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Original poster

Invisalign for teeth straightening.

72 replies

Perplexed0522 · 03/06/2022 21:20

Has anyone used Invisalign?

I’m considering giving it a go.

Would you recommend it and how much did it cost??

OP posts:
Original poster
Perplexed0522 · 03/06/2022 22:32

It’s just a lot more expensive than I had realised.

This may be a strange question but what is it like to kiss whilst wearing them?

Im thinking that if you have to wear them for 22 hours a day, how is that possible when taking into account a sex life as well as taking them out for eating and drinking? I really don’t mean to be crass but there are obviously some sexual acts that you wouldn’t want to be doing whilst wearing the braces.

I really do want them.

Im going to book a Consultation with an Orthodontist I think and just take it from there.

OP posts:
CharlotteSt · 03/06/2022 23:02

My friend managed to close the gap between her front teeth in a very short time.

She went direct to a dental technician which I think was cheaper.

TopSecret99 · 04/06/2022 11:11

@Perplexed0522 I will be honest and say I don't wear mine 22 hours a day as it's very hard to do! I take them out to eat and drink expcept for water which you can drink with them in- I never used to drink water and now I drink loads which can only be a good thing!

Re the kissing and sex- take them out or leave them in- I leave them in! Don't feel they get in the way and neither does my man! It's only for a short time it's not forever.

I agree with the poster who says they bought confidence. I wouldn't even post any pics of Facebook as I was so paranoid and even tho they aren't finished I do now. Big step for me!!

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Dental health
nearlyspringyay · 04/06/2022 11:19

Friend had it, worked perfectly but saw her for the first time since lockdown yesterday (we live a long away!) and her teeth have totally gone back to how they were. She's getting train tracks now.

NarNooNarNoo · 04/06/2022 11:42

I’m on tray 28 of 36, weekly changes. Then I’ll have a refinements stage after that which is estimated another 6-9 months (I started in Oct 2021) seeing an orthodontist not a dentist. £5k all in.

tbh I’m definitely not as meticulous with the 22 hours as I was in the beginning but progress still on track. I try to use chewies regularly (chewy foam which helps really fit them in)

I floss/brush after everything I eat, but will sometimes have a lukewarm coffee with them in - I clean them everyday with retainer bright, but as changed weekly don’t really get too much staining.

Overall so pleased to have finally done it! (Aged 40 when started!) my goal was to straighten and fix overbite. Havent needed any teeth removed for spacing, but have had filing which was a bit 😬

Original poster
Perplexed0522 · 04/06/2022 12:16

nearlyspringyay · 04/06/2022 11:19

Friend had it, worked perfectly but saw her for the first time since lockdown yesterday (we live a long away!) and her teeth have totally gone back to how they were. She's getting train tracks now.

Are train tracks better then?

OP posts:
Glittertwins · 04/06/2022 12:17

Paid £3700 for mine which included all the checkups, aligners and composite bonding on the 4 front teeth. Teeth are perfectly aligned. DH's teeth fat worse starting point. He had extra aligners to complete but looks incredible now. Well worth every penny.

artisanbread · 04/06/2022 12:25

What issue do you want sorting? Invisalign isn't suitable for everything. I initially wanted Invisalign but ended up with train tracks as my teeth were quite crowded and they said Invisalign would take ages. I have paid a bit more for the tooth coloured ones and they aren't very noticeable unless you are up close. Although I have to say I am less bothered about people noticing than I thought I would be. It has cost me £4000 (orthodontist in quite expensive part of the SE - I don't know if there are geographic variations) and will take around 12 months altogether.

TheQueensCousin · 04/06/2022 12:28

£4300 and it'll take about 16 months including adjustments to achieve what I thought was impossible!

nearlyspringyay · 04/06/2022 12:30

@Perplexed0522 yes it's more intensive

FarFarFarAndAway · 04/06/2022 12:33

Do you eat and have sex more than 2 hours a day? If not, I wouldn't worry!

I drank with mine in.

I would recommend going to a dentist though rather than an online company. I had problems with my first set due to an unexpected personal event that meant I didn't wear them properly the first couple of weeks, I was lucky the dentist picked this up and then got a new set made for free. I also had whitening and bonding for under £3k just about.

Love having straight teeth, absolutely love it, so I would try to find a way to pay if you can or ask for birthday/Christmas contributions towards it which I did (sort of from the household fund if you like). My husband was completely supportive though, as he knew my crooked teeth bothered me.

Original poster
Perplexed0522 · 04/06/2022 12:52

Do you eat and have sex more than 2 hours a day? If not, I wouldn't worry!

Well I spend a good 20-30 minutes on each meal, I also snack through the day, and I have lots of drinks during the day and obviously oral sex can take up a big chunk of time too - admittedly not every day 😂

It just seems a lot to squeeze into a two hour window.

Mind you, it might stop me snacking and therefore lose a few pounds 😂

On a more serious note,

I don’t have overcrowding and it’s only my top teeth that bother me. I have an overbite and the front six teeth sort of protrude on an angle as opposed to completing facing down to the bottom of my mouth.

I assume this is because of the overbite and the pressure my lower teeth are putting behind my upper front teeth when my mouth is closed.

