Posted: 8/17/2010 7:41:30 AM EDT
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So my wife has decided that she wants the orthadontia work she could never get as a kid. The DDS brought up Invisalign as the only option, about $4400 total out of pocket, a year in the system. As a kid, I was in practically every kind of tooth straitening procedure from partial braces, full braces, upper/lower retainers and something that looks like invisalign, but it didn't exist then.
Anyone have any experience with this type of orthadontia system...she actually requested that I "Ask the gun site if its a good idea, that seems to be where you get most of the information concerning the big purchases in our life" so here I am, don't let her down guys. |
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Quoted: So my wife has decided that she wants the orthadontia work she could never get as a kid. The DDS brought up Invisalign as the only option, about $4400 total out of pocket, a year in the system. As a kid, I was in practically every kind of tooth straitening procedure from partial braces, full braces, upper/lower retainers and something that looks like invisalign, but it didn't exist then. Anyone have any experience with this type of orthadontia system...she actually requested that I "Ask the gun site if its a good idea, that seems to be where you get most of the information concerning the big purchases in our life" so here I am, don't let her down guys. I am on my second to last set of trays right now. The good news is it works wonderfully  . The bad news is it takes some persistence to wear them 24/7 and keep them clean. Also, your wife is about to go on a diet, the invisaligne diet. It seriously becomes such a hassle to take them out wash them off, find a place to put them and put them back in you will never snack again. I used to carry around things to eat all day, little granola bars, cheese crackers you name it. Now I eat a solid 3 sit down meals a day and I'm pretty happy about it.I paid $3800~, you might get quotes from other orthos and save a couple hundred bucks. After they order them they don't do anything for you so just go with the cheapest one you can find. ETA: check with your insurance, most don't differentiate between invisalign and regular braces so they will cover a portion. |
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It's expensive but better in the sense that you don't have to have metal in your mouth for a year or more. It is clear hard plastic so you could wear it at any time.
If you have any specific questions shoot. And if they are charging you 4400 that does not sound too bad, here in MD I think my wife said where she works it stars at around 5k. |
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Yea, I know maintenance is a pain on the things, but apparently you get new trays every two weeks, so thats not too bad.
Unfortunately TriCare Dental will only cover orthadontia work for any dependent under 23, so we're stuck with full price. Glad to hear that it works well and people are seeing positive results. Is the year quote typically how long it takes, or is that dependent on how fuckered up the mouth is? |
| I have been using the Invisalign system in my practice since it first came out. The product that is being delivered today is really excellent and the results are very predictable. The things I like about Invisalign are 1. You don't look like a 13 year old with the metal braces. 2. Probably the most important. with regular braces food and plaque have an effective scaffold upon which to accumulate, despite your best efforts keeping them clean is a nightmare, you are usually visiting with your hygienist every 3-4 months just to keep things clean and if you skip that step you can usually look forward to a couple of cavities when you are done with your braces. All this adds up to grief and more $$$. Invisalign lets you brush and floss as God intended and there are no additional attachment points for plaque and bacteria. Some practical advice: proceed with treatment when you are mentally prepared to wear your aligners all day/night (22 hours per day) and just remove for hygiene and meals. Shop around: All Invisalign is made in the same place and YES as the dentist I am essentially a babysitter giving you new trays every six weeks or so. I will say this make sure you go with a dentist that has experience working with Invisalign. There are certain aspects such as when aligner fit is not proceeding as planned or when IPR is necessary that you really want someone with a lot of expertise to keep you on the right track. I hope some of this is helpful. Good luck with your treatment. |
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I started mine not too long ago, and they're not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. Yes, eating becomes a hassle, so you will end up on the "Invisalign diet" (I'm down into numbers I haven't seen in years), but what woman doesn't want to lose weight?
Cleaning them is not too difficult. Soak them in a mixture of hydrogen peroxide (or mouthwash that won't stain them) and water then brush them with your toothbrush. Sometimes a simple rinse will do if you're out somewhere. It also forces you to have better oral hygiene since you're brushing 3+ times a day, always using mouthwash, and flossing. Keep them in 20-22 hours a day, which shouldn't be much of a problem unless you're going to a party or something where you're doing a lot of eating/drinking (anything that's not water). Also, most people don't notice them. None of my family/friends have noticed without me telling them or reminding them. They're costly, but worth it, I think. They also don't hurt too bad compared to what I've seen with my friends with traditional braces when they had them. You change trays every two weeks, and they will hurt a bit the first three days or so, but that's about it. She should watch some vlogs on YouTube of people using them, also, if she wants more opinions. Do some Google searches, too, more people than you think keep blogs through their treatment. Overall, though, I'm having a good experience. |
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My wife uses invisalign and she is pretty pleased, it has taken longer than a year though. She had 2 teeth that were pretty crooked so it takes longer.
The wife is happy and her teeth look 100% better AND she doesnt look like a 40 year old that forgot to get braces when she was 16. All said and done it has cost us about 5 grand. Worth it ??? I think so. Just my 2 cents.... |
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My sister in law asked a while back and I typed up the following for her: For an adult, I think it's the only way to go. There are upsides and downsides, but the up outweighs the down. As long as you're responsible with them and you wear them appropriately, it works. So if you don't know, the way it works is you get a bunch of clear retainers that are molded to your teeth. Every 2 weeks, you change the trays until you're all the way through the treatment. The number of trays is dependent on how much your teeth are getting moved. I think I had about 20 trays total when it was all over with. So, it took a little under a year for me. Much faster than braces. The good:
 Shawn |
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As a dentist, my impression of the system is that it works, but it's slower and more expensive than traditional braces. If the patient needs a lot of movement to align the teeth you may be better off with regular bands and brackets, i.e., the straighter the teeth to start, the better Invisalign works.
If there's a dental school near you, check their prices as they may be significantly cheaper. Orthodontic treatment is all about planning and decision making: the hands on part is usually done by an assistant so treatment quality at the schools is generally fine. |
| Not really sure of the difference , but this came up when she was at her dentist appointment yesterday. The dentist is a licensed "Cosmetic Dentist," not an actual Orthodontist. Any experts out there want to clarify the difference and whether or not we should seek an actual Ortho to get the treatment through. |