Tag Archives: invisible braces

Invisalign

Please Don’t Do Lumineers for This

I wanted to get my smile fixed. I have two canines that stick out which make me look a bit like a vampire, minus the youthful looks, along with one crooked front tooth. I  was thinking I could get Invisalign and maybe whiten them. My dentist pointed out that I would still be left with the chipped tooth. Instead, he suggested Lumineers, which he said can take care of all three problems at once. I liked that idea but the price seems a bit steep compared to what I was planning. Is there something that could take care of the chipped tooth which isn’t as much as Lumineers?

Joyce

Dear Joyce,

Invisalign aligner

I’m glad you wrote. Whatever you do, even if you had gobs of money to waste on it. Lumineers are just a brand of porcelain veneers . They tend to be marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists as being easy to place because they don’t necessarily require any tooth prep.

While that might be okay for teeth that go in some. Yours are going out. Using no prep veneers on them will make them look bulky. Some with similar experiences said they felt like they had horse teeth.

I think your idea of Invisalign and teeth whitening was fantastic. You can fix the chipped tooth with dental bonding once you are done with your orthodontic treatment.

Your dentist can provide you with a teeth whitening gel that you can wear in your Invisalign aligners which will allow you to straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time.

Most of what we talked about can be done safely with any dentist who offers the procedure. One exception to that will be your dental bonding to repair the chip.  This an advanced dental procedure that has to be done freehand. I would only let an expert cosmetic dentist do that part.

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Invisalign

Can a Teenager Use Invisalign?

My  sister in law used Invisalign to get her teeth straightened. I didn’t even know she was doing that until she told me. I was floored. You really couldn’t tell. As we talked about it she told me that they’re much more comfortable than regular braces and her treatment will be over much faster than using braces, too. My teenager needs braces. Will he be able to use Invisalign or is it only for adults?

Christine

Dear Christine,

Invisalign aligner

I am glad that you wrote. I’m also pleased your sister-in-law loved her Invisalign procedure. They have a very high patient satisfaction rate.  As for whether or not your teen can use Invisalign, as long as his teeth are fully erupted, he should be fine to use it.

You will want to be aware of some potential issues that could arise because of the differences between Invisalign and traditional metal and wire brackets.

Braces are anchored to the teeth, so patient compliance isn’t an issue. With Invisalign, it is up to the patient to comply. The aligners are designed to be worn for 22 hours a day, which leaves room for meals and oral health care.

Patients are not just given one set of aligners to wear for the length of their treatment. They will change out aligners every two weeks as the teeth shift into their next position. Generally, the dentist provides two pairs at a time.

One of the issues with teenagers using this system  is maturity and responsibility. They may neglect to wear the aligners for the amount of time needed or even lose them.

Invisalign tries to address these issues two ways.

  1. They allow for a limited number of replacement aligners when a teenager is the patient in case they are lost.
  2. To ensure the aligners are worn the necessary amount of time, they embed a small blue dot at the back of the aligners. The dot disappears when they’ve been worn for the prescribed time and it is safe to switch to the next pair.

You know your son better than anyone. If you think he is responsible enough, than this would be a great way to straighten his teeth.

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Invisalign

Dentist Won’t Fix Crowns Unless I Get Braces

I had two dental crowns placed on my front teeth over ten years ago. They are really discolored. I’m too embarrassed to smile.  I went to my dentist, who is a different one because the original dentist retired. He says that he cannot do the crowns unless I get full orthodontic treatment with braces. I don’t understand this at all. My first dentist was able to place the crowns without braces. Why can’t this one? The teeth themselves are a little crooked and do stick out a tiny bit, but that’s about it. I really can’t afford braces right now. Is there no way to just replace the crowns?

Marlene

Dear Marlene,

comparing metal backed crowns to all-porcelain crowns

I’m sorry your dentist is putting these restrictions on you. Not every case has to be the ideal. You asked a good question. If your old dentist could do the crowns without braces, why can’t he?

