Something I hear quite often is, “I was thinking of trying Invisalign but…”
I find that people have generally done a little reading, usually 5+ years ago and have some ideas of what Invisalign is and why it “just wouldn’t work” for them. In this post I would like to run through some of the most common misconceptions that I hear and why I think they aren’t true.
1. The “cost is much higher” than traditional braces.
False. I got quotes when I started this and actually found that the Invisalign system came in about even with most of the quotes and even cheaper than some. The beauty of Invisalign is that the pricing is done in bands which means that the number of alingers you need puts you into the relevant price categories which makes it easy to figure out.
2. “Only for easy or cosmetic changes”.
False again. Anyone who has looked at my blog will see that I have has some pretty extensive movement in my teeth and I’m not even done yet!
3. The aligners are “so visible”.
My first response to this is, have you seen train track braces recently?? I cannot count the number of times people have been surprised when I either mention that I have my Invisalign in or go to remove them. I have, at one point, had 6 attachments on my 4 front teeth which are the things that can make the aligners more visible than smooth teeth but even with these they aren’t that visible. If anything, my teeth are a little shinier than normal which only some people notice.
4. “They just seem like such hard work!”
Like anything in life, change takes work. For me, all this took was finding my routine (If you have been reading my blog you would be familiar with this!). Invisalign aligners need to be taken out to eat/drink anything other than cool water. My routine to make this work is to brush when I get up then after each meal and when I say brush I mean floss, brush my teeth and my aligners. I can, when my aligners are out, eat anything I like without cutting out things that traditional braces don’t allow such as popcorn, nuts, gum and soft drinks.
5. “Surely it takes longer than braces?”
Nope! Again, I did my research before I began this process and found that the amount of time for either process was about the same. Because the aligners are changed every two weeks or so the movement is gradual but continuous.
6. “They seem like they would be uncomfortable.”
Well, you’re not exactly wrapping your teeth in fairy floss. I have on occasion had aching teeth in the first day or two of a new aligner but it has never been (independent of external reasons) bad enough for me to need to remove them or want to give up. If I wear them for anywhere around the 22 hour per day required time they are comfortable enough!
7. “They will smell and taste bad from being in your mouth!”
In over 30 sets of aligners I have never had this problem, even when I wore one pair for about 2 months – and they weren’t even stained. I brush my aligners with toothpaste every time I brush my teeth and use Retainer Brite tablets to soak them for about 10 minutes once each week or so. I think it comes down to two things: drinking plenty of water and good hygiene. I take care of my aligners and am careful not to put my them in my mouth if I haven’t brushed my teeth (or the aligners) properly.
8. “I don’t want to talk with a lisp.”
I did lisp for the first 2-3 days of my Invisalign treatment and occasionally if I have had my aligners out for too long when I put them back in it lasts for the first 20 minutes or so but that is it. The human body, and our mouth in particular, is very good at adapting to necessity so learning to talk with Invisalign is very quick and easy – just avoid the ‘S’ based tongue twisters when you first start out!
9. “I have to get it from an Orthodontist and they are expensive than a Dentist”.
As with any medical procedure, you need to do your research. I looked around and found a Black Diamond provider (this is an indicator of depth of experience with Invisalign), someone close to my work so I can get there and – most importantly – someone I get along well with. In my case this was the excellent Dentist (not Orthodontist) Dr John Hagiliassis of Freedom Dental.
“Freedom Dental is made up of a team of general dentists and we have been designated the very rare status of being an Invisalign Black Diamond provider. This means that we are one of the largest Invisalign providers in Australia.”
Looking at the Freedom Dental website I can clearly see that they have heaps of experience in this area, so much so that Dr John completed the most Invisalign cases in Australia in 2014. The beauty of Invisalign is that the software and treatment modeling is completed by the Align Tech company which means that the Dentist or Orthodontist that you choose is there to monitor the pre-set treatment model using the templates and software provided. Unlike traditional braces there is no need for the ongoing minute changes to wires & tightness throughout the process so I have found no disadvantage in not seeing an Orthodontist. The other benefit is that I can have any cleans, fillings etc done on-site by the same team that I see for my Invisalign appointments which gives me a sense of comfort & security that helps ease my ordinary dental nerves. I cannot highly enough recommend the Dr John and all the team at Freedom Dental as they have made my entire experience seamless and pain free with everything fully explained in advance so there were no surprises.
Last but not least, the most common comment:
10. “Braces are for teenagers, it’s too late for that now.”
Invisalign is for anyone. I have seen cases of people as old as 60+ who are finally in a position to do something for themselves. Whether it is cosmetic or comfort, sometimes it’s as simple as a few stray angles in the front teeth or, like myself, a complete overhaul. There is nothing stopping you except yourself!
What other myths have you heard? Do you disagree with any of my thoughts above or have you have had different experiences? I would love to hear from you with any thoughts or questions!
Until next time!
Xx
Please note, this blog is about my own ongoing experience. I have paid in full for my treatment and at no time have I received any discounts or endorsements. People or products mentioned are statements of my own experience.
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