Has anyone regretted Invisalign?

[sycamore54321]

Just that really. Am considering Invisalign for slightly crooked front teeth - mostly because I'm too vain and self conscious to do full braces. I know full proper orthodontic treatment is the gold standard for a perfect bite but I just want a prettier smile. There isn't much cost difference in Invisalign or proper orthodontics but I'm leaning towards the former as it's less intrusive while treatment is underway. Has anyone done this and regretted it afterwards? Thanks.

No. 3 years since I had mine. No regrets at all best £1k I spent.

I don't regret Invisalign per se, but if I was doing it again I'd go for ordinary fixed braces. Invisalign got the same results but took way longer than projected with all the revisions, new molds etc. I had lots of attachments too so the effect wasn't nearly as invisible as I expected. It took nearly 2 years wheras of have been done in 6 months with fixed braces. With hindsight I would have taken the fixed braces for the shorter time (I had them as a teen). Invisalign is very high maintenance too. You really have to wear them for 22 hours a day, bring toothbrush everywhere, no snacking really etc. I'm pleased with the end result though.

Nope! It's made a massive difference to how I feel about my smile and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Ha. Also watching with interest. Purely contemplating in the name of vanity so slightly uncomfortable about justifying the ££. Out of interest did you pay in instalments or was this an option, and did the actual cost vary from your consultation quote?

100% no! Best thing I've ever done for myself.

Thanks for all the replies.

Some more questions. How did you find wearing the trays? Was it painful at any point? How quickly did you get used to them? Any speech issues while wearing them and for how long? How much of a hassle are the retainers after treatment?

I have them now. I think they are great.

No speech issues.

One of the first trays was a little painful but no pain since.

Nobody notices that I have them to be honest. I have top and bottom.

As I need forty trays my dentist has suggested weekly wear which I think is less usual. That said if you Google it if looks as though Invisalign are just starting to promote it.

Sorry, I've posted about the wrong thing. I had an Inman aligner! Wine had been consumed last night.

I'm getting my first Invisalign tray In a few weeks and cannot wait!
I nearly had train tracks at 17 but decided not to as told I would need 4 teeth out and didn't fancy it so convinced myself they weren't that bad. Fast forward 21 years and have always wished I'd gone ahead. However I don't need the 4 teeth out for the Invisalign so maybe it was the right choice after all.
I've paid upfront as there was a big discount but monthly options were available.

I had Invisalign for 8 months last year and am thrilled to bits with the result.

It was sometimes a bit uncomfortable for the first hour or two of a new tray but other than that was fine. My speech wasn't affected. It was nice to be able to remove the brace for a bit each day.

Regarding retainers- I have had a thin metal retainer cemented onto the inside of my top teeth so my teeth don't move again.

I am only sorry I did not do it earlier. I had it done 4 years ago and it has made a huge difference to my face and confidence. I found them a little uncomfortable when I had to change them - which was every two weeks for me - but nothing much. No-one ever seemed to notice that I was wearing them. My teeth are now much better and should stay that way - as long as I wear the retainer occassionaly when I sleep.

Thanks everyone. This is very reassuring. How long until you noticed an improvement in appearance?

I have train track braces right now. I consulted three different places all of whom said Invisalign wasn't right for me, would take the same time and would not get the best result for my particular mouth.
I had two teeth out and now have proper train tracks. I'll have them for 18 months in total.
I would recommend getting a few opinions and seeing a proper orthodontist not just a cosmetic dentist before you decide.

With weekly wear I started to notice a difference in about 4 weeks. It depends a bit I think upon your teeth and the sequence in which the aligners do the job. You get a video of the process so you can see what's happening when also.

Glad I found this thread! I have had the moulds taken for Invisalign and will be starting when the treatment plan comes back. I would say it is worth shopping around, the first orthodontist I saw (and the most convenient travel wise) quoted almost £1000 more than the one I am going with. Its a 20 minute drive but worth it for the discount. I am a bit nervous about it but have hated my teeth for years so its time to get them sorted. The thing I'm dreading most is cutting down on cups of tea! Apparently you can have tea or coffee but it will stain the trays, so kind of ruins the invisible element.

