Braces as an adult?

cakergirl

I posted this under the beauty forum but got no response. Has anyone ever done clear cosmetic braces such as Invisa Lign or Siz Moths smiles? I am mainly looking for a cosmetic fix, don't have a lot of issues other than crooked bottom teeth and some shifting of the top. Wore traditional braces in 5th-6th grade and was told to ear my retainer "for life" but essentially stopped once I got to college. My teeth look very crooked again but aren't nearly as bad as they were before. I've done some research and it seems like all the orthodontists think its a poor treatment choice and is just a way to make quick money on part of the general dentists, but to be honest I work in the public in a very professional face to face setting with numerous people every day, and the quicker and less noticeable the better, even if its not a "perfect" result. But now I have myself paranoid my mouth will be completely messed up if I go with one of these quicker treatments rather than the traditional braces route. I'm hoping someone else has had some experiences with either one?? Thanks so much!

bishopreid

Ive never had braces, but my older sister when she was about, i want to say 26 or 27 got the Invisa Lign ones, she loved them, she couldnt get her braces as a child and felt her teeth were holding her back from some things in life, so sense she was older with a good job she opted for the clear braces, apposed to wire. she loved them, when i saw her i didnt even know she had them on until i got really close, she liked how you could take them out to eat and clean. her teeth look better then ever now 5 years later.

Malvagia

I had regular wire braces when I was in high school.  I didn't wear the retainer after a few weeks and my teeth looked fine for the most part though they shifted unnoticably.

I got regular wire braces again as an adult because I had new wisdom teeth that grew in crooked that I wanted to straighten rather than have removed.  In order to do that all my teeth had to get braces.  Having the wire braces as an adult made me feel self concious. I'm glad those days are over and my teeth are fixed.

stacey1508

I just got my braces off- I had lingual braces with are essentially regular metal braces but they are attached to the back of your teeth so they are pretty much invisible. That's another option for you if you can find an orthodontist who can do it (not everyone is trained in it), but the cons are that it's very expensive and can be uncomfortable. 

I have an Invisalign tray that I use as a retainer now, and I think it works fine. I know my orthodontist frequently prescribed Invisalign for other adult patients, but it wasn't an option for me. It usually only works for people who have minor shifting/crowding. As far as I know, it can be an effective treatment as long as your situation is appropriate. I would definitely go to a reputable orthodontist and not a dentist. They can tell you if it's appropriate and will be better able to trouble-shoot issues that might arise. I don't think it's likely Invisalign would make your teeth worse, but you could run the risk of not seeing much improvement if the doctor is not experienced. And it's a lot of money to spend for nothing.

I hated having braces as an adult for 2 years, but now that I'm done, I'm so glad I did it! I feel so much more confident and have so much less discomfort than I did before. Good luck! 

dragonstarjk

I've been a lurker forever, but I had to chime in on this--I currently have Six Month Smiles!  I just got them in March so I've had them about six months.  Which leads me to my first hint--Six Month Smiles is rarely done in six months, or at least that's what my dentist said.

 

Sure,  maybe some dentists will take them off in six months, or maybe there is only minor crowding/crookedness to fix that doesn't take long.  My top teeth are pretty much exactly where we want them, but the bottom teeth have a lot of work still.  I got mine mostly for cosmetic reasons as well.  We are currently estimating 9 months to a year to have them on.

 

Just make sure you go to a good dentist/orthodontist who you trust and who will tell you the truth about what you are getting into instead of just trying to sell you something.  I am able to go to my regular dentist, which was one of the biggest advantages to me, because I didn't want to have to shop around for a different person to do my braces.

 

Six Month Smiles are clear plastic braces with 'tooth-colored' wires.  They are obviously more noticeable than Invisalign; however, for me they were a better decision for a couple of reasons.  One, Invisalign is about three times what I am spending on Six Month Smiles.  Two, like I mentioned, I get to see my regular dentist; and three, I know I would be lazy about putting the Invisalign on all the time and I wouldn't be getting my money's worth.

 

I work in customer service at a pretty prominent bank in town, and I was very self-conscious for about two weeks.  Then I realized I was the only person that really noticed and made a big deal out of the braces being there . 

 

Biggest drawback--yes they can be painful just like regular braces.  But, I have lost about 12 pounds since getting them just because of the forced change in diet!  Woohoo!!! 

queenofhearts1728

My boss currently has the trays... i'm not sure of the actual brand, but it seems to be a lot faster than traditional braces, in terms of the overall process. I didn't even know she had them until she mentioned "taking her teeth out" (she makes it sound like she's an old lady with dentures lol)

Her teeth look fabulous though! Personally, that would be the only way I'd do braces

rayraex

I am currently an invisalign patient.  My teeth were pretty crooked.  I had braces as a child, but afterward my wisdom teeth grew in sideways and messed everything up again.

I do prefer the invisalign over the traditional braces.  One thing that I dont think is explained very well is that you do have some attachments put onto your teeth with invisalign.  There are small tooth-colored attachments that are bonded to certain teeth to help the invisalign move them easier.  They aren't as noticable as braces but that wasn't explained to me before I signed up for invisalign.

I do recommend you go with a "premier provider" of invisalign.  You can find one close to you on Invisalign's website.  I have a friend who did invisalign through her dentist and he didnt have as much knowledge or experience as the orthodontist I found who was a premier provider.

I am almost done and it was totally worth it!  Good luck to you!