But am I too old to deal with the hassle of teeth straightening? You may be surprised to learn how little your routine will change with Invisalign. From your morning schedule, to meals, work-outs, and bedtime you can go about your day in much the same way as before you chose to beautify your smile with this state of the art treatment.
Always rushed in the morning? Simply pop out the Invisalign aligners, brush and floss normally, and pop them right back in place. To clean the aligners, you can either use the cleaning kit provided or brush and rinse with warm water. The process is easy and quick, allowing you to get out the door to your meeting or carpool in a flash.
Big lunch with clients or a special luncheon? No problem. With Invisalign, you remove the aligners during meals. No worries about spinach stuck in metal brackets and wires, or restrictions on the types of food you can eat. Enjoy your lunch with confidence.
But I love to play basketball at lunch, and soccer with my kids? If contact sports are a big part of your life, Invisalign won’t get in your way. You can leave the aligners in without concern that you might cut your mouth, or remove them if you normally wear a mouth guard when playing. Score another point for Invisalign!
I’m so tired by bedtime that I just want to fall into bed, won’t they take forever to clean? With Invisalign, no need to worry about the tedious cleaning and flossing between brackets and wires as with traditional braces. Since the aligners are removed for oral hygiene tasks, you can simply brush and floss your teeth normally, and then brush and rinse your aligners. It’s so quick that your pillow won’t have time to miss you.
As you can see, with Invisalign, your daily routine will experience minimal changes, but your smile will achieve maximum results!
To learn more about Invisalign for adults in Sherman Oaks, schedule your appointment today for a consultation.
Congratulations! Your braces are about to come off. After months – or years – of wearing your braces, your teeth are ready and your orthodontist is going to take off your braces. Your orthodontist will schedule your final appointment to remove your braces. This appointment usually takes about an hour.
Removing the braces is a fairly simple procedure. During your appointment, your orthodontist will use pliers to clip off the brackets of the braces, removing them from your teeth. This is not a painful process, but you will feel some pressure and hear a popping sound as the bracket comes off of the tooth. Because the brackets were adhered to your teeth with a cement-like adhesive, some of this will remain on your teeth. Your orthodontist will remove this, either scraping it off by hand or by using a polishing device.
Once your braces have been removed, you are likely to be fitted for a retainer. A mold will be taken of your mouth and your orthodontist will create a custom retainer for you. The retainer will prevent your teeth from shifting back to their original positions. It’s important to wear your retainer exactly as your orthodontist recommends. If you don’t, your teeth could shift back into their old positions, and your time in braces would be wasted. Be sure to keep your retainer in its case when it’s not in your mouth. Never wrap the retainer in a napkin or paper towel, as this is a sure way to accidentally throw it in the trash.
After you have left the orthodontist’s office, schedule a regular dental cleaning and check-up with your dentist. Wait a minimum of one month before undergoing any kind of whitening treatment, as the newly exposed enamel from under the brace brackets will be sensitive at first. Be gentle with your teeth and gums for several days, as they are likely to feel a bit sensitive.
It’s important to take care of your new smile. Be sure to maintain good oral hygiene habits and brush, floss, and see your dentist regularly. This way you’ll enjoy your new smile for years to come.
If you are looking for an orthodontist in Sherman Oaks CA for your family, schedule an appointment to meet Dr. Fotovat.
Look around and you’ll likely notice that braces are common in children these days. There are a variety of reasons that parents choose to go ahead and start orthodontic treatment for their children, which can help eliminate teeth and jaw problems for the rest of their lives.
Reasons for treatment
In addition to the obvious desire to improve appearance, there are other reasons for orthodontic treatment. Crooked teeth can make oral hygiene tasks difficult, so correcting problems can lead to better oral health. Jaw and teeth issues can be disfiguring, as well as possibly affect eating and speaking. An improper bite can wear down otherwise healthy teeth. Some untreated problems can damage the underlying bone structure, and some orthodontic issues can also cause pain.
Indications of problems
There are various signs to watch for that may indicate orthodontic problems in children. These include breathing with the mouth open, early tooth decay, or losing baby teeth either too early or abnormally late. Difficulties biting and chewing may mean orthodontic issues as well. The teeth and jaws might be noticeably out of proportion. Also, children who suck their thumbs, fingers, or lips often end up needing orthodontic treatment.
Early intervention
Uncorrected orthodontic issues can become worse over time, and end up more difficult and expensive to treat. It is easiest to influence teeth and jaws when growth is still taking place. Parents should take children for an orthodontic consultation when problems are observed, as treatment can begin as early as 7 years old.
