Let me start off by saying how great it is to find a support forum for people with (or considering) Invisalign.

Growing up my teeth began growing in crooked from a very early age, unfortunately my parents were not in the financial position to provide me with braces. As a result I developed what I consider a very severe case of crooked teeth both upper and lower. My parents always apologized for not being able to provide me with braces and growing up I knew and understood the financial position we were in.

Thankfully I have recently graduated from college and have been blessed with a wonderful job that not only provides me with a great dental plan but also allows me the financial dependency to begin my Invisalign treatment. I just finished signing up for my health/dental coverage and have already scheduled my first appointment with my dentist.

I guess what I was hoping for was to get some advice on some of the things I can expect to do before I finally get my set of aligners.

Also, is Invisalign possible for all cases or can treatment be denied if my case is too severe?

I remember asking a dentist about Invisalign when I was younger and he mentioned that due to my case I might have to get my wisdom teeth pulled out before I could begin my treatment, does anybody know if this is true? (I tended not to believe him since he was a dentist I would go to when I was younger at our local county clinic [Medicaid])
This dentist really stands out in my mind because I remember him telling me to forget about getting Invisalign because they were too expensive and that I would never be able to afford them.

Any help you guys could provide me would be very much appreciated. I plan to begin posting regularly to keep you guys up-to-date on my situation.

Let me start off by saying how great it is to find a support forum for people with (or considering) Invisalign.

Growing up my teeth began growing in crooked from a very early age, unfortunately my parents were not in the financial position to provide me with braces. As a result I developed what I consider a very severe case of crooked teeth both upper and lower. My parents always apologized for not being able to provide me with braces and growing up I knew and understood the financial position we were in.

Thankfully I have recently graduated from college and have been blessed with a wonderful job that not only provides me with a great dental plan but also allows me the financial dependency to begin my Invisalign treatment. I just finished signing up for my health/dental coverage and have already scheduled my first appointment with my dentist.

I guess what I was hoping for was to get some advice on some of the things I can expect to do before I finally get my set of aligners.

Also, is Invisalign possible for all cases or can treatment be denied if my case is too severe?

I remember asking a dentist about Invisalign when I was younger and he mentioned that due to my case I might have to get my wisdom teeth pulled out before I could begin my treatment, does anybody know if this is true? (I tended not to believe him since he was a dentist I would go to when I was younger at our local county clinic [Medicaid])
This dentist really stands out in my mind because I remember him telling me to forget about getting Invisalign because they were too expensive and that I would never be able to afford them.

Any help you guys could provide me would be very much appreciated. I plan to begin posting regularly to keep you guys up-to-date on my situation.

*Wish me luck* [/B][/QUOTE]

And to Amy, you shouldn't start the treatment believe you can leave your mouth free of braces 2-3 hours just to have a drink and some laughs. It is recommended to wear those things 20-22 hours a day, otherwise they don't work as they should be. The teeth might move back to their old place, and the constant back and forth movement is not healthy for the roots. I only take them out for meals, and it sums up to over 2-3 hours a day without wearing them, because brushing, flossing and cleaning the braces also take time. Also I don't like to rush myself while eating (and the teeth are sensitive, chewing is slower as well). I did drink a glass of beer once with them inside, but I don't believe it's healthy to do that on a regular basis.

I've also been out clubbing all night, and never found it a problem.

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Originally posted by newbie:
The pain isn't an issue for me either, and goes away in a couple days. However, speed-drinking my morning coffee at work is still an issue. If you find a good solution to the coffee-problem, let us all know!

The change in lifestyle is going to be hard, but make yourself stick with it, it gets easier each day. It's only been about a week for me and they are so much more tolerable now.

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Originally posted by Eric:
I just got my first invisilign tray today, and the ortho. said that the buttons are there to help move some of the more troubled teeth. I've been having a problem with them today though, while I was at the dentist office, 4 of the buttons fell off when I was trying to remove the retainer for the first time which they replaced, and 2 came off later in the day when I removed them for lunch. The ortho. said I should call and make an appt if they come off, so I'll do that tommorrow.

As far as pain goes, I have almost no discomfort at all while they're in, but when I'm trying to remove the upper tray, there's an excrutiating pain in my front teeth like they're going to snap in half (the teeth, not the retainer), and it doesnt help that it takes me about 3 minutes to remove them. The bottoms on the other hand I don't have a problem with pain or removing at all though. Like someone had said earlier, after removing these for the first time I was worried about what I had gotten myself into. So I'm glad to hear that it becomes less painful and easier to remove in the future.

