Invisalign ''braces''

[stev0]

http://www.invisalign.com/generalapp/us/en/index.jsp

Has anyone used this type of teeth straightening system as opposed to braces? I have spaces on my upper teeth and would like to get them pulled together, but I would rather not have to deal with braces, mainly too high maintaince but they are uncomfortable as all he11 I hear, and they look fugly Also, anyone know what something like this typically costs? I'm sure my dental insurance would cover it, or atleast part of it, but I'm still somewhat curious.

Thanks

 

[stev0]

bump for the late nighters

 

[samgau]

They look better than braces thats for sure....

 

[stev0]

Originally posted by: samgau
They look better than braces thats for sure....

yah, and it seems the maintaince on them would be a 100 times easier that with traditional braces

 

[chrisms]

I recommend against all forms of braces. Here is my list of why:
-They are expensive
-You have to go to the orthodontist once a month for a couple years
-Every month you have a few days when your teeth hurt and its hard to eat
-If invisalign is what I think it is (retainers that are adjusted frequently), then they are more annoying than braces in that you have the option of removing them so you think about them a lot more.
-After you think you're done with braces or Invisalign, you aren't. Retainers must be worn nightly for about a year, then weekly, monthly, etc. You're supposed to wear them every once and awhile for the rest of your life.
-Nobody cares about your crooked teeth (unless they're REALLY bad), so the trouble isn't worth it.
-The health problems the orthodontist tells you you'll have without braces are BS, he just wants your money.

Getting braces was the worst decision I've ever made in my life. Two and a half years of pain and annoyance, only to give up 4 years later because I'm still expected to wear retainers (which make your teeth hurt all the time, both when you wear them and when your teeth start shifting back into place a week afterwards).

 

[DarkAssassin]

My ortho says that invisalign is more expensive, like, 2 times more expensive and does not work as well as traditional braces.

As for maintenence on traditional braces, they are not hard to mantain at all, i currently have braces and its not a problem. As for the uncomfortness of braces, they dont bother at all. The pain is there for the first couple of days but if you're a man, then its not a problem.

As for costs of braces, it depends on how messed up your mouth is so your ortho would probably be the best person to ask.

 

[CTrain]

Originally posted by: chrisms
I recommend against all forms of braces. Here is my list of why:
-They are expensive
-You have to go to the orthodontist once a month for a couple years
-Every month you have a few days when your teeth hurt and its hard to eat
-If invisalign is what I think it is (retainers that are adjusted frequently), then they are more annoying than braces in that you have the option of removing them so you think about them a lot more.
-After you think you're done with braces or Invisalign, you aren't. Retainers must be worn nightly for about a year, then weekly, monthly, etc. You're supposed to wear them every once and awhile for the rest of your life.
-Nobody cares about your crooked teeth (unless they're REALLY bad), so the trouble isn't worth it.
-The health problems the orthodontist tells you you'll have without braces are BS, he just wants your money.

Getting braces was the worst decision I've ever made in my life. Two and a half years of pain and annoyance, only to give up 4 years later because I'm still expected to wear retainers (which make your teeth hurt all the time, both when you wear them and when your teeth start shifting back into place a week afterwards).

I disagree. Having a nice set of teeth in today's world is very important.

 

[OS]

Originally posted by: chrisms
I recommend against all forms of braces. Here is my list of why:
-They are expensive
-You have to go to the orthodontist once a month for a couple years
-Every month you have a few days when your teeth hurt and its hard to eat
-If invisalign is what I think it is (retainers that are adjusted frequently), then they are more annoying than braces in that you have the option of removing them so you think about them a lot more.
-After you think you're done with braces or Invisalign, you aren't. Retainers must be worn nightly for about a year, then weekly, monthly, etc. You're supposed to wear them every once and awhile for the rest of your life.
-Nobody cares about your crooked teeth (unless they're REALLY bad), so the trouble isn't worth it.
-The health problems the orthodontist tells you you'll have without braces are BS, he just wants your money.

Getting braces was the worst decision I've ever made in my life. Two and a half years of pain and annoyance, only to give up 4 years later because I'm still expected to wear retainers (which make your teeth hurt all the time, both when you wear them and when your teeth start shifting back into place a week afterwards).

Wow, that's an interesting review. I do notice though that atleast one of my friends, after he got his braces off, his teeth started moving around again. It must suck to spend like 2-3k and have that happen.

