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Author
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Topic: Invisalign Braces
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Fang
unregistered
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posted 03-03-2006 12:17 AM
A few thoughts as I begin trays #2. These are way tighter than the first and a little painful, but getting better. Thanks to this forum, i took the suggestion of changing them before going to bed. I skipped breakfast this morning because I just didn't want to take them out but now they're feeling better. I've had a sore throat for 10 days now and I seem to have caught a chest cold, which isn't making things better. My mouth is sore... All said, though, I keep reminding myself that this is better than traditional braces. I think Invisalign raises such expectations of being far, far better than traditional braces when, bottom line, there is no way of moving teeth without discomfort and hassle. Some thoughts. Thanks for all the posts. This is very helpful !
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JoJo
unregistered
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posted 03-03-2006 11:58 AM
quote:
Originally posted by christine:
why do the instructions say not to use denture cleaners on the trays? does it ruin them? i usually brush mine, but would like to soak them in something to kill the germs while i have them out to eat. if not denture cleaners, would listerine work?
I use efferdent on my aligners twice a day and I have not had any ill effects. I think they want you to buy their expensive cleaning system.
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LC
unregistered
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posted 03-03-2006 01:57 PM
I use it once a day and haven't had any problems either.
quote:
Originally posted by JoJo:
I use efferdent on my aligners twice a day and I have not had any ill effects. I think they want you to buy their expensive cleaning system.
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Cybers Mom
unregistered
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posted 03-03-2006 02:34 PM
I found where you can buy the tool retail individually for $2.95.http://www.smileshop.com/orstore/ShowItemh.aspx?productID=ART02 quote:
Originally posted by Jay:
Sounded good to me but when I clicked on the link, it says you have to buy them in multiples of 50 !! I wonder if my orthodontist in UK has any.
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BadBoy
unregistered
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posted 03-03-2006 04:42 PM
I too have been using Efferedent tablets once/day for cleaning and they work great - no build up at all now. Works a lot better and easier for me than toothbrushing the aligners. I looked at the ingredients of other such tablets that recommend use with clear aligners and its pretty much the same too! There is even a $10 battery-powered vibrating receptacle for use with the cleaning tablet, but I find its not needed - just use a small plastic bowl and let the tablet "fizz" with the aligners in for about 15min, once a day!
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TGP
unregistered
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posted 03-03-2006 07:51 PM
I'm so excited! My aligners have been here since Monday, but I couldn't get an appointment. Is anyone else just starting out the process? What should I expect at the first appointment?
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Lorelei
unregistered
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posted 03-03-2006 09:22 PM
Expect the first day or two or maybe three to really suck... most likely they'll be a lot more annoying than you're expecting and they hurt a little to take out and put in, but don't worry the pain stops and they get easier to deal with... I'm on my second aligner and happy; I notice changes and I'm so excited for how it's going to look at the end! quote:
Originally posted by TGP:
I'm so excited! My aligners have been here since Monday, but I couldn't get an appointment. Is anyone else just starting out the process? What should I expect at the first appointment?
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MikeNJ
unregistered
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posted 03-05-2006 07:04 PM
The first couple of days suck but I really haven't felt too much pain that everyone speaks of. Yea its frustrating that I can't constantly drink stuff but on the other hand I've been eating healthier. Taking out the trays, is difficult until you get the hang of it but afterwards its not big deal. I can get them both off with no pain now after a few days.
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CB
unregistered
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posted 03-06-2006 11:21 AM
I just completed my first set of aligners with absolutely no problems - no pain, etc. Last night I put in my second set and they are REALLY tight and painful. I just took them out for the first time to eat and my teeth are so sore I can't even chew. Please tell me this is normal and that all my teeth aren't going to fall out, because that is how I feel right now!!! 
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AC
unregistered
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posted 03-06-2006 12:28 PM
did any1 here only a top set of invislaign trays or maybe just the bottom? i was wanting to know the cost of just getting invisalign for the top set of teeth? thanx
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Rae
unregistered
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posted 03-06-2006 03:10 PM
I'm pretty sure its normal...My first and second sets felt like that, they were incredibly painful to take out and put in it made me want to cry and the first few days I was tempted not to eat, but the pain stopped... The pain should start getting better soon eat soft foods and take some aleve before you know you're going to take the aligners off to eat. If they continue to hurt badly past a few days or if the pain seems extreme then call your ortho. if nothing else he/she should be able to make you feel a little better about it. quote:
Originally posted by CB:
I just completed my first set of aligners with absolutely no problems - no pain, etc. Last night I put in my second set and they are REALLY tight and painful. I just took them out for the first time to eat and my teeth are so sore I can't even chew. Please tell me this is normal and that all my teeth aren't going to fall out, because that is how I feel right now!!!
