My Invisalign Nightmare - What I Wish I Knew

Not all people have a positive experience with Invisalign or 3M aligners, and there's more to it than expected. Some people (like me) have to get rubber bands and TADs, which are temporary anchorage devices, and mine ended up causing severe pain.
0:00 - Intro
0:32 - Why I Got Invisalign
2:28 - The First Few Days
2:52 - Where Things Went Wrong
7:44 - Goodbye Pain
9:31 - Main Takeaways
Have you had Invisalign before? Let me know in the comments!
Instagram: @BalancingLaura
TikTok: @BalancingLaura
Contact Me: [e-mail]
#invisalign #creatornow #invisalignreview

[@forshigity5000]

Dentist here. This isn't an Invisalign nightmare. This is on your Dentist using Tads.

[@keytanes6834]

Right!!

[@philippiansfourseven]

Thank you!!!!

[@martita4585]

Hi Laura, I know exactly how do you feel. I also have TADS + rubber bands with my Invisalign. Honestly, it is a hard work every day :), but we have to trust the process and know, one day we will thank yourselves for all of this. Stay strong, I keep my fingers crossed for you.

[@rainecoblentz5094]

My biggest problem was honestly they didn’t tell me how much weight I’d lose because you don’t wanna eat or know you can’t eat because you don’t have time to brush your teeth. I lost so much weight whenever I already had an eating problem which really sucked . I wish they warned people about it . Even at work I have short breaks (10min ) and barley have time to eat even without Invisalign

[@Hahhaha68]

Same

[@xxxrobloxeditsmarioandrobl7451]

go to school again for your lunch break😐

[@angiescorner9549]

I have not experienced this yet . I eat 3 times a day

[@rainecoblentz5094]

@@xxxrobloxeditsmarioandrobl7451 I wrote that late at night and never looked at it again haha whoooops . My phone also autocorrects words even when I spell them correctly😅😂

[@rainecoblentz5094]

@@angiescorner9549 I have a pretty bad habit of not eating this just makes it worse for me . Glad you don’t experience this though. It’s all case to case🤷🏼‍♀️

[@PeaceIsYeshua]

Bless your heart! That sounded so scary for you. :( I hope things are now going really well with your treatment! 🙏🏻

[@betsyfraser2594]

What an awful experience!! When I had Invisalign I found the attachments invasive, but I had no idea other people were having to do the TAD route as well. Ugh! I sure hope the next step is manageable. Hugs!

[@BalancingLaura]

Invisalign definitely isn't as simple as it looks! Sorry to hear your attachments were bothersome - I feel you! Keeping my fingers crossed for my next appointment!

[@ie4319]

Thank you for sharing such an honest review of your experience!

[@yokedmuscle5644]

I’ve watched So many Invisalign videos and your the first person I’ve seen that’s need tads im sorry you had to go through that ❤️ getting mine in 3 weeks I’m praying I don’t need them 😅

[@jeanmichel2642]

So at the end it has nothing to do with invisalign. The issue is the orthodontist who accumulated TADs at the same time. For me invisalign did a perfect job

[@KatieWootton]

This is such a helpful video! Thank you for sharing. I'm so sorry!

[@BalancingLaura]

Thank you so much! Really glad I could help out! I never knew any of this could happen so I really wanted to share my story with others. 💜

[@tungerooski]

I’m glad you are feeling better after dealing with your TAD issue… looked pretty rough

[@BalancingLaura]

Thank you! It was a tough week and am keeping my fingers crossed things will go smoothly when they put the new one in!

[@susannorcross7254]

Thank you for making this video. I go Monday for consult. Good questions to ask.

[@MereAYT]

Part of what makes me so uncomfortable is how you sign long disclaimers after a short, limited sales pitch, and then suddenly there are a ton of surprises like TADs, rubber bands, filing down teeth, the attachments, and general dismissiveness about pain and concerns, but it's too late to turn back.

[@romtaylor6205]

I'm so sorry! I also had an awful invisalign experience. I had no history of depression or eating disorders prior but came out of invisalign treatment with both. I initially lost weight but was binge eating by the end for the 2 hours a day I was allowed to have them out. I'd recommend traditional metal braces to people over invisalign!! 🙈

[@MsSamsamsim]

Thank you so much for all he information. I really appreciate it. You are very brave. ❤️

[@Lady.Luck.]

