Do you want an attractive smile?

1 way to unlock your smile without metal braces

Face it, we have all known at least one person growing up here in Ottawa that has had to endure wearing metal braces, “ah the pains of vanity”, was probably what we thought. However, in all actuality, having braces at a young age does help the teeth and gums stay healthier longer the older a person gets. One of the reasons this happens is that when a person has crooked teeth their bite pattern is not aligned correctly for chewing. This condition can create issues with eating, and swallowing, because they cannot chew food into small enough pieces.

Additionally, cleaning between crooked teeth is more difficult, allowing tartar and cavities to form, which may lead to gum disease or worse. Naturally, all of this is strongly dependent on a person’s dental hygiene, (even people with straight teeth in Ottawa can face tooth decay). In any event, metal braces used to be the answer, and as such they brought a lot of work, and discomfort to the person wearing them. In addition, braces have long been associated with pre-teens, and teenagers as the targeted audience.

Braces for all ages: The one way without metal to a better smile

In the not so distant past, a new device or rather system was created that surpassed metal braces by leaps and bounds. The system is called “Invisalign” and consists of a series of acrylic trays that a person wears as opposed to the metal straps that need adjusting every so often. Each tray slowly and methodically moves the teeth into a straighter position, aligning the bite pattern. Moreover, there is no pain!

The way the system works is your Ottawa Orthodontist will take a 3d picture of a patient’s mouth and extrapolate the best position for the straightening their teeth. Then, with the aid of a computer a series of aligner trays are constructed and then wore for  a period of around two years or less. Each tray is worn for a determined length of time before moving to the next in the series.

The Advantage over Metal Braces

As stated metal braces need periodic adjustments, Invisalign does not. With each tray the teeth are gently moved into the desired position and while wearing a given tray, it is removable by the wearer. This ability allows the person to eat regular meals without worrying about food getting wedged in their braces. Additionally, this makes cleaning and flossing the teeth a simple task with replacing the tray after each meal a matter of putting it back.

Naturally, the question that comes up is, “Am I eligible?” it is best to consult with your Ottawa dentist or orthodontist to find this answer. Nevertheless, wearing the Invisalign system is undetectable by any of your Ottawa friends unless you tell them.

Valuable Reasons To Monitor Dental Health

Not everyone here in Ottawa realizes the importance of their own dental health, surely for many reasons. However, there are stages of human growth that pretty much demand a dental exam either by a dentist or an Ottawa orthodontist. There is a difference, a dentist for instance, focuses on the overall health of the teeth and gums and promotes good oral hygiene. An Ottawa orthodontist focuses on the alignment of the teeth, this includes situations where a person here in Ottawa may suffer from an over or underbite condition.

Gum Disease is a serious condition that can affect the root of the teeth so far as to cause them to decay to the point leading to extraction. In other scenarios a person may have a misaligned bite pattern due to overcrowding, (too many teeth). This can lead to a condition that results in an overbite or an underbite, which can also stem from the shape of a person’s jaw.

At any rate caring for a person’s dental health is important at any age in Ottawa. At birth, we come into this world with no teeth and as our growth, our teeth develop along with the rest of our body. Without a good oral hygiene regimen our gums and teeth will suffer. The older we get older, our metabolism changes as do our eating habits. Our teeth, if taken care of, will always run the risk of decay, making it important to stay on top of keeping our teeth and gums healthy.

One main reason is that gum disease can manifest into more severe conditions, such as heart disease, and diabetes for instance. Gum disease begins with tooth decay, which mainly stems from poor oral hygiene. The lack of a good cleaning regimen may stem from a difficulty with cleaning, impart due to an over crowed mouth. Everyone will have at least one or two cavities during their life, even if they religiously floss and brush daily.

