Archive for the ‘Invisalign’ Category

Is there anything faster than braces to fix my teeth?

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

I am writing to see if you can give me any suggestions for the fastest method to straighten teeth. My teeth are crooked and crowded, and I am finally in a position to do something about it. My 25 year class reunion is coming up, and I’d really like to have a beautiful smile to share with my old classmates.

I went for a consultation with an orthodontist, but he said treatment with braces would take about two years. The reunion is less than a year away, so braces are simply not an option. No way am I showing up with a mouthful of metal. Is there anything faster?

Thanks,

Eric from Hanover, NH

Dear Eric,

I can tell you about two different ways to get beautiful, straight teeth in just a few months. Rather than going back to an orthodontist, you’ll need to locate a cosmetic dentist who is fully trained, experienced and expert.

Invisaligninvisible braces could straighten your teeth in as little as 6 to 9 months, if your teeth are not too crowded. If they are very crowded, it could take as long as a year, but it doesn’t often take any longer than that. If you decide to go with Invisalign and are not quite finished with your treatment at the time of the reunion, you could always remove the aligner for the party, then put it back in place when the festivities are over.

Another option would be porcelain veneers. This could be a great choice if your teeth are also discolored or misshapen. Porcelain veneers are thin pieces of porcelain that are placed over your teeth to create the appearance of perfectly straight, even, white teeth.

The most important choice you will make in this situation is which dentist to go to. It is very important that you go to an expert cosmetic dentist with training and experience in both porcelain veneer placement and Invisalign treatment. That way the dentist will help you make an educated decision about which treatment will work best for your individual needs.

Treatment with Invisalign requires certification, so that should be fairly easy to determine. But any dentist can say they do porcelain veneers. Be very careful to review credentials, and ask to see examples of their work. Technically, porcelain veneers are not that difficult to place, but getting a beautiful, appropriate, realistic result requires a high degree of artistic skill. Very few dentists possess this level of aesthetic sensibility.

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Why are my teeth so sensitive after getting my braces off?

Friday, April 30th, 2010

I had braces for a little over two years. Last month, I finally got them off, but since then I’ve been noticing some problems. My teeth are VERY sensitive to heat or cold, and I can feel rough patches where it seems like the enamel is worn away, and there are “dents” in the front. Even though I never drink coffee or cola, my teeth seem to get more discolored every day.

What I am wondering is if my orthodontist damaged my teeth when she removed the brackets, and if so, what can I do about correcting these problems? I didn’t go through two years of braces to watch my teeth get uglier every day.

Katie in Traverse City, MI

Dear Katie,

Likely this is not the result of anything your orthodontist did. The removal of the brackets and cement is a fairly simple procedure.

After traditional braces are removed, some patients have white spots on their teeth that are actually areas of decalcification. This often happens when patients weren’t as careful about brushing their teeth while they were wearing braces. I do not mean to cast aspertions upon your dental hygeine habits, but am just letting you know what generally causes the problems you are describing.

If people with braces do not brush their teeth immediately after eating, the food can sit under those brackets for hours, and the acid-producing bacteria is there, too, busily working away both on the food and on the surface of the tooth. The damage only becomes fully evident when the braces come off.

There may be white spots, which indicate loss of minerals in the teeth, and those white spots are pourous. They attract all manner of stains, and can eventually turn brown. If they are severe enough, they can chip away and cause the pitting you decribe, and some of those spots may be hiding decay. If the teeth are missing enamel, that could explain the sensitivity you describe.

Teeth whitening procedures will not help you, and it may even make the spots look worse. Spot bonding could help to cover the spots and compensate for the damaged enamel, but if the damage is extensive and severe, you may need porcelain veneers.

This is not a happy way to end your experience with braces, and is one of the reasons Invisalign braces are a great alternative to traditional wire and bracket braces.

Don’t delay in seeking help for this, and make sure you seek the services of an expert cosmetic dentist. Good luck.

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Do Invisalign braces work as well as wire braces?

Sunday, October 25th, 2009

My 16 year old son needs braces, but he plays trumpet in the band. His orthodontist recommends Invisalign braces. Do Invisalign braces really work as well the traditional wire and bracket braces?

–Maggie in Colorado Springs

Dear Maggie,

Invisalign braces are a great choice for older teens who are in band or play sports. And yes, they really are as effective as traditional wire and bracket braces. In fact, in most cases, Invisalign braces involve less treatment time than traditional braces.

Because the treatment is computer designed, the Invisalign braces move teeth more efficiently than conventional braces. The smooth plastic aligners are certainly a great deal more comfortable than the wire and bracket braces, especially for kids who play sports or brass or woodwind instruments.

Your son will enjoy being able to eat and drink whatever he likes during treatment, because the brackets can be removed during eating and when he brushes and flosses.

Read more about Invisalign braces on Dr. Goldstein’s website.

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Crowded teeth

Thursday, October 4th, 2007

Dr. Goldstein,

My teeth are crowded. Can you fix them with veneers?

- Tina

Tina,

Yes, porcelain veneers work great for crowded teeth. We can place them in two appointments and they will make your teeth look perfectly straight.

Another option you might consider, other than conventional braces, is Invisalign invisible braces. Read on our web site what is involved with this treatment. You wear a clear liner that snaps onto your teeth, and people can’t tell you have anything on your teeth. It avoids many of the problems of regular braces–they don’t catch food or irritate your mouth, and they aren’t unattractive, plus they are much faster than regular braces. Your teeth can be straightened in six months to a year.

But porcelain veneers are even faster than that.

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