Anyone have experience with Invisalign?

[alarimer]

My dentist suggests I might benefit from it. I have some crooked teeth on the bottom. Not terribly so, but she suggested it would be easier to keep those areas cleaner if they were straighter. Now, this is a new dentist to me. I just moved and just got my insurance started. I have to say these people used some pretty hard sell tactics for various cosmetic dentistry procedures. It was really off-putting and I may end up switching dentists because of it.

This is not covered by my insurance at all (no adult orthodontia is), so I would imagine it's pricey.

Just curious what others think. I've never considered it before; I've never had a lot of issues with my teeth, besides a lot of fillings/sealants over the years. Even with years between visits, I still have no major issues. The cynic in me thinks they need to upsell me on stuff to make money off me. Gotta pay for the boat somehow! Kidding, sort of, but one local dentist actually owns a Ferrari 458 (I see it parked every day at that dental office, so I assume it belongs to one of the dentists and not, say, the receptionist).

[Lisa D]

1. They work but you have to wear them ALL the time.

Too many people take them out too often and for a long stretch of time. You should only take them out when you eat--then put them right back in again.

[kairos12]

20. Agreed. They worked for me, but I wore them all the time. Even at work.

[woodsprite]

2. I had braces when I was a kid and now (at 52) have some crowding/space issues

on the bottom. Like yours, my dentist suggested I look into getting some adjustment done to the bottom (I have a couple starting to overlap leaving between 1/8 and 1/4" gap on one side.

The ortho told me that I would need both top and bottom - they couldn't do just bottom because moving them 1/4 of an inch would affect the top alignment/bite as well. They suggested Invisalign as a possibility, so I've been researching. I'm thinking of just going with the standard braces after reading reviews. I know what I'm in for since I had them before and compliance isn't an issue. I'm afraid that I might not be as compliant with the removable ones as required (20 hours out of 24 - you're allowed to take them off to eat and brush your teeth, and I would be allowed to take them off to sing concerts since they affect diction a bit). They have posts or buttons which get glued on your teeth to help them to lock into place. Some people have complained about them being uncomfortable, having a nasty smell/taste, also adjusting/filing their edges down to fit the gum line is a bit time consuming and some orthos have been less than patient about doing that. I would be on a schedule to get a new appliance every 6 weeks.

Price-wise there was only about a $150 difference between standard and Invisalign. For me they quoted $5125 for standard and $5275 for Invisalign for 2 yrs of treatment. For either type, the ortho quoted me $1500 down, and whatever insurance didn't cover was paid on an 18-month payment plan. This is in the Delaware area.

Best of luck finding someone. I will be going with my son's Ortho, just have to time it around money.

I know what you mean about dentists and their 'up sell' offers. We left one because he kept hitting us up about whitening, started doing office blood pressure checks (which he would charge $7 for), relaxation sessions, etc. He wanted to do extensive gum grafting on me because he said my gums weren't supporting my teeth, but he wanted me to go to an ortho he recommended so I could have braces put on before he did the gum work. It would have been several outpatient surgical sessions because they would take skin from the inside of my cheek, so I got second opinions from both my previous orthodontist and the dental practice where he did his internship (also where I had been a previous patient from a child). They essentially said that he was just after the bucks and my teeth/gums were fine. Another thing that guy did before we left him was say that all my fillings were loose and he put me on a replacement schedule. That was 20 years ago, and have never had to have anything extra work done at the dentist other than cleaning during those 20 years. If that hadn't been enough, we finally left him after an incident where he held his hand over my daughter's mouth because she was crying in the chair during a procedure (filling what he said were pre-cavities on her baby teeth).

Edited to add: For Invisalign, the moldmaking takes much longer than for standard braces. I forget how long they quoted, but it was like 3-4x as long. I just can't handle that goop being in my mouth for any longer than it has to be because my gag reflex is so sensitive. That was also a BIG factor in my decision.