You don’t have to wait until you can afford orthodontics to get your crowns. You can have them without ortho, forever if you want, or you can have the orthodontics done later.

If you choose to have them done later, you are not locked into metal braces. There are other options, such as Invisalign, that can straighten your teeth using clear aligners. That way you can straighten your teeth without anyone ever knowing.

In the meantime, I’d look for a dentist who is a skilled cosmetic dentist. Front teeth are tricky to do. You certainly don’t want anyone who would place metal-based dental crowns on front teeth. You’ll want all-porcelain crowns placed instead. Otherwise they will look a bit fake. Eventually, they will also get a gray line at the gumline, such as you see on the example image above.

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Pediatric Dentist

Stopping Thumb Sucking

I sucked my thumb until I was eleven and because of that my front teeth are pushed forward a bit. Now I’ve got my own child. He’s three and still sucking his thumb. I don’t want him to grow up embarrassed like I am about my smile. My parents could not afford braces, and now that I’m an adult the idea of a mouth full of metal isn’t a great professional look. Is there a way to stop him sucking his thumb? My parents were constantly yelling at me about mine, but I kept going anyway. I’m hoping to find something that will work for him. Are his teeth already ruined?

Andrea

Dear Andrea,

young mother, holding and giggling with two children

The good news is that at three years old, there is no harm done to your son’s teeth. You won’t have to worry about misalignment from thumb sucking until his permanent teeth start coming in. In most cases, children stop sucking their thumb on their own.

Make sure he’s seeing a children’s dentist regularly so issues such as misalignment can be dealt with early.

However, as you experienced, that is not always the case. when permanent teeth are starting to come in and a child is still sucking their thumb, here is what I recommend.

First, don’t make a big deal about it. You want to use positive reinforcement instead of beratting or humiliating the child. See if you can figure out what the trigger is for them. It may be a comfort while they’re going to sleep or a response to anxiety and stress.

You can help them replace the negative habit with a positive one. If they’re having trouble falling asleep, an extra bedtime story or even telling each other stories before sleep might help, with the additional benefits of bonding time and encouraging imagination.

If you see them sucking their thumb when stressed, tell them about other things that can help them more.

While doing that make sure you talk about the switch as positive instead of shaming them.

As for your teeth, you are not stuck with the choice between crooked teeth  and a mouth full of metal. Instead, I recommend you look into Invisalign. This uses clear aligners instead of the metal wires and brackets of traditional braces. No one will know that you are straightening your teeth, even at a conversational distance.

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Invisalign

Will Invisalign Work for Me?

I went to see an orthodontist about options in fixing my teeth. I was hoping to avoid braces altogether. I have some front teeth that are crooked. The orthodontist said that he tried Invisalign quite a few years ago and it did not work for the patients he tried it on. He’s recommending traditional braces. Is this my only option?

Caroline

Dear Caroline,

Invisalign aligner

I’m glad you wrote. No, it is not your only option. It sounds like your orthodontist only tried Invisalign when they first came out. In the beginning, Invisalign would only work on the most ideal cases. Since then, they have made great strides in being able to handle more cases. In fact, as of this post, Invisalign is able to treat all but the most complicated cases.

Orthodontists were trained in traditional braces. Not all of them are comfortable moving out of their original training. Plus, general dentists can provide Invisalign, which cuts into an orthodontist’s business.

You mentioned that you just had some front teeth that are crooked. Unless there is something extraordinarily unusual about your case, then Invisalign is a great solution for you. In fact, it even has a hidden benefit. The aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. You just need to ask your dentist to provide you with some professional strength teeth whitening gel. You place the gel inside your aligners at a time that is convenient to you.

This allows you to straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time, giving you the equivalent of a mini smile makeover at a fraction of the cost that it would be if you did the two procedures separately. Even dentists who only offer Zoom Whitening can provide you with whitening gel for your aligners.

I hope this helps. Talk to a few dentists who offer Invisalign. This will give you more than one opinion about your particular case. Based on what you’ve described, I don’t think you are going to have any problems.

