Thinking about it...

Message

#16 Post by **Crooked** » Thu Apr 02, 2009 5:58 am

Well... I had thought I'd walk away today with some answers but it seems that was a bit optimistic.

The dentist I saw initially said he was uncomfortable treating my overcrowdedness but when I said I was unwilling to wear train tracks he offered to take some photos and send them off to Invisalign for their thoughts on my situation, which he described as an interesting case study.

So hopefully I'll know where I am next week.

#17 Post by **Wireless** » Thu Apr 02, 2009 9:54 am

I had a similar experience where my ortho sent my records to Invisalign although my condition (deep overbite) is not considered as a good candidate. In my case, my ortho did this without me knowing or asking because of a problem he found with a damaged tooth root. He was concerned traditional braces would cause further injury where Invisalign wouldn't. I got surprised by this when I went in for my records consultation.

In my case, I was told I may have to finish with regular braces if Invisalign doesn't provide the required results. This will probably be for a few months instead of a full treatment program. Would you be willing to settle for a mixed treatment plan like this?

If Invisalign accepts your case, you'll probably find you'll end up with a number of attachments, which are tooth colored "bumps" the aligners grip to do special tooth movements. Mine are roughly 1 millimeter x 4 millimeters in size. Most of the these are on the sides where they are not really visible. I do have two on the rear of my upper front teeth. While these are uncomfortable, they are not visible. If you require attachments on your upper fronts, see if they can be located in the rear where they are not visible. My ortho did this without being asked.

It's probably very frustrating to have to keep going back for answers. I think you will find your efforts worth it in the long run.

#18 Post by **Crooked** » Fri Apr 03, 2009 12:57 am

Thanks for the reply Wireless.

Sounds like you have a similarly complicated case. Not sure if I'd have traditional braces as part of the treatment. Guess we'll see what comes back from Invisalign - I don't need 100% straight teeth - 95% would do nicely.

Just incredible how diverse the range of opinions regarding my case is. Guess if there is one thing its to get multiple opinions!

#19 Post by **John37** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 2:37 am

Crooked wrote:Sounds like you have a similarly complicated case. Not sure if I'd have traditional braces as part of the treatment. Guess we'll see what comes back from Invisalign - I don't need 100% straight teeth - 95% would do nicely.

That's what you say now, but when you get to 95% you may say, "gee, I wish this one tooth was a little straighter."

#20 Post by **Wireless** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 6:18 am

I'm going to agree with John37 - when I finally decided to go with treatment, I decided I wanted everything fixed to the best it can be. In my case, I was referred to an orthodontist by my dentist due to a bite problem causing gum damage, not because of appearance.

Because I was very reluctant to start treatment, my ortho came three options, including one that didn't involve bracketing my upper teeth. While this sounded like an option at first, I decided to go with a full treatment because I didn't want any chance for a recurrence of problems. I also give him credit for doing a lot of research with Invisalign on his own initiative. According to guidelines I've seen, I'm really not a candidate.

If I have to wear metal braces, it will probably be only for a few months and not the 18 months I was told originally. There are options for clear brackets that will make them less visible. I consider this a much better option than having a problem recur or have a flaw I have to look at the rest of my life.

I suggest seeing if there are multiple options with your dentist and your concerns about appearance.

#21 Post by **Wobblydeb** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 7:09 am

John37 wrote:That's what you say now, but when you get to 95% you may say, "gee, I wish this one tooth was a little straighter."

That is totally true! I set out and specifically asked my dentist not to treat my bite because it was comfortable and pretty good, although not perfect. Now I'm starting to look at the pre-molar that is out of line and thinking "bummer, I wish I'd asked for that to be moved"

My teeth are already 10 times better than they were - but I'm thinking they could be even better....

#22 Post by **Crooked** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 7:23 am

Thanks for the heads up on that chaps.

I should hear from the dentist tomorrow or next week. I'm still surprised that from 3 dentists I've heard 3 different opinions.

#23 Post by **Wireless** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 1:03 pm

Its ultimately going to be who you think has the experience to correct your problem and also who you feel comfortable working with.

Regarding the Invisalign recommendation, don't be surprised if any answer is tentative until you have the records exam with molds and X-rays taken.

I think you have done a good job of investigating.

Good luck!!