Invisalign - what it can and cannot do

[TheTeethMan]

Hi all!

I would like to propose that someone assemble the things that we know about Invisalign do's and dont's in a sticky thread, because you really have to read alot of threads to get some kind of idea about its effectiveness and there are alot of diverse opinions on its effectiveness.

I did alot of research (both on these boards and irl) before deciding which way to go, because it is a significant investment to get your teeth straightened (I see at as part of my future career possibilies even - so "investment" it is, this is under the assumption that looks as well as brainds do matter in this very competitive world).

I did visit several dentists to get offers for treatment and as many different opinions as I could muster in a month - it cost me about 200 Euro just for their time and opinions. But I think it was money well spent - because after that I could make my own decision on which treatment to go with.

Here are things I found out (this is some of the best advice from dentists and one orthodontist I got in my situation):

- What I learned: Dentists have different morals and ethics, they are people after all - some dentists will let you hop on a treatment where the outcome is at best uncertain and no guarantees can be given (thats the nature of dentistry after all) - so you need to look for signs that they are doing it for YOUR sake and not to make money.
Good signs to look for: they are experience in what they do, they are not afraid to admit that they or their techniques have limits or to admit that they are inexperienced, they are not afraid to refer you to others or to ask others for advice on your specific case (for example: a dentist calling an ortho for advice).

- My best advice is to visit SEVERAL dentists and at least one orthodontist before deciding which treatment to get. Also, do background checks, where did they work before? Who do they work with? What courses do they have? Google them to check if any unhappy customers did reviews on the net on them, etc. etc.

- Regarding Invisalign: I believe Invisalign is good for minor adjustments or adjustments of primarily front teeth and canines only - They can move and rotate these teeth relative to each other by use of the "buttons" and it does this well in most cases.
They CAN do back teeth (premolars and molars) when you are YOUNG (I believe teens or preteen at least), BUT if you are fully grown then it will probably NOT work on back teeth (premolars and molars) or work EXTREMELY slowly (we are talking 18 months upwards, which I think is completely unacceptable for most people).
This makes perfect sense if you know how Invisalign works and how well set the premolars and molars (back teeth) are in your jaw when you are fully grown.

- Invisalign is NOT a good choice if you need to broaden your arc on premolars or molars - I believe this is due to the pastic not being strong enough to exert the outward force (I have my own idea about how it actually works, but its kinda hard to explain). If you do need to broaden the arc of your premolars and molars, which is a common case for most people ("Unilateral Posterior Crossbite" - google it) - your best choice is probably to go with palate braces BEFORE doing work on your canines and front teeth.

The two first dentists I met with were actually prepared to start Invisalign treatment on me right away, which I think is totally wrong. Since it would probably have taken anywhere from 18 to 30+ months, IF it would work at all (which I doubt - reading posts in here you have people which have no effect at all from using Invisalign), since I have a very narrow upper arc. This was confirmed be the orthodontist that I finally decided to go with in the end. She first wanted me to go with tracks because these are without comparison THE most effective solution when it comes to straightening (although not pretty). I was not prepared to have tracks , so we decided to start with the palate braces to broaden my arc first and then see what options I have... Come to think of it, I am not sure if she wanted me to use the palate braces before going to tracks... hmm

So, I am now wearing a loose palate braces to broaden my arc. I am steadfast and wear this 24/7 , only removing for brushing.
When this is done I will then decide if my front teeth should be done with tracks, Invisalign or if I am lucky and there is enough space I might even be able to get it done with Inman Aligner which would be the least expensive option of them all.

I am male, 39 years old, I work in sales, mostly in my office, but with the occasional representation both internally and abroad.