Possible to Stop with the Braces to Get Invisalign?

Part of being a doctor includes listening to your patients' concerns. Orthodontic treatment can be frustrating, especially when it does not go as well as you and the doctor wished it had. Although it is not quite "starting over" (but close), switching from regular braces to Invisalign can be quite expensive. Another thing to keep in mind with the doctor-patient relationship is that they are YOUR teeth and you can do what ever you want. Speak with your doctor and ask him or her to be straight up with you. For example:

What is left to do?
How long do you think it will take?
If I stop now, what might the risks or consequences be?
Is there anything we can do to make it finish up quickly, even if the results are not ideal?
Is there an alternative to keeping the braces on for a lot longer, even if it is a compromise?

An example of a compromise might be to use an active retainer or a rubber positioner to fine tune the position of the teeth. But they need to be pretty close to make this at all predictable. Nothing works more predictably than brackets glued to the teeth. Orthodontists by nature are perfectionists. They want to do what is right and proper...and sometimes, for a number of reasons, it takes more time than we anticipated.