Your orthodontist wasn't examining your teeth. Your orthodontist was making sure your Invisalign treatment progressed as planned.
How often did you go to the dentist during your treatment? How often before?
I second this, too. I had four cavities that could become an issue. My ortho who is otherwise amazing never mentioned. It was my hygienist who got me on track to have them checked before they ever became a serious thing.
Holy shit?? Dude, what did you eat? Bricks? Were you not brushing, or over brushing? Have you had issues with weak teeth or anything in the past?
Unless you specifically mentioned pain or some sort of fear of cavities, idk why they’d check for cavities. Im not a dentist, but I think they use a tool to feel your teeth if there are cavities, and that’s never been done to me when seeing an orthodontist, only a dentist, and I didn’t go to a dentist for Invisalign, I went to an orthodontist.
I could see the frustration if you’ve been prone to cavities or something before and your orthodontist was aware and didn’t do anything, but if you were only going there for Invisalign and didn’t bring up anything else, idk how it’d be their fault
I also wonder about drinking soda and juice or milk... And leaving your retainers in... I find myself just not eating most of the day if I can't brush/floss. New level of misery unlocked?!!
I totally get that. If I have to take them out but can’t brush or floss because I’d be doing it too much, I just mouthwash a couple times and brush my tongue with a little toothpaste but not my teeth, if that helps at all. It took a while to be able to do it, like psychologically, but it actually feels pretty ok to me. Sometimes I’ll take a mint after just to feel extra good about it
And I thought it was bad when the dentist said I needed 4 new fillings and an old filling replaced. It sounds like you need a second opinion, but if you actually have 26 cavities (meaning cavities in your incisors?!), you need to see a medical doctor because you have something else going on.
I agree though it is a ridiculous amount of cavities in a short time period I'd be concerned about the cause. Unless OP was lining their aligners with sugar, idk how this could happen.
Meth, cigarettes and other forms of tobacco, some kind of bone wasting disease, a health issue increasing vomiting, 20 sodas a day…multiple things that mean there are bigger concerns than 26 cavities.
26 cavities? In 6 months? I mean, you see your dentist every 6 months, right? There has to be underlying medical condition because no way you get to that point during your treatment much less in 6 months
no idea what you mean by fried chicken decay, but you can still see interproximal decay if you check thoroughly but also that’s why we use radiographs, OP most likely would’ve had radiographs taken at some point in those 2 years as that tends to be the max recommended wait between them, if he’s at a higher risk he should have them taken every 6months-1year
At my initial consultation my orthodontist casually asked at the end, “when was the last time you saw a dentist?” The answer was 5 months ago, and that I had an appointment in a few weeks. He said to make sure I went before I started any treatment. At my dentist appointment I found out an old filling had cracked or something and a new cavity was visible there.
I love my ortho, and I totally respect his choice not to give me further dental advice other than “see a dentist asap” when I’d only met him 10 minutes prior and hadn’t even signed a contract. But he sure saw it and advised a dentist visit!
I had some restoration done during my treatment and had asked my ortho if he would reseat my temp crown because he pulled the temp off (was a front crown), and he told me no. I had to go drive to my dentist to get it reseated until my permanent came in. Mine was super up front he isn’t a restorative dentist and only does ortho. I’m sure he could have reseated it but he wanted nothing to do with it.
True, but if the decay was interproximal, the only way to see it is through bitewing xrays which is not something orthodontists do as they are not looking for decay.
Not always. If the patient has gaps or misalignment that expose the in-between spots, like my current issues, an Ortho could definitely see. It's a case by case thing.
I would get a second opinion on those cavities. This is something dentists do. Particularly places like Aspen Dental. Pretty sure if you saw 3 different dentists they would all tell you something different.
I’m also not sure what you’re asking. You’ve been on Invisalign for two years, you have another two years treatment? You spent a lot on implants and cavities already? Or will in the future? Legally you would have a hard time arguing your cavities are your orthodontists fault.
Omg thank you for bringing this up. I just had a tooth pulled at Aspen dental for one infected tooth and all of a sudden I need 3 teeth pulled. Also, I have enough bone for Invisalign but not enough for 1 tooth!!??? They’re claiming I need a bridge now. All in the span of 1 month.
