort when you put them back in if you've left them out more than 30 or 45 minutes. The second week, I usually am a little laxer about putting them back in after meals, maybe giving myself an hour (or sometimes two when I'm bad). But since my teeth have mostly moved for that tray, I think it's not as big a deal. I still aim for 21-22 hours a day though, and I don't think it's hard to do. You just get used to wearing them, and you'll feel kind of naked without them. I also think it's easier, because I drink (water, alcohol) with them in and just try to brush my teeth or rinse with Listerine as soon as possible - but that may be a couple hours away if I'm at a bar. I haven't really had any problems with cavities (the only one I had was not Invisalign-related).
Just remember that like your ortho said, you're more likely to have problems if you leave them out - you don't want to find yourself having to wear the trays three weeks at a time and expand the treatment time by 150%. Even once my gaps are all the way closed, I think I'll be pretty strict about time in trays - I want this to be over as soon as possible!
Thanks for the tips
I guess the reason I've not yet gotten another opinion is this ortho is THE doctor in a large metro area for Invisalign, specifically, and no one else has recommended anyone else. I've talked to four different dentists about it, but only one ortho and I was very pleased with him and the staff (and I'm picky) except for him waffling just a bit.
Since I've read Invisalign is for minor to moderate cases, and because my situation is a big gamble, that's why I came here. But seeing people who have had success with more than just a crooked tooth or a few small gaps make me feel better that it will work.
Thanks again! I am going to call him before I go in for the aligners and talk to him again and tell him I need to be sure this is the right path for me.
Since I've read Invisalign is for minor to moderate cases, and because my situation is a big gamble, that's why I came here. But seeing people who have had success with more than just a crooked tooth or a few small gaps make me feel better that it will work.
Thanks again! I am going to call him before I go in for the aligners and talk to him again and tell him I need to be sure this is the right path for me.
Update: I called the ortho
First of all, his return call and the staff handling my call was a polite experience and I think that says a lot about how treatment here would go. (I am used to people fumbling, acting annoyed, etc.)
I said I want to be sure this is going to work because I've read a fairly high failure rate. He said 95% of the cases he sees that don't work are people not dedicated to wearing them. He said it will work. Although it wasn't his first choice it's a close second and he said a big benefit of this is that I am grinding horribly--my bottom teeth are so tiny
--and Invisalign is a big plus for that since it will act as a night guard.
I think I will start Invisalign this week as planned and see how it goes. He said he is leaving room for the baby tooth area to be wide enough to be crowned as an adult tooth, so my thinking is maybe the adult tooth could be brought down in that space, too. He thinks no, but I don't see why not. (Listen to me ... like I'm an ortho or something.
Well, I FEEL that way after all my research. Who knows how it will turn out. Maybe better than I expect.)
It is hard for me to trust him because I have had a few really BAD medical professionals, including a dentist in the past. I'd be wary if he were a 30-year old dentist in a strip mall sending out coupons, but he is as opposite of that as it gets.
Wish me luck as I throw caution to the wind! Thanks for the input and I will post in 6 weeks when my treatment begins.
I said I want to be sure this is going to work because I've read a fairly high failure rate. He said 95% of the cases he sees that don't work are people not dedicated to wearing them. He said it will work. Although it wasn't his first choice it's a close second and he said a big benefit of this is that I am grinding horribly--my bottom teeth are so tiny
--and Invisalign is a big plus for that since it will act as a night guard.I think I will start Invisalign this week as planned and see how it goes. He said he is leaving room for the baby tooth area to be wide enough to be crowned as an adult tooth, so my thinking is maybe the adult tooth could be brought down in that space, too. He thinks no, but I don't see why not. (Listen to me ... like I'm an ortho or something.
Well, I FEEL that way after all my research. Who knows how it will turn out. Maybe better than I expect.)It is hard for me to trust him because I have had a few really BAD medical professionals, including a dentist in the past. I'd be wary if he were a 30-year old dentist in a strip mall sending out coupons, but he is as opposite of that as it gets.
Wish me luck as I throw caution to the wind! Thanks for the input and I will post in 6 weeks when my treatment begins.