People who have naturally straight teeth/bite have NO idea the pain and suffering that we go through...for years

[@Lady.Luck.]

@SeaSerpent it's a factor for some people but many of us have genetically small palates.

[@milkywaydragon]

@SeaSerpent Shrinking or deformed jaws, which crowd the teeth and cause malocclusion, have been an increasing issue ever since human diets started becoming processed. We don't chew food as much anymore, but we also don't get enough fat soluble vitamins during the development of our skulls. It can unfortunately be a combination of nutritional, genetics and posture. Check out the work of Dr. Weston A Price.

[@MaxFromSydney1]

I’m in a similar situation to Laura, just older (48yo). I have an open bite plus malocclusion making it difficult to chew my food properly. I’d had braces in my late teens, which caused several cavities despite trying really hard with oral hygiene, so my orthodontist got me on to removeable (Spark) clear aligners with the same (4x) upper jaw TADs as Laura, to help intrude my upper back molars with elastics. Getting the numbing injections prior to the TADs install was uncomfortable but meant I felt no pain when the dental surgeon screwed in the TADs. Then after the local wore off two hours later, I was in quite a bit of pain for several hours, despite taking Nurofen tablets. I was keen to avoid infections so I gargled salt water for several days and avoided consuming anything but water for 24hrs after the installation of the TADs so I wouldn’t have to brush, then ate soft foods for a few days. No infections, thankfully. I’m now on my 2nd out of 39 sets of clear aligners and have attachments glued onto most teeth. The left outer TAD digs into my cheek a bit so I use half a cotton ball over the TAD instead of orthodontic wax. I need to wear the aligners 20-22hrs a day, so I’ve combined breakfast and lunch, so I only have to floss / brush my teeth twice a day after meals. Yes, snacks are totally impractical for me, so they’re gone! Wearing the aligners and elastics give me a little bit of a lisp, and eating & brushing with care against the clock is a bit annoying, but I’ve got my eyes on the prize of fixing my bite so I can eat what I want. It’s about quality of life for me, not vanity.

[@LandandHomesHawaii]

Poor girl. I feel so upset for you. What an invasive situation. I too, have Invisalign and it straightened out my teeth so well that the little tissue that holds your lip to your gum, starting pulling the gum away from the teeth..literrally pulling my gums down. So I had to go in and get a frenectomy (they cut the tissue out and stitch up---well...guess what? I was allergic to the stuff they put in the shot and wound up in the hospital a few days later. I was crying and in so much pain for DAYS. Litterally it was the worst situation ever. I cant imagine getting TADS.

[@monicason67]

Ouch !!! I’m so sorry about that!!

[@BalancingLaura]

Thank you!! 💜 It was definitely not what I expected and I've never heard anyone talk about this before!

[@SanaaJadeCruz]

I'm crying 😢 I can't be next to people in pain or even imagine it 💔 I'm sorry

[@sarahohara4022]

What was the problem with the original TAD that was removed??

[@thomasrowan5951]

Wow. Tough going. Hope it’s better by now.

[@joan21498]

May I ask what was your cost please?

[@HULKITUP]

Thank for sharing your experience. Hang in there Laura. Btw, the video production is 🔥.

[@BalancingLaura]

Thank you 💜 I'm actually getting that TAD put in tomorrow so I'm keeping my fingers crossed everything goes better this time around. AND YAY YAY YAY THANK YOU!!! I've been working really hard and have learned a TON in this bootcamp I've been in!

[@HULKITUP]

@@BalancingLaura crossing my fingers the procedure goes well and there’s no complications. My dentist has shared with me that I have receding gums as well. They told me to floss more and it would help. Not sure if it’s working. :( I can see so much growth. Camera looks sharp and crisp. Lighting is on point. Transition, stock clips, and voice overs hitting all cylinders. :) How long is your class?

[@Enfield15]

Honestly I think the main reason for the lisp at least for me is because of the little ramps on the back of the top front two teeth. They are also really annoying, those and some tooth and mouth aching was the only things that really bother me.