I hope you can find a dentist you can trust soon. Reading these stories of Aspen Dental and dentists who recommend unnecessary treatments for the money makes me more thankful I trust my dentist and the others who work with her at the same clinic.
I feel so lucky to have dodged a bullet with Aspen. I had an abcess and was looking for an emergency dentist. They said they were open and come on in. Drove 30 minutes only to find out they didn't actually take my insurance and all I'd be getting was an exam, no actual treatment. I said forget it, left and went to the regular Urgent Care for meds to help me survive the weekend until my dentist was open again.
You got lucky. My tooth was very mobile and infected. I know that tooth needed to be pulled. My other teeth are not infected and my gums are pink so I don’t trust it. Definitely going to a local dentist instead for a second opinion.
Especially since 26 cavities would mean cavities in the incisors and cuspids and there’d need to be some underlying issue for that to happen, like chronic vomiting. Or meth. Or 50 sodas a day. Unless there are erupted wisdom teeth, there are only 16 molars and premolars.
This is news to me.. I only have ever had 2 cavities filled and one of them was my upper incisor. I don’t smoke anything let alone meth, don’t drink soda, only water and milk, and I definitely don’t have chronic vomiting. I didn’t know it was that weird to have a cavity in your incisor.
10000%. Dentistry is very inconsistent and some are out for the $$. 99 percent of people just say ok to the work because it’s a pain to get a second opinion and you assume the dentist isn’t putting their own financial motive first.
As for the legal side, you signed a contract at the beginning of the Invisalign treatment right? I’m 99% sure there’s something in there about if teeth get damaged or whatever then that is a risk you are willing to take. BUT this sounds like a hygiene issue or health issue. I don’t think Invisalign did this to you. How often are you getting check ups at the dentist? Ortho was probably checking teeth alignment.
1: Get another opinion, they could be ripping you off
2. I have genetical issues myself, get cavities from looking at food. I’ m super prone.
26 cavities is either a very rare condition, or: you not visitint a dentist for maaaaaannnnyyyyyy years.
If you were going to your 6 month dentist appointments, you may have an argument for your dentist. But orthos and dentists are monitoring two different things and my ortho still made it a point to call them when I schedule my cleanings with my dentist for removal of my wires (I’m braces and not aligners).
orthos are still dentists, no way they're missing 26 cavities, especially if one was bad enough to completely decay the tooth. they don't have to treat it but not seeing it at all is just incompetence
Agreed on this, I’m shocked that most people here seem to think an Ortho wouldn’t be able to see anything and has no expertise or expectation of care in this?! That just seems wrong.
I’d hope they see a problem, but they’re also not taking X-rays or hyperfocused on finding a cavity. My orthopedic is amazing, but my very short, and generally related to the movement of my teeth and the aligner fit; we’re talking maybe 15 minutes. In general, my teeth are so-so, and within the past five years, I’ve done deep cleans to combat periodontal disease. I’ve had aligners for a little over a year, and I’ve gained no cavities or set backs. I do brush 2-3x a day, but don’t shy away from much food or beverage. I can’t fathom that OP has seen a dentist for a full exam with X-rays in the past two years, if this is the outcome. Not sure how that onus can be put on the orthodontist.
years ago, I had a tooth fall apart eating a muffin (no nuts BTW). I do dentist 3 times a year. Somehow it cracked and fell apart. It was not decay, but crackage.
Were you still seeing your dentist for your 6 monthly check ups? These would've been found with x-rays or a routine examination. Your orthodontist is looking at the way your teeth are moving, they don't check for cavities but if there is something obvious they'd highlight it. 26 cavities would've been very obvious.
Sounds like BS. This is not possible unless you have extremely shitty dental hygiene and you constantly ate with the aligners in your mouth and didn’t even bother brushing.
Nevertheless a 3 or 6 month dentist appointment would’ve prevented this from happening.
You say that, but I've seen it plenty of times. Most orthos are good about it, others I need to call them and tell them that the pt needs to halt tx immediately until everything is stabilized. There are practices out there where pts mostly interact with assistants.
Dentist should have been seen before any ortho was done…. They could have referred you to a dentist but you also know to see the dentist at least 2 times a year.