An Ottawa dentist can fix the cavities and replace missing teeth and can discover an overcrowded condition in their young patient’s and send them to an orthodontist to help fix the issue. Many times the result is having to wear braces. Now this can happen even for adults. In any case, seeing a dental professional on a regular basis is as important as seeing a family MD for a regular physical checkup.

The Option of wearing Hidden Braces

Everyone pictures that geeky kid with a mouth full of metal when anyone mentions the subject of Braces, some of us may have been that kid here in Ottawa. However, because of the advances in technology throughout the dental industry there have been some amazing breakthroughs in the mechanical designs utilized in making braces work and function better and with less discomfort. Enter the hidden braces this type of apparatus sits behind or rather on the inside of the teeth, and works as well if not better than the normal type of braces.

The difference is, because of the placement no one can see them. Straightening the teeth has become very popular with adults, because of this technology, along with other cosmetic procedures such as dental implants, crown and bridgework and professional teeth whitening services offered through an Ottawa Orthodontist.

At one time wearing braces here in Ottawa meant having to wear and deal with the discomfort that came with the periodic adjustments that could take as long as two to four years, depending on how severe the conditions of teeth were. Now, such instances are a thing of the past because of the techniques and designs that support the hidden braces, it can take as few as eighteen months for a patient’s teeth to reach the desired position for an improved bite pattern and a greater looking smile.

The Difference

What makes the hidden braces more comfortable is the fact that they are custom fit to each individual tooth and are adjustable through a wire that connects the brackets that mount on the teeth. This type of brace avoids the declassification of the teeth and completely negates any injury to the inner lips that results from wearing standard braces. The material utilized is gold alloy, which avoids the worry of any allergic reactions.

The benefits of wearing the hidden or lingual braces is that that are more comfortable, take fewer visits to an Ottawa Orthodontist and no one knows that you are wearing them except you and your dental professional. In addition, they have no effect on your speech or ability to eat or clean your teeth. An additional benefit is that they work for children and adults.

Consult with your Ottawa Orthodontist and Ottawa Dentist today to see know more about Hidden Braces and their benefits. 

The Top 3 Questions asked about Invisalign

This is the most recent addition to the arsenal of dentistry for straightening a person’s teeth. What makes this system so unique is that it is nothing like traditional braces. Because of this there are always questions revolving around how well the Invisalign system works. In Ottawa, the first question that usually presents itself is it advisable to use Invisalign on a child.

The answer is no because their teeth are still growing. This system is designed to work on mature teeth, somewhere around the age of 20 to 21 when a person has all of their teeth. Another question that comes to mind is what is the length of time a person here in Ottawa has to wear the Invisalign aligner?

The answer here is a single aligner tray is worn for a period of a few weeks. This is because the way the system work is a series of aligners trays are produced and then worn in a certain order to facilitate straightening the person’s teeth. The total length of time to complete the process varies, sometimes as much as 18 months or a little as a single year.

The question that concerns a lot of people in Ottawa is the presence of discomfort or pain when wearing an aligner tray. The answer is again no. This Invisalign system does away with the periodic adjustments found necessary for traditional braces. Instead, each tray is designed to adjust the teeth ever so slightly, which is why there are a series of them.

While the lack of pain or discomfort is a benefit, another one is that the trays are removable for eating and regular tooth brushing and flossing. Afterwards the trays are again worn overnight or until the next meal. This is what makes the Invisalign system inviting to adults living in Ottawa who wish to have their teeth straightened without having to wear traditional braces and put up with the discomfort or embarrassment associated with metal braces.

Thinking about getting Invisalign for better smile? Consult Ottawa dentists and Invisalign specialist Trillium Dental or Wellington Village Orthodontics. 

Straightening Your Teeth without Visible Braces

Everyone deserves to have straight teeth, in Ottawa, however, not everyone desires to go through the hassle of wearing wired braces on their teeth for any length of time. This is why many people are beginning to choose invisible braces designed by Invisalign™. This version of braces began as the best choice for adults to use on their path to having a nicer smile and straighter teeth.

