Dr. Noah's Dentistry Blog

Questions About Dentistry Answered

Should I get Invisalign for Porcelain Veneers?

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My goals for my smile were to get my teeth whitened, but I also have one crooked front tooth. It’s not very crooked. it just comes to the left a little. My plan was to get porcelain veneers, but my dentist is suggesting that I have Invisalign done beforehand for the crooked tooth. Am I insane, because I read somewhere that porcelain veneers could make that crooked tooth look straight? I don’t want to get Invisalign if I don’t need to.

Angie

Dear Angie,

Upper Invisalign Aligner

Wow! I am very glad you wrote and am about to save you a LOT of money. First, let me address your questions. Yes, it is possible for porcelain veneers to make a crooked tooth look straight. However, much of that depends on the skill of the cosmetic dentist. If yours is suggesting Invisalign than he doesn’t have the skill needed to do your case.

That being said, I don’t think you need porcelain veneers at all. Your stated goal was to make your teeth whiter and to deal with that crooked tooth. You could do that with a combination of Invisalign and teeth whitening. They can be done simultaneously and will cost you thousands of dollars less.

It bothers me a bit that your dentist didn’t suggest that, and feels a bit like a money grab to me. My recommendation is for you to find an Invisalign dentist, maybe not your dentist given my concerns. Then ask him to provide you with professional strength whitening gel. You can wear the gel in your aligners, which can double as teeth whitening trays. Two birds. One stone. A lot less money.

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Do I Need Another Invisalign Treatment to Finish My Procedure?

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My dentist died unexpectedly. I am in the end of my Invisalign treatment. The office is in a state of chaos. I have the last group of aligners, but I think I’m supposed to get started with retainers, right? Do I need to find another Invisalign dentist right away?

Elaine

Dear Elaine,

Upper Invisalign Aligner

I am glad you wrote. Condolences on the death of your dentist. While I’m sure the office is in some disarray right now, I’m sure they will get things straightened out soon enough. Go ahead and finish out your treatment. By then, things will likely be straightened out.

You can find an Invisalign dentist then. Your current office can provide you with all the records regarding your treatment including the diagnostics and treatment notes. They are ethically obligated to do so. If you finish your treatment before they get things in order, you have a few options.

First, you can continue wearing your final set of aligners until they do. That can double as a retainer for you in the meantime. Another option is to go to a different Invisalign dentist. It will be quite easy for him or her to make your retainers. Finally, you can see a regular dentist. It is just as easy for them to make you a retainer as well, even though it won’t specifically be an Invisalign one.

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Fixing a Crooked Front Tooth

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I need some advice. I have a front tooth that is a bit crooked and goes behind the other tooth. I keep getting different advice from different dentists. One said porcelain veneers. One said braces. Another suggested I just pull the crooked tooth and replace it with something called a dental implant. I looked that up and it looks like it requires surgery. Are there other options if I pull the tooth? I feel I’m too old for braces.

Harriet

Dear Harriet,

Upper Invisalign Aligner

Who in the world are these dentists? First, I’m going to say do NOT extract a healthy tooth. Whoever that dentist is, run as fast as you can. If the tooth is unsaveable, that is something altogether. Let me know if that is the case and then my advice will be different. Dental implants are the best tooth replacement option, but there are others. I wouldn’t worry about those, though, unless there is a problem with the tooth you haven’t mentioned.

Of the choices they gave you, orthodontics and porcelain veneers are viable options. Let’s start with porcelain veneers. These won’t actually make your teeth straight, but could make them look straight. The downside to these is they are very expensive, AND you will want to go to an expert, which will be more expensive.

As for orthodontics, braces are no longer the only option. My recommendation is for you to see a dentist who offers Invisalign. These use clear aligners instead of the metal wires and brackets that are used with braces. No one will know that you are straightening your teeth, even at a conversational distance. Plus, they work in a fraction of the time that it takes traditional braces.

They also have an additional benefit. The aligners used to straighten your teeth can also double as teeth whitening trays. This allows you to straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time. If I were in your position, this is the option I would take.

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Can a Teenager Use Invisalign?

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My daughter needs braces. She told me that all of her friends that got their teeth straightened used Invisalign and no one can even see they’re wearing them. I asked my dentist about it and he said it’s for adults and not teenagers and that I’m better off taking her to an orthodontist. He recommended someone. They have the same last name, which could be a coincidence, but I’m suspicious because her friends are definitely using Invisalign.

