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

@sapnupuas do it! I only did my bottom teeth as top were ok, was worth it! First liner really rubbed my tongue but settled by the 2nd week. You totally get used to them. Here is my before:

And after

@KarlaL Honestly go for it, they really are good. Your teeth do feel wobbly for a bit but they settle down. You have a permanent fixed retainer behind your teeth which helps keep them there long term.

My teeth slope back. I need something to push them forward. Also I have a very gummy smile. I hate my smile really. Don’t know where to start getting it all put right.

I’m just coming to the end of using SmileDirect. They are much cheaper - c£1300. I was happy to use them as my straightening wasn’t a big deal - I had braces as a child but no retainers as they weren’t a thing back then so my teeth have gone back a bit to where they were. It bugs me a lot to look in the mirror and see the same teeth as in my school photos! I’m not sure anyone will notice but me, but its been something I wanted to sort (but not £2k + wanted to sort). I’m doing the “10 hours overnight” basis, I started right at the beginning of lockdown and will be done on New Years Eve.

I started Invisalign just before lockdown and am nearing the end - currently no.25 of 28 sets. I’ve already had one rescan because the trays stopped being quite flush to my teeth, and I expect another because I can’t see how my bottom teeth will be done in three weeks when they’re still quite crooked.

It’s expensive (£3600) because mine were pretty bad on the bottom, and it’s a proper faff sometimes, but it has stopped me snacking!

I had traditional braces, but they were ceramic so barely noticeable. My teeth were bad so my treatment took 2 years but after about 6 months my teeth were pretty much straight to the untrained eye but the orthodontist strived for perfection.

It cost £4000 and I have to wear a retainer at night time for life but it was the best money I’ve ever spent. I’ve had them off now about 2 years and I still can’t believe they are my teeth. My confidence has improved so much.

Go for it, you won’t regret it.

My daughter has them and it’s brilliant.
Seems like it’s cheaper in UK. I’m in Oz and we paid $10 000. 😳😳

Make sure you get a good dentist!!

My teeth still aren’t straight and my dentist keeps banging on about how I now have a perfect arch. But my teeth are not straight to look at. They visibly are not in a line and I have a small gap which wasn’t there before I started! I’ve requested more aligners but honestly my dentist is driving me crazy with her stupid comments about having a nice arch. Who the hell gives a shit if my teeth have a nice arch, that you can’t see, if they look shit.

So that’s my advice. Make sure your dentist has a clue and doesn’t blindly listen to Invisalign. Really you want someone who will say ‘no we need to do this’ to Invisalign if you know what I mean.

I went to a proper orthodontist who offers Invisalign but also other types. I paid about £50 for impressions and quotes for all different options before choosing Invisalign. She was excellent throughout, my plan included one revision about 3/4 of the way through.

@TawnyPippit I've been looking at smiledirect - it doesn't say much about pricing, it just shows a set price on the website. Do they give independant prices on consultation dependant on the amount of work that needs to be done?

@tippledPink wow! What a difference, looks fantastic!

Thank you to everyone for sharing their experiences, I'm taking all of this in

@TippledPink was that cheaper? My bottom teeth are fine (I had braces as a teenager) so I only want the top done but everyone I've seen says it's a package deal.

Amazing difference by the way!

@sapnupuas It was £2k for the bottom, would be £3k for both. They have to check your teeth to see if you can just do one set, I think it was something to do with how they eventually line up (the bite).

Please avoid Style Direct, moving your teeth quickly could result in you losing teeth.

Go to a proper orthodontist who will take things slowly.

I had them a few years ago - worth every penny.

I've seen aligners advertised that are sort of do it yourself but with invisalign the orthodontist glues tiny tiny - well peg isn't the right word but a tiny bump on some teeth so the aligner pulls more

@Twinkie01 you're absolutley right, I dont think that particular company would be right for me. If I've understood correctly from their website, they are cutting out the orthodontist visits and sending trays for you to do it yourself and in turn, reducing the cost. My issues are a far too complex for that sort of treatment.

I'll be booking a consultation with a reputable orthodontist and discussing what treatment would be best for me. Personally, I feel I'm more of a better candidate for metal braces.

I did it but the end result wasn’t quite right. I ended up getting white train tracks which were cheaper and worked more quickly. Look into that. But see a hygienist first about your gums . You need to get that sorted.

Yes, £3500 took 18 months changing every two weeks. We took it slow as my gums are not great. Highly recommended. Would not hesitate to do it again.

My orthodontist (not Invisalign) also evened out my front teeth with some white stuff(!) and did other remedial work. It’s not just about the straightening. I wish I’d seen him first rather than go for the Invisalign.

It was £1800 so much cheaper than Invisalign. And you can eat and drink!

@Goingdooolally thank you. Yes the gum issue definitely needs sorting first. I've been with the same dentist all of my life. She has done a deep clean on the gums but nothing since. I'm starting to realise they dont really care much about it. Its changed nothing and the recession is still worsening, and they're not making appointments currently for gums. Appointments are reserved for pain issues.
I'm not happy with the sub-standard care I've been receiving there. I've stuck my head in the sand for a long time now, they've done the bare minimum to help me.
My confidence is at rock bottom.

@KarlaL can you go privately? I see mine privately and they’re doing hygiene at appointments. Maybe time to change. Don’t be down, see it as a long term project. Get the gums under control and then research the orthodontist. It’s best not to rush especially if money is tight. I’m kicking myself for wasting £3K on Invisalign and then not wearing my retainers! Still the result I got with a proper orthodontist was better. They can look at all the options and choose which is best for you. 💗

@Goingdooolally thanks for the and kind words I'm just about in a position to start looking privately but I havent been for a long time, which is how I've gotten into this mess. I look back on photos from 10 years ago and my teeth weren't all that bad, there is one tooth on the top row that is sitting behind the rest of the teeth but the others are quite straight. When I look at my teeth now i can see that the rest have moved and gone crooked. It's just makes me so so sad. Having braces and addressing the gum issues will change my life so much! I'm so glad you eventually got the teeth you wanted. I cant wait for the day I can smile confidently.

@KarlaL 💗 I would research getting a hygienist as a matter of urgency and then look into what you can do at home to help. Don’t waste time on regrets! Then start researching and saving towards decent orthodontist treatment. Good luck!

I’m currently on week 2 of 26 using Invisalign Go Plus. Biggest positive for me is that it’s a great diet aid because I only take the aligners out for meals so no snacking! Annoyingly I’m abroad and paying more than most of you despite not being “full” Invisalign and seeing a dentist instead of an orthodontist.