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Originally posted by beginning:
I just got my invisalign about ten minutes ago and I'm glad to have found this forum which has been extremely helpful up until now. I'm set for 22 uppers and 10 lowers and so far have had absolutely no difficulty taking them out. In fact I've felt slight pressure but nothing that really HURTS. My question is...I feel like if I press down harder on the aligners, they slide further in. Is this an indication that they aren't fitting me properly? I find that the upper one is very well fitted but that the lower one is comparatively more visible because there is extra plastic that sticks up over the top of my teeth. I keep feeling like I have to push them in to make sure they're in properly. Am I just being neurotic?

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Originally posted by ncjen:
My teeth are very crooked and crowded. I was just wondering if anyone could tell me if Invisalign will work for me or will I have to go with traditional ones??

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You should definitely shop around however. I would avoid the dentist on the Plaza who is listed as a premiere provider. I really don't think she knows much about orthodontia, based on my experience with her and also the experiences of two acquaintences of mine. She's cheaper, but it may be that you get what you pay for. If your case is minor and your issues quite simple, then she may be OK for you.

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Originally posted by christopher:
can u like suck on mints with invisalign? not chew but like suck on them and can u drink water w/ them? and my friend says he has invisalign and when he takes them out, he can smell an odor from them, is there a certain way u suppose to clean them cuz i know they said not to use a toothbrush and toothpaste on them cuz it messes them up and do u do it everynight?

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drink lots of water to help keep the odor down.

my ortho said to soak in vinegar and then brush with toothpaste. my trays don't smell at all.

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Originally posted by christopher:
can u like suck on mints with invisalign? not chew but like suck on them and can u drink water w/ them? and my friend says he has invisalign and when he takes them out, he can smell an odor from them, is there a certain way u suppose to clean them and do u do it everynight?

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Originally posted by jsd:
...The main problem I have is that the plastic makes me feel a little nauseous. Does anyone have any recommendation for that? I was taking the trays out pretty often the first couple days. From reading this forum I guess that was a bad idea.

Also my dentist told me it was ok to drink with them on and only take them off for eating. I see not everyone here agrees. Are there any big dangers associated with drinking with them on? I don't really care if the trays get discolored.

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You know, there was a time that I was feeling a little nauseous, and thought it may be the aligners. That passed and hasn't really returned, so hopefully with more time, all should be well.

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Originally posted by Samantha:
I live in DC as well and my quote was for $6200 - can someone tell me the dentist they used for the $4000 price?

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Well, according to the website on Invisalign, they issued a Press Release announcing that that they are charging Dentists a flat fee, 1495 USD and for the Express 795 USD. The PR was dated November 1st, 2005.

As you can all see, that's the first clear sign how much the company who make those retainer really charge the Dentist, excluding some other discounts I am pretty sure the Dentist will get additional "soft dollars" or better rates for "volume business"....

It appears that my quote 5k is very "reasonable" and in line with the current price quotes, however, as you can see though there is significant room for "discounting" and better pricing, maninly if the Dentist has other "better paying" business to replace the invisalign business

If one does the math properly...it appears that each dentist visit is about 150 usd an hour, assuming one visit every two weeks, for one hour. If the visit is taking up only 30min, we are talking about 300 usd a visit.

This should be a pretty good benchmark to evaluate and see if the dentist is willing to cut the price down.

Again, my assumption, with everything else....a dentist gets additional "incentives' to having more Invisalign cases on a monthly or quarterly bases, just look at the website and how the different doctors are being pushed...with a special designation...sounds to me...marketing at its best for the doctors who are truly able to funnel business to Invisalign....

Align Technology Simplifies Pricing for Invisalign(R) Products
Company Reaffirms Guidance for Q42005 and FY2005 as Previously Stated on October 26, 2005
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Nov 01, 2005 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- Align Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALGN), the inventor of Invisalign(R), a proprietary method of straightening teeth without wires and brackets, today announced a new pricing structure for the Invisalign product line. Effective November 1, Invisalign will be available to doctors at a new price of $1495. The new price applies to Full and Anterior cases for single or dual arch treatment. Invisalign Express pricing will remain at $750 per case.

Previously, Invisalign treatment was available at four price points. By moving to just one price point for Invisalign, Align is consolidating treatment options in two simple classifications: Invisalign Express, for minor crowding and spacing cases requiring ten stages of treatment or fewer; and Invisalign, for more complex cases requiring as many stages as necessary to achieve the doctor's treatment goals.

"Our goal is to make choosing the right Invisalign treatment option for patients as easy as possible for doctors," said Thomas M. Prescott, Align President and Chief Executive Officer. "This new structure strengthens the Invisalign value proposition for customers by applying simple pricing to our comprehensive products, services and support for minor to complex cases."

The new pricing structure for Invisalign products is available in the United States and Canada. It will automatically apply to all cases received with complete records starting November 1, 2005.

Align held a conference call on October 26, 2005 to provide financial results for Q3 2005 and guidance for Q4 and FY 2005. The guidance provided on that date remains the same and includes the effect of this price change. The conference call webcast is available on the Investor Relations website at investor.aligntech.com.

