Hey all!
So I have decided to go with Invisalign. But, my orthodontist said I had two options:
1. Just get the invisalign on its own (1.5 years). This would straighten the teeth, but not correct the bite (my top teeth cover my bottom teeth).
2. Get this "appliance" for ~4 months beforehand, then do the Invisalign. This is two bars that go on either side of the top teeth, connected to the bottom with some sort of elastics. On the bottom there are going to be a ring on two molars, with a wire going behind my bottom teeth.
I figured since the cost is the same, and I would probably regret going with option 1 in the long run, I should do option 2 since it is only 4 more months. But, I don't know what this appliance is called...anyone have experience with it?
Also, just had the spacers put it...hurt SO much the first night. Hopefully the rest won't be too bad....just not looking forward to having the metal in my mouth.
Thanks!
Dia
New to the board! Anyone get an "appliance" b4 Inv
Moderator: bbsadmin
-
DiaEmerald
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Fri Feb 09, 2007 6:09 pm
- Location: California!
-
naturalrox
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Wed Feb 14, 2007 11:58 am
Hi DiaEmerald! I'm new as well - I've been actually lurking for a little over one year now.
Your post is similar to what I've recently experienced so I was compelled to reply! I started my ortho treatment officially last March. When I had my consultation back in Dec 2005, my ortho also gave me two options. He explained that if I wanted only 80% correction of my overbite, we could start Invisalign right away; or if I wanted 100% correction, I could opt to have my wisdom teeth removed (to provide more space for my teeth to move back) and wear an appliance on the top which would actually move my molars back. I also would need to wear a few metal braces on the bottom teeth (on the sides, so it wasn't noticeable) to rotate one tooth on either side. He said that I'd have to wear them for about 4 months.
Personally, I opted to wear the appliance for a couple of reasons - a)if I'm paying that much money to have my teeth fixed, I'm totally going for 100% correction. Also he let me know that it would take longer for my Invisalign trays to move my molars back compared to the time it would take the pendulum appliance to move my teeth.
I figured that 4 months was reasonable so I went with that option before my Invisalign treatment started. However, 4 months turned into 10 months and I only just got the appliance and metal braces off right after New Years. That was a mini-milestone for me because I could eat normally again! Since then, I've been wearing a clear Essex retainer on top and bottom to keep the teeth in place until my trays are ready. I'm actually supposed to get my first trays tomorrow afternoon!
Even though I didn't like wearing the appliance (mainly because food would get stuck in it), I'd do it again because I want my teeth to come out as perfect as possible.
I'm not sure what type of appliance you'd need to wear - I'm not familiar with what you described. Sorry to hear about your pain with the spacers - that was the most painful part for me leading up to wearing my retainer (that's another story!). But I wish you the best of luck!
Let us know what you end up deciding!
Your post is similar to what I've recently experienced so I was compelled to reply! I started my ortho treatment officially last March. When I had my consultation back in Dec 2005, my ortho also gave me two options. He explained that if I wanted only 80% correction of my overbite, we could start Invisalign right away; or if I wanted 100% correction, I could opt to have my wisdom teeth removed (to provide more space for my teeth to move back) and wear an appliance on the top which would actually move my molars back. I also would need to wear a few metal braces on the bottom teeth (on the sides, so it wasn't noticeable) to rotate one tooth on either side. He said that I'd have to wear them for about 4 months.
Personally, I opted to wear the appliance for a couple of reasons - a)if I'm paying that much money to have my teeth fixed, I'm totally going for 100% correction. Also he let me know that it would take longer for my Invisalign trays to move my molars back compared to the time it would take the pendulum appliance to move my teeth.
I figured that 4 months was reasonable so I went with that option before my Invisalign treatment started. However, 4 months turned into 10 months and I only just got the appliance and metal braces off right after New Years. That was a mini-milestone for me because I could eat normally again! Since then, I've been wearing a clear Essex retainer on top and bottom to keep the teeth in place until my trays are ready. I'm actually supposed to get my first trays tomorrow afternoon!
Even though I didn't like wearing the appliance (mainly because food would get stuck in it), I'd do it again because I want my teeth to come out as perfect as possible.
I'm not sure what type of appliance you'd need to wear - I'm not familiar with what you described. Sorry to hear about your pain with the spacers - that was the most painful part for me leading up to wearing my retainer (that's another story!). But I wish you the best of luck!
Let us know what you end up deciding!
-
DiaEmerald
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Fri Feb 09, 2007 6:09 pm
- Location: California!
So, I am going in for part II of the appliance today. Part I was the spacers, and I believe part III is the metal bar.
I looked up the "pendulum" appliance on google. It doesn't look quite like what I am getting...it has a little more metal on the bottom. I actually found a site called specialtyappliances.com and didn't see it anywhere on there...but I may have stopped looking because all those mouths and teeth started to get to me...
Anyways, the thing I am getting has a metal ring on each of the second to back teeth on the bottom, then a piece of wire going on the inside of the teeth, sort of like the permanent retainer some of my friends have. The top, the "bar" will go from my canines all the way back, and be attached to the rings on the bottom with an elastic band. Ahhhh...talking about this makes me not want to go...and my appointment is in an hour!!
I guess it is too late to back out now though! Hopefully my four months will be four months (and not your 10 months...poor you!) But I don't need any teeth rotated, just "pulled back" so I hope it will be okay....
Wish me luck!!
I looked up the "pendulum" appliance on google. It doesn't look quite like what I am getting...it has a little more metal on the bottom. I actually found a site called specialtyappliances.com and didn't see it anywhere on there...but I may have stopped looking because all those mouths and teeth started to get to me...
Anyways, the thing I am getting has a metal ring on each of the second to back teeth on the bottom, then a piece of wire going on the inside of the teeth, sort of like the permanent retainer some of my friends have. The top, the "bar" will go from my canines all the way back, and be attached to the rings on the bottom with an elastic band. Ahhhh...talking about this makes me not want to go...and my appointment is in an hour!!
I guess it is too late to back out now though! Hopefully my four months will be four months (and not your 10 months...poor you!) But I don't need any teeth rotated, just "pulled back" so I hope it will be okay....
Wish me luck!!