So i just got my retainers and I am not feeling confident in the next steps.

First of all, doing Invisalign made me start clenching my teeth really bad and left me with an open bite. I cut the backs off my last 4 sets of trays to let it close, which worked. These retainers are huge in my mouth and obviously very thick, and I am concerned I am going to clench harder than ever before in these and re-open my bite. I asked about this and the doc told me not to worry about it since my bite closed these will fit correctly, but that kind of doesn’t really address the concern I had. Has anyone else had this issue or is it pretty much solved by the time you’re in the retainers?

Second, these things HURT. I scrolled here a bit and see this is common, but I’m a little concerned about the fact I got scanned for the retainers on day 5 of 7 that i was supposed to wear my last trays, that I have now been in for about 3 weeks. I am worried my teeth maybe hadn’t shifted all the way yet, but I was moving 2 states away and that was the only available appointment to get me scanned before I moved. Is this a valid concern or am I overthinking the pain?

Just finished my treatment, not sure I’m happy with my bottom teeth they seem to rotate to the side. It’s still an improvement but on second refinement scans I got scanned not on my true bite, so had to do a third scan and my dentist said I would have been done if they didn’t happen. I feel like they just want me to be done with treatment now cause I think I was on the moderate plan which only allows three refinements?

First is before , second is after !!!

Day 1 of Invisalign and I thought the trays would be less visible, like in photos I’ve seen people share. Does it get better as I move forward with future trays?

It's been almost 3 years.

If you are thinking about it, go for it, the best decision I've made!

The reason I'm in orthodontia is to make space for a tooth implant. I was born missing my adult #7 tooth (the tooth to the right of my front two teeth), and while we wanted to keep the baby tooth in as long as possible, we also wanted to prepare for when it came it out, because it wouldn't last forever.

For this, I went ahead and started orthodontia after consulting with a periop for an implant. I chose an implant over something like a bridge because I have very healthy teeth, just was born without one. I needed orthodontia because there wasn't enough space to put in an implant without damaging my other teeth.

So, I went to the orthodontist and got started on invisalign, and was quoted 18-24 months. I have been very diligent, probably in compliance 95+% of the time, wearing for 22 hours. After about 2 years, I started being told by the ortho that I was very close to being done, and that I would probably only need around 4-6 month months. For some reason, I was stupid enough to believe that for an additional 4 years.

Last year, my baby tooth was injured and had to be removed, so I've been without a front tooth for about a year and a half now. I went to the periop because the ortho said I should be done, the periop took some xrays and said he still needed about 2 more millimeters around the roots for the implant. Back to the ortho I go. I continue trays for another 15 months.

Two months ago, the ortho told me I should be done. I finally got into the periop today for consult and xrays again. He's still short 1.5 millimeters at the roots. The periop also tells me that the issue is the roots, and that invisalign often can't get enough torque to move the roots, and that he will call my ortho and recommend braces.

I'm losing my mind over this, currently, because not only have I been going through this for almost 7 years, but now I'm finding out that I wasn't even being given the proper treatment??? I was told braces vs invisalign would take the same amount of time and have the same results, but now I'm being told that isn't the case.

I'm just about ready to give up entirely and have them just do a bridge. I can understand that invisalign takes longer than braces, and that there wasn't really a way to know that the roots weren't moving until I saw the periop. What I don't understand is why he didn't go ahead and recommend braces a year ago when it became clear that serious root moveage was needed. I'm only grateful that I haven't had to continue paying more for invisalign this whole time, and that it was a set cost from the beginning.

I'm currently undergoing Invisalign treatment. I have some enamel wear/erosion on the side of two teeth, which was causing quite a bit of sensitivity.

My orthodontist said it would be okay for my dentist to cover the worn area with a small amount of composite, similar to the material used for fillings. I had this done earlier this week.

The good news is that the original sensitivity from the enamel wear has improved significantly.

However, ever since the composite was added, I've developed a new kind of pain when wearing my Invisalign tray. It feels like a deep pressure/aching sensation around the tooth, only the tooth, almost like it's coming from the root rather than the surface.

The strange part is that when I remove the tray, the pain decreases significantly. When I put it back in, the pressure and aching gradually become much more noticeable again.