 

[shopbruin]

riiiiiiight to the anti braces poster. i got my braces when i was in the fourth grade, and had them finally removed in the 10th. yes it was a long time but...

i had teeth growing all over the place. i had teeth growing in and my jaw was too small for them. (and it still is/was. when my wisdom teeth grew in they grew in sideways, that's how little space there was.) i also had an overbite. (upper jaw hangs over the lower jaw)

for a roughly under 5k investment over 8 years, i now have straight teeth not growing out from four different places in my jaw.

you need to consult with an invisalign ortho first, because not everyone can have invisalign.

the pain is worth it. it lasts like two days, and you adjust. you have to go every month to check your progress obviously. you don't always have torture chambers strapped to you to tighten them either. if you don't make the effort to take care of your braces, your money will be wasted.

yes people worry about your smile. if you have a gap, its spoken about. if your teeth are majorly misaligned (as mine were) people will form an opinion in their mind, even if they don't speak it. obviously if your teeth aren't worth the trouble, why bother brushing them? what's up with the current whitening at home craze?

if your problems are not major, as mine were, you maybe have to go for two years. it's not that bad at ALL.

 

[Imdmn04]

Originally posted by: chrisms
I recommend against all forms of braces. Here is my list of why:
-They are expensive
-You have to go to the orthodontist once a month for a couple years
-Every month you have a few days when your teeth hurt and its hard to eat
-If invisalign is what I think it is (retainers that are adjusted frequently), then they are more annoying than braces in that you have the option of removing them so you think about them a lot more.
-After you think you're done with braces or Invisalign, you aren't. Retainers must be worn nightly for about a year, then weekly, monthly, etc. You're supposed to wear them every once and awhile for the rest of your life.
-Nobody cares about your crooked teeth (unless they're REALLY bad), so the trouble isn't worth it.
-The health problems the orthodontist tells you you'll have without braces are BS, he just wants your money.

Getting braces was the worst decision I've ever made in my life. Two and a half years of pain and annoyance, only to give up 4 years later because I'm still expected to wear retainers (which make your teeth hurt all the time, both when you wear them and when your teeth start shifting back into place a week afterwards).

Wrong, people do give a damn about your teeth. You goto an interview, you and this other guy have the same qualifications, but he has better teeth than you do. The manager is gonna pick the dude with the better smile, unless that other dude is really ugly. A good smile is very important in the business world.

This might sound shallow, but the truth is that looks are very important in any kind of environment. Why do you think most models in advertisements in general are better looking than the average individual? because good looks is a good marketing tool.

 

[toant103]

gf wearing it right now. Cost around $4500. I think she flossed constantly though to get crap out.

 

[KahunaHube]

my neighbor got braces when she was too young, she has some sort of problem with a her jaw being dislocated frequently is this one of the possible side effects?

 

[Mill]

Jesus fvcking Christ at the misinformation in this thread. I've had Invisalign for 6 months and I'm done. I didn't have bad teeth to begin with, but when I had braces originally, I was young, dumb, and immature. Thus, I never wore my retainers and my gaps started to return. Invisalign is two plastic trays that are comfortable to wear, easy to maintain(brush them or use Aquafresh clean tablets), and did not hurt my teeth as near as much as braces did. I only had to go back to the dentist every 6 weeks so he could check my progress and give me three more trays. Each tray was supposed to be worn for 2 weeks and then you move to the next tray. An added benefit to Invisalign is that they can be used a bleaching trays, so I've been bleaching my teeth as well.

The cost was 3500 for me, but I was a mild case, so it could go all the way up to 5 grand. I've never been person that liked retainers, but this was incredibly simple to do. If you are a candidate for Invisalign, then by all means get them over traditional braces. No one can tell they are in, but if you have something important to do you can take them out for hours. It is recommended to wear them for 23 hours a day(minus taking them out for meals and cleaning), but realistically I only did about 14-16 a day. I've not had a single problem and my teeth are perfect now. Once I get a veneer fitted for a tooth I'll be done, and the doctor will make me some retainers to wear at night. It is some of the best money I've spent, because now I'm confident about my smile. The plus of having fitted trays for whitening is great as well. The price of your Invisalign will include touch-ups just in case your original treatment needed a little more time. They'll make new trays to "seal" the deal so to speak.

I never had to worry about what I could eat while I had them, and they are much more hygienic. Office visits are much less and the appearance is 100x better.

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: chrisms
I recommend against all forms of braces. Here is my list of why:
-They are expensive
-You have to go to the orthodontist once a month for a couple years
-Every month you have a few days when your teeth hurt and its hard to eat
-If invisalign is what I think it is (retainers that are adjusted frequently), then they are more annoying than braces in that you have the option of removing them so you think about them a lot more.
-After you think you're done with braces or Invisalign, you aren't. Retainers must be worn nightly for about a year, then weekly, monthly, etc. You're supposed to wear them every once and awhile for the rest of your life.
-Nobody cares about your crooked teeth (unless they're REALLY bad), so the trouble isn't worth it.
-The health problems the orthodontist tells you you'll have without braces are BS, he just wants your money.

