Advice/Info on Invisalign please

I have just come back from the dentist - I have crowded teeth and it is his opinion that I will continue to have issues with plaque/inadequate cleaning and subsequent gum disease etc. His practice advocates the use of Invisalign (the clear trays) to rectify the problem - he has quoted ~ $7K and a time frame of 18months. I have read reviews which range from being extremely pleased to unhappy. I guess I am concerned as he has indicated that there are serious consequences if I don't get things sorted but it is a lot of money and I would like to be sure it is worth it.
TIA

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I'm interested in replies too because I really want mine fixed! How much of that (if any) can be claimed on health insurance?

Thanks CL - Depends on your health fund I believe. Apparently my health fund will refund ~ $1200 over 4 years but I have heard of others not being funded as it is considered cosmetic treatment but I am not sure of how this works or whether that is old info. I am most concerned about whether it is the most appropriate/best way to straighten my teeth and am keen to do whatever will be most permanent/effective..... too many questions and trying to second guess!!!!

Can I ask why he suggested this over standard braces? Have you considered normal braces?

Mak, no harm getting a second opinion. If you're thinking of paying $7K for something, I'd want to be absolutely sure that it was money well spent - 'unhappy' is not how I'd want to be at the end of it!

I had braces, clear on top, metal on bottom (that you couldn't see), extensive dental work and an implant done and I am very, very happy with the result. It cost me about $12K all up, spread over about four to five years. I saw several different dentists to make sure I was satisfied it was the way to go and I enquired about the place as to the reputation of the specialists I was using within the industry.

Thanks Jennifer I agree it is a big investment! I am off to see an orthodontist (who does conventional and Invisalign) for a second opinion tomorrow as I have some questions about the Invisalign vs Braces. I have been happy with the general dentistry I have received at the practice however they don't offer any other solutions just the Invisalign. The chap is a cosmetic dentist rather than an orthodontist and whilst i am sure that is fine I am concerned that I may have some functional issues that may not be being addressed. There was also a massive emphasis on the appearance side of things in comparison to my concerns (which whilst they will be a positive byproduct are not my main concern ITMS?). I would definitely be very happy to have braces if they are going to give me a better result in the long term. From what I can tell there may be less opportunity to fine tune things as all the aligner plates are made from an initial impression whereas braces would be a more fluid process. Most of my issues are that I really am not sure of what to ask, so going to ask about the long term results and pros and cons. Certainly I am not fussed about wearing braces at all! I feel like I am on a time line as I can claim a little more from PHIif I start in Dec. If I decide to go the braces route I will definitely ask around a bit more as I definitely think reputation is important!
Jennifer - what maintainance do you have? Are there long term retainers you need to wear at night?

I wore a retainer top and bottom for about 12 months. Then I had the implant surgery done, and I couldn't really wear the top retainer. It was adjusted by the orthodontist, but the structural integrity of the retainer was completely lost by having to cut out a big bit to allow for the implant, so I didn't bother. I was going back to the orthodontist every few months to check everything.

I stopped wearing the retainers altogether after about 12 months. My issues weren't crowding (I don't have enough teeth - go figure! :D), and there hadn't been any movement after not wearing the retainer for six months, so I'm not concerned. One of the reasons the whole process took as long as it did was because my teeth were slow to move, even when I fell pg, which was supposed to speed things up. I see my dentist (and have only just finished the run of all of the other specialists earlier this year) regularly, so if there is any change, I'll be onto it quickly.

Both my DH and I had bracers a few years ago.

AFM - I had plastic brackets on top, metal on bottom. The treatment was 18months, cost about $6k and we got back $1.5k from PHI. I had the top on first and had to wear a plastic retainer on the bottom for a few months before the bottom set was fitted. I now have a top and bottom retainer I'm meant to wear at night.

DH - He was metal top and bottom plus he had major jaw surgery totalling around $20k, for the bracers we got back the same $1.5k, surgery I can't remember off the top of my head but all up we were around $15k out of pocket. His treatment lasted for 2 years. He now has a wire set into the back of his bottom teeth and has retainers to wear at night.

As you said with bracers you can fine tune things along the way, I had to go back in for adjustments, have teeth shaved down to make room etc. Seeing an orthodontist is a good idea, good luck with it!

I asked my friend about her braces. She said it was 6k and because some of her teeth were twisted and such it was the best route. She had the braces on for 12 months and had to wear a retainer for 12 months. 6 months of that was at night only because she had good progress. She didn't have PHI so didn't know anything about a rebate.

This sounds like what my DD2 has been experiencing. I think we were quoted about $3000, not sure if this was for the top only.
She was given two options but was told that braces will fix the problem whereas the retainer will need to be worn for a few years and a tooth would need to be removed. I think he was suggesting that the braces would need to be worn for 12 month then the treatment would be finished.
I hadn't thought about clear top and metal bottom. She suggested that the top ones be fitted on the inside rather than the outside but that is alot more expensive

Thanks everyone!