"6 month braces" - with invisalign?

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#1 Post by **gbaustin** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 6:48 am

Ever hear of "6 month braces" http://www.archwired.com/six_month_braces.htm?

If you google that term you'll find several dentists whose web sites are similar (even similar language) about this technique. They use both traditional (visible) and lingual braces claiming that they use new "high tech wires" which exert low force and achieve faster results. This seems counterintuitive.

I've posted before that I am purposefully pushing the frequency of tray changes with my invisalign to about 1 week average. I am changing to tray 10 today after 10 weeks.

My ortho says the danger of moving things this fast is not resorption or root damage, rather it is that the teeth all become loose (he says spongy) and that there is no firm footing for the trays to do thier work. However, my trays are only moving 1 tooth per tray, so the rest are not under pressure except against the one moving tooth.

My ortho says he has had at least one other patient who averaged 5-6 days per tray with good results. He is not recommending that I move this fast, I am doing it on my own. My Ortho has 1500 successful Invisalign treatments.

I am not recommending anyone try to do what I am doing. But if you are trying to move fast, I would like to share experiences.

I would be interested in what your ortho says about the 6 month technique. I will ask mine at the next visit in 2 weeks.

#2 Post by **diehard** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 12:48 pm

its a shame that 6 months braces is not very common it would give people another option i would sure think hard about having them, im sure if u wanted to u could hide yourself from the world for 6 months and then then emerge with a perfect set of teeth to show off

#3 Post by **lilonething** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 4:17 pm

I'm not convinced it is perfect though. I thought about it because I dread braces. DREAD it. But, if you look at the web page for 6 month braces, there are problems with the peoples smiles and bites (if those are natural bites). It is about esthetics and not so much about bite. It even says on there that they just focus on the front teeth.

Any doctors have opinions on this treatment????

#4 Post by **rsprouse** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 5:49 pm

6 month braces is a marketing oriented treatment option that's main goal is to offer an aesthetic result. It is a lot like Damon braces, just a name. That being said, there are a lot of clinician's out there that will veneer or crown anything for the sake of aesthetics and do nothing to address function. If the patent's chief complaint is aesthetics then it is a better option over veneer or crowns in many instances since at least they are keeping their own teeth. If your main goal is to correct a visual problem then short term braces may be for you, but if you want to correct the whole enchilada then look for comprehensive orthodontic treatment.

Regards,
Rory