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Invisalign Cost $4,800 average cost

Don't Go to a Dentist for Invisalign, See an Orthodontist

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Comments (2)
Updated 28 Apr 2008
Posted 27 Apr 2008
Worth It
Spent: $5,900 in Long Beach, CA
I am 90% through my treatment and couldn't be happier. I did a lot of research prior to picking my Invisalign othodontist doctor and here is what I learned. First, it is very important to go to an orthodontist and NOT a dentist. Dentist's take a one-day course and are certified to use the product while orthodontists go through an extra 3 years of training in moving teeth after dental school. Also, not all orthodontists use a lot of Invisalign and it is important to pick an orthodontist with at least one star on the Invisalign website. The doctors with 2 STARS do at least 100 cases each year and have the most experience. These 2 star doctors are able to deal with abnormal reactions as they see these problems more often. For example, I was having problems with my lower aligner, it would always cut my tongue. My doctor put this special sand on my aligner and the aligner stopped cutting my tongue. These 2 star doctors are also able to correct the teeth and the bite (with the use of rubberbands). Dentists do not know how to correct the bite with rubberbands (as this is not taught to them). Invisalign is a totally doctor driven product. Invisalign doesn't tell the doctor how to treat a case, the doctor tells them (unless the doctor does not know what they are doing). When the doctor does not know what they are doing, a default treatment is used (created by a technician in Central America). This is not a joke, this is the truth! The reason I did research on this is that my friend had a bad experience with her Invisalign treatment. She did pay about $1000 less, but her teeth are still crooked. I am almost done and my teeth are basically perfect.

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

Vote: 29 members found this review helpful

Comments (2)

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Ruthie4355 (3 posts) 2 Jan 2011
Thank you for the tip, I would never have thought to pay close attention to the starred list on the invisalign website, I was debating on who I should go to and now I know!
Ruthie4355 (3 posts) 2 Jan 2011
I actually have one question. I see you posted this in 2008 so I hope this reaches you.

I bought a deal online that will ultimately save me money on invisalign treatments. But the catch is, I can only choose 1 out of 4 providers. I did what you recommended and searched the invisalign website for these dentists.

I can either go to an orthodontist who is premier preferred, meaning he "has achieved an exceptional level of Invisalign case experience", or I can go to a general dentist who is elite preferred, meaning he "has achieved an extraordinary level of Invisalign case experience"

Who would you recommend? I was leaning towards the orthodontist, but now I don't know. Should I go with a specialist, or a general dentist with more invisalign experience?

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