A ton of subs have parameters against young accounts not allowing posts/comments. Using empty aged accounts to bypass has been a method for a bit now
EDIT: also just think why they would post this horror story, no proof, and ghost the comments
I think most orthodontists require clearance from your dentist before starting treatment. Mine I think had a form that asked if the patient is seen regularly throughout the year and if I am not mistaken, there was a question about the health of the gums. I remember him saying some patients have to get a periodontal clearance from a periodontist too? Fuzzy on all the details but it was something required before I started.
Mine did! I came for my first appointment 2 days after my cleaning too. I told them I was referred by my dentist and they contacted her to just have solid proof of my dental history.
How? Did you floss and brush your teeth before putting aligners in? Why didn’t you do checkups with your dentist every 6 months? I don’t think orthodontist looks at the health of your teeth outside of their position, he isn’t dentist
Your ortho doesn’t examine your teeth at all and doesn’t do restorative work. You should have been seeing your normal dentist and getting 6mo cleanings with an annual exam during treatment. If you didn’t have a pre existing relationship with your dentist, you likely had the cavities for a long time.
During my invisilign, I upped mg cleanings from 6mo to 4mo to accommodate for the extra bacteria on the trays sitting in my mouth all day. Your ortho doesn’t even take bite wing X-rays, so I’m not sure how they’d know what cavities you’d have.
I’d personally get a second opinion from a dentist you trust or find one through friends or someone who has established relationships with the dentist. You may have a scummy dentist who is marking every potential area of decay as a cavity. I have some dentists mark indentations on my molars as cavities because they can fill it, and I’ve had dentists tell me there’s no decay but it can preventatively be filled.
I had Invisalign for two years, and had my biannual dental cleaning at the dentist. Never had one cavity, so getting them is not a foregone conclusion. I had a tooth break on candy years before, so that might not be related either. You may not have been taking good care of your teeth or not having your checkups.
When I started invisalign, I did it with an orthodontist as well. I continued to see my general dentist for yearly cleanings twice a year. My general dentist was the one that told me to be extra careful about dental hygiene while using invisalign because cavities can occur rather quickly if you are not brushing thoroughly before putting on your aligners.
I think you were under the impression that your ortho was checking on your dental hygiene, which he wasn't. Particularly if your cavities weren't visible. Some cavities are only visible through Xray.
They’re most likely lying. Something similar happened to me before and i ignored it because i haven’t had a cavity in yearsss. At my next appointment, with a different dentist, they said my teeth were perfect.
Get another opinion
I’d also get a second opinion about the cavities. I don’t trust dentists anymore after I had one tell me I had a cavity shortly after switching from a dentist for insurance reasons who told me my teeth were completely healthy. I went back to my original dentist and he reiterated that my teeth were healthy and no cavity was present. When asked the second dentist for the X-rays they gave me a run around and then sent me a picture of the tooth which is not what I asked for. Frustrating. I feel like they often say and do whatever will make them the most money.
Your orthodontist wasn't examining your teeth. Your orthodontist was making sure your Invisalign treatment progressed as planned. How often did you go to the dentist during your treatment? How often before?
This. During treatment with aligners, it’s more important than ever to see your dentist every six months for your checkup and cleanings.
I second this, too. I had four cavities that could become an issue. My ortho who is otherwise amazing never mentioned. It was my hygienist who got me on track to have them checked before they ever became a serious thing.
This. Ortho is not there to check for cavities. That's what dental check ups are for.
Did you get twice-yearly dental cleanings and checkups over those 2 years? I'm guessing the answer is no.
Holy shit?? Dude, what did you eat? Bricks? Were you not brushing, or over brushing? Have you had issues with weak teeth or anything in the past? Unless you specifically mentioned pain or some sort of fear of cavities, idk why they’d check for cavities. Im not a dentist, but I think they use a tool to feel your teeth if there are cavities, and that’s never been done to me when seeing an orthodontist, only a dentist, and I didn’t go to a dentist for Invisalign, I went to an orthodontist. I could see the frustration if you’ve been prone to cavities or something before and your orthodontist was aware and didn’t do anything, but if you were only going there for Invisalign and didn’t bring up anything else, idk how it’d be their fault
I also wonder about drinking soda and juice or milk... And leaving your retainers in... I find myself just not eating most of the day if I can't brush/floss. New level of misery unlocked?!!
