Anybody start metal w/ extraction then chang to Invisalign?

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#1 Post by **PigletInIowa** » Sat May 17, 2008 9:09 pm

Hi, I'm 29 years old and I just started traditional braces about a month ago, after extraction of 2 upper premolars. However, after one month extremely uncomfortable experience with the braces, I almost want to chicken out:( Except with the two big extraction gap, there is no way for me to go back. My teeth are actually pretty straight except for a big overjet and medium overbite. Shaving off the teeth to do Invisalign would have only corrected my overjet by 50% at most. That was why I opted to do the traditional braces, and was sentenced for about 2 years. But boy I regretted it now! I'm just wondering if anybody here had similar situation and switched to Invisalign halfway, after the extraction gaps closed, or near closed?

Thanks a lot!!!

#2 Post by **PigletInIowa** » Sat May 17, 2008 9:48 pm

Meryaten, Thanks a lot for the info! As I have been reading, people are saying that sometimes for braces, after only about a year, the teeth will look pretty good, but the braces still needs to stay on for more time for the bites. Do you have any idea if Invisalign can adjust the bites, too? And it is true that aligning my front teeth seems to be my ortho's first step and I've been painstakingly comparing my teeth pictures trying to see some difference, but failed no matter what. However, I have to admit that I'm only one month in and most people told me they couldn't see any change after only one month. I guess I'll have to be more patient and wait until my next adjustment. Then I'll ask my ortho about the invisalign thing.

#3 Post by **Chris1960** » Wed May 28, 2008 6:17 pm

Piglet, I feel your pain and I want to do the same thing. I've had brackets for 6 months and want to switch to Invisaligns. But my Dr. seems to try to avoid the subject whenever I bring it up at my adjustments. I was so frustrated after this mornings adjustment that I made an appointment for a consultation next monday.
I have had my second bicuspids upper and lower extracted and I have brackets on the bottom only (nothing on uppers yet). They were to be on for 9 months. Two months ago when I asked he said the gaps were too big. But now they are down to 3 mm.

#4 Post by **PigletInIowa** » Wed May 28, 2008 6:37 pm

Hi, Chris,
It's sooooo good to know you are considering the same thing! So do you mean you will go for another ortho to ask about Invisalign treatment? I am counting days until my next adjustment to ask my ortho the possibility. Do you know if your ortho also carries Invisalign? Because from what I've heard, if your ortho is not an Invisalign carrier, he will simply say it's not possible. Mine also do Invisalign, but i'm not sure what he will say, since he did tell me at the beginning that Invisalign can not close gaps. So another question I have is when did your ortho start to close your gaps? Did you have to wait for all your front teeth to align first before he can start to close the gaps?

Letâ€™s keep each other updated!

#5 Post by **Chris1960** » Wed May 28, 2008 7:16 pm

So many questions. Okay here it goes:

So do you mean you will go for another ortho to ask about Invisalign treatment?

Same ortho.

I am counting days until my next adjustment to ask my ortho the possibility. Do you know if your ortho also carries Invisalign?

Yes he does.

So another question I have is when did your ortho start to close your gaps?

I think he started on the gaps after the first 2 months.

Did you have to wait for all your front teeth to align first before he can start to close the gaps?

Yeah, I think that's what he was doing.

My ortho doesn't tell me what's going on. So I have to guess. This is what he told me in the beginning:

1) My bottom teeth were too screwed up for Invisalign. But my tops could have Invisalign.

2) Brackets for 9 months on the bottom until they are set (then the bottoms come off I guess?). Then Invisalign for 12-14 months on the top.

So.. Although I have a big extraction gap on the top he originally said they would be Invisalign. However today he mentioned that the gap as too big. I have no idea what he was getting at.

From what I've learned here. Invisaligns are not good at moving gaps larger than 4-5 mm.

What I want now (after 6 mo.) is to change my bottoms to invisalign now that the gap is small and start on the invisalgn for the tops at the same time.

