On the fence about Invisalign...

[Reader]

I had braces as an adolescent and my bite has opened back up. I have a slightly open bite and according to the orthodontist I can fix it in 25 trays of Invisalign. I am worried about the bumps that will be attached to my teeth, I am concerned about increased risk of cavities during treatment, and then there is the cost...I'm in my 40s, is it worth it? Anyone have experiences to report?

[brittone2]

I had braces as an adolescent and my bite has opened back up. I have a slightly open bite and according to the orthodontist I can fix it in 25 trays of Invisalign. I am worried about the bumps that will be attached to my teeth, I am concerned about increased risk of cavities during treatment, and then there is the cost...I'm in my 40s, is it worth it? Anyone have experiences to report?

Dh did 15 trays or so as an adult. I started in invisalign, got pretty far, and then my orthodontist switched me to traditional braces. We had that understanding going into things though...I would go as far as I could in invisalign, and then probably at some point I might have to switch into traditional braces. I wear a perm retainer behind my uppers now.

I'm glad I did it. No issues with cleaning, etc. with the speed bump attachments.

[KLD313]

I had braces put on for the second time in my late 20's. I chose not to do invisalign because the orthodontist told me it would take longer than traditional braces. He also offered to do the regular braces during the consult for free so it was kind of a no brainer for me. They were off in 3 months. I'm so glad I did it. If your issue bothers you definitely do it, I have no regrets.

[okinawama]

I looked into invisalign but decided to go with traditional braces because my orthodontist said that invisalign would give me straight teeth, but wouldn't help me out with jaw alignment or my bite issues. I'm thrilled with my decision to "fix" my teeth and would do it again in a heart beat!

[weech]

I got braces for the 2nd time about three years ago. They were on for about 18-20 months but I'm so glad I did it. SO glad.

[smilequeen]

The buttons for invisalign are placed in areas that are not cavity prone to begin with. Your chances of developing orthodontic related cavities is higher with traditional braces as people tend to have trouble flossing and cleaning under the brackets along the gumline (teens are very prone to gumline cavities when they drink a lot of soda while wearing braces). I am doing them on myself soon and I'll be 40 next summer :) I did them once in my mid 20s but failed to wear the retainer so I'm redoing it. It worked very well for me.

[anamika]

So timely since I just got braces 2 days back! I couldn't do Invisalign and got the Damon or something. I have never had braces before (also in my 40s) so the adjustment has been truly horrible. My mouth is sore and painful and I cannot chew AT ALL. Is this normal? I cannot eat any solids at all. I am drinking smoothies and soup. Does this last for the 18 months?
On the plus side, I may lose a lot of weight if I cannot snack at random times :)
The dentist didn't mention any of this at all during the consult so I was taken aback by the sheet the PA gave me as I was walking out.
Sorry OP I don't mean to discourage you at all - just that I was completely unprepared and it might have gone better if I had time to mentally prepare for it! Sounds like you are already thinking these things.
Couple of friends have said after week they can't feel the braces anymore.
I am so encouraged to hear other people say it was worth it.

[barkley1]

PP, hang in there....it definitely will get better!

As far as Invisalign, I did it 3 yrs ago and was thrilled with the results (had braces in my teens, teeth moved during my first pregnancy a LOT). But, it did not fix my bite. I knew going in it would not. My understanding was it's mostly for straightening. I didn't have any issues with cavities, but, I was sicker with more colds and stomach bugs than I have ever been in my life! I think it was either due to the Invisalign (I.e. putting my fingers in my mouth 20x/day to take them in and out every time I ate or snacked. I tried my best to keep my hands clean, and even used a tissue sometimes) OR, bc I was pregnant w my second. Who knows.

Anyway, I love how much better my teeth look now!

[baymom]

So timely since I just got braces 2 days back! I couldn't do Invisalign and got the Damon or something. I have never had braces before (also in my 40s) so the adjustment has been truly horrible. My mouth is sore and painful and I cannot chew AT ALL. Is this normal? I cannot eat any solids at all. I am drinking smoothies and soup. Does this last for the 18 months?
On the plus side, I may lose a lot of weight if I cannot snack at random times :)
The dentist didn't mention any of this at all during the consult so I was taken aback by the sheet the PA gave me as I was walking out.
Sorry OP I don't mean to discourage you at all - just that I was completely unprepared and it might have gone better if I had time to mentally prepare for it! Sounds like you are already thinking these things.
Couple of friends have said after week they can't feel the braces anymore.
I am so encouraged to hear other people say it was worth it.


