Invisalign Reviews

78%

WORTH IT RATING

663 Reviews

Write a Review

View Before and Afters

Average Invisalign Cost: $4,775

Learn about Invisalign

2,299 people and 172 doctors are talking about Invisalign

Get Free Email Updates

“Bad Invisalign Experience”

ab22

Not Worth It
Spent: $5,000 in Richmond, Virginia

Comments (12)

Updated 1 Jun 2009

Posted 1 Jun 2009

I was very excited to get Invisalign but have been nothing but disappointed with my treatment. I don't know if I just picked a bad doctor but I'm still in treatment after a year and far from over.

I'm 24 and have always been self-conscious about my smile. I inquired about Invisalign with the orthodontist I found and he said I'd be a good candidate. It took several attempts at getting the impressions done right and I didn't actually start my treatment until 2 months after my first consultation.

I soon learned Invisalign is far from invisiable when they put the attachments on your front teeth (if those are teeth that need correcting). I was given 16 upper and 16 lower trays and told to wear them 3 weeks each.

This seemed odd as from what I've read, most people only wear them for 2 weeks at a time. I just went back 2 weeks ago at the end of my 16th tray and it was determined I should get refinements since I was displeased.

I don't think my upper teeth moved hardly at all because the trays apparently weren't seating right but no one caught that because I rarley saw the orthodontist himself, I was usually just examined quickly by a hygienist and handed my new sets.

The new impressions didn't work so I have to go back yet again and have them redone in order to get refinements. I wish I had just gotten metal or ceramic braces to start and been done wih the whole thing long ago.

This review is the subjective opinion of a RealSelf member and not of RealSelf, Inc.

Helpful review?

My Doctor: name not provided

My doctor wasn't very helpful during the process and appeared inexperienced with the Invisalign treatment, even though he is supposedly a premier Invisalign provider.

Comments (12)

Post a Comment Sort:

missmdh 10 Jun 2009

I am interested to know who your provider was. I am also in Richmond and am considering Invisalign.

ab22 10 Jun 2009

What side of town do you live on?

Yanic 28 Jun 2009

Sadly, it seems your ortho is the problem. I ALWAYS see my dentist when I'm handed new trays. He always checks how the teeth are moving, he checks if I need filing or not to help the teeth move, he tests the trays on before he lets me go. You should request to be seen by your ortho, not hygienists. They are NOT trained for that.

ab22 29 Sep 2009

As a follow up, I am currently on my first refinement set and am still not seeing results. One of my top front teeth is crooked and doesn't look like it's moved at all. I am on #5 of 8 and am not optimistic this will work. My ortho told me last time that if this refinement set doesn't work they can try another. It's been 1 year, 3 months and should be over with by now. In addition, my lower gums receded (something that should've been caught by the orthodontist but wasn't) and I was advised by my dentist at a cleaning to have it looked at. After an uncomfortable, painful surgery with a periodontist, my lower gums are back to normal. My advice is: BEWARE of who you choose for your treatment!!

NY60 1 Nov 2009

This is similar to what happened to my friend, a couple of attachments were not put in the right place and consequently the teeth did not move the way they were supposed to. This wasn't caught because she rarely saw the dentist, just the assistant who gave her new trays. I guess it pays to really check out your provider and find out how involved (and experienced) that person will be. That's what I'm doing!

jen777 10 Nov 2009

Just wanted to ask ab22 a question about the receding lower gum, I believe I have the same thing after starting a new tray over night. The next day my gum in the back was seperated, I thought maybe I had gum disease or something but if you had the same thing it must be from invisalgn. What kind of surgery did you have to have?? I am planning on seeing a dentist this week:(

jen777 10 Nov 2009

Have a question for ab22 I was wondering what type of surgery you had? I believe I have receding gum in back after a night I put a new tray in, I thought I had gum disease or something. I plan on visiting the dentist this week, hopefully it is nothing serious.

ab22 11 Nov 2009

Jen- I had a gum graft performed. The periodontist took a slice from my palate and sutured it to my lower gum. I had the stitches on for 10 days and then they clipped them out. I hope you don't have to go through this procedure as mine was really uncomfortable because the palate had to heal without any bandages and that made it really difficult to eat.

ab22 18 Nov 2009

To follow up, I just finished my first refinement set which consisted of 8 upper and lower trays. My bottom teeth were crowded due to my wisdom teeth erupting and not being removed earlier. I have one very crooked top tooth (in the front) that is rotated toward the front of my mouth and another crooked top tooth (on the side) that is smaller than the rest of my teeth and looks like it didn't grow in fully. I am happy with my bottom teeth as they are no longer compacted but I can't see any difference in my top teeth. My very crooked tooth is as crooked as the day I started this, it seems. I have an appointment today and hopefully will see my actual orthodontist and find out the next steps. I really don't want to get another refinement set done as it seemed that this one didn't do much but I've invested a significant amount of time, money, and energy into this process. Most people it seems don't have the "buttons" on their front teeth, but I do, so it's very obvious that I have these braces. I'm more self conscious than I was before and just want this to be over with!

Ade15 22 Nov 2009

I see that my invisalign experience has been similar to yours. i started wearing them in March 2007 and it is now November 2009 and i have to have a SECOND refinement which i have to wait for them to come back for like 6 weeks. I was initially given about 40 sets for my top teeth and 25 for the bottom and was told to wear them for 2 weeks at a time. My process was sorta prolonged because i couldnt always see my dentist monthly because i was in and out of town at college. The problem that i have with my teeth is the top and bottom rows are both off alignment and they dont line up. What i think needs to happen is that my whole top row of teeth needs to be shifted slightly one direction and the whole bottome row shifted slightly the other direction. This particular dentist did not do the traditional metal braces so i was prompted to get invisalign. I can see invisalign working if u just have spaces between your teeth, but i don't see how it will correct my problem. if i could do it all over, i would just go with the metal braces, i think i would have saved time, money, and energy. I would also change dentists as well for i am still in between refinements with my invisalign.

ab22 24 Nov 2009

Thanks for your comments, Ade15. I'm sorry to hear that you've had a difficult time w/ Invisalign also. At my last appointment it was determined we would try a 2nd refinement process (mind you, the orthodontist thought it was the 1st one b/c he didn't read my chart correctly). I am awaiting the new trays to come back. I'm sure it'll probably take at least a month since the holidays are coming up.

ab22 1 Dec 2010

Long delayed follow up-

I am on refinement process #3 which consists of 13 upper and lower trays for me. The trays are finally sitting properly on my upper teeth. I'm on #7 and am skeptical that I will actually attain the results I'm hoping for. One crooked tooth is moving properly, the other doesn't seem to have done much at all.

Get Free Email Updates

“Bad Invisalign Experience”

Comments (12)

Post a Comment

Read more Invisalign reviews

Related Invisalign Q&A