Events Calendar
In This Section
End of labor: Departing nurse gives birth to hospital's last baby
Bill Clinton meets with Senate Dems on health care
Poll: One-third can find, get swine flu vaccine
State relaxes flu face mask recommendation
Suspect arrested in Milwaukee theft of flu vaccine
Akron to offer free flu vaccine
Considine celebrates 30 years as Children's CEO
Most Read Stories
Suitcase causes bomb scare at Akron bus terminal
Akron City Council OKs higher speed on I-77
Chapel Hill isn't rolling right along
Motorcyclist killed, wife injured in Stark County crash
New eateries expand menu of options
Man says he was punched, robbed by 3 people in parking lot
Patrick McManamon: Here's what the Browns should try the rest of the season
Louisville athlete commits to play for Boston College
Family found dead in Ohio home
Blogs:
Pets:
It Takes All Kinds
The Heldenfiles:
Tuesday Notebook
Patrick McManamon:
An interesting thought from a reader
Akron Zips:
Akron vs. Mount Union — Liveblog
Tribe Matters:
Indians announce spring dates
Cleveland Browns:
Mangini doesn't name a quarterback
Kent State Sports:
Flashes interested in another Cincinnati player
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Shaq: It’s All About Winning Championships
Buckeye Blogging:
Buckeyes Roll 100-60 / Season Outlook
Varsity Letters:
Report: Walsh baseball player commits
All Da King's Men:
More On The Fort Hood Jihadist
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Simply Incapable of Telling The Truth
Akron Law Café:
Health Care Financing Reform: (63) Commonwealth Fund Report on Primary Care
See Jane Style:
Muffle Your Muffler
Car Chase:
Clock Tender- Extending the Life of Collector Car Clocks
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Rumors: Akron Starbucks Closing
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Jack is looking for a trip to Southern Ohio the week of November 16.
Sound Check:
Aeromsith looking for new singer as Steven Tyler contemplates solo career
HRLite House:
Personal Rant – Why People Do Not Live in Northeast Ohio
Akron Gamer:
Video: 'Modern Warfare 2' hits the streets
To some who sign up for Invisalign braces, there's more than what meets the eye, er, teeth
By Aisha Sultan
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Published on Tuesday, Sep 02, 2008
ST. LOUIS: It's a seductive message for adults seeking a perfect smile: an easy, painless and invisible way to straighter teeth.
Christine Raye, 38, of Glendale, Mo., knew she wanted it the moment she saw the TV commercial four years ago. She's not alone. Demand for Invisalign, a system of clear, changeable retainers, has boomed since it was introduced about nine years ago. In 2006, Align Technology, the California-based maker of Invisalign, shipped to 26,000 doctors worldwide, nearly 17 percent more than the previous year.
More than half a million people have used the product, and about 46,000 doctors have taken the half-day training to become providers.
Dr. Jackie Demko of Chesterfield, Mo., says she had three to five Invisalign patients a year when she began offering the product eight years ago. Now, she is up to 100 cases a year.
But despite the widespread use and slick marketing, the way to flawless pearly whites can be filled with surprises.
Hundreds have shared their real-life experiences on a popular Invisalign forum at http://bracesreview.com. Many don't learn about the details and common procedures involved with the computer-generated treatment until they've committed thousands of dollars to it.
While the company says its surveys show that 87 percent of respondents are extremely or very satisfied with their treatment, it also does not collect information about bad outcomes or failed cases.
After experiencing the process firsthand and hearing from other Invisalign users, here's the straight talk on getting straight teeth.
Most patients require little button-like attachments bonded to their teeth to hold the aligners in place or pull down or turn a tooth. The number of buttons may vary, and they may be added at various points of the treatment.
Matt Schilling, 25, of Baltimore, learned about the attachments only by visiting the online forums. His trays have the bumps to connect to the buttons, but his orthodontist did not add the composite attachments to his teeth. Still, when he saw the bumps on his new set of trays, also called aligners, he thought, ''Wow. You can really see them. So much for the invisible part.''
