Q: How do I get Invisalign?:
A: You need to have a consultation with an orthodontist or a certified dentist to see if you qualify for treatment. I suggest having at least 2 to 3 consultations with different doctors to compare price and to make sure that you feel comfortable with who you choose.
Q: How much do they cost?
A: This has to be my most frequently asked question. The answer depends on the dentist or orthodontist that you see. I suggest getting more than one consultation to compare prices. It seems the average cost in the USA is around $5000 for a complete treatment. That amount should include all of your regular visits as well. This will probably change in time as Invisalign's competitors start emerging.
Q: Can I get Invisalign for just my top teeth?
A: This depends on the doctor that you see. I had two consultations and was considering getting just my tops done. One doctor said that the would not treat just one arch and the other was willing. As it turns out, I wouldn't have saved much money by doing just the top so I went for it all.
Q: How long do you have to wear Invisalign?
A: That depend on the severity of your case. You are given plastic trays to fit over your teeth that have slight adjustments in them. They are changed every two weeks. I had 16 sets of tray plus I had 3 sets of refinements. My total treatment time was about 10 months. You should be wearing them daily for around 22 hours.
Q: Will I have to wear a retainer?
A: Yes. Your last set will be your retainer (unless your doctor does it differently). I am currently wearing my retainer to bed every night. This may possibly be a lifelong thing, but I'm not sure yet. My orthodontist mentioned about possibly doing ever other night in the future. I honestly don't mind as I want to protect my investment.
Q: Can you eat with your aligners in?
A: No. They must be removed for every meal.
Q: Is it true that you have to brush and floss before you put your trays back in?
A: Yes. Unfortunately this is the part about Invisalign that is a huge pain. You do not want food to get trapped against your teeth under the retainers. This can cause tooth decay. So, you are going to want to make sure they are nice an clean after every meal.
Q: It it okay to drink with my Invisalign retainers in?
A: Only water is the safest. Again, the sugar in drinks can become trapped under the aligner. Also, colored drinks can stain them.
Q: Can I smoke with my Invisalign retainers in?
A: Since I am not a smoker and haven't looked into this one very far. I can tell you that the pamphlet that comes with Invisalign tells you not to. I would guess that it to avoid staining them.
Q: Is Invisalign painful to wear?
A: It depends. When you change trays, you will experience some discomfort for a few days. Particularly when taking them out and putting them in for meals. The new trays are forcing the teeth into a new position so you will feel some pain as the teeth get into their new place.
Q: What are attachments?
A: Some teeth need to be rotated from side to side. The orthodontist will glue a small tooth-colored piece to the tooth. The trays will have a bump in them for the piece to fit into. Each tray will have a slightly different position of the bump to help that tooth rotate.
Q: Will I have to have attachments?
A: That all depends on the severity of your case. You'll have to have a consultation to know for sure.
Q: How long until you start to see results?
A: I remember seeing a difference in as little as 6-8 weeks.
Q: How do you clean your Invisalign aligners?
A: Although the Invisalign pamphlet says not to use denture cleaner, I did it any way. I soaked them in Efferdent every morning while eating breakfast. It did a great job and I had no problems with it. I also use toothpaste and a toothbrush to clean them as well.
Q: Will my insurance pay for Invisalign?
A: The only way to find out is to contact your insurance company.
Q: If you had to do it all again, would you get metal braces instead?
A: No. Overall, I am very happy with the results of my Invisalign treatment. I loved the fact that they were not very obvious and the treatment was relatively quick.
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24 comments:
Hi Sharon. So nice of you to have this site. Great information for everyone out there. I have two questions. I am currently almost done my Invisalign treatment and my orthodontist and I were talking today about the end process. He wants to file my teeth and also give me veneers. I noticed that you had a few chips in your teeth. What did they do to correct this for you? Also did you have to have yours filled at the end?
Hey Sharon, I just moved to NYC and discovered this great Orthodontist who is great with the invisalign procedure. For more info, go to:
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Hi Sharon, I would also echo the comments above- Did you have reshaping of your teeth?
Thanks for this blog.
I'm a black women who has had Invisalign's since May of 2009. My othro said that black people teeth are harder to move so quickly; therefore I have been wearing my tray in 3 week intervals. Has your ortho asked you to bit down on cotton rolls to make the Invisalign sit snuggly on the teeth?? There is mm space on between the Invisalign my a could of my teeth. I just would have thought with all the mouth scans, ex-rays and teeth molds there would have been a better fit of these invisalign's... I appreciate your comments to my inquiry.
