invisalign braces?
- Thread starter KristinCB
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DreamBig
Sweet Shoppe Designer
Ooh, good question!
And I am actually getting braces for the second time in my life, in a couple weeks. My bite has gone wonkey and "back in the day" they told us we didn't need to wear our retainer forever. So, my teeth moved and now I am going back into a metal mouth. :/
My orthodontist does Invisalign, and I asked about it. But because we need to pull my teeth back "together" and fix my bite with rubber bands and such, Invisalign would not be the best fix for me. Because the plastic retainer part is between my teeth, it doesn't pull the teeth together.
Is that as clear as mud?
But, I know others have had excellent results with them. Especially if they just need a straightening.
And I am actually getting braces for the second time in my life, in a couple weeks. My bite has gone wonkey and "back in the day" they told us we didn't need to wear our retainer forever. So, my teeth moved and now I am going back into a metal mouth. :/
My orthodontist does Invisalign, and I asked about it. But because we need to pull my teeth back "together" and fix my bite with rubber bands and such, Invisalign would not be the best fix for me. Because the plastic retainer part is between my teeth, it doesn't pull the teeth together.
Is that as clear as mud?
But, I know others have had excellent results with them. Especially if they just need a straightening.
eranslow
New member
I was going to get this done - but then we decided to get pregnant lol
They add little notches to a few of your teeth so the trays stay in place. Once you've used all your trays, you'll go in and get the notches removed. They mail you all the trays and the schedule to follow. Sounds super easy!
They add little notches to a few of your teeth so the trays stay in place. Once you've used all your trays, you'll go in and get the notches removed. They mail you all the trays and the schedule to follow. Sounds super easy!
Yea I def need to do something - the dentist suggested invisalign but I just don't know. I like the fact that you can't see a metal mouth.. but looking into it more wow it sounds SO painful and a lot of people struggle with it (i have read up and so many mention that you really are in pain for a lot of the time and you can end up with mouth sores) People seem to lose weight on them too.. you have to clean the trays/brush every single time you have something to eat. I had braces when I was 11/12 but my teeth have continued to move.
angiepangie
New member
I've just had normal braces but I have friends who have used Invisalign. Yep, you'll probably lose weight while wearing them. You're supposed to remove the aligners/trays before eating, as they are easy to damage. Most of the time my friends couldn't be bothered doing it (especially if they were out and about), so they'd just skip snacking. Ditto with drinking - they could only drink water with the aligners in, so they'd skip drinking everything else as it wasn't worth the effort of removing the aligners. There's definitely more upkeep than braces and my friends would often complain about 'invisalign breath'. 
In the end, a couple of my friends preferred Invisalign while a couple preferred regular braces - it definitely depended on their lifestyles/mindframes.
That's what they told me too. Thankfully I had a permanent retainer put on my top teeth (a long piece of metal glued to the back of my top teeth), but I'm crossing all of my fingers that my bottom teeth don't start moving eventually, as I no longer have my retainer.
In the end, a couple of my friends preferred Invisalign while a couple preferred regular braces - it definitely depended on their lifestyles/mindframes.That's what they told me too. Thankfully I had a permanent retainer put on my top teeth (a long piece of metal glued to the back of my top teeth), but I'm crossing all of my fingers that my bottom teeth don't start moving eventually, as I no longer have my retainer.
britaneejean
New member
The key with Invisalign is to actually wear them. Like said above, they send you all of the appliances at once and you follow a schedule. You have to be dedicated which is hard. When you're in pain, you can take them out. Most do. So most adults I know have gotten the ceramic brackets and clear bands so you only see a little metal from the wire. Then it's not as long and not as expensive.
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britaneejean
New member
That's nice! The handful of orthodontists we referred to all had Invisalign as more expensive.
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britaneejean
New member
In our area they're cheaper than Invisalign so that's why most adults do that. And they can make more changes at once so the patient wears them for less time. They're more expensive than the metal brackets so kids don't usually get them.
This is our area though and that could easily change depending on where you live.