Getting braces was the worst decision I've ever made in my life. Two and a half years of pain and annoyance, only to give up 4 years later because I'm still expected to wear retainers (which make your teeth hurt all the time, both when you wear them and when your teeth start shifting back into place a week afterwards).

No it isn't what you think it is, and keep thinking no one cares about your crooked teeth. Fact is, people are superficial, and most people do make judgments if your teeth look like ass. They either think you are not much on personal hygiene, poor as dirt and ignorant, or they think you don't care about yourself. Teeth are a big deal in American society.

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: Mill

Originally posted by: chrisms
I recommend against all forms of braces. Here is my list of why:
-They are expensive
-You have to go to the orthodontist once a month for a couple years
-Every month you have a few days when your teeth hurt and its hard to eat
-If invisalign is what I think it is (retainers that are adjusted frequently), then they are more annoying than braces in that you have the option of removing them so you think about them a lot more.
-After you think you're done with braces or Invisalign, you aren't. Retainers must be worn nightly for about a year, then weekly, monthly, etc. You're supposed to wear them every once and awhile for the rest of your life.
-Nobody cares about your crooked teeth (unless they're REALLY bad), so the trouble isn't worth it.
-The health problems the orthodontist tells you you'll have without braces are BS, he just wants your money.

Getting braces was the worst decision I've ever made in my life. Two and a half years of pain and annoyance, only to give up 4 years later because I'm still expected to wear retainers (which make your teeth hurt all the time, both when you wear them and when your teeth start shifting back into place a week afterwards).

No it isn't what you think it is, and keep thinking no one cares about your crooked teeth. Fact is, people are superficial, and most people do make judgments if your teeth look like ass. They either think you are not much on personal hygiene, poor as dirt and ignorant, or they think you don't care about yourself. Teeth are a big deal in American society.

Don't worry, that guy lives in Japan

 

[AgentUnknown]

I am a dentist. Invisalign is not for everyone. U have to be eligible for it. U have to have a complete ridge, and have minimal overbite and overjet problems. If u have any missing teeth, forget it. Basically it's a plastic aligner that fits over your teeth and move them a lil at a time. It's expensive, but they are worth it in the end. Also, if your teeth are way out of alignment, this will not work for u.

 

[randumb]

Originally posted by: chrisms
I recommend against all forms of braces. Here is my list of why:
-They are expensive
-You have to go to the orthodontist once a month for a couple years
-Every month you have a few days when your teeth hurt and its hard to eat
-If invisalign is what I think it is (retainers that are adjusted frequently), then they are more annoying than braces in that you have the option of removing them so you think about them a lot more.
-After you think you're done with braces or Invisalign, you aren't. Retainers must be worn nightly for about a year, then weekly, monthly, etc. You're supposed to wear them every once and awhile for the rest of your life.
-Nobody cares about your crooked teeth (unless they're REALLY bad), so the trouble isn't worth it.
-The health problems the orthodontist tells you you'll have without braces are BS, he just wants your money.

Getting braces was the worst decision I've ever made in my life. Two and a half years of pain and annoyance, only to give up 4 years later because I'm still expected to wear retainers (which make your teeth hurt all the time, both when you wear them and when your teeth start shifting back into place a week afterwards).

If you think braces hurt, you have no willpower. Just because you can't handle the pain, doesn't mean other people should walk around like buck teethed dorks. Braces can do a lot for people. Nobody wants to see a guy smile and have a hideous arrangement of stuff in their mouth.

*Rant over*

 

[pnho]

yea teeth are important, but these days ppl are too superficial. Hence the reality shows on make overs promoting cosmetic surgeries of all sorts.

 

[Triumph]

I'm glad I had braces. Had them in college, no less. Now my teeth look perfect and I'm not afraid to smile. And they didn't hurt that bad except when I first got them on.

If you're still young enough that your parents will pay for braces, then do it!

 

[randomlinh]

oh c'mon... braces aren't that bad.. heh. this of course depends on what you had to go through.. i went through 3.5 yrs... over two different sessions (yeah, i got em twice). In fact, i probably could get them again since i apparently have too much teeth... but i refuse to pull out four molars to make room.. it's just ever so slightly crowded..