I've had a few friends who have had Invisalign & they have each lost about a stone - no snacking really works.

A friend of mine has got full train tracks and has also lost a stone (which she really doesn't need to)

Eastpoint I am on the NoS diet, no snacking alllowed except for weekends, I have already lost a stone and am hoping that Invisalign will help me lose more! Win win

My only regret is that I didn't do it years ago. It is a pain not being able to snack (or taste things while you're cooking), and sometimes painful when you start each new aligner, but you get used to it and the results make it absolutely worth it.

I started my invisalign treatment at the beginning of this year and all fine so far. I had braces as a teenager and while the trays are slightly uncomfortable for the first day, it's nothing compared to actual braces. I started seeing results after the second tray, I'll be starting the fourth one at the end of this week and I'm already much happier with my smile.. my plan is 26 trays in all with 2 week changes so a year altogether.

I have attachments on six teeth and you can't notice them at all, they blend in perfectly. The main thing people notice is I have to wear elastic bands on mine but the actual trays themselves aren't very noticeable at all.

The worst part is not being able to snack or drink coffee whenever I want. But I'm used to it at this stage. It's better that I can eat whatever I want when they are off. With braces you can't do that, some things are to be avoided.

I'm 2.5 months into treatment and on trays 8/45. I can see some changes already, but can definitely feel more (my molars are being moved out first to make room for the front ones to straighten).

So far, the pros:

• Almost no pain and very little discomfort. I had some mouth ulcers in the first week and again when I had my attachments fitted, but each time they were healed within a week.
• Even with attachments on 20 teeth, I still find Invisalign very discreet. A couple of colleagues I've mentioned 'having braces' to have had to have me point out the aligners and attachments before they've understood that yes, I'm wearing them right now!
• My teeth are looking a fair bit whiter already, presumably because I brush my teeth after even drinking a cup of tea.
• Although the first few days were a steep learning curve, I quickly got into a routine with hygiene, eating and making sure necessary supplies were always to hand.
• The idea of metal braces being fixed to my teeth makes me feel a bit claustrophobic and I like knowing that I can just choose to remove my aligners at any time.

Cons:

• As somebody who worries a lot and is prone to being a bit 'glass half empty' at times, I think it's fair to say I'd be less concerned about the treatment just not working than if I'd gone with metal braces (I very naively assumed that if I wear my aligners 22 hours per day, they'll move as predicted in my ClinCheck. However, for some people this just doesn't happen and they need multiple rounds of refinements, and even then possibly fixed braces afterwards)
• The trays do stain easily. However, this quickly ceased to bother me. As long as they're cleaned a couple of times per day, I don't mind if they're a bit discoloured.
• My speech is still a little slurred. I don't believe it's all that noticeable to others, but I definitely find talking a little more difficult with Invisalign.

Hopefully I don't end up regretting choosing Invisalign, but I made sure with my orthodontist that if I ever feel I want to switch to fixed metal/ceramic braces I can, at no extra cost. I'm on a Facebook group for Invisalign patients and it's definitely the case that the success stories definitely outweigh the negative outcomes, but there are some people it doesn't work for.

I also wanted to add that I think it's definitely advisable to get Invisalign from an orthodontist, or at the very least an experienced (diamond/platinum) Invisalign provider.

I don't wish to denigrate the skill of dentists by any means, but there's no denying that orthodontists are more likely to spot potential problems in the treatment plans generated by Invisalign. My orthodontist pretty much reworked every aspect of my treatment plan - Invisalign suggested 24 trays but he was quite convinced that more trays with smaller movements would work better for me, and explained his rationale very convincingly to me. The projected final outcome is more aesthetically pleasing and should give me a healthier bite too.

I know how easy it can be to focus on price, but make sure you are fully confident that your provider knows Invisalign well and has the expertise to spot if/when things aren't quite going to plan.