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kim21673
New member
I will add that Invisalign is cheaper than it was for my DS to get braces 14 years ago...about thousand dollars cheaper. It is going to cost about $4500 for Invisalign, with my out of pocket being about $2750. My dentist has been trying to get my to this for years and we just weren't in a place financially to have it done. Well, I have ONE tooth has almost turned 45+ degrees and it's affecting my bite so it's time.
kim21673
New member
I will! I am super excited about finally doing this! I was so bummed when I had to cancel twice last week because of the darn flu!
britaneejean
New member
I'm totally jealous of those where it's the same cost!
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britaneejean
New member
And Kim, that's so exciting!!
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britaneejean
New member
So we were taught it's because your jaw keeps growing but it's also from your bite. If you have a tooth taken out, your teeth can shift and your bite will change. Same goes for getting a cavity filled and if your bite is slightly off, it can affect teeth movement.
I'm sure there's other reasons but that's what I remember from school and working.
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I had 4 teeth pulled before I had braces as a child and now i have the BIGGEST gaps where those teeth would have been. It's really frustrating and it's gotten to be uncomfortable. I so don't want to have braces but I figure it's probably better to get the problem sorted now vs when i'm older. My dad wants to get work done on his teeth but YOWZERS the cost involved would be insane!
icindi
New member
I wanted to look into braces and invisalign. We have put 3 kids through braces and one declined them. But I feel so guilty spending the money on me! I never had braces as a kid. My teeth aren't awful, but they embarrass me and I'd love to fix them! So glad to hear others' experiences!
angiepangie
New member
It can happen if you have braces as an adult too, unfortunately.
I had braces in my 20s and I had a permanent retainer put on afterward because they were worried a couple of particular teeth would want to move back to their "natural" positions. But I had pretty extreme work done, including removing half of the roof of my mouth to get to a tooth which was lying horizontally up there. I also had another tooth at a 90 degree angle. So some of my top teeth are currently eally- far from their original positions, which I've been told makes them very prone to movement.That's really awesome that you gave your boys the choice.
My parents did the same for me and it made me so much more comfortable getting them at a time of my choosing when I was older.
kim21673
New member
Mine is on the bottom too, which is why I have never done anything until now. I never had braces as a child...my top teeth are perfectly straight....it's just that one darn tooth!
Julie Billingsley
The Ghost of Awesome Past
When my oldest son was getting braces, they told us the cost was the same for metal or invisalign. I didn't feel Jacob had the determination to keep with invisalign, so we went metal. He is allergic to nickle, so had to get full titanium braces. (ugh, those weren't the same cost!) After he was done with braces, he got an invisalign retainer... which he refused to wear. He hated the feel of the plastic. Now 7 years later his teeth are back to needing braces. :/
Logan is needing braces now, and not just for the straightening, but for his thumb-sucker overbite. I am going to insist on metal for him. I just don't want to pay all that money again and it go to waste like it did for my oldest.
Anyway, it's awesome you are thinking of doing this for yourself!
Logan is needing braces now, and not just for the straightening, but for his thumb-sucker overbite. I am going to insist on metal for him. I just don't want to pay all that money again and it go to waste like it did for my oldest.
Anyway, it's awesome you are thinking of doing this for yourself!
anelia
New member
Let me tell you about my experience with BRACES (those original, metal ones, not the invisibles), I have no experience with invisalign but they seem quite inconvenient and uncomfy.
So, my upper front teeth and jaw were too forward than the lower teeth and jaw.
When I was like 12 or 13 yo, my mom suggested I got braces. I was against it, we had long fights but at the end of the day I said ok.
We went to a very good orthodontist who I asked for invisible braces but she said no. The reason why? The invisible braces were pricier and NOT as good. She explained to me that as long as the looks are concerned - yes, the invisible braces were better but as long as the job they will do, we should go with the metal. I was deeply disappointed but obviously had no choice. They took out two of my teeth and then put the braces on my upper teeth.
I wore them for like...let's say a year and a half and they added braces to my lower teeth as well (because the upper had to go backwards and the lower - a bit forward).
So I wore the braces for like total of 3 years (I remember I was in 5th grade when I started with them and theeeen...8th grade when I removed them).