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Invisalign

How Often Do I Have to See a Dentist With Invisalign?

My husband knows that I have always been embarrassed with my smile. For this year’s birthday, he told me that I could do anything I want with my smile to fix it. I’ve been looking at options and decided I want to get my teeth whitened and get Invisalign. It looks like I get new aligners every two weeks. So, my only hesitation is that I have six kids. Yes, I know what causes that. I’ve heard all the jokes so don’t bother. They’re all under the age that I can leave them home safely and babysitters for that amount of children are expensive, as you can imagine. Do you think the dentist will let me come less than every two weeks?

Tamar

Dear Tamar,

Invisalign aligner

You’ll find that Invisalign has a very high patient satisfaction rate, so I think you will be remarkably happy with your choice. I also have a couple of pieces of good news for you.

First, even though you switch out the aligners every two weeks, your dentist will give you two pairs of aligners at a time. That means you would likely only need to go in once a month. However, given your situation. I think as long as there are not any complicating factors with your case, if you explain things to your dentist, he may be willing to let you come in even less.

Second, the aligners you will use to straighten your teeth can also double as teeth whitening trays. This means you can straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time. This will save you additional money because you will not need to have custom fitted teeth whitening trays made. Instead, you’ll just need your dentist to provide you with the whitening gel which you can wear in your Invisalign trays at your convenience.

Even dentists who only offer Zoom Whitening will be able to provide you with whitening gel to use.

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Invisalign

Do I Really Need Three Procedures for a Smile Makeover?

I hope to get a smile makeover. I thought it would just mean porcelain veneers. I have stained teeth and my two front teeth are a bit crooked. However, my dentist is suggesting that I get three procedures. First, Invisalign to straighten the crooked teeth, then, teeth whitening. Finally Lumineers, which he said are better because they do not need any tooth prep. Is all of this really necessary? I thought veneers could make teeth look straight.

Penelope

Dear Penelope,

Invisalign aligner

I am really glad you wrote. I’m concerned about the advice you are getting. While it is true that porcelain veneers can make teeth look straight, it actually takes an advanced cosmetic dentist to make it look right. I don’t think your dentist qualifies. He is suggesting Lumineers. This is a brand of porcelain veneers that is heavily marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists.

While a few smiles do okay without any tooth prep, most of them require some. Otherwise, the teeth will look bulky. I think this is why he is suggesting Invisalign. He doesn’t know how to make your teeth look right without the orthodontics.

This teeth whitening is okay and will actually save you money. Unless you want to get a porcelain veneer on every tooth, which would cost a fortune, you can get your teeth whitening first and then have porcelain veneers placed on the teeth that are visible when you smile. Because of the teeth whitening, the remainder of the teeth will will blend in.

However, I want to suggest something. You only mentioned that you had discolored and crooked teeth. You didn’t say anything about wanting to change the shape and size of your teeth. In that case, you can save a LOT of money by just having Invisalign and teeth whitening done. That will take care of both of those issues for you. In fact, Invisalign can double as teeth whitening trays. All your dentist has to do is provide you with professional strength teeth whitening gel to wear inside your aligners.

This means you can straighten and whiten your teeth at a fraction of the cost.

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Invisalign

Fixing Misaligned Teeth Without Braces

I have some misaligned teeth, especially in the front. They’re not horrible, they’re just not in the right place. My dentist wants me to do a full set of braces. I’m not too keen on that idea. I’m 42 and have a professional job. Is there another option? I asked about Invisalign, but he said that the Invisalign treatment was not meant for misaligned teeth. What are they for then? If that won’t work, what will that isn’t braces?

Frank

Dear Frank,

Invisalign aligner

I am glad you wrote. I am not sure why your dentist said that Invisalign would not work for misalignment. That is exactly what the procedure is for. My guess is that he doesn’t offer the procedure and he is leading you to braces so you don’t switch to a dentist who has a broader service offering.