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Originally posted by Dempsey91:
Well, I am on my fourth Advil of the day and the pain seems to have eased up quite a bit. At first they just felt snug but about six hours into wearing they began to really hurt-like a bad toothache coming from your entire mouth. I have been able to remove the trays for lunch and dinner and it was a little difficult but not impossible. It hurts your teeth and your fingernails! I received six buttons today but they are on my back teeth so I don't feel they are that noticable. I kinda pry the front top a little loose then grab at both sides way in the back of the ones with the buttons. I am curious about my treatment length of time. The aligners say 2 of 9 (bottom) and 2 0f 6 (top)-which works out to be about 4 months, right? Does anyone know if refinement is considered an entirely different phrase? My ortho originally said about one year.

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Originally posted by newbie:
I live in Eastern PA and mine were $3950 + $550 for Invisalign records.

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He's really nice. I am looking forward to starting invisalign. I have wanted braces for such a long time but did not want to have wires in my teeth for two years. Dr. Foulk said I will only need my braces for about a year.

I am a little worried about the whole shaving between the front teeth...? He had mentioned shaving teeth, but he didn't mention where. I don't really care where he shaves as long as it is not noticable. Does anyone know if they always shave between the front teeth?

QUOTE]Originally posted by mimi:

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Originally posted by Mari:
[b]Can anyone recomend a good dentist or Ortho. in the Bay Area Ca???

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[/B][/QUOTE]

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Originally posted by TGP:
Hey Glitter Star,

I am in the JAX area and looking for a dentist. What part of town is the office located? Thanks for the recommendation!

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My dentist is newly certified so I am one of his first patients and he offered a good discount. I grappled w/ the problem of being a guinea pig, but I trust him, and his staff convinced me... I know certainly that there is money to be made here, but I think he was honest with me. I also had a horrendous time w/ the impressions which I anticipated, and he was very patient with me.

I would say that the biggest problem for me is taking them out to eat. As many have mentioned, this is a "lifestyle" change for me as I eat at my desk during the day, and a lot in my car, and out in the evenings. It will not be as easy for me to just snack or grab something. I am sipping Pepsi at my desk as I write this. But I am 46 and made this decision knowingly, so I have to endure this for the year or so he said it would take.

Because the aligners came in quickly we have not yet gone over the animation they send the dentist to show how my teeth will look. I will go back after 4 weeks (to get the next two aligners) and he'll show me then.

My teeth are just a bit crowded in the front, so I'm hoping for good results if I am compliant. I had traditional braces when I was 14.

I know many adults still opting for traditional braces and I could have gone that way just as easily, but I thought I'd try something new... good luck to you all and thanks for sharing your experiences.

Drinking Alcohol: I leave them in. I go to bars a couple weekends a month... No, I never remember to even rinse w/water imbetween... no no one sees them... and if i'm of clear enough mind, I do brush thoroughly when I get home.

Smoking: I smoke when I drink and maybe one every other day or when I get stressed. I leave them in. You know, my policy is that heck, you change them out every 2 weeks, its not like you're stuck w/them even if they do stain (which, so far they don't and i'm on my 3rd week of the same tray).

This is my policy: You can't change out your teeth, so if you're gonna smoke, drink wine, coffee (which i drink a pot of daily), why not stain the aligners than your real teeth?!

And like I said before, I do all of the above and haven't noticed any staining whatsoever.

I'm in OC - can you tell me who your ortho is. I'm looking for one at the moment, thanks!

Dahlia

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Originally posted by I:
to me, it doesn't make sense not having the buttons.

the trays need a point of contact on your teeth to be able to do their job right. the trays alone can't rotate or pull down your teeth per your treatment.

as for the starbucks... you might be able to get away with it once in awhile, but it's better not to start making exceptions.

insurance... it depends on your plan. i don't have insurance and it's costing me about $6K.

appearance of buttons... they match the composite material to your teeth. i think people have to look hard to see them. unless you're in face-to-face customer service and have to smile a lot, people aren't going to notice.

ortho referral... unfortunately, my ortho is in orange county. check the invisalign site for a preferred (or is it premiere?) provider. get a couple of consultations, and ask a lot of questions. from the horror stories on this board, you definitely want 1) an experienced ortho, 2) who is completely truthful and upfront about the difficulty of your treatment, 3) and won't let you change your trays every week.

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Originally posted by dahlia:
I,

I'm in OC - can you tell me who your ortho is. I'm looking for one at the moment, thanks!

Dahlia

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Originally posted by Kimbob:
I'm a Kansas City person and am using ortho Jack Okerstrom in Lenexa. My regular dentist recommended him as a well-regarded ortho. He includes photos and x-rays as part of his free consultation. I felt he was thorough with me and didn't just try to sell me on the product, but gave me a realistic idea of my treatment. His fee is a flat $5600, or about $5200 if you pay everything up front. That includes photos, x-rays, impressions, aligners, mid-course corrections, retainers for life, etc. It also includes traditional orthodontia if that is required to complete your treatment (not too unusual from what I've read on this message board). I feel comfortable with the ortho and his staff, but you won't get a lot of individual attention from the ortho. His assistants do the bulk of the simple stuff such as applying attachments and shaving teeth. He checks on me at least once each visit to make sure I'm progressing as planned.

You should definitely shop around however. I would avoid the dentist on the Plaza who is listed as a premiere provider. I really don't think she knows much about orthodontia, based on my experience with her and also the experiences of two acquaintences of mine. She's cheaper, but it may be that you get what you pay for. If your case is minor and your issues quite simple, then she may be OK for you.

Ask lots of questions including 1)how many Invisalign cases they've done (and completed), and 2)what is included (be sure you're comparing apples to apples).

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