Dental Part 16
Holding patterns are not my favorite thing. I am a moving forward kind of gal. So I was disturbed to learn that the second set of trays would take almost a month to arrive. I of
fered any amount of money to expedite the trays. Nope, not possible. The orthodontist made hard plastic retainers to hold my teeth in place and I wore them night and day.
Aside from adding a month to the overall time in orthodontics, this month is critical if having Wilckodontics. Recall that a tremendous benefit of the Wilcko bone graft is that for 4-5 months teeth move very quickly when orthodontic forces are applied. For example, instead of spending two years in braces, one would be finished in 6 months. Since I completed the first 38 trays in 3 ½ months, I wasted the final month of fast moving time waiting for the second set of trays. This is a huge downside of Invisalign when doing Wilckodontics.
The refinement included 16 trays and lasted 3 months, almost as long as the first 38 trays. The photos below are trays 1 and 16 for the bottom and top . Unfortunately, my teeth once 
again did not follow directions. While there was notable progress, I did not achieve all of the expected movement and a third set of trays was recommended.
What to do??? The primary goal was to fix my bite which would curtail bone loss and give a chance to hang on to my own teeth. The periodontist was confident he could perfect my bite without additional Invisalign. Therefore the third set of trays would be a purely aesthetic effort. I ultimately decided against it. Why? Instincts. For the second time, my teeth started to firm up and my instincts were screaming that loosening them for a third time could have unknown and unpleasant consequences. Not sure science supports this fear, but it was too strong to ignore.
For those considering Wilckodontics, this paragraph is for you. I strongly suggest discussing the pros and cons of braces vs Invisalign. As horrible as they are, braces may be preferable since they provide a more constant force on the teeth and a higher level of control. If a tooth goes walkabout, the braces can be adjusted immediately rather than waiting a month for a new set of trays. This is a highly individual decision and there are many factors that influence the choice including things that have nothing to do with your teeth like your travel schedule. For example, if you have braces and your teeth don’t follow directions, the braces need to be adjusted immediately. Things go real bad if not, so its best to be consistently near the ortho office. Find a good orthodontist who will dig into this with you. And if your orthodontist is unfamiliar with Wilckodontics, find another.
Takeaways:
- Several rounds of Invisalign may be required to achieve goals. Understand the worst-case scenario before starting.
- The gap between scanning for and receiving the next set of trays could be as long as a month. Add this into the overall time calculation.
- Review the type of movement required, ie. lateral, vertical, rotational and ask which appliance is better suited for that type of movement, braces or Invisalign.
- Do a thorough comparison between braces and Invisalign if considering Wilckodontics. In this one instance, vanity may have to take a back seat. The driving factor should be which appliance will manage the required orthodontic movement in the shortest time period.