I do have to wear a retainer for pretty much the rest of my life (~2x a week at night). it's an invisalign one actually. And i wore it 24/7 after i got the braces... let me tell you, i'd rather have a traditional retainer.. so much spit and crap gets stuck in there... it's disgusting i was rinsing it out more times than i can remember.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: AgentUnknown
I am a dentist. Invisalign is not for everyone. U have to be eligible for it. U have to have a complete ridge, and have minimal overbite and overjet problems. If u have any missing teeth, forget it. Basically it's a plastic aligner that fits over your teeth and move them a lil at a time. It's expensive, but they are worth it in the end. Also, if your teeth are way out of alignment, this will not work for u.

what is a complete ridge?

 

[chrisms]

Nobody notices your teeth so long as they aren't too crooked. I understand some people are just naturally unlucky and have a very crooked set of teeth which do require braces, but the standard 2-year job isn't very noticable and is a waste of time.

The pain of braces isn't that bad of course, but when you have to go through it monthly, you begin to know exactly how long it will last (2-3 days), and it affects the food you eat, it becomes very annoying.

It's absurd to think that a slightly crooked smile will cause someone to lose to another, former braces wearer, in a job interview. It sounds like the orthodontists have found their way onto this forum to make a sales pitch.

 

[AgentUnknown]

You need to have all your teeth intact. Doesn't work if u have implants.

 

[randomlinh]

Originally posted by: chrisms
Nobody notices your teeth so long as they aren't too crooked. I understand some people are just naturally unlucky and have a very crooked set of teeth which do require braces, but the standard 2-year job isn't very noticable and is a waste of time.

The pain of braces isn't that bad of course, but when you have to go through it monthly, you begin to know exactly how long it will last (2-3 days), and it affects the food you eat, it becomes very annoying.

It's absurd to think that a slightly crooked smile will cause someone to lose to another, former braces wearer, in a job interview. It sounds like the orthodontists have found their way onto this forum to make a sales pitch.

out of curiousity, how old are you? as a former braces wearer... yes it was annoying, but not that bad. And you seem to be a bit naive in thinking it couldn't hurt/help an interview. its unfortunate, but yes, looks still will play a part in decisions sometimes.

now, maybe you're principled enough not to even bother working for a company that has an HR dept that does that, but its still something you can't ignore, it does happen.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: Mill

Originally posted by: chrisms
I recommend against all forms of braces. Here is my list of why:
-They are expensive
-You have to go to the orthodontist once a month for a couple years
-Every month you have a few days when your teeth hurt and its hard to eat
-If invisalign is what I think it is (retainers that are adjusted frequently), then they are more annoying than braces in that you have the option of removing them so you think about them a lot more.
-After you think you're done with braces or Invisalign, you aren't. Retainers must be worn nightly for about a year, then weekly, monthly, etc. You're supposed to wear them every once and awhile for the rest of your life.
-Nobody cares about your crooked teeth (unless they're REALLY bad), so the trouble isn't worth it.
-The health problems the orthodontist tells you you'll have without braces are BS, he just wants your money.

Getting braces was the worst decision I've ever made in my life. Two and a half years of pain and annoyance, only to give up 4 years later because I'm still expected to wear retainers (which make your teeth hurt all the time, both when you wear them and when your teeth start shifting back into place a week afterwards).

No it isn't what you think it is, and keep thinking no one cares about your crooked teeth. Fact is, people are superficial, and most people do make judgments if your teeth look like ass. They either think you are not much on personal hygiene, poor as dirt and ignorant, or they think you don't care about yourself. Teeth are a big deal in American society.

There's a difference between slightly imperfect teeth and an ugly smile. I mean, if your teeth are 90% perfect or better, then there's really no good reason to bother with braces unless there is a bite problem from that imperfection. Take me for example, I have a single tooth on the top that (not one of the front two) that is rotated perhaps 5 degrees from its "proper" position. It causes no functional problems. And the cosmetic issue is negligeible at worst. There's absolutely no reason for me to get braces.

Now, there are cases where people need braces, and some are more severe that others. My personal recommendation is to avoid braces unless absolutely necessary until after one's wisdom teeth come in. When I was in the 6th and 7th grade my dentist started pushing braces. I refused and my parents didn't force it. Years later when my wisdom teeth came in, they pushed the other teeth into better alignment. When my wisdom teeth came in they eliminated the functional reason for braces. I was able to keep all my wisdom teeth as well. The dentist told me point blank that if I'd gotten the braces earlier I would have had to have my wisdom teeth pulled because the braces would not have accounted for the wisdom teeth remaining in.

ZV