One thing that has me a little worried though is if I bite down with the retainer in, or even push on my front teeth with my tounge, I feel a sharp pain in my font teeth. Does anyone else have this problem?

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Originally posted by Pricey102:
I wish I would have known about this site months ago. I got my first set of trays back in December. Had the "buttons" put on. Went home and cried for 24 hours (Im 30 years old by the way) I went straight to my Orthos office told him to take the buttons off and said thank you very much and gave him back my trays. He convinced me to keep the first set and said If i ever wanted to come back he would keep my stuff aside for me. Its been one week and I am so over the hassle and pain. I still dont have my buttons back on but my ortho said he would do them one at a time. I need 4 on the top and 6 on the bottom. 6 months I wasted. To bad I didnt come here first.

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Just curious, did you just not know about the buttons and they threw you for a loop??

(I'm not being judgemental, just curious )

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Originally posted by piggy_pig:
Just curious, did you just not know about the buttons and they threw you for a loop??

(I'm not being judgemental, just curious )

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Originally posted by ValleyGirl:
Has anyone had an attached/rubber band (not the buttons) placed to pull down one tooth with their Invisalign treatment?

I'm getting one next week when I start tray 11 out of 13, just curious to what it's going to look like.

Thanks.

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Originally posted by Soon2Be:
I just got my impressions & pics today, so I'll start in a few weeks. Many of the comments are also making me nervous. Ladies-any of you become pregnant while using Invisalign? Just wondering if you had any probs w/your gums. Just asking for future reference...

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Originally posted by lori:
after invisalign-it was suggested that i get the perminant retainer....is the perminant retainer bothersome? does it interfere with eating,brushing,or make u talk differently?
thanks for the info i appreciate it--i personally don't know anyone that has the retainer-so any info would be great-before I take the plunge...

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I was supposed to switch yesterday already, but decided to keep the first tray for another day or two just to be on the safe side. Now I'm not so sure it was such a good idea. The first tray felt kind of 'rubbery' in my mouth in the last two days. I decided it's either my imagination or that they have become really lose. When I cleaned them today for the last time, one of the trays felt kind of wobbly at a certain point, and as I applied more pressure there, it simply cracked. I'm happy it happened AFTER I had changed set, but still worried that in the last 48 hours there hasn't been enough pressure applied on the teeth. There's nothing to do about it right now, I'm already wearing the next set. I wonder how it could have happened. I have never had any trouble getting them out, and tried not to do it too often (3-4 times a day). I just hope it's not going to affect the rest of the treatment.

I have to say that I've had a great dentist that has explained everything to me.(May help that he's super good looking too)LOL! The buttons did kinda throw me for a loop. The sanding of the teeth too, not painful just annoying. However the buttons are nothing more than super glue. I have three each one on a differnt tooth.

I've had a lot of discomfort from pressure and if you have any sharp edges on your aligners, I've found that cuticle cutters work great to trim and also some denture wax helps if you place it over the rough spot.

Hope this helps someone. Thanks to all for their advise too.

Thought there was some discussion regarding rubber bands with Invisalign here before, but it must be lost within this cumbersome thread. About 99% of the threads in this entire Orthodontics folder has been taken over with Invisalign discussions, but seems this one gets the most postings.

Anyways - there's some talk & pics about the elastics here:

http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=18153&sid=ab745db58ae682c7536caf4ad756e9c1

To the rest of you newbies - welcome to the club! If you've not yet been able to, spend a few hours perusing this entire folder (not just this particular thread). Most all of your questions & concerns have had a miriad of opinions posted with solutions offered before.

Not that you shouldn't be asking them, just that there's a lot of previous posters' voices that have shared their experiences, too. The more, the better. It's ALL a big help when going through it yourself.

I couldn't get enough of it myself.
And I'm still here...
AnneC
(7 weeks in Retainment - couldn't have been a better experience)

A lot of what seems like a very big issue to worry about often does reside only in your imagination when you are at this hypersensitive stage of the beginning.

About why folks come here to ask questions - unless your caregivers have also had Invisalign treatment themselves, they really CAN'T know what it truly feels like or how to live easily with these things in your mouth.

