To ask if you have used invisalign? (Or similar aligners?)

[KarlaL]

And if so, what did you think? Was it money well spent?
I HATE my teeth, they're crooked and awful! I need to do something about it and have just started looking into aligners.
My gums have started to recede, and that worries me!
Would I even be a good candidate with gum recession

I’m a hygienist
I’ve seen Invisalign done on many many people
Yes it works. Yes it’s worth it. No you can’t see the braces. It’s a little uncomfortable And they bleach your teeth at the end

You’d need a dentist to give you a professional opinion on the recession plus an estimate on the time it takes to get the teeth straight and a quote for the cost

Possibly you’d need a hygienist appointment first to asses the gums and chat with you about brushing and flossing etc

Totally worth it. Saved my sanity as I developed small gaps (due to poor gums) after having had perfect teeth all my life. Shopped around for a good price. Totally worked.

But the key to success is to keep wearing the retainers regularly for life. Else it's just money and hard work wasted.

I've got to make a decision if I want to start this week. £2500. I'm worried about spending the money though.

Yes. It was expensive for me and took ages and isn’t comfortable. But it was worth it all. Such a relief to like my teeth.

I'm wearing them now. Great investment. Requires a lot of discipline as you always find an excuse to take them off. They are very comfortable. Totally recommend.

@Heatherjayne1972 thank you for that advice

@FakeFlamingo that's brilliant! Did you use the official Invisalign brand? Google brings up quite a few different companies that offer aligners. It would be interesting to hear some experiences from the different companies.

@sapnupuas yes, very expensive! Which is why I want to do my research before committing. Which company have you chosen?

Not me, but my best friend! One of her best investments! Worked so well. She looks like a new person compared to old pictures. Go for it!

@museumum i feel i will have a similar experience to yours. They're very crooked, it's not going to be quick, which, in turn, is going to increase the price

@NavyBerry fantastic! Who is your treatment with?

Me. I'm on 28 of 29 aligners and it has taken about 9 months. Very expensive, using Invisalign via my dental practice's in-house orthodontist (I didn't shop around but probably should have) - but has been v easy, painless and effective.

Yes I would go for it! They're a pain but you get used to them!

Ive done it and it was well worth it. It does need self discipline to make sure you get the best out of the treatment i.e. wear for 22 hours a day and brush and floss a lot. I wish i had done it sooner- looking back i cant find a picture of me smiling (unless i had my hand over my mouth or pulling a weird face trying to smile with my mouth closed).

I've used Invisalign. It was 2012 so not many other options then. I spent around £2500 for a very good orthodontist in central London.

On aligner 6/49 and have had a great experience so far! Not painful, not a single person I work with every day has noticed them yet! Paid £3500 in London so that's a great price, and wait for the end result!!

Could anyone post before and afters, please?

With a small company where I live. I really want it done.

I'm abroad so not very helpful. 2k £ all inclusive. About 40 pairs. I know it can be faster, I think it is my doctor's approach, to go slowly buy steadily.
NB you need to wear retainers all your life.

(My husband has not noticed them yet😅 it's been almost a year)

Don't go for anyone that says it'll work in 6 months, it won't, moving things quickly causes damage.

I had mine years ago. About 2.5k. Bleached teeth afterwards.
I wear them every night and one has little bumps on to stop teeth grinding which apparently can cause the little pockets around your teeth which can exacerbate tooth decay.

I have just finished invisalign and I love the results. I had really crooked teeth and I wasn't sure if it would work, it took longer than expected, 18 months in total, but completely worth it. I think it's my best investment

Not sure this really shows the difference as I didn’t often smile with my mouth open before.

Before won’t post. Sorry.

Before

What brands / companies are people using?

I’m almost finished with my Invisalign process. First set of 24 aligners made great progress, but some stubborn canines refused to move. I’ve since had two sets of “refinements” (15 trays, then another 10), which have helped, but my teeth still aren’t exactly straight. So about 50 trays in total, for about £3.5k (central London).

It’s taken over 2 years and, while the difference is great, I kind of wish I had just got metal braces and done it properly. The issue I have with Invisalign is that, if any teeth refuse to move as projected, any subsequent trays no longer fit properly and therefore stop working. The answer would be to rescan at that point, but my dentist insists of just finishing the set of trays - which is a massive waste of time.

Check the price of subsequent sets of refinement trays (expect to need at least one refinement, as your first set won’t work exactly as projected), and be realistic about what can be achieved.

Oh, and they are very much visible, especially if you have “attachments” (lumps of composite stuck on your teeth, to help the trays grip on your teeth). They’re just subtle enough for people to ignore rather than comment on.

@NavyBerry

(My husband has not noticed them yet😅 it's been almost a year)

😂

@twinkie01 you raise a good point there. It does concern me with me having recession that moving the teeth too quickly could cause more harm than good!

I have been looking at the track braces as they move the teeth at a slower rate. I honestly feel the look of them wouldnt bother me as right now, I dont think my teeth could look any worse. I'm only late 20s and they are ruining my confidence. I get the fear meeting new people, all because of my teeth! The recession started 2 years ago during pregnancy. I had terribly painful gums and things have just got worse since then.

@museumum your teeth look fab!

@museumum the before photo just loaded. WOW! what a difference that's and amazing result, you must be thrilled!

@MyAnacondaMight thank you, I do find myself veering more in favour of metal braces! You know what you're getting with them.