I mean, I know the Essix is meant to keep the teeth from moving and the Invisalign is meant to actually move the teeth, but are they made of the same material?
It seems like my Essix retainer is so thin and I'm afraid they are going to allow my teeth to move. In fact, I think one of my bottom teeth has already started to shift a little (had the retainer about 2 weeks now).
If the Invisalign material is harder, I wonder why they don't make retainers out of Invisalign?
Anyone else ever thought of this or talked to their Ortho about it?
Whats the difference in Essix retainers & Invisalign?
Moderator: bbsadmin
ronni - Invisalign does make their own retainers now.
Having just finished my (23 tray set) initial Invisalign treatment with one ( 4 tray set) refinement series this week & I chose to go with their brand retainers for various reasons (don't want permanent wires or Hawley's & have heard of some problems with the in-house made Essix types).
They are supposedly made out of a slightly thicker gauge plastic than either of the Essix gauges currently available & have approximately a 2 yr. life span depending on use. Invisalign uses your last tray set as their guide for production (without any attachment spaces, of course).
I was quoted $80 Cdn for each tray - will be picking them up Monday. Will report back on how they feel. I've had a VERY positive experience all along & know how important this retainment phase is. I've been advised to wear them full time for as long as I feel the need before shifting to 12 hr. overnight wear indefinitely. I'm anticipating the pretty much full time use to last a few months before I feel totally comfortable in cutting back to overnight only, but will be however flexible I need to be in that schedule.
Retainment may in fact be THE most important part of orthodontic treatment.
I'll be updating my blog with pics as soon as I get them.
Regards,
AnneC
Having just finished my (23 tray set) initial Invisalign treatment with one ( 4 tray set) refinement series this week & I chose to go with their brand retainers for various reasons (don't want permanent wires or Hawley's & have heard of some problems with the in-house made Essix types).
They are supposedly made out of a slightly thicker gauge plastic than either of the Essix gauges currently available & have approximately a 2 yr. life span depending on use. Invisalign uses your last tray set as their guide for production (without any attachment spaces, of course).
I was quoted $80 Cdn for each tray - will be picking them up Monday. Will report back on how they feel. I've had a VERY positive experience all along & know how important this retainment phase is. I've been advised to wear them full time for as long as I feel the need before shifting to 12 hr. overnight wear indefinitely. I'm anticipating the pretty much full time use to last a few months before I feel totally comfortable in cutting back to overnight only, but will be however flexible I need to be in that schedule.
Retainment may in fact be THE most important part of orthodontic treatment.
I'll be updating my blog with pics as soon as I get them.
Regards,
AnneC
Invisalign Brand Retainers
Have been wearing my Invisalign brand Retainers full time for a week now - you can see pics on my blog:
http://smilingwideopen.blogspot.com/
They are definitely more rigid/thicker than the regular trays, but feel just fine. Came across this article with some insight regarding the cautions of demineralization & the open bite issues of these type of retainers - well worth reading:
http://www.gacstraightnclear.com/techfiles_1.html
Am very pleased with my outcome - now to keep my teeth in place...
Will definitely be a "lifer"!
AnneC
http://smilingwideopen.blogspot.com/
They are definitely more rigid/thicker than the regular trays, but feel just fine. Came across this article with some insight regarding the cautions of demineralization & the open bite issues of these type of retainers - well worth reading:
http://www.gacstraightnclear.com/techfiles_1.html
Am very pleased with my outcome - now to keep my teeth in place...
Will definitely be a "lifer"!
AnneC
I noticed that even though the Essix is thin its quite rigid for holding.
Its so tight I have a very difficult time removing it.
If you have more than the usual movement then perhaps you can talk with your ortho about getting a hawley so that he can correct the movement with the wire on the hawley.
Its so tight I have a very difficult time removing it.
If you have more than the usual movement then perhaps you can talk with your ortho about getting a hawley so that he can correct the movement with the wire on the hawley.
Top Braces June 2004
Bottom Braces November 2004
Debanded January 2007
Bottom Braces November 2004
Debanded January 2007
The difference in materials is essentially nothing. It depends on what your doctor uses to form the retainer. Thermoplastic materials come in difference thicknesses and are used for different purposes (nightguard, bleaching trays, retainer, etc.)
The differences in design is simply that the Invisalign are set to move the teeth by applying pressure against your teeth to get them to move to the molded shape. A retainer will hold your teeth in the final position. Some patients may have "active retainers," in which the doctor needed to tweak a tooth a bit but debonded the patient. In this case the retainer functions as a retainer but also as an orthodontic apppliance.
The differences in design is simply that the Invisalign are set to move the teeth by applying pressure against your teeth to get them to move to the molded shape. A retainer will hold your teeth in the final position. Some patients may have "active retainers," in which the doctor needed to tweak a tooth a bit but debonded the patient. In this case the retainer functions as a retainer but also as an orthodontic apppliance.