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jules2005
unregistered
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posted 03-06-2006 03:46 PM
Hi! I've had my first invisalign trays for almost two weeks and have been VERY bad wearing them. It's not the pain, which is minor, but the lisp! I can't stand it! I'm 33 and I sound like a teenager with braces. I can't say any 's' words without sounding super silly. I tell myself to just wear them and not care, which I did, but the lisp is not going away. I keep reading that it's supposed to take a few days, but it's been almost two weeks and still this annoying lisp! Anyone have any words of advice? Encouragement?
Thank you!
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Bel
unregistered
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posted 03-06-2006 05:44 PM
I've had Invisalign for 6 weeks now and I too have a lisp... It didn't go away after a few days, but I think it is slightly better now. You should probably try to wear them as much as you can. I know it's annoying, but you'll never speak without a lisp with those trays until you're completely used to them.It's probably even worse for me because I speak super fast. Since I used to also speak super clearly (in fact, people from non-English speaking backgrounds would often comment on how easy it was to understand me), it was never a problem, but it really sucks having people ask me to repeat things sometimes, especially people who've known me for years. I try to speak less, and speak slowly, but I've also found myself taking them out if I have an important meeting or need to address a group. I guess it's just something we need to put up with. The thing to remember is that other people (seriously) don't notice it as much as we notice it on ourselves. It used to bother me a LOT and I found myself apologising every time I spoke to someone ("Sorry, I know I'm not speaking very clearly at the moment.. I'm getting my teeth straightened and have to wear these plastic things on my teeth") but that got a bit ridiculous after a while (especially when lots of people said "Oh, really? Wow, I can hardly see them! I wouldn't have noticed" and then I had to explain it all to them for ten minutes). I think that some people notice the difference straight away and others never do - maybe it's a different type of ear or whatever, or maybe some people just don't pay much attention :-) But whatever the case, I think we can survive it, especially when talking in person, although I'm not a huge fan of the telephone these days :-) Just remember that it's only temporary and it will be worth the trouble in the end!
quote:
Originally posted by jules2005:
Hi! I've had my first invisalign trays for almost two weeks and have been VERY bad wearing them. It's not the pain, which is minor, but the lisp! I can't stand it! I'm 33 and I sound like a teenager with braces. I can't say any 's' words without sounding super silly. I tell myself to just wear them and not care, which I did, but the lisp is not going away. I keep reading that it's supposed to take a few days, but it's been almost two weeks and still this annoying lisp! Anyone have any words of advice? Encouragement?
Thank you!
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Joe
unregistered
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posted 03-07-2006 12:10 PM
Hello all.
Put in tray #3 of 31 in today. Felt tight, but not as hard to put in as tray # 2 were at first. Popped 2 Aleve this morning, it seems to have helped. Have not tried to take them out yet.
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katamaran
unregistered
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posted 03-07-2006 05:52 PM
Well, I just shelled out $5600 for Invisalign here in SE VA. I get my molds made next week and pick them up in late April. Treatment time is estimated at 18 months. My teeth are jacked up, but apparently still good enough for Invisalign. My ortho is a Permier Provider, so I tend to trust him a bit more. The other ortho I talked to to check prices refuses to use Invisalign on anyone, and the ceramic braces would have cost $6000-$7000 and taken 24-30 months by his estimate. He kept saying that Invisalign is a scam, blah blah. Found he was discouraging the Invisalign because his profit would be much less. I found out from the ortho I went with that they would pay Invisalign $2500 of the $5600 (so his profit is $3100). The other ortho, using ceramic braces, only has to put about $1000 of material into them...so his profit is $5000. Jeez. Oh, and expensive ortho's patient coordinator actually came out and said that they charge more because most of their patients are private school and medical school students (richer neighborhood). Sorry...I'll drive the extra five minutes for what I want at a lower price. Rant over.
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lrao
unregistered
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posted 03-07-2006 06:24 PM
I am getting my #3 tomorrow. As someone mentioned, the second set was tough for a couple of days, couldn't bit into anything, but my teeth seem stronger now when I eat.For the lisp problem: i think others hear and understand us ok most of the time! I saw people looking at me funny just a couple of times, but as someone mentioned, the more you wear it, the better you get at talking. I just have a dry mouth and lips all the time (because our natural instinct is to keep our mouth open with these trays in the mouth). So I try to drink more water and use more lip balm to get over the problem; and if I remember, I close my mouth consciously to avoid the problem.