A perfect example of that is my own hygienist. She was very knowledgable from training & her patients' experiences, but had a heck of a time when she herself began Invisalign - to the point where she seriously considered not going through with it at all! And she only needs to wear lowers...

It makes all the difference to have experienced it. My dentist & even her hubby are also in treatment - made me feel a whole lot better to have her firsthand experience to guide her in caring for her patients as well.

Yea, kissing is possible but you are very self consious and "reserved". As in, you try not to let the other person know, so it's weird. My female companion was aware I had them, so I can't tell if she noticed or not. She didn't mention it, but it may have been out of coutesy.

Mine don't come off easy at all. I am still on tray one, switching tomorrow to #2. I have been drinking beer and gin & tonics with them in, but remove them to eat and brush. I have a toothbrush at work and use it after lunch everyday, before reinserting the trays. Like the folks above....I miss my coffee breaks.

Good luck to all.

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Originally posted by sarahk:
Hi,

I am on #10 of 14U/21L, and 37 weeks pregnant. I can see a definite improvement in my teeth, and despite hating invisalign at the beginning of the treatment, I am now happy to be seeing results.
I did however have a problem with gum disease in my second trimester, despite having my teeth cleaned regularly because I was very concerned about this issue too.
However, because I requested frequent cleanings, the gum disease was caught in the early stages, and it seems to be responding well to treatment. I have had no bleeding gums at home while brushing or flossing, which I consider to be a good sign.
In my case, I was also diagnosed with gestational diabetes in late pregnancy, which also increases the risk of developing gum disease. So it was a double whammy. I am on a sugar free diet, which ironically, is something that invisalign suggest should be followed while in treatment anyway.
My advice would be to request frequent cleanings as a preventative measure and to detect any problems. I wouldn't let it stop you from going ahead with the treatment if its what you really want.
The only other annoying thing about pregnancy and invisalign is that you can't have any painkillers at the beginning of the treatment, which I found torturous at the start. But after about a month that stopped being an issue for me, as it became less uncomfortable with each new set.
In many ways its also been an ideal time for me to have treatment, as I had to give up drinking, and stopped eating out as much becasue of the strict diet I am on, so my social life slowed down during pregnancy, which meant less temptation to leave them out for hours while sipping on red wine...and no need to explain why I can't drink. People are also too busy focusing on my bump, to notice the aligners !

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Originally posted by WantStraightT:
Growing up my teeth began growing in crooked from a very early age, unfortunately my parents were not in the financial position to provide me with braces. As a result I developed what I consider a very severe case of crooked teeth both upper and lower. My parents always apologized for not being able to provide me with braces and growing up I knew and understood the financial position we were in.

Thankfully I have recently graduated from college and have been blessed with a wonderful job that not only provides me with a great dental plan but also allows me the financial dependency to begin my Invisalign treatment. I just finished signing up for my health/dental coverage and have already scheduled my first appointment with my dentist.

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Hi Wantstraight.. We are in basically the exact same position. Parents didn't have the money to fix my teeth when I was young and now i'm 23 and getting them fixed myself now I have a secure job. My case was too severe for invisalign alone, so have had regular braces on my lowers for the past 10 weeks to fix severe overcrowding.. Going on holidays to Thailand tomorrow, and when I get back i'm getting my impressions etc for invisalign! So far, i'm well impressed with the whole process. Just got the braces off and it's an awesome feeling! I don't want those things back again...

Good luck with your journey

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Originally posted by yma_angel:
Hi Wantstraight.. We are in basically the exact same position. Parents didn't have the money to fix my teeth when I was young and now i'm 23 and getting them fixed myself now I have a secure job. My case was too severe for invisalign alone, so have had regular braces on my lowers for the past 10 weeks to fix severe overcrowding.. Going on holidays to Thailand tomorrow, and when I get back i'm getting my impressions etc for invisalign! So far, i'm well impressed with the whole process. Just got the braces off and it's an awesome feeling! I don't want those things back again...

Good luck with your journey

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Thanks for letting me know about your situation. How long did you have to wear the braces for your lowers? Also how much more on top of the Invisalign procedure did the braces add to the total cost in your situation?

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Originally posted by arch712:
Leaving in a few mins. for my Consultation. I will inform everyone this evening.

