Kinda bummed...

[TeeWee]

Well, I go in Monday for my last appointment. Or so I thought... I am on my last aligner set and I am not 100% satisfied. Looks like I'll be going in for some refinements.

I think my top look very nice, but I feel like the tooth on the left side on my two front (when looking at the picture) needs to come forward just a tad more? My dentist insisted they look perfectly straight (when I finished treatment on them 6 weeks ago)

I am on the last lower aligner--
& my bottom teeth are not completely straight... how many refinements do you think this will take to straighten them completely? When I look at the bottom teeth... I think the tooth just right of my two front bottom teeth needs to continue coming forward.

I am looking for advice from everyone to see if I am seeing this correctly or if I am just being too picky :\

They were a few thousand dollars, and I really want perfectly straight teeth..

The original picture before invisalign is obvious - and I so happy with my results.. just not... 100%... haha

[livelavalive]

They look good to me. Better than my treatment went in terms of bite. Would you recommend Invisalign? I had the braces, which sucked.
When I'm a bit older I'll consider more treatment; I just hate dentists and those impressions, which are frequent with Invisalign. Apparently those impressions will be digital in 7 years (dentist told me), does anyone know if that's true? Apart from spending $6000 of my own money (I'm 16 now), Invisalign sounds like a good treatment once those impressions stay out of my mouth.

[MCOMarkhamOrthodontist]

It's difficult to tell the alignment of the upper arch from this view, but your lower anterior teeth may benefit from some additional movement. Let your doctor now how you feel and how these issues can be addressed.

This thread is a good example of what I described in the one regarding the % of people who go into refinement. Doctors/patients have differing tolerance for what is a great final result, affecting what they feel may require refinement. Good luck!

[TeeWee]

Thanks Dr. Tam

That's how I feel. I think my incisors can be brought more into a full arch - I am going to ask about refinements and see what happens. Also, if you see this: What retainer do you recommend? For convenience, I'd like an attached retainer, but I've read some bad things about them and after this being my second "braces" treatment... so, I want to do it right and not have to worry about doing it ever again. My teeth move SO quickly... and I'm nervous about the attached retainer not being able to control my back teeth, since they moved a great deal. Thanks

[Phantom Muse]

Tee Wee -

I'll chime in about the retainer... I have a retainer made by Invisalign, and I like it very much. It is as comfortable as any of my trays (after a few days), and it is retaining my entire mouth well. It is no thicker than an Invisalign tray, either.

I am still wearing mine almost full-time, although I don't panic if I leave them out for a few hours at a time (and have even gone without for an eight-hour stretch). I am supposed to be weaning myself so I'll only wear them at night, but the retainers still feel "snug" after an hour or two of no wear, so I think I need to continue with essentially full-time wear for awhile longer.

I tell you all of this because eventually the goal is to wean to only every other night of wearing the retainers. I am going to be patient because I'd rather have no bonded retainer if possible, and if I can wean to every few nights, that will be perfectly fine for me. Just something to think about...

Good luck!

[Invizzle Rizzle]

Phantom Muse,

Did you have attachments at all? Reason I'm asking is because I was told the Invisalign retainers (vivera?) will take 2 weeks to come in; so I'll either be using my last tray, or they can make me an essix for a retainer. My concern is that once attachments are off my teeth will shift. I think I've asked this before but just need a little more elaboration.

[Phantom Muse]

Invizzle,

Yes, I had a total of seven attachments - five on top and two on the bottom. When my lowers were finished (after 7 trays), my ortho removed the attachments and I wore tray 7 as a retainer for many weeks. When my uppers were finished (after 12 trays), my ortho removed those attachments and I wore tray 12 as a retainer for three weeks until the Vivera retainers arrived.

My retainer was made from my final trays (7 and 12), as I had no new impressions taken. They did fit snugly - almost like a new set of trays - but that was because my ortho planned a slight move for one tooth on each arch. Therefore, my retainers were like having one refinement tray!

I have been quite happy with these retainers; they are comfortable and very much like a regular Invisalign tray. I am still wearing them most of the time because the two teeth previously mentioned continue to want to move a bit if I don't wear the retainers. I see my ortho this week for a retainer check, so we will see what he has to say. I suspect I'll continue to wear the retainers most of the time for a few more months at least.

Hope this helps!

[Invizzle Rizzle]

Phantom Muse,

Thanks for the feedback, it helped. Did you wear your last tray all day? Like I said, I'm just worried my teeth will shift wearing a tray with attachment molds, but with no attachments.

[Phantom Muse]

I did wear my final trays pretty much 22 hours daily while waiting for my retainers. Truly, by the time you are done with your series of trays, your teeth have made the intended moves. I may be incorrect, but the attachments are not really "holding" your teeth in place. The trays felt the same without attachments as they did with - except that they were blessedly easier to pop on and off!

Hope this helps!

[selfmadetool]

If you're not aware, Vivera Retainers from Align Technology, Inc. can be worn simultaneously with a bonded retainer. If you're having trouble deciding between the two, perhaps you may be interested in both.

[Invizzle Rizzle]

I did wear my final trays pretty much 22 hours daily while waiting for my retainers. Truly, by the time you are done with your series of trays, your teeth have made the intended moves. I may be incorrect, but the attachments are not really "holding" your teeth in place. The trays felt the same without attachments as they did with - except that they were blessedly easier to pop on and off!

Hope this helps!

Thanks

If you're not aware, Vivera Retainers from Align Technology, Inc. can be worn simultaneously with a bonded retainer. If you're having trouble deciding between the two, perhaps you may be interested in both.

Nice, that sounds something I def. want. How would that work out? I assume ortho puts the bonded retainer on, makes a mold for an essix and vivera?

[IHIC]

Originally I had only heard of a Hawley and Essix retainer (and of course a bonded retainer)... and lately I have seen Vivera retainers mentioned. What's the difference between an Essix and Vivera retainer?

[MCOMarkhamOrthodontist]

Originally I had only heard of a Hawley and Essix retainer (and of course a bonded retainer)... and lately I have seen Vivera retainers mentioned. What's the difference between an Essix and Vivera retainer?

They are both clear-aligner style retainers. The name Essix has come from the most popular material used for this type of retainer, from Raintree Essix. An alginate impression is taken, and they can be made in-office or sent to a local lab.

Invisalign offers a product known as Vivera Retainers. They can be made from your last stage of treatment, or from a new impression. The material is slightly harder and more durable than Invisalign’s aligner and they can be incorporated with fixed lingual retainers. Subscriptions are available where the first aligner is fitted in the office, with 3 more retainers delivered to your address every 3 months. Please note that Vivera subscriptions may not be included in your treatment fee. On a positive note, with proper care, these retainers can last much longer than 3 months.