Invisalign Invisible Braces / Braces as an adult?

Flamingo_2

Just wondering if anyone has had a brace as an adult? I had a set of "traintracks" as a teenager but my front teeth have moved out of place since then.
I'm seriously thinking about investing in adult braces and was wondering if anyone had tried the new "invisible" braces - like the Invisalign invisible braces?
If so, would you mind sharing how much they cost you and how long you had to wear them for?
Also, any other hints / tips about them?
Thanks

Horace

I hsd metal braces as an adult - I was 21 at the time and had some serious tooth problems (overcrowding and a partial overbite - some lower teeth over top teeth). I also had jaw problems as my jaw socket has worn out. I can remember that I hated having the braces because they rubbed and had to be tightened every so often. Am glad that I had it done though because my teeth are now fine (jaw bone still dislocates though:rolleyes: )

loobylee

Invisalign braces are a series of positioners that look like a clear suck down gumshield.

They do not actually move the teeth bodily through the bone they can only tip, tilt and twist teeth. This means they are only really suitable for milder cases.

They are very expensive for a mild to moderate case which can take up to 3 boxes of positioners it would cost you between £3000 - £5000 per arch. So if it is upper and lower you are concerned about be prepared for at least £10000.

If you are thinking of getting them from your general dentist I would advise against it - go and see a specialist orthodontist. They will be able to let you know if Invisalign is suitable for you. Ask your dentist to recommend someone or check the GDC website - they have specialist lists.

There are other options like fixed braces that have clear brackets and tooth coloured wires and other kinds of fixed braces that are stuck to the backs of your teeth these are called lingual braces, but only a few orthodontists do them. These range from about £5000 to £8000.

A-M100

Hi,

I had exactly the same problem - metal 'train track' braces as a teenager which made my teeth perfect and then my teeth moved. I am now 25 and though my teeth arn't bad i wanted them perfect again as the fronts had crossed over a bit. Not wanting to go through all the embarassment of adult braces I asked my orthodentist about every option i could to avoid the same metal 'train tracks' to correct them.

The options the dentist gave me were:-

- Invisalign - though they said i would not get a great result with these at an approx cost of £4,375 for both top and bottom teeth and would take approx 12 months.

- Lingual braces (fixed on back of teeth) - again they said i would not get the best result with these (due to the way the brace applies its pressure) and that these would take a long time to do their job (aprox 18 months) and were also the most expensive at approx £3000 for top teeth only.

- Clarity braces (clear/white 'train tracks') - the dentist described these as the gold standard and they also came in at the lowest price of £2500 for both top and bottom. I went with these in the end as I should have them on for no longer than 6-8 months so they were the quickest and cheapest option for me. I've had them on for a month now and to be honest as they're clear no one really has noticed unless i said anything.

Obviously these costs were quoted for me and your teeth may need more work etc so best go and get referred to a decent orthodentist who'll give you all the options you're interested in! Make sure you ask all the questions you want so you can make the most informed decision!

Good luck!

boombap

I've had my brace off for just over a year and I'm 25.

I paid a little extra to get ceramic brackets rather than metal so they weren't quite as noticeable. The metal wire 'train tracks' were still there but you couldn't really see them behind the brackets.

My dentist (private) referred me to the orthodontic department at my local hospital (NHS but orthodontics do private work too) and the total cost was about £1,700. I was given the option to pay it back in monthly installments with no interest.

I only had to have it on for 15 months and it's been worth every penny (and mouth ulcer!).

S.

moneylover

I am sixty and I had braces as a teenager. Effective at the time but I now haveone front tooth that sits slightly on top of the other. I have been considering going to a private dentist to see if I could have it out and get an implant but expensive at about 4-5000 pounds a tooth. But this thread has made me rethink
I could put up a brace if it were just for a year or so - however does anyone know if you then have to wear a retainer eveery night?

Flamingo_2

[I could put up a brace if it were just for a year or so - however does anyone know if you then have to wear a retainer eveery night?[/quote]

Thats what i'm not too sure about - i don't want the expense of braces if the result is only temporary again.
A friend of mine had the ceramic braces removed last year and was under the impression that her dentist would be fitting something behind her teeth to keep them in place but as of yet he's not done anything! She's now worried about them moving again.
I'm thinking of making an appointment with a local orthadontist and that will be one of my 1st questions - how do they ensure my teeth won't move again? If anyone knows the answer i'd be really grateful

Toothsmith

No-one will be able to guarantee that at all.

You change as you get older, and your mouth is just the same as the rest of you - if not more so.

You chew, you speak, you move your mouth, you suck pens and you bite sellotape. All these things put forces on teeth. These forces will slowly move your teeth.

Your bone is not like concrete. It is constantly being broken down and re-built, so it's not a solid foundation.

If you want your teeth to stay exactly where they are after orthodontic work, then swift decapitation shortly after brace removal, and storage of your head in a freezer should do it.

Anything less than that, and there will be a bit of 'repositioning'.

moneylover

So does this mean a night brace is needed then in most cases for adults? Children dont normally get them do they? My son had his teeth straightened at 15 and they have stayed where the brace put them so far as you can tell just from looking at him (he is now 33). Is straightening and maintaining adult teeth harder? Could I still get it done at 60? I have good oral health, no caps, bridges etc.

boombap

When I had my brace off last October I was told to wear the retainer each night and I did as was told. Ok, it's a pain at first but you get used to it.

Apparently it's the first 6-12 months after the brace coming off where the risk of further movement is at it's greatest. I saw my orthodontist for the last time in August and he told me that if I really wanted to I could discontinue with the retainer but it would still be of benefit to keep using it.

To be honest I've been quite naughty with it over Christmas but will start wearing it again. One of the more unpleasant aspects of wearing it is that you tend to sleep with your mout open when you have one on so you can get a dry throat.

S.

Toothsmith

moneylover wrote: »

So does this mean a night brace is needed then in most cases for adults? Children dont normally get them do they? My son had his teeth straightened at 15 and they have stayed where the brace put them so far as you can tell just from looking at him (he is now 33). Is straightening and maintaining adult teeth harder? Could I still get it done at 60? I have good oral health, no caps, bridges etc.

That's the key - "So far as you can tell from looking at him"

If you had models of when he had his braces off, and models from today, you'd see they weren't really in exactly the same place - but for other people to look at them, without an 'expert' eye, they look pretty much the same as they ever did.

If they're YOUR teeth, you feel every fraction of a mm movement as if it's cms they've moved, and people can get overly self concious of it, if they're that way inclined.

Your teeth will never move more than a couple of mm throughout your lifetime, assuming they're healthy and no gum disease (Or really whacky bite).

But for some people, this movement can really be quite upsettting and they feel everyone will notice it.

Basically, you have orthodontics and it moves teeth from being in really funny places to somewhere much nicer.

When the braces are removed, unless something anchors them in that fixed place, they will drift a little. How devestating that is is down to the individual it happens to, but by and large, unless all your friends are dentists, no-one else will ever notice!


Oh - and 60 wouldn't be too old so long as all other conditions are favourable,.