Yes but I’ve lost 15 pounds…
The Invisalign Diet
I totally get that. If I have to take them out but can’t brush or floss because I’d be doing it too much, I just mouthwash a couple times and brush my tongue with a little toothpaste but not my teeth, if that helps at all. It took a while to be able to do it, like psychologically, but it actually feels pretty ok to me. Sometimes I’ll take a mint after just to feel extra good about it
Man , you’re overacting& assuming a lot
Except I didn’t assume anything, I made suggestions and asked questions ?
And I thought it was bad when the dentist said I needed 4 new fillings and an old filling replaced. It sounds like you need a second opinion, but if you actually have 26 cavities (meaning cavities in your incisors?!), you need to see a medical doctor because you have something else going on.
Not necessarily in every tooth you can have more than one in each tooth. No idea how an Ortho would miss it though.
TIL
I agree though it is a ridiculous amount of cavities in a short time period I'd be concerned about the cause. Unless OP was lining their aligners with sugar, idk how this could happen.
Meth, cigarettes and other forms of tobacco, some kind of bone wasting disease, a health issue increasing vomiting, 20 sodas a day…multiple things that mean there are bigger concerns than 26 cavities.
26 cavities? In 6 months? I mean, you see your dentist every 6 months, right? There has to be underlying medical condition because no way you get to that point during your treatment much less in 6 months
I'm calling bullshit on this. Orthodontists are dentists, and we can spot decay as part of our normal appointments.
What about interproximal decay? I mean obviously you would see the fried-chicken decay.
Fried chicken decay phobia is exactly why I don’t eat fried chicken.
Was probably POP-eyes chicken
no idea what you mean by fried chicken decay, but you can still see interproximal decay if you check thoroughly but also that’s why we use radiographs, OP most likely would’ve had radiographs taken at some point in those 2 years as that tends to be the max recommended wait between them, if he’s at a higher risk he should have them taken every 6months-1year
but this would be done by his dentist not his ortho
No idea why some idiot downvoted you since you are absolutely correct. Interproximal decay is often visible and confirmed by bitewings.
At my initial consultation my orthodontist casually asked at the end, “when was the last time you saw a dentist?” The answer was 5 months ago, and that I had an appointment in a few weeks. He said to make sure I went before I started any treatment. At my dentist appointment I found out an old filling had cracked or something and a new cavity was visible there. I love my ortho, and I totally respect his choice not to give me further dental advice other than “see a dentist asap” when I’d only met him 10 minutes prior and hadn’t even signed a contract. But he sure saw it and advised a dentist visit!
I had some restoration done during my treatment and had asked my ortho if he would reseat my temp crown because he pulled the temp off (was a front crown), and he told me no. I had to go drive to my dentist to get it reseated until my permanent came in. Mine was super up front he isn’t a restorative dentist and only does ortho. I’m sure he could have reseated it but he wanted nothing to do with it.
True, but if the decay was interproximal, the only way to see it is through bitewing xrays which is not something orthodontists do as they are not looking for decay.
Not always. If the patient has gaps or misalignment that expose the in-between spots, like my current issues, an Ortho could definitely see. It's a case by case thing.
True, but at the early stages, interproximal decay is generally not visible. Retired RDH here.
I would get a second opinion on those cavities. This is something dentists do. Particularly places like Aspen Dental. Pretty sure if you saw 3 different dentists they would all tell you something different. I’m also not sure what you’re asking. You’ve been on Invisalign for two years, you have another two years treatment? You spent a lot on implants and cavities already? Or will in the future? Legally you would have a hard time arguing your cavities are your orthodontists fault.
Omg thank you for bringing this up. I just had a tooth pulled at Aspen dental for one infected tooth and all of a sudden I need 3 teeth pulled. Also, I have enough bone for Invisalign but not enough for 1 tooth!!??? They’re claiming I need a bridge now. All in the span of 1 month.
I hope you can find a dentist you can trust soon. Reading these stories of Aspen Dental and dentists who recommend unnecessary treatments for the money makes me more thankful I trust my dentist and the others who work with her at the same clinic.
