There are pros and cons to each appliance. Braces require less compliance in the sense that they are glued onto the teeth so you can’t forget them at home; however, you have to avoid eating hard sticky crunchy foods and it takes more time to properly brush and floss your braces. Invisalign is a great aesthetic option which is a more comfortable way to straighten your teeth there are no dietary restrictions and brushing and flossing is easy however the aligners won’t work unless you wear them 22 hours a day seven days a week.
Answer is yes. Many people have missing teeth, implants, fillings, crowns or veneers on their teeth. We can straighten your teeth regardless.
Every person’s teeth and bite concerns are different, but generally speaking most comprehensive full treatments take 24 months to complete. Phase one treatment, which is more limited in scope and targeted for children aged 7 to 10, typically takes 12 to 18 months to complete and may require an additional phase of treatment once all the permanent teeth are in.
Braces patients typically see us for in-office visits every six to 12 weeks and Invisalign patients typically come in to see us in office every 12 weeks.
We understand life happens and people will relocate from time to time treatment fees are calculated based on a formula for how much of the treatment was completed to settle the accounting then we will be able to provide you with a packet of your treatment information and details to share with your new orthodontist.
If you have a poking wire or if you have a band that’s digging into your cheek and creating a sore, the easiest way to take care of this at home is to use your dental wax. What you would do is you take and peel off a piece of wax about the size of a dime and you would flatten it between your fingers and you would apply it to the area that is bothering you. Wax is not sticky like tape so if it’s a poking wire you want to make sure that you’re applying enough wax so it covers the wire that is exposed in addition to the bracket or two in front of it so you want to use a big enough piece to cover the entire segment.
There’s two ways that you can apply your rubber bands. The first way is to use your fingers: you would attach your rubber band to the lower tooth first and then drag it up to the appropriate upper tooth – this way it is easiest to apply your rubber bands. Try not to open your mouth too wide when you’re applying rubber bands – it’ll just make it easier for you to attach them this way. When you remove your rubber bands you can use your fingers and you would do the exact opposite: remove the rubber band from the upper tooth first and then the lower tooth alternately. There is an elastic placing tool within each of our rubber band kits that you can utilize if you’re not comfortable using your fingers to attach the elastics either method is fine you will find one that works best for you.
To floss you want to use either the floss threader that we give you and thread the floss through or you can use the platypus flosser which is technically easier but, unlike the flossers, are not reusable.
Retainers are forever. As we age our bodies change and our teeth show their age by shifting and crowding; wearing retainers nightly will ensure that your smile stays intact.
