There is an epidemic of really bad cosmetic dentistry in the U.S. these days. Over-whitening of teeth being the most common, even among people who should know better and can definitely afford the best care. Any time teeth look unnatural or obviously bleached, it's a fail. It can look just horrible, especially on older people but on young as well.

My dad had one of those million dollar, movie star smiles. He lost his fronts fighting back in HS, (I think he lost another in some accident in military), his grille was dentures. We were watching the news together a few years back and commenting on some politician's awful, fake looking grille. My dad lectured me on the importance of only using a top prosthodontist(sp?) for cosmetic dentistry. They know how to match other teeth and use a shade that is attractive but 100% natural looking. The minute teeth don't look natural, they look like schit. They should never stand out. :cool:

Thanks all for the advice! I feel much more confident about the procedure.

What are typical catalysts of relapse? Age? Lowered calcium intake?

I'm not looking to have a chiseled jawline after this (though that would be nice) but the orthodontist mentioned it would change the jaw since my front uppers lean inwards towards the back of my throat. All my teeth are straight relative to each other however.

Update: I have my first tray in! When will the lisping go away?? Also, any rec's on cleaners? It's day 4 and there is some bacterial build up it looks like. Doesn't smell but it doesn't come off easily.

Sorry - you missed this opportunity - just saw this link today on a news site:

College student prints his own braces
College student 3D prints his own braces - Mar. 16, 2016

That technology is coming. A buddy holds a few patents on 3d printing orthodontic brackets. The 3d technology will tie together CT scanning, 3d facial photography and 3d printed orthodontic appliances to achieve guided results. Pretty cool technology. He's in the forefront of the technology (lectures about it worldwide) and says 5-8 years before it's mainstream. Limiting factor is the cost of 3d printers that can produce the needed resolution.

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That's essentially how it's done...plaster models are sent to the company and they cut off the teeth are rearrange them straighter a little at a time and make a series of plastic trays along the way, which the patient wears in succession as the teeth straighten.

Basically except they scan the stone models and the movements are done digitally in their proprietary software, then the aligners are CAD/CAM milled out of the software.

Some orthodontists have the scanner in their office, so no impressions or stone models are needed, they just scan the teeth directly in your mouth, then upload it to Invisalign.

Again I maintain my opinion and observation that for anything other than minor tooth movement Invisalign (or equivalents out there) does not produce good occlusal (bite) results. Excitement about the technology often overshadows the reality of compromises in the final product/outcome. As with anything with the human body, every case is unique.

The lisp goes away eventually. I forgot about it when I was asked to do a quick interview on the local news for work and really kicked myself afterwards for not taking them out, but I don't think anyone noticed.


I drop my retainers in warm water with a denture tablet every week or so, although I only wear them at night now.

I know some of those words.