Gina

Dear Gina,

Upper Invisalign Aligner

Out of curiosity, does your dentist typically offer Invisalign? Though I cannot be certain, my suspicion is that he does not. The reason I say this is because teenagers can definitely use Invisalign. My guess is that he was steering you toward orthodontics because that won’t send you to another dentist but a different specialty. If he sent you to a dentist who did do Invisalign, you might not return to him. The similar last name could be coincidence, but given his lack of honesty with the treatment scope, I am suspicious.

I would simply look up Invisalign dentists in your area and take her there for treatment. Some things to be aware of. You know your daughter better than anyone else, so only you can answer these questions. Unlike braces, Invisalign is removable. That means it requires patient compliance. If you think she will be responsible and wear them the amount of time each day that the treatment requires, you should be fine to go with that procedure.

It has a high patient satisfaction rate and is both more comfortable and faster than traditional braces.

I hope this helps.
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A Second Opinion on Invisalign?

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I understood that Invisalign was a good option for adults who wanted to straighten their teeth. I’ve had several friends use it with great success. I didn’t think my teeth were much worse than theirs, but when I went to see my dentist about it he told me that it wasn’t good at fixing misaligned teeth and I should just get braces. Is that accurate? I’d like to get a second opinion. If it is, what are my options?

Peter

Dear Peter,

Upper Invisalign Aligner

I’m not sure why your dentist said that Invisalign was not a good option for fixing misalignments. This is exactly what the aligners were made for. Please understand, I do not know who your dentist is, so I cannot tell you definitively if this is the case, but two things come to mind as possible reasons for saying it was not a good option.

The first is that he has not kept up with the developments in the dental field very well. While it is true that when Invisalign first came onto the market it was only useful for the most ideal of cases, now it is able to handle all but the most complicated of cases. Your dentist simply may not be aware of this.

The second is that he does not offer Invisalign and, if he refers you to a dentist who does, you may switch dentists permanently instead of just for this procedure.

My suggestion is that you find a dentist who does do the procedure and have your teeth straightened there. As a side note, the aligners used to straighten your teeth are also able to double as teeth whitening trays. This means you can straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time. You’d simply have to ask your dentist to provide you with the whitening gel and then wear it inside your aligners at your convenience.

Just make sure to have your teeth professionally cleaned before starting the whitening. Otherwise the results will end up blotchy.

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Fixing Protruding Teeth

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I finally have some money to fix my teeth. Mostly I am dealing with some front teeth that stick out. I’m not opposed to braces, but I am 53 and wondering if there is something better for someone my age? I know I’m a little late to the game in getting my teeth straightened. I just want a pretty smile for once.

Sylvia

Dear Sylvia,

Upper Invisalign Aligner

There is no late to the game when it comes to a beautiful smile. You get there when you can. I know a woman who is straightening her teeth in her 80s. Looking at it that way, you’re ahead of the game. You have a couple of options. The first is traditional braces, which you have already mentioned.

However, I would like to recommend you look into Invisalign (pictured above). This uses clear aligners to straighten your teeth. No one will know you are even using orthodontics. They are invisible even at a conversational distance. They are more comfortable than traditional braces and work in half the time.

There is an additional benefit to using Invisalign instead of traditional braces. The clear aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. This way you can straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time for a fraction of the cost. Your dentist will just have to provide you with the whitening gel, which you can wear in the aligners at your convenience.

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How Often Do I Need to See an Invisalign Dentist?

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I have been saving up for Invisalign treatment for a while. I have all the money ready. However, since then, we have moved. Our new location is two and a half hours away from the nearest Invisalign dentist. I know that we get aligners every two weeks. The problem I have is the distance. That would be five hours just in driving. On top of that I would have to add the time for the actual appointment, gas stops, and I’d probably need to eat and use the restroom at some point. I have four kids and don’t want to drag them on such a long trip every two weeks. It’s also not tenable for me to hire a sitter so often. Is there a way a dentist would be willing to work with me on maybe not coming quite so often?

Sylvia

Dear Sylvia,

Upper Invisalign Aligner

I am glad that you wrote. You certainly have your hands full. You’re also extremely disciplined if you were able to save up that money while meeting the needs of four children. That’s impressive!

You should know that while you switch out the Invisalign aligners every two weeks, we generally give you two pairs of aligners so that you are only actually coming in once a month. However, given your situation, you may be able to get your dentist to stretch that out even further. A lot of that would depend on how complex your particular case is. If there isn’t anything that would require a lot of monitoring, your dentist may be able to give you a few months worth at a time.

