I am going in for a conseltation for braces soon and I want invisaline because I'm 19. I am told it cost the same? Is that true and if so how successful is it?

Invisalign is usually significantly more expensive than traditional braces. The success rate depends on your case and why you need braces. If you are correcting very mild crowding, you'll probably end up OK, but if you are correcting bite problems or significant crowding, it's probably not going to work very well.

I understand being 19 and wanting braces that aren't noticeable; it's an image thing. Braces are for young kids, and you're an adult, I get it, I really do. I say that because I had braces as an adult - I was 25 when I got mine put on. So I can also tell you it's no big deal. And, no one cares and most people don't even notice!

Talk to your orthodontist and be open minded. The thing about traditional braces is that they WORK, Invisalign often leaves people with compromised results. Many people who get Invisalign end up in regular braces later on. Don't be totally turned off to traditional braces; they are smaller and less obvious now, especially if you opt for the clear ceramic ones.

Here's a link to a great site with loads of information about having braces as an adult:

ArchWired - A site for adults with orthodontic braces

There is also a message board with some really wonderful, helpful people on it who will be your cheerleaders though your treatment, and answer your questions when you have them!

Good luck, and if you have any other questions, feel free to PM me, or post back here.

Today I went and had impressions done, took pics, and talk to my ortho. I have a lot of crowding so without taking my wisdom teeth out (mom can't afford all 8) I have to extract 4 bicuspods if I were to take my wisdom teeth out it would be 8! Haha painful :-(! But when I get that done I will heal for 2 weeks then get braces put on. My moms total price was somewhere around $3,200 with $1,000 off for insurance and a $1'000 discount for working at a dentist office of which he's friends with. I will wear them for 2 years and I'm super excited to get perfect teeth. My only delema is I turn 19 in 6 weeks and ill be kicked off the insurance for not being a student, so hopefully that will go through. Wish me luck!!

Glad you go something worked out, and glad you are excited!

Good luck! :)

Just be aware that most insurances do not bill the whole total cost of braces in one session, they bill individually every time you have a tighten or other issue... So prepare and possibly save some money for this... Good luck!

CM is right, the insurance portion doesn't come in one lump sum. It's usually broken out into equal payments over a year or similar period.

And this is the reason that I have opted to wait for a while to save some money for mine... I've gotten over the initial "Oh my god, what will people think." It was fairly easy. As I don't tend to follow trends I'm not too much into what people think!

Good for you, CM! :)

As far as financing goes, most orthos do not charge interest and break up the payments over two years (or more). This can lower your monthly payment A LOT and make braces a more affordable reality. For example, I paid a 10% deposit, my insurance covered a portion, and the rest I paid interest free over two years; my payment was about $130/month. I know some people who paid considerably less than that.

For anyone considering orthodontic treatment, it's worth talking to several orthos about their payment plans and prices before making a final decision. Things can end up more affordable than you think! In the US most consults are free, so all you've wasted is a little bit of time. I will note, by the way... beware of orthos who say they are going to charge you an "adult rate" instead of a "child rate"; the treatment and appliances are the same - it's a scam to get more money!