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I was wondering if you had your appt yet. Good luck!!

And thanks to Sarahk for the pregnancy post. I'll be starting my Invisalign in a few weeks and will more than likely be trying for baby #2 later this year. Thanks for the info!

All I need to do now is get a check up at the dentist to be cleared for invisalign, then I can get the ball rolling. It's going to be $2,090 down + $225. Then it will be 12 payments of $280.

Today I though I was going in to check my little computerized preview but instead learned that my treys had arrived and that they will be inserting the first trey in today!

So I got the braces on now and it felt pretty weird for the first 30 mins or so ...that some thing in your mouth feeling ...and there was/is a definite lisp...

but I'm so thankful I found and read this board earlier...otherwise I wouldn't have known about the buttons / the difficulty in taking the trey's out etc.

I have to wear the treys for 34 weeks on the top and 30 weeks on the bottom ...so 8 and a half months which isn't too bad...I was expecting about a year.

I'm definitely feeling the pressure right now....and I love it.....the braces doing their work already.

The only little problem I have is, on my top try the very right side isn't quite locked in to my teeth. it's kinds hanging off a little...I'm not fixing those teeth so no biggie...just a little irritable there.

Ok so just wanted to introduce my self so I can update my status or ask questions if necessary.

Now I gotta go buy me a little brush to bring to work tomorrow!

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Originally posted by D_12:
Alright I'm joining in...I went for my initial Invisalign appointment about a month and a half ago and back then did some web searching for a Q&A / discussion community and found and bookmarked this site.

Today I though I was going in to check my little computerized preview but instead learned that my treys had arrived and that they will be inserting the first trey in today!

So I got the braces on now and it felt pretty weird for the first 30 mins or so ...that some thing in your mouth feeling ...and there was/is a definite lisp...

but I'm so thankful I found and read this board earlier...otherwise I wouldn't have known about the buttons / the difficulty in taking the trey's out etc.

I have to wear the treys for 34 weeks on the top and 30 weeks on the bottom ...so 8 and a half months which isn't too bad...I was expecting about a year.

I'm definitely feeling the pressure right now....and I love it.....the braces doing their work already.

The only little problem I have is, on my top try the very right side isn't quite locked in to my teeth. it's kinds hanging off a little...I'm not fixing those teeth so no biggie...just a little irritable there.

Ok so just wanted to introduce my self so I can update my status or ask questions if necessary.

Now I gotta go buy me a little brush to bring to work tomorrow!

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Originally posted by Pricey102:
Welcome D-12
Im only 6 days ahead of you. I have my aligners is but don't have my buttons yet. I think I am getting those in a week or so. 8 months thats great. I think I may be closer to 12 but who knows....

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Thanks Pricey ....so far I've taken the treys out 3 times ..once at the dentist's office, once before dinner last night and once this morning...and boy did it hurt the last two times. The longer you keep it in the more it hurts. The bottom is pretty easy like most have said but removing the top from the teeth that have the buttons is pretty painful...the pain only lats for about a minute though. It IS supposed to get easier to remove the braces after the first couple of days of each trey right?

One more question I have is: is it ok to drink beverages (like a fruit drink) through a straw with the braces on? I asked my dentist's assistant this and she said it's ok but to take out the braces and rinse them after you drink anything other than water..now seeing as taking the braces out is the biggest problem I'd rather wait till its meal time but just wondering what other people have been told to do in similar cases? I drink a lot of non-water beverages throughout the day...!!

thx.

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Originally posted by Pricey102:
Im not loving these things today. My mouth is all dry. I want to drink COFFEE all day. And I am tired of covering my mouth when I laugh. Why o Why did I put myself through this... OK its out of my system. How is everyone doing today.

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Having had full braces before, let me tell you...the pain and sensitivity is NOTHING compared to what you feel when you get real braces tightened. So I've been pretty receptive to the pain I've felt these past 4 days. No pain, no gain!

Anyway, I tried searching for this but couldn't come up with the answer. I suppose I could call my ortho, but I bet the all of you brilliant "doctors" on here can help me out based on your experiences.

The question is, is it bad to move to the next set of trays before the two or three weeks is up? I mean, if you can get the next set of trays to fit correctly on your teeth is it okay to switch a few days early? I don't want to rush things, but if I feel like my current trays are loose and my teeth are finished moving, I might as well move on.

Thanks!