[@tinam4]

I always had a bad experience with the dentists. I came in for one thing and they messed up the teeth that I didn’t have any problems + I had to pay thousands of dollars more aso I can feel your pain. I guess we have to really research the dentists before we go to them. Thanks for sharing your painful story. I was thinking of wearing the Invisalign but now that you’re telling more detailed stories of the Invisalign that I didn’t know before, I don’t think I want it at all. I’m going to try the crowns and veneers instead, to close the gaps between my teeth. I hope that things will work out for you and that there won’t be any more pain or minimal pain.

[@unknowngaming0000]

you can always choose metal braces instead if your worried just try to avoid veneers that's very dangerous to your teeth

[@PeaceIsYeshua]

I have Invisalign and had never heard of TADs. I’m thinking it’s not a super common procedure.

[@PeaceIsYeshua]

@@unknowngaming0000 Yes! If I could do it over again, I’d do ceramic braces so I wouldn’t have to deal with the trays, but my ortho says I only need to wear them 18 hours a day, so really, that’s pretty easy to achieve.

[@blue-sb4wq]

Hi, im sorry if i didn't quite understand. Why you have tads again? Im scared, i have super low pain tolerance

[@SecretTripper]

I'm on invasalign and after watching this, I'm glad I don't have those tads and hopefully won't need it till the entire process is done. Currently on aligner 11 and still have 5 more to go.

[@kmiwachan]

Tad pain is definitely underrated, I felt super anxious the first day. The second day was so muuuuch better

[@irinarossby354]

You probably would have needed tads with regular braces as well. It has nothing to do with invisalign.

[@GabeReyes]

Oh man! That’s crazy! I never knew that about Invisalign 😦

[@BalancingLaura]

Glad it wasn't just me who didn't know! 😅

[@MereAYT]

​@@BalancingLaura The disclosure throughout the process is insufficient. Smile Direct was sued because it's not as entrenched in the dental care system, but I think it's just a matter of time before the same happens with Invisalign.

[@debilish8451]

I was looking for an update. I hope things are going better.

[@treelore5100]

wow! I wonder how often they do TADs with Invisalign... does sound like a nightmare. Stress is not good for you. Did they tell you at your first consultation about the TADs? Did they wait till you were all in and paid money before they told you? I have seen a number of people talk about too much saliva. I was told I needed rubber bands but there was not talk about TADs. I presume the band attaches to the insert?

[@Shauna_02]

Well I def don’t want to do this now . Ouch 😣

[@badoiucristian4780]

Got one, it's a bit uncomfortable at first but i do think whining is top of the line these days. I did expect some discomfort and pain... i did have some of it but my grandparents went to war so surely i can put up with a bit of pain...

[@jrmjay9478]

Do the tads come off eventually or is it permanent?

[@BalancingLaura]

Thankfully they eventually come out!

[@punu1639]

wow, i am so sorry

[@BalancingLaura]

Thank you! 💜 I haven't heard of this happening to anyone else before and figured it was worth sharing 😅

[@Sam-oo1uo]

I think in your case you would have been far better off just having normal braces. You could have gotten ceramic ones that aren't as visible as the metal ones. I have Invisalign, on my 4th tray now (out of 14) and so far thankfully, I've barely even noticed I've got them in. Had IPR the other day, no issues with that either. The only thing that bugs me is having to miss my cup of tea mid-day but I can live with that.

[@emmastark5048]

Hi Sam, did they use numbing gel when they did IPR for you?

[@Sam-oo1uo]

@@emmastark5048 No but it isn't painful. Just feels a bit weird.

[@aleksandrabodzon9530]

While I can't say for her case, my orthodontist said that the TADs would have to be used regardless of if I decided to go with Invisalign or normal braces.

[@midgetslove4never]

I know your struggle, I have a whole palatal expander screwed into my upper jaw to fix my narrow palate, tads and all. I had to expand my jaw for a few weeks, get the arms of the expander off (I still have the main body of it screwed in) and now I have Invisalign, so talking is a struggle. On the bright side, the Invisalign soreness is nothing compared to the expander. I can’t wait for this all to be done!

