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Skeptical about invisalign
Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 5:11 pm
by Coco212
I recently had my consultation for invisalign and my dentist said he thinks I can benefit from it. I'm really excited to get started, but I'm also kind of skeptical. My teeth aren't THAT bad, but they are noticeably crooked...there's a pretty big gap between my right front tooth and the one next to it, and there's some crowding on the left side. I want my teeth to be perfectly straight, and I'm hoping that can be accomplished with invisalign, but does anyone think metal braces would be more worth it? I mean, invisalign is $6,000, and I don't want to pay all that money for something that might not get me the results I want. Does invisalign usually bring the same results as regular braces? Thanks for the help!
Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 5:08 pm
by lesley
Invisalign does NOT offer the same results as braces. If you do not care about the appearance of normal braces and want your teeth absolutely perfect, then I would go with regular braces.
Many people have had successful cases with invisalign (myself included) but many have had problems. I was willing to accept 90% correction as I was never willing to wear regular braces.
Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 5:30 pm
by Jeff
My first piece of advice would be to prioritize advice from anonymous strangers on the internet (myself included) below that of flesh and blood professionals in your home town when weighing matters costing thousands of dollars. At a bare minimum, I would talk to at least one orthodontist in addition to your GP dentist.
With my disclaimer in mind, here is my decision matrix: The higher your percentage of "yes" answers to these questions, the better your chances of success with Invisalign.
1. Do two different impartial dentists and/or orthodontists agree that I'm a good candidate?
2. Am I too self-conscious to wear metal braces?
3. Am I disciplined enough to keep the trays in 23 hours a day regardless of how irritating they are and how self-conscious I am about people noticing them visually or through my slightly altered speech?
4. Am I responsible enough to keep from losing the trays?
5. Will my life be sufficiently enhanced after spending thousands of dollars on what may be strictly a vanity project?
6. Am I OK with the notion that I may need to put on metal braces in the end game anyway if my teeth don't cooperate with Invisalign?
Good Luck