You mentioned that your teeth were not that bad, just a bit out of alignment. If that is the case, then you have a couple of options. The first is Invisalign. It will straighten your teeth. If you want to whiten them too, the aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. This will allow you to straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time. Both of these are simple procedures that pretty much any dentist who offers them can do for you.

However, if there are other things you would like to improve about your smile, you also have the option of getting a complete smile makeover. It will not actually straighten your teeth, but when done by an expert cosmetic dentist, it will make your smile look straight. Using porcelain veneers, you can change anything about your smile, including the shape, size, and color of your teeth all at the same time. This is the procedure that Hollywood celebrities go to in order to get their gorgeous smiles.

Unlike the first option, you will need to go to a dentist with serious cosmetic dentistry training to do your smile makeover. The best cosmetic dentists are accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). If you want to go with the complete smile makeover, look for a practice that has an expert cosmetic dentist. For instance, at Camellia Dental Dr. Mike Malone does our cosmetic cases.

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Invisalign

Do I Need Porcelain Veneers, Teeth Whitening AND Invisalign?

I am a bit confused. I thought that porcelain veneers could make teeth look straight and white. When I went to see my dentist about getting a smile makeover with porcelain veneers, he said I would need to get my teeth whitened first, next Invisalign, THEN I can get porcelain veneers. I really don’t understand why three procedures. The only thing crooked on my teeth is a slight overlap of my front teeth. I truly thought the porcelain veneers would take care of that. Do I need all three procedures?

Samantha

Dear Samantha,

Invisalign aligner

No, you should not need all three procedures. Two makes sense. The third does not. Which two you get will depend on your goals. If you are wanting your teeth to simply be whiter and straighter, then you would save a LOT of money by having teeth whitening and Invisalign. In fact, you could do both of these procedures at the same time. This is because the Invisalign aligners can double as teeth whitening trays.

If, however, you were wanting to change the shape or size of your teeth, then your best option is to get teeth whitening and porcelain veneers. You may be wondering why both? Most people’s smile is eight to ten teeth wide. If you cannot get that many porcelain veneers, you will want to whiten your teeth before getting the porcelain veneers so that the teeth can blend together more naturally. Most people do not place veneers on their bottom teeth unless they feel the need to change their appearance. In most cases, the will just whiten the bottom arch. You will not need the Invisalign in this case because a skilled cosmetic dentist can make those front teeth look perfectly straight.

So why is your dentist suggesting all three? The most logical reason is that he or she is not skilled enough to make the teeth look straight. If you want porcelain veneers, you will want to have an expert cosmetic dentist to do the procedure. If you decide to do Invisalign and teeth whitening, just about any dentist who does Invisalign can do both procedures.

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Invisalign

Can Invisalign Work With Missing Teeth

I never got to have braces when I was younger. Since then, I lost a couple of teeth. I am too embarrassed to smile. I have a job and they recently hinted that they want to promote me. However, because it is an upfront position, I would need to get my smile fixed up. The job description does include a professional appearance. I was thinking I should straighten them because I have some crooked teeth, too. Do you know if Invisalign would work with missing teeth? Do I have to replace the teeth or can the gaps just be closed?

Amanda

Dear Amanda,

Invisalign aligner

Congratulations on your possible promotion. It is obvious they value your work. Invisalign can work with missing teeth. Depending on which teeth are missing, you may or may not need to replace them. One thing to be aware of is that different dentists have varying degrees of confidence when it comes to cases such as yours. I would feel better if you got about three opinions from different Invisalign dentists so you have a bigger picture in your mind.

If you do need to replace your teeth, I suggest you replace them with dental implants. They are more expensive, but they are the most like having natural tooth structure. More importantly, they’re the only solution that will protect you from bone loss in the area, which will impact your smile.

As you are trying to get the most professional appearance possible, using Invisalign will also allow you to whiten your teeth and straighten them at the same time for a fraction of the cost. This is because the aligners will double as teeth whitening trays. All you’ll need to purchase from your dentist to whiten your teeth is the professional strength gel. You won’t need the custom-fitted trays because you can use the aligners.

Best of luck on your promotion!
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