To date, since the public’s awareness of this style of braces, there have been over one million people, worldwide, who have used them to gain straighter teeth. With a better tooth alignment, food consumption becomes easier, and oral hygiene also becomes much simpler than it was with crooked teeth. The process involves using, what is called, a set of aligners over a period of time, normally for an average of 12 months.

The way they work is a person wears an aligner for two weeks and then changes it for another one. This process gradually moves their teeth into a proper alignment. Typically, there are a set of at least 18 aligners or as many as 30, depending on a given individual’s needs. When it comes to oral hygiene, eating, and cleaning is performed with the aligner removed.

The fact that a person has this ability makes using invisible braces a better choice as a matter of convenience and maintenance. This minimizes the visits to their Ottawa dentist for periodic adjustments that accompany wearing the regular wire braces. This is why each aligner changes every two weeks.

Each aligner brings or moves the teeth into the optimal alignment for the person’s jaw on a gradual basis. While using invisible brace cuts down the amount of visits to an Ottawa dentist, there is still a need to visit them to ensure the treatment is working properly. This is because each aligner is unique in the way they slowly adjust the position of the teeth.

From an insurance standpoint, the Invisalign™ braces are covered as long as a certified dentist is applying the treatment. At the same time, certain benefits may not have the desired amount of coverage when it comes to orthodontic care. This is one aspect of medical insurance that always raises questions in Ottawa as well as elsewhere.

The financial aspects of dental care typically carry an annual budget or ceiling for coverage. Dental Plans also specify whether or not they are for individual or family coverage. Since the average cost of this type of brace runs upwards of $5000, it would be wise to understand how much out of pocket is needed to help cover the expense of the treatment as well as the amount of the yearly coverage stipulated by the policy. Nonetheless, when it comes to straightening teeth using invisible braces are a good choice. 

Talk to your Ottawa Dentist  Wellington Village Orthodontics or Trillium Dental today to see if this is the right treatment for you.

Wearing Braces and the Importance of Good Oral Hygiene

Oral hygiene is an issue all around the world not just here in Ottawa. More specifically for people who wear braces. First keeping your teeth clean is not about having pretty teeth, it is a measure against the growth of bacteria that causes tartar, gingivitis, and the erosion of the tooth enamel or demineralisation, as it were.

If you are a person that is wearing braces, you should speak with your Ottawa Orthodontist about what makes a good oral hygiene regimen. The major drawback of wearing braces is the cause a higher susceptibility to tartar buildup and gum irritation or gingivitis. Any one of these conditions mentioned, amplifies when braces enter the picture and proper care becomes neglected.

Keep in mind that wearing braces has a direct effect on dental care and if poor oral hygiene habits go unhindered, and problems that are more serious can manifest in addition to prolonging the time for wearing the braces. Understandably, oral hygiene is difficult enough without having to wear braces nevertheless, when a person does have them it is even more important to have a higher diligence when it comes to cleaning their teeth. 

When visiting your Ottawa dentist, be sure to ask them what methods and types of toothbrushes, and toothpaste they might recommend. The patients age will determine the answer to these and any other questions that come up. Certain power brushes such as the Oral-B model designed specifically for cleaning around braces and a dental floss made tough enough not to break when flossing around a set of braces.

In addition, there are many types of toothpaste that aid in cleaning. None of this will do the job by themselves however. While the tools are there it takes motivation and consistency in practicing good oral hygiene to keep teeth clean with or without braces.

Understanding that taking good care of your teeth while wearing braces is essential to keeping a healthy mouth. This helps with avoiding any major issue such as cavities, gingivitis, or loss of tooth enamel. If you can keep your teeth clean while you have braces, you can only imagine how great your smile will look once they come off. Talk to your Ottawa Orthodontist today.

Thinking about getting a better smile? Consult Ottawa dentists and orthodontists Wellington Village Orthodontics or Trillium Dental