Braces for teeth - advise needed

wannabeslim

DD is enquiring about having her teeth straightened, she is 20, the dentist we saw yesterday discussed Invisalign and Fastbraces with us. She has overcrowding and her two eye teeth protrude, not a lot but it is noticeable and bothers her, her bottom teeth are also out of line but again not greatly. She was quoted £3000 for invisalign and £1800 for Fastbraces. So, my question is does anyone have experience of either of these systems, good or bad? and is there any other systems or treatments we should consider? Any advice or comments would be much appreciated

Toothsmith

Was it a specialist orthodontist, or a general dentist who can just use these two systems?

It would be best to go and see an orthodontist who has access to a more wide range of systems. She could still then use one of these systems if she really wants - but better/quicker/cheaper/more stable result systems might well be out there, and it would be wise to see fully the options.

SaveSomeMore_2

wannabeslim wrote: »

DD is enquiring about having her teeth straightened, she is 20, the dentist we saw yesterday discussed Invisalign and Fastbraces with us. She has overcrowding and her two eye teeth protrude, not a lot but it is noticeable and bothers her, her bottom teeth are also out of line but again not greatly. She was quoted £3000 for invisalign and £1800 for Fastbraces. So, my question is does anyone have experience of either of these systems, good or bad? and is there any other systems or treatments we should consider? Any advice or comments would be much appreciated

Had Invisalign:

Pros:
-You can take the brace out whenever you want
-Much easier to clean the teeth (see below re the trays themselves)
-You are given a sequence of braces at a time so less trips to the dentist for tightening
-Less pain than braces; teeth are only sore for a day after each step up, but as they are essentially braced 360 degrees by the plastic this quickly fades
-Cosmetically better obviously

Cons:
-A lot less accurate than traditional braces - they will work fine for light - moderate cases BUT often come the end teeth will often not be 100% perfect. Mine were a lot better, but still not perfect and I was told I'd need 6months with fixed braces to complete (which after spending £3000 I just couldn't afford, was devastated to be honest).
-Expensive
-Because you have a layer of plastic between the teeth I don't think they are best for matching up bites. When I finished the course my bite still didn't feel great, and even now I think it needs some work.
-The trays smell beyond awful very quickly and are a nightmare to keep clean, they can also cause cavities due to trapping bacteria and reducing saliva flow.

My teeth are much better, but I'm not really happy with them, although that I'm guessing a lot of that comes down to me having a very bad experience with a award winning well-known celebrity dentist dragging what should have been a 12month procedure over 2 years!

I'm saving to hopefully get lingual or ceramic braces to finish the job which I'm guessing will come to £1500 - to be honest I kind of wish I'd just spent £3000 on Damon or ceramics. Not as cosmetic but the job would have been finished quicker and with better end results. With these wired braces orthodontists can make small adjustments in a clinic, whereas they have a lot less control with Invisalign (they just approve what a clinic in California generates and produces!).

welshdent

I would go for a specialist orthodontist and do what they recommend. I do not care what system is used provided it is the best system for the job in hand. No compromises. A fixed brace has complete control over the individual teeth. Other systems are usually a compromise in mine and my best mate's (orthdontist) opinion. He regularly has to see people to correct treatments done elsewhere with these systems.

Waffle_On

I had Invisalign, approaching 10 years ago when it was a relatively new treatment. I had previously tried having fixed braces but hadn't got past the stage of pushing my back teeth apart (removal of teeth was not needed), which involved having a sort of spring in the roof of my mouth, resulting in me being unable to eat (everything got wrapped around it) and having a massive sore on my tongue after less than a day.

The process of having the aligners was fine, although I have to say some movements were more painful than others. I only had a problem with the aligners getting smelly if I had something milky just before putting it back in - a quick swill with water prevented it though.

Where I had problems was towards the end of treatment. One of my teeth that had moved the most suddenly had a receding gum, which is a permanent problem. Also it wasn't made clear prior to treatment that with this system I would need to wear a retainer overnight regularly for the rest of my life, or risk my teeth shifting.

One day a few years after the treatment when I was eating I bit something awkwardly and one of my teeth shifted. My retainer no longer fitted, and that tooth has not felt 100% stable ever since. My bite no longer lines up correctly. I daren't have any more treatment as I'm worried my teeth aren't up to any more moving around. I have forked out £200 for new retainers, and I have to wear them at least 1 night a week, or I can feel pressure on some of my back teeth.

My advice would be:
1. consult a specialist with a range of options
2. find out exactly what's involved in each
3. ask why one option would be recommended above another
3. check what aftercare is needed and for how long

For me, I was happy with the short term result, and my teeth are still a bit straighter than beforehand, however with hindsight I think I would have been better having no/different treatment.

brook2jack

Good advice above with one addition. More recently it is advised no matter what brace system is used teeth have to be held in retention for life if they are to be stable.

In other words you will have to wear retainers overnight and/or have wires bonded to the back of your front teeth for life. You will have to budget for the costs of replacing the retainers/wires periodically.

cashewnut

wannabeslim wrote: »

DD is enquiring about having her teeth straightened, she is 20, the dentist we saw yesterday discussed Invisalign and Fastbraces with us. She has overcrowding and her two eye teeth protrude, not a lot but it is noticeable and bothers her, her bottom teeth are also out of line but again not greatly. She was quoted £3000 for invisalign and £1800 for Fastbraces. So, my question is does anyone have experience of either of these systems, good or bad? and is there any other systems or treatments we should consider? Any advice or comments would be much appreciated

I had a fixed brace as a teenager. It worked fantastically (your teeth do ache when it's tightened though). I stopped wearing a retainer when I was 15 and my teeth are still absolutely fine 16 years on.

brook2jack

However modern advice is retention for life. So budgeting for replacing retainers should be thought of when considering costs.

wannabeslim

Yes it was a dentist who spcialises in those two systems and she was advised that she would need to wear a retainer a few times a week for the rest of her life otherwise the teeth would move again, I have spoken to her and I believe that she wants to consult an orthodontist before making a final decision.


Thank you all very much for taking the time and trouble to post such informative and detailed replies, your opinions and advice is very appreciated

SaveSomeMore_2

wannabeslim wrote: »

Yes it was a dentist who spcialises in those two systems and she was advised that she would need to wear a retainer a few times a week for the rest of her life otherwise the teeth would move again, I have spoken to her and I believe that she wants to consult an orthodontist before making a final decision.


Thank you all very much for taking the time and trouble to post such informative and detailed replies, your opinions and advice is very appreciated

Following Invisalign they'll probably recommend the Vivera retainer which I stupidly went with.

I was told they are like the Invisalign trays "but much stronger". 6 months down the line and it had cracked (stronger?!), and I was told the replacement would be £100+...for just the one tray! They get manky quickly as well. Not impressed.

The old wire "Hawley" retainers are less attractive but are probably cheaper and stronger.

Alternatively you can opt for a permanent retainer (a wire bonded to the back of the teeth) although I couldn't go for this due to problems with plaque buildup.

welshdent

Definitely see an orthodontist. You can self refer but if you can't find any then your own dentist should be able to advise where they refer to