HI Sharon,
I just wondered how retainment is going and whether you still need to wear your retainer every night or whether you will be able to ultimately reduce that?
great blog, thx for all these information on invisalign!!!
Hi, I see its been a while since your last post but I was curious. I just stumbled upon some interesting info. some users of invisalign experienced new cavities while undergoing treatment, with some people going as far as saying that theyre caused by the trays and the fact that theyre always covering your teeth. i just wanted to know if you experience anything like this. i just finished the paperwork to start my treatment so its not as if i can go back now, but i just wanted to hear about someone else's opinion.
Hi Sharon,
Invisalign is one of the better art of cosmetic dentistry (Chicago). Your teeth will be aligned with a clear invisible brace. I hope you feel comfortable wearing this invisible brace.
Hi! Great blog! I'm just considering Invisalign treatment and I have two quick questions; I'd appreciate it a lot if you could leave a quick reply!
1) Did you have to have any teeth pulled to get Invisalign?
2) Did you notice any change in the shape of your face or jaw?
Thanks so much!
I think Invisalign must have paid you alot of money to advertize for them, but it doesn't matter. Everyone needs to advertize.
On topic: I'm considering getting Invisalign, but it's expensive as sin and they aren't as "invisible" as everyone claims (although they are less visible than braces).
I just have ONE question for you. Please, please answer and I'll be so grateful!
How long time did it take for you to get used to them so you talked normal again? So many people with Invisalign/other braces have trouble talking after getting them.
I also have been blogging about my Invisalign experience and did a few videos on youtube. How have you been able to get such a high ranking on google?! Please tell me your secrets. Also, my orthodontist said you can drink soft drinks, tea and coffee. It is true that it can stain your teeth so you have to be vigilant about keeping them clean. I drink coke and tea and haven't had any staining. You can visit my blog at http://www.smilecsra.com and my youtube channel at http://www.youtube.com/carterorthodontics. Thanks!
I just wanted to reach out and say you have a great blog! I recently launched my own blog about invisalign since when I was searching for a good informative site, the only sites coming up were from orthodontists themselves. A bit biased for me! So I built this site: http://invisalignfacts.com and am trying to spread the word about it. I was wondering if you could be kind enough to help me and place a link somewhere on your site? I would be so grateful! Please let me know what I can do to make this happen. And thanks for getting great info out there! If you'd ever want to post a review on my site or share your info with others, that would be so helpful!
Hope you have a great weekend,
Irina
I read over your blog. Interesting post and good looking site. I'm definitely going to visit again!
Invisalign is really great for me especially if your'e after for cosmetic purposes cause the aligners are completely transparent, therefore far more difficult to detect than traditional wire and bracket braces.
I am an orthodontist. You did a great job on your blog. Very impressed. www.hulseorthodontics.com
Thank you for sharing this post about the best techniques for teeth whitening, this is a big help for me and to the others as well on how the proper teeth care should be. Thanks again
Thanks for the post. Very informative and also I found very helpful information.
If anyone wants the quick and easy way to determine if Invisalign can work for them, download the free app on IPhone called Invisalign Meter.
http://itunes.apple.com/app/invisalign-meter/id477432939?mt=8
Invisalign is a great option for any aged individual who needs to have their teeth straightened. It is fabulous for the already self-conscious individual or for the individual who is older and does not want to be distracting with normal braces. Where normal braces stay on for a few years at a time, Invisalign can be removed so that you can eat and do regular dental care. It is a practically invisible orthodontic option that uses various plates fit to your mouth to help your teeth move in the way that they should to get the desired results. Several plates will be used during the treatment. It is a great option, but if you decide to use this option, you will still need to find an orthodontist whom you can trust to use this product in the best way for your mouth.
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Thanks for sharing the idea there would be some apprehensions from segment but i am up for it.
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During first evaluation, dentists will helps to determine if Invisalign® is a good option for you. Dentist then design a treatment plan and take tooth impressions, from which Invisalign® will develop accurate, personalized tooth-straightening devices, called aligners. Aligners slide directly over teeth and are replaced every two weeks as teeth shift into place. Depending on case, invisalign need to wear them full-time (except when eating or drinking) for 12 to 24 months. No longer than to wear traditional metal braces—and see the dentist about every six weeks for check-ups.
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