Invisalign

steveofastandfurious

hi can anyone tell me if you go to a dentist offering invisalign is it the same as going to an orthodontist doing it .

Toothsmith

steveofastandfurious wrote: »

hi can anyone tell me if you go to a dentist offering invisalign is it the same as going to an orthodontist doing it .

No.

A general dentist can go on a course that teaches them how Invisalign works, and can then offer it to the patient.

But it will be the only tool in their toolbox. If the patient is suitable for that method of straightening, then OK - but if they're not, the dentist can't do anything but refer to an orthodontist.

The patient might fall into a 'grey' area where Invisalign will work, but a different method might be quicker/more effective/more stable afterwards.

If you're in this grey area then a proper orthodontist, who knows many different methods of straightening teeth, will be able to offer more options than just a general dentist who 'does' Invisalign.

Sadly though, the 'marketing' of these systems tends to create a demand and an expectation from patients that is a bit above what the system can deliver.

trumpton

Interesting to read the comments on here. I passed a dentist's the other day with pictures in the window of a patient having a '6 months Smile' course of treatment. Quite impressive results, though I am guessing it was expensive. I would choose braces over veneers anyday personally. Once your teeth are gone, they are gone, so best to keep the ones you have as complete as possible.

I am much happier with the 'treatment only when necessary' trend in UK dentistry. I and most of my friends feel that we all had lots of unnecesary treatment as children, where at the first sign of decay a tooth was drilled and filled or extracted.

Toothsmith

trumpton wrote: »

I am much happier with the 'treatment only when necessary' trend in UK dentistry. I and most of my friends feel that we all had lots of unnecesary treatment as children, where at the first sign of decay a tooth was drilled and filled or extracted.

At least that was treating disease.

Chopping away perfectly good healthy tooth just to conform with a photoshop idea of 'perfect' is criminal IMHO.

moneylover

I had a chat with a dentist the other day when he was doing a Groupon offer for me which was descaling and air? polishing? I talked to him about braces and he said I might 'get away' with an Inman but would probably need Invisilign. When I asked where the 'space' would come from he said they would file a little bit off sides of teeth to make room. I had braces as a teenager but front teeth all drifted out and one sits on top of other. I actually had four teeth out as a teenager and all space in mouth is used up and thats presumably why front tooth sits on other one, nowhere for it to go. My other teeth are okayish not twisted around or anything,
too bad for veneers and I couldnt face train tracks at 60 but even if I did I cant see how it would be any good unless bits of other teeth shaved off. Am not bothered about bite, it does me okay, would just like the last few years of my life with front teeth not sticking out.
Whenever I look at before and after pictures people seem to have useful spaces for teeth to go into - I never see any like mine with reference to either braces or veneers!
This dentist said Inman aligner might do it, Invisalign better - what is the minimum time this tends to take? Steph, I think you or someone furhter back on thread said braces quite difficult to take in and out I suppose train tracks you havent got to bother. How long do train tracks take are they quicker or slower than other methods?
How do you find a good orthodontist - can you only rely on own dentist? I go to a perfectly good NHS one but he does all these aligners himself so suspect that is what he would suggest if he thought he could do them?
In the end I probably won't bother but I do spend time wondering how I would look with nicer teeth! I am at least going to get them whitened - that is one thing I am definite on - am going to have Enlighten I think - my big fear is that my teeth might look bigger and ugllier if they are whiter!
My mum had same teeth as me - sixty years ago when she was forty the dentist took them out for her and she had a denture - she loved the way her teeth looked!!
What a rant!