You should know that Invisalign aligners can also double as teeth whitening trays. I don’t know if that is something you are even interested in or need. If you are, it is a great way to save some extra money by knocking two procedures out at once. Plus, because the aligners can fill in for the bleaching trays, you will not have to worry about the additional cost of have bleaching trays made. The only thing you’d have to pay for is the bleaching gel itself, which is not very expensive.

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Smile Direct Ditched Me

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I was a patient of SmileDirectClub and then in December they went out of business. I thought they would at least send me the remaining aligners, but that hasn’t been the case. I’ve been wearing the same ones since then. What do I do? Is there another company like them?

Amanda

Dear Amanda,

A SmileDirectClub image with an X through it

Are you sure you want another company like them? The problem with SmileDirectClub, is their product only worked for some people. If it didn’t work and you complained about it, you would not get a refund unless you removed your complaint and signed a non-disclosure agreement. This, in part, is what put them out of business.

So many people had things go wrong, that eventually there was a court case that ruled they could no longer require those non-disclosure agreements, plus it released about 17,000 that were already in effect. This allowed clients to share their negative experiences and the company went into bankruptcy shortly after that.

They’ve told their clients, that they will no longer be helping them. If they’re in the middle of treatment, too bad. However, they do expect those who were on a payment plan to continue paying. Nice, right?

Any other mail order service, like SmileDirect, is going to have similar problems. The reason for this is every human body is unique. Sometimes our body’s follows the treatment plan to a tee. Most times, adjustments need to be made as we progress. When you are not under the care of a dentist, these needed adjustments get missed. That puts the health of your teeth in danger. They could even come loose.

My suggestion is to finish out your treatment, do it through an Invisalign dentist. This will give you the care you need. As a bonus, the aligners can double as teeth whitening trays, so you can save some extra money by getting some professional strength whitening gel from your dentist and having your teeth whitening done at the same time as your get your teeth straightened.

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Am I Too Old for Invisalign?

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I have always been embarassed by my smile. I am finally in a position to do something about it. I was hoping to get Invisalign to straighten my teeth, which is the biggest embarassment, and when that is done get some teeth whitening done. Someone told me that Invisalign is for teenagers. Because I am 55, does that disqualify me from getting them? I was hoping to avoid a mouth full of metal at this point in my life.

Stephanie

Dear Stephanie,

Upper Invisalign Aligner

I think it is awesome that you are ready and able to improve your smile. The short answer is no, you are not too old to get Invisalign. While this orthodontic treatment is popular with many teenagers, the treatment itself was originally designed for adults. Many adults want to straighten their teeth but because they are in a professional setting they don’t because the junior high look of a metal mouth could impact how they are viewed at work. When Invisalign came out, it was a game changer. In fact, a group of dentists I know once talked about how old their Invisalign patients were to get an idea of whose getting them the most, and one of them had an 81 year old patient! You are practically a child in comparison.

You should know, that if you go ahead with Invisalign, you will not have to wait until your treatment is over in order to have your teeth whitened. The aligners can double as professional teeth whitening trays. Then, all your dentist has to do is provide you with the gel, which you can wear simultaneously with with aligners at a time that is most convenient to you. Not only will this give you a smile makeover, but in a shorter time frame AND it will save you money.

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Am I Too Old for Invisalign?

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I’m seventy two years old and have always been embarrassed by my smile. Growing up, my parents could not afford braces. They worked hard, but such luxuries were still out of reach. Now, I’m way to old for a mouth full of metal and my skin is pretty paper thin so it cuts easily. Several of the young teenagers at my church are getting their teeth straightened with this thing called Invisalign. You can’t even tell there is anything on their teeth. I asked them about it and they said it doesn’t hurt. Am I too old to get this? I like the idea of getting my teeth straightened. There’s a widow in my book group and I’ve always wanted to smile at him and get his attention. This might give me the confidence.

Esther

Dear Esther,

Upper Invisalign Aligner

First, let me say right off the bat that I think you are awesome! You chat with the teens at your church and have your eye on a fella. You ROCK. Second, you are emphatically NOT too old to get Invisalign. Though it is popular among teens, it was originally designed for adults. To put you even more at ease about your age and Invisalign, there is a study group (The Molis Group) who get together and discuss various cases and techniques. They did a survey of dentists in the group about the ages of their patients. There were several in their 80s. However, that is not an age limit. That was just from that particular group.

You are perfectly safe to get Invisalign as long as your teeth are healthy. There is a hidden benefit too, that may help you get the attention of that widow. The aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. Your dentist can provide you with teeth whitening gel that you use in the aligners at your convenience. By the time you are done with your orthodontic treatment, you will not only have straight teeth, but youthfully white ones too! You’ll look at least a decade younger.

You’ve got this!
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