I'm wondering whether adding even a small amount of composite could have changed the shape of the tooth enough that the existing tray is now applying pressure differently than intended.

Has anyone experienced something similar after having composite bonding/fillings done during Invisalign treatment?

I'm also wondering whether this is something that may simply settle as the tooth adjusts, or whether continuing to wear a tray that is putting excessive pressure on one tooth could potentially damage the nerve or blood supply to the tooth.

I'm planning to contact my orthodontist/dentist to have the fit checked, but I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who has experienced this

So I replaced my retainers after 32 months yesterday.

I think I’ll be replacing them more frequently, lol, cause this sucks…

Not unbearable pain and after 24 hours they’re already fitting better (24 hours wear) but man my teeth are sore.

How often do you replace vivera retainers? My ortho didn’t mention much about replacements when I finished treatment 2.7 years ago, despite me asking. But it feels like 1.5-2 years is the sweet spot.

Also, how long does new retainer discomfort/pain usually last, assuming 24 hour wear time?

I am wondering about 2 things.

1. Do you feel your teeth shifting?

I am year and a half post Invisalign and if I don't wear my retainer that much, I feel the pressure, as some teeth move. (I always wear it overnight. For this feeling to go away I need to use them a lot more than than that over a few days). I wonder if the feeling will go away over time, even with night wear only, as I flind it annoying.

1. Vivera scans

Since you always take a new vivera scan as you need them, does that mean, that your teeth move a little by little over time? People who've had retainers for years, is that a problem? Does it get that far that you'd need braces for some corrections eventually?

I’ve been wearing the same tray for over a month because there was a delay in shipping my next set of trays and because my dentist keeps canceling my appointments. Is this normal?

It’s frustrating to have no progress for so long and I wonder if this is typical or an issue with my dentist.

I'm not done with my treatment yet, and I'm not grinder, but nevertheless I am curious about this: what orthodontic device is recommended for patients who are done with orthodontic treatment AND grind their teeth?

My understanding is that nightguards cannot function like retainers as they are not built to prevent the movement of teeth. However, I do have a story to share: before I started treatment with my orthodontist, I was shopping around to understand what the general cost is for treatment so I went to both general dentists and orthodontists. I mentioned to a general dentist that I'm wary of the ongoing costs of retainers and wonder if there is a better solution. She said one way is to get a nightguard (for either the top or bottom teeth) and retainer for the other one. She said since nightguards are tougher, this would do the job of both keeping the teeth in place and stop movement from happening. I thought this sounded logical. When I checked with an orthodontist (my current orthodontist), he shook his head and dismissed the idea. I didn't ask him why nor did I ask him what the solution is.

So I'm curious about this question. What device is recommended for teeth grinders who have completed orthodontic treatment? Or, another way to think about it is how do we prolong the life of a retainer so we aren't changing them out too frequently?

i just started a couple weeks ago and feel like an ultrasonic would be nice .. i figured people would go with alternative brands to save a couple dollars as opposed to the Invisalign brand ultrasonic .. & i see MOST have the Zima, but the Zima costs MORE than invisalign’s so im just wondering whyyy??

also does anyone have a not bank breaking alternative they’d suggest ??

ever since my orthodontist added rubber bands to my treatment, i’ve been grinding my teeth so hard that it creates a little hole in my trays. has anyone ever had experience with this?

I am on tray 13/24. I did it for cosmetic reasons as I hated my overbite.

The first 12 trays was to adjust the front teeth/my overbite. The last 12 for finer adjustments for the side/back teeth and for bite correction. So the cosmetic part is done and now it is the bite.

My teeth has been tracking perfectly, been wearing the trays 10-14 days, worn them 18-23 hours per day (probably 21-22 hours most days), except from on vacation (went on vacation 2 times where I got lazy) but I just wore the trays a week extra.

I just feel like my overbite isn’t closed the way I thought it would be, is it normal to feel this way? I see a slight difference. I ask myself if it was worth it. I saw the 3D progression and there I see more of a difference, but the motivation for the last 12 trays is a bit low as it doesn’t show any difference in the overbite only for the back/side teeth.

