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Does Invisalign Work When You Have Missing Teeth?

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I have serious problems with my teeth. I have two missing bicuspids and an underbite. Will Invisalign be a possibility with my missing teeth? Do I need to get false teeth for the empty spots?

Callie

Dear Callie,

Invisalign Aligner

Invisalign Aligner

Yes, Invisalign does a good job working around missing teeth. The bigger factor may be your underbite. You didn’t mention if you were planning on an orthodontist or a general dentist. You will find that orthodontists are more hesitant when it comes to using Invisalign. This is because they are trained in the traditional method of metal wires and brackets. That is understandable. We all prefer to work in our comfort zone. In cases of severe crowding, you will find some dentists hesitate to take on the case. Because of the complication of the underbite, I suggest you see a general dentist trained in Invisalign. In fact, see two or three to get a variety of opinions on your case and go with the one you are most comfortable working with.

As for replacing the bicuspids with dental implants, I don’t think that will be necessary. The teeth will likely be moved in a way that negates the need to fill in the spaces. This is not the case with all missing teeth, but in the case of bicuspids, when you have your other teeth, it should not be an issue.

Invisalign can also move your upper teeth out, which will help even more with your appearance. Additionally, you will find that the aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. Because of that, you can ask your dentist for some whitening gel to wear in the aligners each day and sneak in some teeth whitening at the same time.

This blog is brought to you by Grosse Pointe Woods Dentist Dr. Patel.

How Often Do I Need to See a Dentist for Invisalign?

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I live in Alaska. Things, such as a dentist who does Invisalign, take a while to get to. I have been saving up to get my teeth fixed for ten years. The problem I am facing now that it is finally in my grasp is inflation. The cost of Invisalign has stayed fairly the same, but the cost of gasoline to get to and from the dentist, who is several hours away, is proving to be the biggest obstacle. I’m trying to calculate the cost exactly. Can you give me an idea of how often I will have to see the dentist?

Irina

Invisalign

 

 

I sympathize with your situation. The good news is, I think with a compassionate dentist you should be able to work something out. Under normal circumstances, the dentist would give you two sets of aligners. You will wear the first set for two weeks, then trade them out for the second pair. Given your situation, I believe, as long as there are no complications to your case that you will be able to convince your dentist to go even longer.

The first step will be to get your evaluation and treatment plan. This will determine the complexity. From there, you’ll be able to know with more specificity. The worst case scenario would obviously be about once a month.

I have some additional good news for you. First, Invisalign has one of the highest patient satisfaction rates of all orthodontics, so you made a good choice there. Second, the aligners can also double as teeth whitening trays. This means, if you want to, your dentist can provide you with teeth whitening gel to wear in the aligners. Not only does this allow you to straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time, but you are getting a mini smile makeover at a fraction fo the cost.

This blog is brought to you by Grosse Pointe Woods Dentist Dr. Patel.

Switching Dentists Post Invisalign Treatment

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I have completed my Invisalign treatment. Though I love the results, I have never loved the dentist. He’s just got a terrible bedside manner. At this point, I am just receiving retainers every few months. Is it possible for me to switch dentists and still get my retainers?

Felicia

Dear Felicia,

A side by side comparison of braces and Invisalign

A side by side comparison of braces and Invisalign

 

I am glad that you have been happy with your Invisalign treatment. It has one of the highest patient satisfaction rates of any cosmetic dentistry procedure. While your dentist may have a bad chairside manner, he is ethically obligated to work with your new dentist by providing all your diagnostics as well as your current treatment plan. You would be able to switch even if you were in the middle of your treatment procedure with the aligners themselves.

Let’s say worst case scenario your dentist does not fulfill his ethical obligations and is completely uncooperative, making a retainer is fairly simple and your new dentist should be able to do it without any of your current information. Your new dentist can take care of this in three simple steps.

  • Take an impression of your finished bite.
  • Pour up a model.
  • Send it to just about any dental lab.

While having an Invisalign certified dentist helps, it is not necessary.

One quick side tip:  Keep your last pair of aligners. They can double as teeth whitening trays. It has to be your last pair because those are the ones with your final correct bite. You will simply ask your dentist for some teeth whitening gel and use it in your aligners the way you would any custom made teeth whitening trays. It enables you to save your teeth at a fraction of the cost.

This blog is brought to you by Grosse Pointe Woods Dentist Dr. Patel.

Using Invisalign as Your Retainer

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I just finished my Invisalign treatment. Technically, I just received my last pair of aligners. I’ll be moving at the end of this week to another state. Will I need to find another Invisalign dentist for any retainer that is needed or will a regular dentist be okay for that?

Bethany

Dear Bethany,

Invisalign Aligner

Invisalign Aligner

 

Pretty much any dentist can make a basic retainer. However, one of the real benefits of Invisalign is that, if you do it right you can use your last pair of aligners in the place of a retainer. In the meantime, have your current dentist transfer all the notes and diagnostics from your case over to whomever you end up with as a precaution.

Here is the process you can use to utilize your Invisalign aligners as a retainer:

  • Step One: Wear them as you normally have, but for a month instead of just the two weeks you would normally wear them.
  • Step Two: Try wearing them only at night for one to two months.
  • Step Three: Move to wearing them every other night. But, do a test after a few days to see if that is okay. If it is, continue with every other night for a month or two.
  • The “TEST”: If it is a little harder to put the retainer back in, that means your teeth have shifted and you need to return to whatever step you were on previously.
  • Step Four: Wear it twice a week, then test.
  • Step Five: Wear it once a week
  • Step Six: Don’t wear it at all, but please do check periodically.

In addition to the ability to use Invisalign as a retainer, if you take great care of them and keep them around, you can also use them as teeth whitening trays. Then, the only thing you would need to whiten your teeth would be the gel, which your dentist can provide for you at a minimal fee.

Best of luck with your move.
This blog is brought to you by Grosse Pointe Woods Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Patel.

Invisalign or Porcelain Veneers

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I’ve wanted a smile makeover for a while. I had planned on getting porcelain veneers. My goal is to have a whiter, more attractive smile. I have one crooked tooth off to the side, but was under the impression that porcelain veneers could make teeth look straight. My dentist wants me to do a complete orthodontic treatment before getting the porcelain veneers.  I do not think this one tooth is not worth two years of braces, Was I incorrect in how I thought porcelain veneers worked?

Adelaide

Dear Adelaide,

A single porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth

You are perfectly correct about the function of porcelain veneers. In the hands of a skilled cosmetic dentist, they can definitely make your teeth look straight. If you only have that one crooked tooth, I can understand your hesitancy to do braces. If the dentist is suggesting braces anyway, that tells me that he doesn’t feel confident in shaping the tooth. He must not have a lot of training with porcelain veneers. It is best you know this now because if you move forward with him, there is no guarantee that you will have a good outcome. There are countless cosmetic dentistry horror stories that testify to the fact that a cosmetic dentist needs to be chosen carefully.

However, I am thinking I can save you a ton of money and still give you the bright, white smile you want. Other than that one tooth, you didn’t mention any desire to reshape your smile; just to make it whiter. You can do that with Invisalign and teeth whitening. Invisalign is not like traditional braces. Instead of those old metal wires and brackets, Invisalign uses clear aligners. They are more comfortable and truly invisible, even at a conversational distance. In addition, they typically work in half the time as traditional braces.

Now, here is the best benefit for you. The aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. This means you can get that bright, white smile you want with straight teeth at a fraction of the cost. This will also prevent any porcelain veneer disaster from an inexperienced cosmetic dentist.

This blog is brought to you by Grosse Pointe Woods Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Patel.