4 Months of Braces Followed by 9 Months of Invisalign - Good Plan?

Question

I have crowded bottom teeth and apparently a class one overbite. Pretty straight upper teeth aside from canines rotated inwards (causing the bottom crowding). I wanted invisalign to fix the crowding...I hate the thought of wearing braces, but my ortho told me that even if I only do a few months of braces first, the result will be significantly better than if I just do invisalign alone. So Im going to suck it up and do braces for 3 months, and then switch. Is this a good idea?

Lance Timmerman, DMD, MAGD · Answer

While what you suggest will likely work just fine, the complexity of it all would increase the fee in my office. You would likely save both time and money by just sticking to the braces and skipping Invisalign completely.

Rob van den Berg, DDS, MS · Answer

SInce you asked your initial question 12 months ago, I'm curious how things turned out for you. Please do share!

	Adding some braces for a few months before, during or after the Invisalign can boost the speed of treatment. For example if teeth are rotated more than 45 degrees. Ask your doctor what specific goals he or she has for the braces phase of the treatment, so you both know when you will be set free. If the idea is just to get you in braces to sway you from Invisalign without a clear justification I would advise against that.

Clark L. Jones, DDS, MSD · Answer

If you are going to do four months of braces and that is enough to get significant changes, which in my office using Damon braces it probably would be for some mild Class I crowding, you would probably be better off and get a more precise final result if you just go ahead and do a few more months in the braces and be done with it. You might also be able to do it faster. It is likely to be a good bit more cost effective and probably a more precise result at the end. It doesn't sound like a difficult or long term case. Once you are into the process most patients just want "whatever will get me done the quickest". Talk to your orthodontist about the treatment time goals that you want to shoot for.

Kara J. McCulloch, DMD · Answer

I think this can be a very good solution. When the teeth are rotated 20 degrees or more, it is a challenge to correct them with Invisalign. It makes very good sense to correct any major rotations with braces before transitioning to Invisalign for the final correction of your bite. This approach tends to simplify the correction and make it more efficient and predictable in outcome.

Gary Kloberdanz, DDS, MS · Answer

Invisalign struggles with "extruding"  and "rotating" round teeth.

	As such, partial metal braces may be used first to accomplish some of the tooth movements that are difficult for Invisalign to do.

4 Months of Braces Followed by 9 Months of Invisalign - Good Plan?

Answers (5)