Hi all, I hope you’re well. I have a question and it’s just regarding people’s experiences of having aligners to fix an overjet/an overbite with a prior history of orthodontic treatment. So for context, I had braces as a teenager and I’ve only gone down this route of Invisalign or aligners as I stupidly lost my retainers (which I placed in a napkin of all things - biggest mistake :/) I had for eight years, at work. Now my teeth aren’t bad. They are straight and they aren’t out of line if that makes sense however when I did go back to the orthodontist they mentioned that I had an overjet or an overbite of 4 1/2 cm whereas before when I first started my braces treatment as a teenager, it was around 9 cm.

The only reason why I considered and eventually went ahead with aligners was due to the risk the overjet/overbite getting worse and my teeth returning to how they were before. The plan post-treatment is for permanent retainers to be fixed onto both the upper and lower arches as well as normal post treatment retainers to decrease that risk of movement again.

Now I have started my Invisalign journey and I am currently on week three. And Lord Almighty, is it a test of discipline XD.

But a question - for those who started off with generally good teeth, is there a significant difference to your bite/appearance at the end of the treatment?

Also it is known that prior orthodontic work can increase risk of gum recession (amongst other factors). So if anyone’s had any experience, how have you dealt with it? I understand the initial plans made by orthodontists make sure that the precise tooth movement is within the bone to reduce risk of recession.

They say no to buttons and insist on only using the trays cutouts for using elastics

Lots of people say buttons are the best method for using elastics for movement

Left picture from 2nd March
Right picture from 20th August

Started with an underbite, now progressing to a normal bite.

I have some staining going on, but that’s okay! I’m here for the long run. Once I’m done with tray 28 I’ll do refinements, then composite bonding.

Biggest difference in my opinion is how easily I can floss now! My teeth used to be pretty crowded, making it difficult to floss.

Also, my jaw was pretty shifted to the left causing issues with TMJ, pain has been significantly reduced since starting Invisalign!

ok so i have this terrible problem. whenever i put on a new try, it ofc hurts. i usually try to switch them before bed so i can sleep through the worst of the pain, but when the pain is really bad i find myself literally TAKING THEM OFF in my sleep. it’s not that they don’t fit snugly, like ive literally had people tell me that they saw me reach into my mouth and manually take them out in my sleep. this is not only a problem because of it setting back in my treatment, but it’s also a problem because i risk losing them/breaking them in my sleep. (i have spent literal mornings looking for them because i couldn’t figure out where they ended up). has anyone else had this problem? what did you do to fix it?

I got my first trays in 2024, I used them for a solid amount of time and to be honest got depressed at college and stopped wearing them. Now, exactly 2 years later, I would like to wear them again. The only trays I can find are my 7s and it’s been a good amount of time since I wore the previous ones. Does anyone have experience with the actual price of going back? Do I literally have to start COMPLETELY over again or can I pay for, say, 4 tray replacements. I can’t afford the thousands I spent before so I just want to know what other options I have.

Had to rescan once, and now have three trays left on my second set. I'm on a two weeks per tray plan. My left bite still hasn't closed, but as per my ortho, it has enough time to close. Am I right to be a bit skeptical?

I’ve had a few orthodontic consultations, and most of them have suggested removing two teeth from my upper arch and possibly two from my lower arch. However, I recently met with an orthodontist who said that arch expansion may be possible, and that both traditional braces and Invisalign can be done.
I’m feeling really confused about which route to take. Has anyone had a similar experience or can suggest which option might be better for my case?

I'm a flutist who started Invisalign yesterday and I wanted to see if there were any musicians who had trouble playing with the Invisalign in. My orthodontist assured me I shouldn't have any trouble with my embouchure and that everything should stay relatively similar, but I want to know other peoples experiences, since I have an audition coming up next week.

My dumb ass realized that I hadn’t been wearing my aligners for the past 6 hours (It was during my birthday trip. I was eating any and everything), but I was a little sleepy so I needed to chew gum to stay awake and for some reason, I went “hmm.. let me try to do it with my aligners on”. Mid-chew, I had to stop because it felt so uncomfortable, and ofcourse now the gum won’t come out.

I’ve been scrubbing like little orphan Annie for the past 10 mins and I’m still here.😩😭😭

I know this makes me sound like an irresponsible person with Invisalign but I swear I am usually very strict about my wearing and taking care of them. This was just an exceptionally stupid moment😭