#6 Post by **Chris1960** » Wed May 28, 2008 7:19 pm

Oh, I've made an appointment for monday just to discuss this. I have tried 3 times to have the discussion during an adjustment but that hasn't worked so that is why I've made a seperate appointment for the discussion.

#7 Post by **PigletInIowa** » Wed May 28, 2008 7:23 pm

Thanks a lot for your fast response, chris!!! It's great to know that Invisalign can actually be used to close small gaps! though I'm not sure about what my ortho would say, I could really see some hope in my case now! You really light up my day:)

#8 Post by **Chris1960** » Wed May 28, 2008 7:39 pm

PigletInIowa wrote:Thanks a lot for your fast response, chris!!! It's great to know that Invisalign can actually be used to close small gaps! though I'm not sure about what my ortho would say, I could really see some hope in my case now! You really light up my day:)

I'll let you know what my ortho says Monday. Then we'll both see how bright our days will be.

#9 Post by **Chris1960** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 9:02 am

Brackets come off Thursday.

He said they'd take the brackets off Thursday and make me a retainer to wear while I wait for the trays to come in (4 weeks). This is great news because it means that I will finish 2-3 months sooner.

He warned me about needing the "dots" under the invisaligns. And also that there me be some tipping that would be corrected later with brackets. But those brackets would be on back teeth so I don't mind so much.

#10 Post by **PigletInIowa** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 9:42 am

I'm so happy for you, Chris!!!!! This is soooo exciting!. So this time he didn't say anything about the upper gaps being too big? I forgot to ask you about how big is your upper gap, and did you have extractions on both sides (2 upper gaps)?

I called my ortho's office this morning and left him a message that I'd like to discuss about switching to Invisalign, but i'm not sure if we will have enough time on the adjustment day. Do you remember how long it took you to convince your ortho? or basically he just said "yes" this time right away? I'm contemplating on crying for help when I talk to him if that'll work:P Anyway, wish me luck and I'll keep you updated!

#11 Post by **Chris1960** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 8:56 am

The discussion did not take long. He just wanted to know why I wanted to change and I just told him that the brackets really bothered me and that after 6 months I still hadn't gotten use to them.

He was happy with my progress so far and said if it was him he wouldn't change but if I wanted to I could. I think after me mentioning it for 2 adjustments in a row he knew that I was serious.

My lower extraction gaps were at least 8-9 mm and are now 2-3 mm.

When I was a teenager I had my one of my upper 1st premolars extracted. Over the years that caused my entire midline to shift that direction. Now years later I have had the 1st premolar on the other side removed leaving an 8mm gap. He is going to put Invisaligns (iLs) on the top, when he does the bottoms, but he cautioned me that there may be some tipping that would have to be corrected later with some kind of brackets.

I'll deal with that when/if it happens.

#12 Post by **PigletInIowa** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 9:01 am

Thanks, Chris! That's good to know. Now I'm counting on minutes before my next adjustment!

#13 Post by **Chris1960** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 9:30 am

I should mention, because I just noticed it, that currently my upper teeth are tipped in the opposite direction. I guess from the extraction as a teenager my teeth shifted AND tipped that direction. Now with the new extraction on the other side my teeth actually need to tip that way just to get straight up and down. That may be working in my favor.

#14 Post by **PigletInIowa** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 9:33 am

I see. btw, when you mentioned to switch, how much do you have to pay extra for the Invisalign, or it has been included from the beginning?

#15 Post by **Chris1960** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 5:11 pm

You know I'm a little embarrassed to say I don't know. I didn't ask because I had resigned myself to doing it no matter what. I had to pay off the balance left on the metal braces though which I thought was a little funny but I guess it makes sense.

The original plan was brackets on bottoms for 9 months then iLs on the top for a year. So iL was priced in to some extent. But there has to be some cost associated with making the bottom trays. Maybe I'm about to get hit with a big bill.

On the other hand I am putting 3 children through him so maybe he's giving me a group discount.