Should I get Invisalign?

[LovelyDea]

Hi guys!

I would just like to start off by saying that I am 15. I realize that this site is for adults, however, I felt like I needed to go to a forum that was more mature and knowledgeable than my age group.

Ok, so here's the deal:

I had a perfect bite and perfectly straight teeth before I got my braces. I never wanted or necessarily needed braces, but I did have one impacted cuspid. At least, my orthodontist and dentist thought that it was impacted. They said I needed braces and an exposure surgery to bring it down. Fortunately, as I am still pretty young, once my baby tooth was removed, the cuspid started growing in naturally. By this time, I had already had my braces put on, with the idea being to bring down my cuspid. My cuspid is growing in almost perfect alignment, however it is taking a long time, as it is growing through some bone.

I have had my braces on for 6 months now, and I am fuming. My cuspid is growing in fine, but the braces are not helping to move it along any faster. My orthodontist has kept the braces on and has accidentally ruined my bite. For the first time in my life I have an overbite, and my front teeth are terribly misaligned.

Yesterday, my orthodontist apologized for the turn of events and told me I would be needing to have 2-4 adult teeth extracted to fix the overbite that he had created. I have this option, or the option of wearing elastics (24/7) for the next year. My original treatment time was between 12-18 months, and now the ortho says it may go up to 3 years.

Obviously, I am very upset as I loved my teeth before and simply got braces to prevent future problems with my "impacted" canine tooth.

My orthodontist said that if I removed my braces now, chances are that they will return to their natural positions. Should I do this, or will there be terrible negative repercussions? like my teeth going crazy?

Should I remove my braces and get Invisalign (with a new ortho) to fix the problems that were created? My cuspid hasn't grown in completely, but I heard that Invisalign works well around missing teeth. Is that true?

My current ortho says I can get a retainer to keep how my teeth are looking now:

Should I do this? Or should I risk getting my teeth back to their natural state?

I am worried that if I remove my braces, my teeth will get so bad that Invisalign won't be able to help. That is why I wonder if I should wear a retainer after the removal of my braces, so that my teeth are in a somewhat fair position to be fixed with Invisalign.

What do you guys think?

Sorry for this long question, but I really am desperate, and so confused! The new ortho (understandably) does not want to consult with me until my braces are off. Should I risk getting them off? Should I risk keeping them on, and potentially ruining my jaw even more?

Thanks a lot! Please help me!

[DrJasonKTam]

Sorry to hear that you've had to go through this ordeal. Whether it seems like it or not, it was probably a good idea to address the impacted canine. Though we don't have the benefit of seeing the pretreatment x-ray, there could have been damage to other permanent teeth if you didn't do anything about it.

If you're uncomfortable with your orthodontist's plan, you may consider seeking the opinion of another orthodontist. I don't generally recommend this mid-treatment, but if the treatment plan has been changed significantly, you are now being told something you were not prepared for at the start.

In terms of Invisalign, treatment to extrude canines is possible, particularly in teenagers who are very compliant with wearing their aligners. However, as with all orthodontic techniques, you will have to find someone experienced in creating these types of movements with aligners, and to help "correct" your bite.

Good luck!

[LovelyDea]

Thank you so much!

I will definitely be getting a second opinion now.

I didn't know Invisalign could do all that!

Thanks again, you were a great help!