Sorry to hijack...Aanamika--how did you decide to go with the Damon/self ligating braces? I'm leaning towards them for DD, but would love to hear others though processes... OP, have you considered Damon braces? They don't use the bands (is that what they are called?) around the brackets, so look smaller and a bit less obvious than traditional braces. Of course, my DD is bummed she may not get to choose fun colors for the bands...:tongue5:

[anamika]

Sorry to hijack...Aanamika--how did you decide to go with the Damon/self ligating braces? I'm leaning towards them for DD, but would love to hear others though processes... OP, have you considered Damon braces? They don't use the bands (is that what they are called?) around the brackets, so look smaller and a bit less obvious than traditional braces. Of course, my DD is bummed she may not get to choose fun colors for the bands...:tongue5:

Hah! I wish I could tell you it was a well-researched process. I went with it because the dentist who offered it is very close to my house.
Plus I did get one other consult where the dentist said I would have to lose two teeth. It was the same treatment duration and cost too. I did not want to get my teeth pulled so I went with this. Also with Damon, dentist visits are once every 8 weeks.
Most people have not noticed that I have them on so that is certainly a plus for me - though maybe not to your DD (or mine)! I do have to wear elastic bands for some time.
So I guess I did think about it a bit after all :) Not sure about results - ask me in a year ;)

[mommyp]

If I could have gone with Invisalign I would have. I currently have traditional braces after having had jaw surgery to correct my bite. I don't regret it because when it is done I will finally have a proper bite and straight teeth (hopefully by the time I'm 40!) Anamika, I find the braces were hard to get used to for the first week or so, and for a few days after each adjustment. Then I can go back to mostly normal. I do avoid all the things on the NO list though (nuts, candy, popcorn, really hard crunchy things etc.). Anything is better than the month of soft food after my surgery though, so I have that to compare too, LOL.
OP, my friend in a similar situation just finished her Invisalign and is really happy with the results.

[keh602]

I am on tray 17 of 22 for my Invisalign, and I am SO HAPPY with the difference it has made. The "attachments" (bumps) bothered me for the first couple of weeks, but they aren't a big deal anymore. I was looking at a picture of myself taken a month or so ago, and I couldn't believe how much my smile has changed. I can't wait to be done and see what it looks like without the bumps. 11.5 weeks to go! :)

[mackmama]

I tried to do Invisalign last year. I had an allergic reaction to it so had to have them removed. I feel like the "bumps" actually damaged my teeth. I was also surprised how much you could see the Invisalign when I had it. I thought it'd be much less noticeable.

[crl]

So timely since I just got braces 2 days back! I couldn't do Invisalign and got the Damon or something. I have never had braces before (also in my 40s) so the adjustment has been truly horrible. My mouth is sore and painful and I cannot chew AT ALL. Is this normal? I cannot eat any solids at all. I am drinking smoothies and soup. Does this last for the 18 months?
On the plus side, I may lose a lot of weight if I cannot snack at random times :)
The dentist didn't mention any of this at all during the consult so I was taken aback by the sheet the PA gave me as I was walking out.
Sorry OP I don't mean to discourage you at all - just that I was completely unprepared and it might have gone better if I had time to mentally prepare for it! Sounds like you are already thinking these things.
Couple of friends have said after week they can't feel the braces anymore.
I am so encouraged to hear other people say it was worth it.

I had braces as a teenager and lost five pounds when they were put on. (Went from 110 to 105) Every month when they were tightened I couldn't eat again. I didn't gain the weight back until I got the braces off. So they never really got better for me. I think I was an outlier though. Sorry.

Catherine

[daniele_ut]

So timely since I just got braces 2 days back! I couldn't do Invisalign and got the Damon or something. I have never had braces before (also in my 40s) so the adjustment has been truly horrible. My mouth is sore and painful and I cannot chew AT ALL. Is this normal? I cannot eat any solids at all. I am drinking smoothies and soup. Does this last for the 18 months?
On the plus side, I may lose a lot of weight if I cannot snack at random times :)
The dentist didn't mention any of this at all during the consult so I was taken aback by the sheet the PA gave me as I was walking out.
Sorry OP I don't mean to discourage you at all - just that I was completely unprepared and it might have gone better if I had time to mentally prepare for it! Sounds like you are already thinking these things.
Couple of friends have said after week they can't feel the braces anymore.
I am so encouraged to hear other people say it was worth it.

IME it will get better in a couple of days. DS has Damon braces right now and had significant discomfort for about 3 days when they were first put on but after that it wasn't bad at all. He is usually sore for a day or so after appointments when they change wires but he hasn't complained much at all. I had regular braces as an adult about 13 years ago and even those weren't terrible. I got used to them very quickly and I had mine on for 24 months.

[GaPeach_in_Ca]

I have invisalign now. I have an overbite, so I actually have elastics as well. They attach to a groove in my top tray and then to "buttons" on my lower back teeth.
I don't have any "attachments" on my front four top or bottom teeth and most people really do not notice the trays. They do notice my elastics, though, although they are towards the back. :)

I'm on try 10 or 11, I think. I'm quite satisifed with the progress! I love being able to take out the trays to eat/drink. No problems with cavities.

I probably would not have gotten traditional baces because this whole thing is kind of a vanity driven project. :p