To be honest I didn't really like my metal-chained mouth (because I had braces everywhere lol) but now I have a STRAIGHT and beautiful smile and a perfect bite. Was it worth it? TOTALLY! I don't have anything in my mouth anymore (after they removed the braces, I wore some tiny elastic things for a very short time and that was it). I'm almost 32 now so that makes...16 or 17 years since I'm braceless and my teeth are perfect. They haven't moved to their original state...they haven't moved at all.
I clearly remember the orthodontist back then explained that the metal braces give the best and the most permanent results. Also, it depends on how long you wear them. Since I wore them enough long for my teeth to get fixed, I now have no problems. Because, you know, the teeth start to look great after a while but if you remove the braces sooner (like when you see your teeth are ok), then the teeth might move back to their *almost* original state. The thing with the braces is to be patient and try not to think about your looks so much. Back in the day those braces were like super new here and no one had seen such metal things but now they're popular and people won't even notice.
I had a high school teacher (she was like 36 yo back then with awfully crooked teeth) who put metal braces back then and her teeth went perfect in a few months. But she made a huge mistake by removing them sooner and her teeth moved back to a certain extend.
Another example is my cousin who got the invisible braces and wore them for a year and a half. Well, her teeth seemed fixed but they told her she should have some restrainers or whatever that was behind her teeth for the rest of her life!!! AAAnd, to be honest, her teeth moved again a bit. They're not nearly as perfect as mine are (sorry but that's the truth). And to start with - she had better teeth which required less fixing than mine.
So, Kristin and the others - it's GREAT that you want to make something good for your teeth and smile. I totally recommend you do it but before that - please make your research and consider the best option because those things cost A LOT of money and patience and the results should be worth it.
(sorry for the long post).
So, my upper front teeth and jaw were too forward than the lower teeth and jaw.
When I was like 12 or 13 yo, my mom suggested I got braces. I was against it, we had long fights but at the end of the day I said ok.
We went to a very good orthodontist who I asked for invisible braces but she said no. The reason why? The invisible braces were pricier and NOT as good. She explained to me that as long as the looks are concerned - yes, the invisible braces were better but as long as the job they will do, we should go with the metal. I was deeply disappointed but obviously had no choice. They took out two of my teeth and then put the braces on my upper teeth.
I wore them for like...let's say a year and a half and they added braces to my lower teeth as well (because the upper had to go backwards and the lower - a bit forward).
So I wore the braces for like total of 3 years (I remember I was in 5th grade when I started with them and theeeen...8th grade when I removed them).
To be honest I didn't really like my metal-chained mouth (because I had braces everywhere lol) but now I have a STRAIGHT and beautiful smile and a perfect bite. Was it worth it? TOTALLY! I don't have anything in my mouth anymore (after they removed the braces, I wore some tiny elastic things for a very short time and that was it). I'm almost 32 now so that makes...16 or 17 years since I'm braceless and my teeth are perfect. They haven't moved to their original state...they haven't moved at all.
I clearly remember the orthodontist back then explained that the metal braces give the best and the most permanent results. Also, it depends on how long you wear them. Since I wore them enough long for my teeth to get fixed, I now have no problems. Because, you know, the teeth start to look great after a while but if you remove the braces sooner (like when you see your teeth are ok), then the teeth might move back to their *almost* original state. The thing with the braces is to be patient and try not to think about your looks so much. Back in the day those braces were like super new here and no one had seen such metal things but now they're popular and people won't even notice.
I had a high school teacher (she was like 36 yo back then with awfully crooked teeth) who put metal braces back then and her teeth went perfect in a few months. But she made a huge mistake by removing them sooner and her teeth moved back to a certain extend.
Another example is my cousin who got the invisible braces and wore them for a year and a half. Well, her teeth seemed fixed but they told her she should have some restrainers or whatever that was behind her teeth for the rest of her life!!! AAAnd, to be honest, her teeth moved again a bit. They're not nearly as perfect as mine are (sorry but that's the truth). And to start with - she had better teeth which required less fixing than mine.
So, Kristin and the others - it's GREAT that you want to make something good for your teeth and smile. I totally recommend you do it but before that - please make your research and consider the best option because those things cost A LOT of money and patience and the results should be worth it.
(sorry for the long post).
