Is all the info on this site accurate?

[SkyIsTheLimit]

I saw this excerpt on the Home articles page:

Invisalign treatment for an underbite is usually not effective, because your doctor will utilize rubber bands, power chains, and other appliances to get as much movement as possible.


*Don't orthodontists/dentists use rubber bands, elastics and other appliances with invisalign?

[Coop22]

Yes, I have elastics right now with invisalign to correct a slight overbite. They notch your trays and mount hooks on your teeth. In my case, I have clear hooks on my eye teeth and the bands go back to little metal hooks on my #7 jaw teeth on the bottom.

[Sunny]

The use of elastics with invisalign is become more widely used now, but many other 'extras', such as powerchains, cannot be used unless you have brackets cemented on your teeth.

A class III bite (underbite) is challenging with brackets, and I'm not sure about how this can be corrected properly using invisalign. Definitely something to check with more than one ortho. Something else to consider is ... if the bite is dental, orthodontics alone can correct this issue, but if it's part of your skeleton, then surgery will be required and that requires the use of brackets.

As to the accuracy of info on this site ... as most of us write about personal experience and for those of us working in the industry, we can also write about our clients ... but we're not orthodontists, and without those qualifications and experience, plus x-rays, etc ... the accuarcy of information is limited. You're always advised to check your questions with your orthodontist.

[Stephanie]

probably an OLD article. I'll e-mail the admin to see it gets updated...

but as Sunny stated, it is best to consult with a medical professional.

[Zoso]

One interesting conversation I heard reported by one orthodontist was between himself and his Invisalign rep. and the basic gist of it was this: as you start to add more and more advanced techniques onto an Invisalign case, you can reach a point where the question really is: why the heck are we not just treating this with conventional braces? Even now, not all Invisalign docs will use elastics with treatment, and it does generally require bonding extra (larger) buttons on the teeth for attaching the rubber bands; quite a few Invisalign patients are also distressed by how much more visible the rubber bands (to their eye) make their treatment.

One interesting approach is to use more than one modality - deal with certain issues in fixed braces, then move to Invisalign to finish up the case, for example.

[myhollywoodsmile]

My ortho warned me that my Invisalign may not fix my bottom tooth that goes across the bottom of my mouth. His solution will probably be to put metal braces on three teeth only, on the bottom arch.

I agree, there reaches a point where it seems slightly pointless to pursue Invisalign, but at the same time a lot of people are very happy to use them for part of their treatment.

The other consideration is that for people like me, Invisalign was the only option. I wasn't prepared to do 2 years in conventional braces, I would have rather lived with my teeth as they were. It is unlikely that I will get a perfect result with Invisalign, but I will almost certainly get an improvement on how my teeth were (actually, I already have) That is a compromise that I am happy to accept. I would rather use Invisalign and get an imperfect result than traditional braces and get absolutely perfect teeth. However, there is a point where I wouldn't use Invisalign either- I.e. where I need extensive elastics etc. It simply wouldn't be worth it to me. My teeth weren't great, but I could have lived with them.

I think there would be a lot of adult patients that feel like this.

[Zoso]

probably an OLD article. I'll e-mail the admin to see it gets updated...

but as Sunny stated, it is best to consult with a medical professional.

I wanted to add this thought: orthodontistry, like any branch of medicine, is not a static art. There is constant ongoing research to improve existing tools and techniques, and to introduce new tools and techniques. A good orthodontist will keep abreast with the advances that are being made through reading professional journals and attending professional symposia, and through continuing education. Some will be actively involved in the research that leads to advances in the art.

It is hard for any site like this to remain as informed and up to date as an orthodontist would be on the state of the art. And it is virtually impossible for the majority of us on the forums to do so. (Of course the exception is when we find ourselves lucky enough to have an orthodontist who is actively contributing) As always, remember that as it says on the main Bracesreview.com page, you should always consult a qualified orthodontist, dentist, or medical professional with questions you may have. Even when the advice here comes from an orthodontist you must keep in mind that though he is a professional, he has no access to your records and has not been able to perform any examination of your teeth and bite.

[MCOMarkhamOrthodontist]

Invisalign is not the be all and end all of orthodontics. There are still situations where traditional braces are the best. However, there are an increasing number of malocclusions that can be treated with Invisalign. This includes large overjets, crossbites, and even surgical orthodontics. There are also situations in which Invisalign may actually be a better treatment modality that fixed appliances.

Invisalign has been around since the late 90s, but is still relatively new. Every year, and even every few months, Aligntech comes out with new information on how best to treat certain cases. It is up to you to find the provider that is current and experienced with using this or any other appliance.

There are a lot of practitioners who still do not understand this appliance properly. FYI Invisalign certification is a one day course on how to submit cases and use their imaging software, not on how to move teeth with Invisalign. It is important to find a practitioner who is experienced and with whom you are comfortable.

[Coop22]

Even now, not all Invisalign docs will use elastics with treatment, and it does generally require bonding extra (larger) buttons on the teeth for attaching the rubber bands; quite a few Invisalign patients are also distressed by how much more visible the rubber bands (to their eye) make their treatment.

Actually, the attachments on my eye teeth are clear plastic and they sit so far up on my teeth that no one can tell that I have bands on. I have told a few people and they are always shocked. I actually have to pull my lips to the side to show them. Treatment has come a long way.

[Sunny]

Coop the appearance of the buttons and elastics, depends on what type of movement is required. Your's sound like they're very discreet. Often the elastics are from the upper to lower teeth, especially when correcting an overbite, which does tend to make them more visible ... but only to people who're looking at your mouth, and hopefully eye contact is more suited to most!

[Zoso]

Heh. Note that I didn't say I think they're very visible, but just t hat the patients themselves often do If I had a dollar for every time I've read a post from someone who is upset at how visible their attachments make their treatment (in their opinion) I could treat a few friends to an afternoon at the cinema.

[Coop22]

Sunny, mine DO go from the upper teeth and attach to my back lower teeth like you described, you just can't see the bands unless I pull my lips back and show you. They are placed so high on my teeth in the front that you can't see them unless I want you to. I hate them, but I have to say, my ortho did a great job.

[Zoso]

Even on fixed braces, class II elastics do not tend to be very visible. But there are other configurations that are much more conspicuous.

[Sunny]

Coup the simple class II and class III elastics are discreet and rarely seen, unless a wide smile/laugh is happening. It's a shame you hate them, as they usually do a great job and using elastics with invisalign, has resulted in invisalign being able to work with some bite issues, it never would have succeeded with a short while ago.

I'm now wearing a mix of elastic formations, and the one from my upper left canine, comes down in a triangle formation and is visable when my mouth is open for any reason. The best thing is that most people look me in the eyes and not at my mouth.

Here's to your elastics doing there job well and your results being fantastic!