[alarimer]

8. I'm guessing it would be into the $1000s for me as well.

It doesn't seem really worth it right now.

[WinkyDink]

10. Wait; what?? For regular braces there's goop to make a mold from?! I had a panic attack from THAT

once, too---a pre-whitening procedure. Thought I was choking and scraped my palate bloody ripping that crap out of my mouth!

[woodsprite]

11. Yeah, it's pretty nasty.

I accidentally bit my dentist when he was making a mold because I kept tensing my jaw

He did tell me a secret to distraction. He would keep up a barrage of requests (move my right pinky, move my left foot in a circle, etc.). It seemed to help.

[LiberalElite]

12. Blood pressure checks at a dentist?

He was really scraping for dollars.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

13. My dentist's office always does it but they don't charge extra for it.

They explained it's just for general health monitoring. As long as it's free it's fine with me.

[cyberswede]

3. If it were me, I'd be wary.

Is there a College of Dentistry near you? You could go there for a second opinion (they typically aren't in the "selling" business).

And if you feel that you were receiving a hard sell from this dentist, I'd see that as a trust issue and look for a different provider.

[alarimer]

6. I'm pretty sure it's not critical for me.

No dentist has ever suggested it before.

[raccoon]

4. I had braces as a kid, and now, almost old enough for Medicare, my teeth have shifted. They used

to be SOOOOOOOO crowded together....now there are spaces, and no, I haven't lost a bunch of teeth.

My point is that apparently teeth continue to shift after we are adults.

From what you've said, it doesn't sound like that much of a problem, and it'll cost you mucho bucks. I think you're
right about paying for the boat.

[steve2470]

5. any decent dentist and hygienist can work with your teeth, just saying

I got my braces for the second freaking time as an adult, and yea, I'm sure my ortho's boat is paid for now.

I did it for my own vain reason and not for teeth cleaning. My dentist NEVER said a word about my teeth and cleaning.

[alarimer]

7. I'm pretty sure you are right.

I've never had a dentist mention it before this (I went to the same one for years in Texas).

[WinkyDink]

9. I had a panic attack a couple years ago, after my dentist scared me into $5K braces. I never

got them, because I couldn't handle being completely horizontal with this wench coming at me with a pliers holding a rubber band to go between my far back teeth (teeth first have to be separated by bits o'cardboard or plastic or whatever). Uh, NOOOOOOO!

Invisalign was not an option for me, though, as I have VERY crooked teeth in the front.

[pitohui]

14. you already know the answer

it will be pain and expense to you and a new ferrari for the dentist

there will be no benefit to you so why are you paying for this

[alarimer]

18. I'm not

I was just curious about it. I'd never felt the "hard sell" at a dentist before. It was pretty strange.

[hibbing]

15. I'm a few months in

I'm doing it to get a better bite and for them to look better. My dentist did not suggest this. I searched out an orthodontist. My insurance covers some adult orthodontics. However, it is still costing me a boatload of money. That being said, I'm seeing some movement already and that is encouraging. If you have any questions, feel free to message me.

Peace

[mackerel]

16. I had them as a teen and an adult. I had a bad cross bite and kept biting

into the sides of my mouth and not little nibbles, i still have scar tissue from it. The only reason to do it is if the alignment will cause other problems such as teeth fractures and cracks, etc.

[sakabatou]

17. Years ago, but I don't remember how good they were

[matt819]

19. My daughter used them for several years

I think they worked pretty well, though I also think she resented her brother, who got conventional braces.

[jeffor]

21. Reply

I too had crooked teeth when I was just 17 ( now I'm 23). The orthodontist (Dr. Steve Mocrae from Barrie) whom I consult, prescribed me to fix an invisalign which is also an alternative to the traditional braces to correct the alignment of the crooked misaligned teeth. Most probably, the dentist used to consult to fix invisalign as a part of cosmetic dental procedure to get rid of the crooked misaligned teeth.