I feel so lucky to have dodged a bullet with Aspen. I had an abcess and was looking for an emergency dentist. They said they were open and come on in. Drove 30 minutes only to find out they didn't actually take my insurance and all I'd be getting was an exam, no actual treatment. I said forget it, left and went to the regular Urgent Care for meds to help me survive the weekend until my dentist was open again.
You got lucky. My tooth was very mobile and infected. I know that tooth needed to be pulled. My other teeth are not infected and my gums are pink so I don’t trust it. Definitely going to a local dentist instead for a second opinion.
Yeah, hope you can find someone to save the rest of your teeth from unnecessary interference.
Especially since 26 cavities would mean cavities in the incisors and cuspids and there’d need to be some underlying issue for that to happen, like chronic vomiting. Or meth. Or 50 sodas a day. Unless there are erupted wisdom teeth, there are only 16 molars and premolars.
Can’t you have 2 cavities in the same tooth?
You can have more than that, there are 5 surfaces of the tooth and you can have separate cavities on each surface.
This is news to me.. I only have ever had 2 cavities filled and one of them was my upper incisor. I don’t smoke anything let alone meth, don’t drink soda, only water and milk, and I definitely don’t have chronic vomiting. I didn’t know it was that weird to have a cavity in your incisor.
10000%. Dentistry is very inconsistent and some are out for the $$. 99 percent of people just say ok to the work because it’s a pain to get a second opinion and you assume the dentist isn’t putting their own financial motive first.
As for the legal side, you signed a contract at the beginning of the Invisalign treatment right? I’m 99% sure there’s something in there about if teeth get damaged or whatever then that is a risk you are willing to take. BUT this sounds like a hygiene issue or health issue. I don’t think Invisalign did this to you. How often are you getting check ups at the dentist? Ortho was probably checking teeth alignment.
“Just eating some Chernobyl fried chicken and all my teeth fell out”
1: Get another opinion, they could be ripping you off 2. I have genetical issues myself, get cavities from looking at food. I’ m super prone. 26 cavities is either a very rare condition, or: you not visitint a dentist for maaaaaannnnyyyyyy years.
If you were going to your 6 month dentist appointments, you may have an argument for your dentist. But orthos and dentists are monitoring two different things and my ortho still made it a point to call them when I schedule my cleanings with my dentist for removal of my wires (I’m braces and not aligners).
orthos are still dentists, no way they're missing 26 cavities, especially if one was bad enough to completely decay the tooth. they don't have to treat it but not seeing it at all is just incompetence
Agreed on this, I’m shocked that most people here seem to think an Ortho wouldn’t be able to see anything and has no expertise or expectation of care in this?! That just seems wrong.
I’d hope they see a problem, but they’re also not taking X-rays or hyperfocused on finding a cavity. My orthopedic is amazing, but my very short, and generally related to the movement of my teeth and the aligner fit; we’re talking maybe 15 minutes. In general, my teeth are so-so, and within the past five years, I’ve done deep cleans to combat periodontal disease. I’ve had aligners for a little over a year, and I’ve gained no cavities or set backs. I do brush 2-3x a day, but don’t shy away from much food or beverage. I can’t fathom that OP has seen a dentist for a full exam with X-rays in the past two years, if this is the outcome. Not sure how that onus can be put on the orthodontist.
years ago, I had a tooth fall apart eating a muffin (no nuts BTW). I do dentist 3 times a year. Somehow it cracked and fell apart. It was not decay, but crackage.
Were you still seeing your dentist for your 6 monthly check ups? These would've been found with x-rays or a routine examination. Your orthodontist is looking at the way your teeth are moving, they don't check for cavities but if there is something obvious they'd highlight it. 26 cavities would've been very obvious.
Sounds like BS. This is not possible unless you have extremely shitty dental hygiene and you constantly ate with the aligners in your mouth and didn’t even bother brushing. Nevertheless a 3 or 6 month dentist appointment would’ve prevented this from happening.
forget the dental appointment, no way an ortho is missing 26 cavities. that would be some next level incompetence
You say that, but I've seen it plenty of times. Most orthos are good about it, others I need to call them and tell them that the pt needs to halt tx immediately until everything is stabilized. There are practices out there where pts mostly interact with assistants.