[@skateranddancer]

How is it going? I am going to start this fall at the age of almost 33 and I’m terrified

[@midgetslove4never]

@@skateranddancer it’s a pain in the butt at first cause you have to get used to swallowing and talking. I still sound kinda funny when I say certain words with “eeh” sounds due to the expander. It’s tolerable now. But I’m almost free of it! I got it in November and may be getting it off in June. Invisalign is fine too, just getting used to talking with that also lol. Invest in a waterpik to clean the expander. Literally use it all the time

[@keelandonovan2297]

Check out the carriere motion appliance/Invisalign combo

[@milom3llo]

I had to get four screws attached to the top of my mouth to make room somehow for my teeth. It was the worst experience ever and i just remember sitting in my bed and crying. 😕

[@dondellaways5180]

i wont get tads

[@NonExistence2507]

I have braces cuz I lied about begin allergic to Invisalign cuz I couldn’t handle it 💀💀

[@cindland]

You should not have had both sides done at 5he same time. You should on,y do one side at a time. It’s too much stress on your body, brain, and spirit. Would love to see a follow up!

[@timewithtoya7361]

Wow interesting

[@keelandonovan2297]

Don’t settle for anything but the best ortho/dentist in your area, pay the extra money.

[@ChinithaJohnson]

The cinematography is amazing! What a terrible experience.

[@BalancingLaura]

Thanks so much! It's been a tough journey for sure. Hoping it only improves from here!

[@fufu1405]

Cinematography? There is no cinematography here. It’s just a camera placed in front of the face and stock footage.

[@harryp3804]

Poor gurl got wrecked by them orthodontista 😮......i have tmj and it sucks there simply arent any competent docs in my country who can fix it and i cant afford to get it done from abroad.

[@techmanfriendscrafter7767]

The part where they had to drill into the gum that scared me

[@teethree141]

omg I started having panic attacks after my Invisalign and facial pain, neck and back pain, all the way down to the soles of my feet. what the actual fuck. IM TRAUMATIZED.

[@jrmjay9478]

Did you sue? I would’ve

[@MT-yj7bb]

For what?! This has nothing to do with Invisalign, but with her orthodontist. There’s always someone looking to sue for anything.

[@teethree141]

Do you have a tongue tie? I was in excruciating paiN

[@ssaini5028]

This isnt really an issue with Invisilgn, you had actual surgey and lots of other issues going on.

[@amandamorse7355]

Why didn’t you go with true braces again?

[@cpcks18]

You can get them with braces too,depends on your case

[@BalancingLaura]

Honestly one of the main reasons is that I had them in high school and didn't want to go through braces all over again. I also like that the Invisalign is visibly more subtle. I guess we all pick our battles 😅

[@annarusso7278]

Yeah I had an epic fail jaw and joint surgery and am now in braces fuck dentistry

[@tonypanzarella9387]

Tens of millions (maybe, hundreds of millions) of people in the world wish their teeth were as beautiful as yours. The procedure is working. You will wear retainers at night from then on, but, would you rather have misaligned teeth? The alternative is not merely cosmetic.

[@Paul-im7pd]

I can take a lot of pain. This is nothing compared to getting tattooed at your ribs.

[@Paul-im7pd]

i have invisalign, dont feel anything about what you talking about...

[@extremepyro624]

Invisaline has basically ruined my wife's life. She's been going through a living hell for 3 years. The pain is so bad she doesn't t sleep, don't feel like going anywhere at all. Depressed, don't trust doctors an dentists at all.

[@annarusso7278]

Why don’t you just get braces?

[@robinsonsarah143]

Even if she went with metal Braces she would still need those things screwed in.

[@therecycledpirate]

I can't even listen to tell this story.... yikes...

[@BalancingLaura]

It certainly wasn't how I expected my Invisalign journey to go 😅

[@jacquelines3685]

@@BalancingLaura SAME!!! I had to turn down the sound in the video!!! I just hurt feeling your pain! I'm so sorry & hope it was worth it for you. How are you doing now? I myself am only 2 months in and it's going well so far 🤞🏾

[@jamesgibson3557]

Lol this generation is a joke. I really hope she doesn't have a real problem in the future.

[@LJExpedition]

Talk about an exaggeration. Take some proper pain meds and move on

[@robinsonsarah143]

Bet u wouldn't say that if u was in her position wasn't her fault they failed to give her stronger pain medication and for all we know it was prob start of an infection which can make pain twice as worse good thing she had it removed before it got any worse and if it wasn't start of an infection they prob just screwed it in wrongly which caused her to be in so much pain.

[@dannycanning9959]

Man up