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Anne
unregistered
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posted 03-07-2006 07:41 PM
Irao - it's different for everyone. I've never had the "natural instinct" to keep my mouth open with the trays in - exactly the opposite for me. Have not had the dry mouth at all - if anything, I tend to salivate a bit more than usual. Go for my first 6 week checkup day after tomorrow & I can't wait to get my next 3 sets of trays! I can honestly forget I even have them in at times. So far it's been all good... Hope all goes well with everyone else - it just takes some time to get used to the whole deal.
Anne
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KimInNYC
unregistered
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posted 03-07-2006 09:18 PM
So after weeks of anticipation, I am finally going to pick up my first set of aligners on Saturday! I am so scared. This is what I've been waiting for, but I am afraid that something might go wrong. I hope nothing goes wrong. On Friday I have to go get my frenectomy (finally found out what the procedure is called.) I hope that goes well also. I am so scared guys!...lol. I will let you all know how it goes.
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New member
unregistered
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posted 03-07-2006 10:33 PM
What is frenectomy? quote:
Originally posted by KimInNYC:
So after weeks of anticipation, I am finally going to pick up my first set of aligners on Saturday! I am so scared. This is what I've been waiting for, but I am afraid that something might go wrong. I hope nothing goes wrong. On Friday I have to go get my frenectomy (finally found out what the procedure is called.) I hope that goes well also. I am so scared guys!...lol. I will let you all know how it goes.
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Daniel G.
unregistered
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posted 03-08-2006 01:59 AM
I was treated with Invisalign for an overbite/overjet. I had two upper bicuspids extracted. The Invisalign trays did not move my teeth correctly and were incapable of closing the extraction gaps. The trays ended up tipping my teeth severely. I'm now in treatment with a new orthodontist using traditional braces to correct what Invisalign ruined. Invisalign added 4 years to what was suppose to be a 2 year treatment. Do not trust any doctor who recommends this product.
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LC
unregistered
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posted 03-08-2006 02:24 PM
Is it possible that this was more your orthodontist's fault than Invisalign's? It seems like a good orthodontist would notice that your teeth were tipping and adjust the procedure they were using to straighten your teeth before the problem became severe.
quote:
Originally posted by Daniel G.:
I was treated with Invisalign for an overbite/overjet. I had two upper bicuspids extracted. The Invisalign trays did not move my teeth correctly and were incapable of closing the extraction gaps. The trays ended up tipping my teeth severely. I'm now in treatment with a new orthodontist using traditional braces to correct what Invisalign ruined. Invisalign added 4 years to what was suppose to be a 2 year treatment. Do not trust any doctor who recommends this product.
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Ann
unregistered
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posted 03-08-2006 05:11 PM
I had a crack in one of my early sets, during the second week. I was very careful to take it out in a manner that did not stress it further. I believe the weakness is caused in the manufacturing process, when then run the sander around the edges to smooth them. They just cut a little deep. I'm on aligners No. 17 now and have never had the problem again.
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VA
unregistered
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posted 03-08-2006 10:17 PM
Anyone using Invisalign for a gap? And, can you get Invisalign for just your top teeth only? Also, anyone from Seattle? Can you recommend some orthodontists? Thank you!
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cord
unregistered
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posted 03-09-2006 09:29 AM
I see some guys here are from UK. I live in London. Can anyone recommend a good practitioner in SW/Central area? Cheers xx
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jon uk
unregistered
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posted 03-09-2006 12:23 PM
james stubbs hes based in ewell which is near epsom hes very good
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cord
unregistered
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posted 03-09-2006 06:45 PM
quote:
Originally posted by jon uk:
james stubbs hes based in ewell which is near epsom hes very good
hey, jon uk, thanks so much!
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reesti
unregistered
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posted 03-09-2006 07:34 PM
on my third day, is my tongue going to grow callous' ??? anyone know how to file the edges down?? also i grind my teeth and clench my jaw will this be bad?? ta, ria/uk
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Katrina
unregistered
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posted 03-10-2006 12:06 PM
Hey--I'm supposed to be going in to make the molds in the next few weeks. My treatment is only supposed to be 13 months, and I only have minor problems (really slight overbit, little gaps in the front top 4 teeth, and a slight crossbite on the lower left canine). Anyway, what is all this about shaving down teeth? Like is it noticeable when you don't have the trays in? My ortho didn't say anything about it. Also, I'm slightly concerned about the lisping situation, because I already have a slight lisp (no one ever pointed it out to me until my sophomore year of high school when my cohir director asked me about it...twice--ouch).