Last edited:
emmasmommy
New member
my best friend just finished with invisalign. She has NOTHING but good things to say about it. Sure, it was painful when she changed the molds but, I'd imagine regular braces would be the same way
emmasmommy
New member
yes. she said it only really bothered her the first day or two after changing.
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DreamBig
Sweet Shoppe Designer
I can tell you about my experience with an adjustable holly hock retainer I just finished with...(the middle spreads out to spread out the roof of your mouth.)
We had to spread out the roof of my mouth, because I have terrible tongue thrust at night and I had pushed my upper and lower teeth forward, which caused the roof of my mouth to curve forward. Anyway, we put on an adjustable hollyhock for the last 6+ months. Here is my experience with all day retainers...
Yes, I lost weight because like others said, I didn't want to have to eat a snack, then brush my teeth and put my retainer in. It was a hassle. I stopped drinking all soda and juice , because of the same reason...
But after a few months, it was REALLY hard. I started leaving it out sometimes after a meal, because I thought I wanted a snack soon. Or I would want to sip on a lemonade. Then I would forget to put it back in. Then at night my teeth would hurt awful again, like after a tightening.
The retainer would smell bad if I didn't wash it with retainer cleaner every day. - BUT, it totally did the job. It straightened my top teeth pretty well, while spreading out the roof of my mouth. Honestly, I think the pain is the same whether you are doing it with a retainer or braces. I mean, you are moving teeth. It's gonna hurt. But not forever. I would just need to eat slower and smaller bites for the first 3 days. I didn't need pain killers.
My dentist said no matter how you do it, it takes about 6 months to straighten teeth, then another year for those teeth to settle. So, 18 months is VERY normal amount of time to move and straighten teeth. Longer if you have major issues.
If you go with invislign, make sure you wear the retainers for a year after to help those teeth settle.
We had to spread out the roof of my mouth, because I have terrible tongue thrust at night and I had pushed my upper and lower teeth forward, which caused the roof of my mouth to curve forward. Anyway, we put on an adjustable hollyhock for the last 6+ months. Here is my experience with all day retainers...
Yes, I lost weight because like others said, I didn't want to have to eat a snack, then brush my teeth and put my retainer in. It was a hassle. I stopped drinking all soda and juice , because of the same reason...
But after a few months, it was REALLY hard. I started leaving it out sometimes after a meal, because I thought I wanted a snack soon. Or I would want to sip on a lemonade. Then I would forget to put it back in. Then at night my teeth would hurt awful again, like after a tightening.
The retainer would smell bad if I didn't wash it with retainer cleaner every day. - BUT, it totally did the job. It straightened my top teeth pretty well, while spreading out the roof of my mouth. Honestly, I think the pain is the same whether you are doing it with a retainer or braces. I mean, you are moving teeth. It's gonna hurt. But not forever. I would just need to eat slower and smaller bites for the first 3 days. I didn't need pain killers.
My dentist said no matter how you do it, it takes about 6 months to straighten teeth, then another year for those teeth to settle. So, 18 months is VERY normal amount of time to move and straighten teeth. Longer if you have major issues.
If you go with invislign, make sure you wear the retainers for a year after to help those teeth settle.
Julie Billingsley
The Ghost of Awesome Past
oh jumping back on this again, sorry Kristin. Does anyone have experience with braces and playing instruments? My oldest had a terrible time with his metal braces and playing the trumpet, so he dropped out of band. Now my youngest plays clarinet and I wonder if it will also cause him issues. Anyone know?
My little sister had braces and played the clarinet without issues. I can see how a trumpet might be different though.
icindi
New member
What is retainer cleaner?! My son has a retainer and we were told we could use effordent once a week.
We only let my youngest son choose whether to have braces. He has a lot of medical issues,feeding tube and daily injections, so we decided that he has enough to deal with and if he didn't want braces we'd let him make the decision.
I will say braces were extremely painful (for us) for my son with autism. He bit off so many brackets. Sigh. But we survived!
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We only let my youngest son choose whether to have braces. He has a lot of medical issues,feeding tube and daily injections, so we decided that he has enough to deal with and if he didn't want braces we'd let him make the decision.
I will say braces were extremely painful (for us) for my son with autism. He bit off so many brackets. Sigh. But we survived!
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