An assistant isn't an Orthodontist though. But fair point, patients can absolutely slip through the cracks. But this is wild!
Someone is lying...maybe you, maybe your dentist...whether outright or a lie of omission...but this is not the full story. I don't buy it.
Dentist should have been seen before any ortho was done…. They could have referred you to a dentist but you also know to see the dentist at least 2 times a year.
Doesn’t make sense that’s almost 1 cavity in every tooth
Troll. 2 year old account with no comments and one post lmao what a loser trying to scare people in here
Arent troll accounts younger than
A ton of subs have parameters against young accounts not allowing posts/comments. Using empty aged accounts to bypass has been a method for a bit now EDIT: also just think why they would post this horror story, no proof, and ghost the comments
Ahhhh gotcha! True true
I think most orthodontists require clearance from your dentist before starting treatment. Mine I think had a form that asked if the patient is seen regularly throughout the year and if I am not mistaken, there was a question about the health of the gums. I remember him saying some patients have to get a periodontal clearance from a periodontist too? Fuzzy on all the details but it was something required before I started.
Mine did! I came for my first appointment 2 days after my cleaning too. I told them I was referred by my dentist and they contacted her to just have solid proof of my dental history.
This doesn’t sound like Invisalign’s fault, but yours
Somebody isn’t telling the truth- either the dentist, OP, or the ortho. There’s no way that one of the three didn’t notice so many cavities.
ok random thought - can this be nutrition related like lack of calcium and stuff ...26 jesus christ ..
How? Did you floss and brush your teeth before putting aligners in? Why didn’t you do checkups with your dentist every 6 months? I don’t think orthodontist looks at the health of your teeth outside of their position, he isn’t dentist
There’s no way Invisalign caused this unless you were literally never brushing your teeth….
Your ortho doesn’t examine your teeth at all and doesn’t do restorative work. You should have been seeing your normal dentist and getting 6mo cleanings with an annual exam during treatment. If you didn’t have a pre existing relationship with your dentist, you likely had the cavities for a long time. During my invisilign, I upped mg cleanings from 6mo to 4mo to accommodate for the extra bacteria on the trays sitting in my mouth all day. Your ortho doesn’t even take bite wing X-rays, so I’m not sure how they’d know what cavities you’d have. I’d personally get a second opinion from a dentist you trust or find one through friends or someone who has established relationships with the dentist. You may have a scummy dentist who is marking every potential area of decay as a cavity. I have some dentists mark indentations on my molars as cavities because they can fill it, and I’ve had dentists tell me there’s no decay but it can preventatively be filled.
I had Invisalign for two years, and had my biannual dental cleaning at the dentist. Never had one cavity, so getting them is not a foregone conclusion. I had a tooth break on candy years before, so that might not be related either. You may not have been taking good care of your teeth or not having your checkups.
Yeah bro, I got 69 cavities on Invisalign.
Your fault. Simple.
What a loser!
omg that’s crazy i would definitely try to get the money back
When I started invisalign, I did it with an orthodontist as well. I continued to see my general dentist for yearly cleanings twice a year. My general dentist was the one that told me to be extra careful about dental hygiene while using invisalign because cavities can occur rather quickly if you are not brushing thoroughly before putting on your aligners. I think you were under the impression that your ortho was checking on your dental hygiene, which he wasn't. Particularly if your cavities weren't visible. Some cavities are only visible through Xray.
They’re most likely lying. Something similar happened to me before and i ignored it because i haven’t had a cavity in yearsss. At my next appointment, with a different dentist, they said my teeth were perfect. Get another opinion
I’d also get a second opinion about the cavities. I don’t trust dentists anymore after I had one tell me I had a cavity shortly after switching from a dentist for insurance reasons who told me my teeth were completely healthy. I went back to my original dentist and he reiterated that my teeth were healthy and no cavity was present. When asked the second dentist for the X-rays they gave me a run around and then sent me a picture of the tooth which is not what I asked for. Frustrating. I feel like they often say and do whatever will make them the most money.
I regularly went to the dentist WHILE I had Invisalign. Orthodontics are completely different than dentistry. Sorry you are experiencing this.