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Katrina
unregistered
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posted 03-10-2006 12:24 PM
oh, and I was also wondering if everyone get's "buttons", because they never mentioned that to me either. I've been looking at the invisalign website and it says that "sometimes" people require bonded attachments (buttons), but not always...
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kjcag
unregistered
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posted 03-10-2006 03:29 PM
I know there has been a lot of talk on here about drinking coffee, and I haven't gotten to read the whole thread, but what about drinking beer? On the weekends I will probably be at a bar from about 9:30 to 1, should I leave my aligners on and just brush my teeth when I get home? I don't want to leave them off for that long of a time.
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MC
unregistered
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posted 03-31-2006 12:46 PM
i just went in for my invisalign consultation last week. I had the impressions done and am paying $4500 for them. I am getting the top and bottom set. The doctor says my case isnt as severe as others and it will take under a year.
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MrsM
unregistered
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posted 03-31-2006 01:34 PM
http://360.yahoo.com/mrsm360
mrsm360@yahoo.comI am having new Invisalign trays made since I have had the tongue irritation, and excessivly dry mouth, even spurts of extremdely warm/as if I just worked out. I am going to try the newer material - without any Latex. I agree with others Invisalign system is a great diet tool - just intime for Hawaii.
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Ted Williams
unregistered
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posted 04-05-2006 02:44 PM
Check out my amazing braces pictures. You won't beleive it until you see it.
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Wholesale Cost of Aligner
unregistered
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posted 04-05-2006 02:57 PM
I thought I'd share some pricing knowledge I've gained with the rest of you, as the info this site has already shared with me has been super helpful.
I spent the past year thinking about Invisalign and in that time I lived in the DC area and Colorado. In going to orthos and dentists in both places for quotes, I got prices that ranged from $2995 to $6500 and everywhere in between. The intesting part was that the variance was not regional, so much as it was from provider to provider. Also, the other interesting thing I discovered was that the wholesale cost of Invisalign for the whole treatment is $1995 as of 4/06. This is regardless of the number of trays you require. I chose to go with a dentist who is marking up Invisalign an even $1000 and thus far I'm happy. The office isn't very nice, and it's in a mediocre location, but I'm cheap and chose it to save the $$.
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Ms RPh
unregistered
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posted 04-06-2006 06:41 PM
I've completed with my treatment and now just wearing retainers.
Calm down: It's totally normal to have a slight, temporary speech impediment. Trust me, I was "angry" with Invisiligns and my dentist. You'll get used to it. My dentist lied and told me that it'll go away after a few days. Not so. It took about 2 weeks, give or take. Just continue to wear your trays & all will be great. As you progress with your treatment, you'll notice the changes and will become a pro wearing them. It hurts to be beautiful! But, is so well worth it. Ms. Rph (30 y.o.)
Houston, Texas quote:
Originally posted by Chuck:
I am on day 3 of invisalign and I have had a nightmare of a start. I am not sure how much to blame on Invisalign and how much to blame on my dentist. My first day of wearing Invisalign, I thought it was very easy and was surprised how little it impeded my speech. Until 3 hours later when I tried taking them off before a business dinner. I sat in the bathroom of the restaurant trying to take them off and couldn't! My nails bent backwards and gums were bleeding trying. I called my dentist in a panic (who blew me off until the next day). I couldn't eat dinner with the invisalign on and, the worst part, had to tell my business colleagues why I couldn't eat with them (sort of defeats the purpose of Invisalign now...). The next day, when I went to see my dentist, he laughed and tried to pull it out. He did wrestle it out (pretending to do it effortlessly) but it even took him a couple of minutes and I swear I thought he was going to break it or pull out my front teeth with it. I have since learned to take it out on my own, but it still takes me on average 2 minutes to take them out (with paper towel). It's too late to turn back on the expensive commitment, but I would have thought twice had I known how difficult this would be. My dentist claims that no one has had problems taking them out and that I'm being too "tender" - but if I could video tape how it looks when even he tries to take it out of my mouth, anyone could see that this is anything but easy. I may be a unique case, but as my dentist said, my teeth are not that crooked (I had braces when I was younger but it got crowded upon my wisdom teeth coming in) and if I'm having these problems, I've got to imagine I am not the only one. Please be careful and be selective about the dentist/orthodontist you choose. I am writing Invisalign a letter of complaint and inquiry about their procedures (or lack thereof) for allowing Invisalign practitioners. My dentist, for example, didn't even have me try to take off my trays on my own before I walked out the first day.
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