When I was a young child my parents never took me to the dentist as they were absolutely petrified of the dentist themselves. A dentist would absolutely have suggested braces if I had have been by one when I was young. I feel sad that I didn’t have the opportunity to have dental work done then to be honest.

OP posts:
NarNooNarNoo · 04/06/2022 13:03

@Perplexed0522 same as in I wish I’d had them sorted when younger, but it was never discussed and my parents never really suggested it as an option..

I’d absolutely suggest going to have a consultation with an orthodontist- mine was able to discuss all treatment options (Invisalign, train tracks etc) and find the course that worked the best for me and my lifestyle (and expectations!)

Before the course started I had full X-rays / scan so I could see what could be achievable with treatment.

There is a thing, the Invisalign diet - definitely helped me with snacking at the beginning (although by now I’m just used to eating lots in a short space of time 😁)

ProfessorLayton1 · 04/06/2022 13:52

Watching with interest, just signed a contract for Invisalign. Dentist recommended Invisalign lite - think it is 14 trays costing 2500pounds. Hope it works !

failingtomatoes · 04/06/2022 14:07

I have recently had lingual braces fitted. (Behind the teeth). I can already se the difference. More expensive though but far less faff

RIPLilliththeLynx · 04/06/2022 16:07

Perplexed0522 · 04/06/2022 12:52

Do you eat and have sex more than 2 hours a day? If not, I wouldn't worry!

Well I spend a good 20-30 minutes on each meal, I also snack through the day, and I have lots of drinks during the day and obviously oral sex can take up a big chunk of time too - admittedly not every day 😂

It just seems a lot to squeeze into a two hour window.

Mind you, it might stop me snacking and therefore lose a few pounds 😂

On a more serious note,

I don’t have overcrowding and it’s only my top teeth that bother me. I have an overbite and the front six teeth sort of protrude on an angle as opposed to completing facing down to the bottom of my mouth.

I assume this is because of the overbite and the pressure my lower teeth are putting behind my upper front teeth when my mouth is closed.

When I was a young child my parents never took me to the dentist as they were absolutely petrified of the dentist themselves. A dentist would absolutely have suggested braces if I had have been by one when I was young. I feel sad that I didn’t have the opportunity to have dental work done then to be honest.

Possibly TMI but wearing your aligners while giving oral sex is actually very helpful, and I've had good feedback from partners. Can go for it a bit more without risk of snagging on teeth. Lol.

Iloveychildrenandmydoggie · 04/06/2022 16:10

My daughter had invisalighn...results were OK but now her teeth are back to how they were TBH...£3000 down the drain TBH.

TopSecret99 · 04/06/2022 20:01

@Iloveychildrenandmydoggie did she wear her retainers at night after? You have to wear them every night for the rest of your life.

Otherwise of course they will go back...

Glittertwins · 05/06/2022 07:25

I don't have to wear the retainers every night, 2-3 times a week is okay for me.

Googlecanthelpme · 05/06/2022 07:33

3.5k and I’ve had them over a year now. However that does include some longer periods of refinements and waiting for new aligners to come in so that probably accounts for 8/10 weeks worth.

I have never been bothered about wearing them out or people seeing them - why would I be? They are easy to take out when eating and drinking and I’d just pop them in the case and put them back in after (I’d take a toothbrush and clean them religiously the first few months and after a while it was just a rinse with water and clean them properly when I got home)

they’ve transformed my smile and so glad I did it. My teeth aren’t perfect and I don’t think they’d have ever been perfect unless I’d had treatment as a teen because they were quite overcrowded but they are great. Really lovely.

id do it again in a heartbeat and would definitely recommend - although everyone’s individual needs are different so you need to see an orthodontist to really understand your required treatment plan

Luckydip1 · 05/06/2022 08:02

I had braces and then Invisalign afterwards over a 3 year period. It cost £4k in London but I was quoted as much as £8k so worth shopping around.
The advantage of braces is that the dentist is in total control but they do break and you have to be careful what you eat!

RettyPriddle · 05/06/2022 08:06

I had Invisalign from the orthodontist attached to my dentist. Cost over £4k, but the service was exceptional. One of my teeth was realigned by 90 degrees! I still go back for a yearly check up. I wore mine for about an average of 21 hours a day. Great results. I wear the maintenance retainer overnight about twice a week. They also put permanent wires on the back of your teeth at the end of the treatment to help preserve the improvement. It’s so lovely to have good teeth. I had whitening too. It all took about 18 months. It’s the best thing I’ve done for appearance/confidence.

Original poster
Perplexed0522 · 05/06/2022 08:50

I was with a colleague last night and we got on to this topic and she said her friend had used Invisalign and then showed me photos of before and after and the results were phenomenal.

I’m assuming that an overbite can’t be corrected though seeing as they must be related to how the jaw sits as opposed to the actual teeth??

I don’t want to pay out thousands to find it can’t correct my problem.

OP posts:
TopSecret99 · 05/06/2022 10:33

@Perplexed0522 obviously that won't happen! If it won't work for you the orthodontist will not do the treatment and will suggest something else

Newgirls · 05/06/2022 10:39

I got mine at my normal dentist. They send the scans off to the same Invisalign factory anyway so get a couple of quotes. The private clinics all charged more. Mine was about 2.4k and included some minor shaving of teeth to sort out the overcrowding. Took six months.