Get the real deal on beauty treatments—real doctors, real reviews, and real photos with real results.Here's how we earn your trust.

See All Reviews
See All Reviews
POSTED UNDER Invisalign REVIEWS

I Would Not Do This Again -Raleigh, NC

ORIGINAL POST

I went to see an orthodontist after my dentist...

vmpageMarch 5, 2013
$7,412

I went to see an orthodontist after my dentist suggested it - I had crowding and a cavity and they said they could remove the tooth and move everything around and straighted my teeth out. Great. My bottom teeth are worse than my top, but you can't really see them so I had traditional metal braces on my bottom teeth for about nine months before switching to invisalign trays on top and bottom. At first, I only had buttons but on my bottom teeth. On tray 10, I had buttons attached to my top teeth, and it looks horrible. I look like someone has taken a black fine tip marker and drawn a line on all of my front teeth. I am so embarrassed to open my mouth because it is not at all invisible. The trays often have super sharp edges that I have to file with a nail file. They are just kind of gross, and the treatment is long (for me) and expensive. If I could go back in time I would not make this decision again.

Replies (5)

Megan P
March 7, 2013

I'm so sorry to hear that after starting treatment you realized that traditional braces might have been a better fit for you for the entire treatment. Has your Orthodontist said if switching to traditional braces could be something to consider, though there would probably be an expense associated with that?

vmpage
March 7, 2013
He hasn't said anything about switching. I've already incurred a huge expense and wouldn't consider giving them another dime. I do think my orthodontist is extremely good at what he does, I just think that my mouth probably wasn't the best for any type of braces at this time. Since having the braces put on, I've had to have a root canal on two teeth, I've had a root start to resorb and needed that tooth pulled, a bone graft put in, and now I have stitches in my mouth and my aligners had to be cut to accomodate my new missing back teeth. I feel like my teeth are decaying under the braces despite never drinking coffee or wine, because I don't like it, mostly drink water because I do like it, and having a tooth brush in my desk, gym bag, purse and bathroom!
Megan P
March 7, 2013

Wow, you have endured a lot! Do you mind me asking your age?

With as many toothbrushes as you have it sounds like you are pretty diligent with keeping your teeth clean, so hopefully there won't be any decay to have to deal with. Perhaps you could ask your orthodontist or dentist if they would recommend you use a product with Stannous Fluoride, like Fluoridex?

vmpage
March 15, 2013
I am 32 and have a new cavity every time I turn around. Fluoride is why my teeth are so bad though. Apparently there was an overconsumption of fluoride during my "tooth forming years." I was given fluoride rinse and fluoride paste and lived where the water is fluoridated and my elementary school gave all of us fluoride treatments a few times a year, and now I have fluorosis and get cavities from looking at pictures of cake!
Megan P
March 15, 2013

So sorry to hear about the fluorosis. :-/

I really hope that a new treatment plan can be worked up so your attachments aren't so noticeable, and you still get a great result. Please keep us posted on what comes of it.

UPDATED FROM vmpage

I went back concerning the visibility of the top...

vmpageMarch 15, 2013
I went back concerning the visibility of the top aligners and all of my buttons (top and bottom) were removed, I have to go back for new impressions and they will send those to invisalign to see if there is another way to arrange/shape the attachments that won't leave such a noticeable mark. Of course, now this down time is going to be added to my never ending journey. I still would not do this again.
Just to clarify, I have a very talented orthodontist. I would recommend him to anyone, and invisalign is probably great for a lot of people, I just don't think my mouth was a good match.

Replies (0)

UPDATED FROM vmpage

Still unhappy in never ending retainers

vmpageJune 11, 2013
Well, the clin-check (which I didn't know even existed until two months ago) came back - with my retainers even though I made it very clear that I wanted to see the plan before getting more pieces - and I am not at all thrilled with the finished product, which is still two years away. I don't like it at all. I am still not going to be happy with the aesthetics of my teeth, but I'm more than seven grand and two years in, so what do I do? I will still have buck horse teeth. I can't even get my teeth whitened because I have so many glue blobs on my teeth. I've had a temporary filling on a root canal for a year and a half now (can't get the crown if we don't know where the rest of my teeth are going to be), I now have no molars in my upper right because of a horrible root resorption infection, where I had to have a bone graft ($$$$) and need implants now ($$$) but again, can't do it until we know where to put them. I have old fillings I want re-done with resin, but can't because I can't whiten my teeth and he has to know what color to make them. I started this when I was 29. I am now 33. I have more than 25 trays left. I don't think invisalign is bad, but I feel like I wasn't a good candidate but was not told that. I didn't even know there was a computer model until a couple months ago!

Replies (0)

See More Invisalign Reviews
See All Reviews