Hi! Newbie here

[sadsmile]

Hi all
I started my invisalign treatment a month back, started my 3rd set of aligners yesterday. Got 29 for top and 30 for the bottom.
My dentist has never mentioned refinements. I just thought after the 60 weeks that would be it. My treatment isnt exactly cheap - does this mean I'm only getting half the job done? What exactly are refinements??
He did say I'll need to get some impressions done half way through. I guess I never knew the right questions to ask before I began treatment.
Having found this forum and reading some of the threads I'm worrying it's not going to be the fairytale ending I've been hoping for
S

[IHIC]

Hi sadsmile,

I believe refinements are needed when the teeth/certain teeth haven't moved as wanted, so refinements are needed to deal with that.

Someone else on this board will be able to explain better! sorry. But I have read that although you do get to see a Clincheck before treatment, it's not a guarantee that your teeth will look EXACTLY like that at the end of your treatment.

I just wanted to say hi and welcome, this is a great place to ask questions... it has been a great help to me.

[katiekatie23]

Hi Sadsmile

I only joined a week ago and its been a massive help!!
I'm not to sure what refinements are , but my ortho has told me i may have to have a retainer to wear overnight once a month untill my teeth settle into there position not sure if its the same thing or not???

Welcome anyway!!!!!

[Weeeyin]

katiekatie, more than likely retainer wear will be everynight for years. I've been wearing my final tray everynight for about 16 weeks or so now and the odd night i've left it out by accident you can really see one of my gaps open up again so I know for me retainer wear at night will be years or even life.

[katiekatie23]

oooh right i didnt no that!!!!!! thanks weeeyin!!!!! ill have to speak to my ortho about it im pretty sure thats what she said anyway ive probably got it wrong lol!!! x

[myhollywoodsmile]

Hi there,
Refinements are an extra series of aligners at the end of treatment to address any issues that you aren't quite happy with. Often, even if the teeth have moved as planned when they are done you see something that you think you want to tweak. Usually they are a fairly short additional run, and often it is your choice, but most people want to do them as they want to get it perfect! After finishing your first series you get moulds done and a new set made which you wear exactly as you did the first lot. There may or may not be attachments and they may be the same as the first ones or completely different.

As for retainer wear, there are different types but if you are an adult patient you may well need to wear them at night for life!

[Punkin]

Hi all
I started my invisalign treatment a month back, started my 3rd set of aligners yesterday. Got 29 for top and 30 for the bottom.
My dentist has never mentioned refinements. I just thought after the 60 weeks that would be it. My treatment isnt exactly cheap - does this mean I'm only getting half the job done? What exactly are refinements??
He did say I'll need to get some impressions done half way through. I guess I never knew the right questions to ask before I began treatment.
Having found this forum and reading some of the threads I'm worrying it's not going to be the fairytale ending I've been hoping for
S

My ortho said she rarely sees anyone with invisalign longer than 10 sets of trays that doesn't need refinements.

The computer model is going to come up with a set of trays based on ideal circumstances and some generic movement of teeth.

Everyone is different. You may have a tooth or two that isn't going to respond to treatment right away. Maybe you'll catch it early enough and it can be fixed in the first go around, but more than likely you'll have to have refinements.

Traditional bracketed braces allow for adjustments as the course of treatment progresses, where Invisalign doesn't really allow for that.

If he's making impressions half way through, he may already expect that you'll need refinements, and he's going to start the process before you are finished, instead of waiting until you are done.

I've had my aligners on for a year and a half (38U/L), and I had my molds taken almost two weeks ago for refinements. I am glad that we are going to get these teeth looking the way I want them. They look great right now, but there still needs to be a bit of tweaking.

Good Luck.