Teeth might get shaved
Many adults suffer from crowding in their teeth. The aligners, which are switched out every two weeks, are created after taking a full mold of the patient's teeth and sending the impression to the company's lab. A computer-generated series of steps predicts how the teeth will move into place with each set of new aligners, which are all created at one time. Often times, the treatment calls for creating space by ''slenderizing'' or making ''interproximal reductions,'' as the company calls it.
Orthodontist Robert Waxler of St. Louis County says studies have shown that removing small parts of the enamel are not damaging to the tooth. But it depends on the skill of the practitioners. One woman posted an entry online in which she describes the ''horse tooth'' she is left with after the provider made gaps she considered too big.
Schilling said the slenderizing was not only surprising, but also painful.
''Some blood comes out,'' he recalled. ''That wasn't expected at all.''
Demko and Waxler say their offices explain these procedures to new patients before taking on cases and that practitioners should include the information in their initial consultations.
First weeks the hardest
After the first set of aligners are inserted, some patients are taken aback by the pain and pressure on their teeth.
''Everybody has some degree of discomfort,'' Waxler said. ''You cannot move a tooth without getting sore.''
Those who have had braces say the discomfort pales in comparison, but newbies might not be prepared. Some take a pain reliever before putting in a new pair of aligners.
Having a hunk of plastic in one's mouth can be a difficult adjustment. Hard plastic edges might dig into gums or the tongue, causing sore spots. Raye cut a jagged piece off with cuticle scissors, and others report using nail files to smooth rough edges. (The company recommends neither technique.)
A few report feeling like their teeth are confined by the plastic trays.
For the first few days, patients speak with a noticeable lisp, which might recur with every new set of trays. Snugly fitting trays can also be challenging to remove until users perfect their technique. The trays must be worn constantly and are only removed for eating, drinking and brushing. One office staffer said a woman returned to the office shortly after getting her first set. She had been unable to take the aligners out and had not eaten for two days. Tray removal can also get messy, with a trail of drool clinging to each aligner.
Those prone to headaches might have worse headache pain after getting new aligners.
Constant wear
Wearing the aligners requires a serious commitment. They won't work and might end up worsening a situation unless they are worn constantly. If a tray gets lost or broken, doctors recommend wearing the previous set until a replacement is sent.
''If you don't wear anything, the teeth will drift,'' Waxler explained. ''If you don't deal with it, and the teeth wander around, then nothing fits, then you're screwed.''
The average length of treatment is about a year, but the doctor might order refinements, which can prolong the process. About half of Demko's cases take a bit longer than originally predicted.
''The computer image is a prediction, and the human body is not 100 percent predictable,'' Demko said.
Most patients don't shop around when starting treatment. Align Technology charges each provider the same lab fee — about $1,500 for full treatment and $750 for shortened, express treatment for minor changes. Doctors' fees typically range from $3,000 to $5,000.
More than half of Invisalign providers are dentists, rather than orthodontists, who have specialized training.
''The price difference can come with different clinical skills,'' Demko explained, noting that a higher cost does not necessarily mean better treatment.
Schilling chose his provider based on recommendations from friends and family and is generally happy with the results, so far. He said he did not shop around, because the orthodontist offered $500 off the price if he signed up the same day as the initial consultation.
Practice good hygiene
Keeping a piece of plastic in your mouth for more than 20 hours a day means odor is inevitable. Most users double the normal daily maintenance, soaking and brushing the plastic retainers, as well as their teeth. Some carry floss to prevent pieces of food from getting trapped in the plastic after eating.
Oh yeah, it doesn't end when the treatment ends. To prevent teeth from moving back, doctors say patients must wear retainers at night for life and that some of them need to be replaced annually.
ST. LOUIS: It's a seductive message for adults seeking a perfect smile: an easy, painless and invisible way to straighter teeth.
Get the full article here.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
