Invisalign! Does it really work?

A few weeks ago, at a birthday party, I had a few people walk up to me and ask me, “Does Invisalign work?”  To which I replied, “Well, it depends.  In many cases, it does work but cannot fix every problem someone has with their smile.  We have helped thousands of people to get great results with their smile using Invisalign, but there have also been thousands of cases that the patient wanted to use Invisalign, but we had to use braces or a combination of braces and Invisalign to correct all of their issues.  Orthodontic treatment should always be based on the exact needs of the individual patient.  Everyone has a unique situation when it comes to their smile as well as their lifestyle.  A good orthodontist should help the patient determine if they need treatment in the first place and find the best solution based on their needs and preferences.  It should never be a case where the treatment is based on something someone saw on TV unless the solution on TV is the best course of action for the patient.  That being said, if someone comes into the office and wants Invisalign, and we can get them the results they want, then I am all for helping them with Invisalign.

They seemed satisfied with my answer to their Invisalign question. Then they moved on to ask me another question about yet another commercial that they had seen repeatedly on TV for an at-home, D.I.Y. Invisalign.  I asked them, “Do you think it is smart to treat your smile at home?  Are you pretty confident in your skills as an orthodontist?”  We all laughed as someone’s wife mentioned that they couldn’t even make chocolate chip cookies out of a box so imagine how their teeth would come out if they tried to do their Invisalign.  A woman then replied with the perfect response: “My teeth are so important to me as I smile every day of my life and in every situation of my life.  I smile at home with my husband and kids to show them love and affection.  I smile at work with my co-workers and clients to let them know I am happy or agree with what they say.  My smile is just too important to leave to chance.  When it comes to my smile, I want to make sure that I have the best person helping me get the best results.  A discount, D.I.Y. smile is not worth it to me”.   I simply replied, Amen”.