Length of treatment
Orthodontic treatment usually take anywhere from a few months to a couple of years depending on the type and severity of problems. An experienced orthodontist should be able to predict treatment time based on thorough examination, including X-rays and other tests as necessary. A treatment plan may involve tooth extraction, temporary appliances, permanent appliances, or other services.
Orthodontist in Sherman Oaks for children and teens.
Your orthodontist may recommend phased orthodontic treatment for your child. Phased orthodontics is the process of treating misaligned, gapped, or crowded teeth in two separate stages of treatment.
Phased treatment typically begins when there are still primary (baby) teeth present, and can correct such issues as overbite, underbite, crossbite, or imbalanced jaw growth that could lead to problems with your child’s secondary (adult) teeth. Having your child’s orthodontist correct these issues when primary teeth are still present allows for your child’s mouth to grow and change while preserving his or her permanent smile.
In Phase I, your child will receive a thorough orthodontic evaluation by a skilled orthodontist. A first visit is recommended prior to the age of seven. The orthodontist will monitor your child’s facial jaw growth and primary tooth loss along with the eruption of any remaining permanent teeth. If your child’s orthodontist recommends phased treatment, the first treatment typically starts when your child is between the ages of six and ten.
Phase I treatment can prevent a jaw or dental developmental problems from worsening and requiring a more invasive corrective procedure when permanent teeth have descended. Some issues can lead to surgery, but early orthodontic treatment during the most appropriate times of growth can remedy these issues so that surgery isn’t required.
Phase II begins once adult teeth have fully erupted. It involves the application of braces or other orthodontic appliances. Phase I focuses on the mouth’s growth and foundation, but Phase II completes the alignment for optimal function and aesthetics. Phase II can also include the use of a retainer to maintain the ideal position of the teeth after the braces are removed.
Talk to your child’s orthodontist today to learn if your child is able to benefit from phased orthodontic treatment. Don’t wait until small problems become larger ones later.
Dr. Fotovat is an orthodontist in Sherman Oaks CA
It is not uncommon for teenagers to need orthodontic correction to help achieve a beautiful smile that can last a lifetime. However, many teens are hesitant to have treatment because of the embarrassment and hassles associated with traditional braces. Invisalign Teen offers a way for young people to improve their smiles but maintain their self-confidence during treatment.
Invisalign Teen involves wearing customized aligners made of clear plastic that fit snugly over the teeth. The aligners are removable for eating, cleaning, and even for special occasions. Treatment is most successful and quick if teens wear the aligners most of the time except for eating, hygiene, or playing sports.
This type of orthodontic treatment corrects many common issues, including crooked teeth, spacing problems, overcrowding, and bite issues. Every two weeks or so, the patient will progress to a new aligner in the series of trays custom-made for that particular treatment plan. Visits to the orthodontist are needed less frequently than with traditional braces.
Invisalign Teen offers a variety of benefits for patients. These include:
- The lightweight, clear plastic aligners are nearly invisible so that others often don’t even notice them.
- Dental hygiene tasks are easy since the aligners are removable, allowing normal brushing and flossing techniques.
- Mouth irritation seldom occurs with the comfortable aligners as compared to annoying metal wires and brackets.
- Emergency orthodontic visits are not necessary for broken appliances.
- Average treatment time with Invisalign is usually 18 months or less.
- Invisalign Teen aligners even come with convenient markings to help patients know when it’s time to change to the next set of aligners in the treatment series.
Invisalign teen dentist in Sherman Oaks CA
There are a number of reasons that orthodontic treatment is recommended. It’s not always just about the appearance of your smile, but also may involve the function or comfort of your mouth. Here are some of the most common reasons for wearing braces on your teeth.
Teeth crowding
One of the most obvious reasons for braces is to reposition teeth so they don’t overlap or look too crowded. Sometimes it’s necessary to extract teeth or wear other appliances to expand the mouth to better accommodate your teeth.
Teeth gaps
Along the same lines, gaps in the teeth can be corrected with braces so that your smile looks better. Also, your oral hygiene should improve when your teeth are in better positions.
Overbite
When your upper teeth protrude over your lower teeth, it’s called an overbite. Braces can help the jaw to grow together more properly, and realign your teeth and bite. Even in severe cases, early orthodontic treatment may allow a patient to avoid jaw surgery for an overbite.
Underbite
On the other hand, an underbite is described as the lower teeth protruding out further than the upper ones. This can cause discomfort, uneven teeth wear, and an unattractive appearance. Chewing and smiling will both likely come easier after orthodontic treatment for an underbite.
Openbite
Sometimes the front teeth don’t touch as they should when you close your mouth, which is called an openbite. This is sometimes related to thumb sucking as a child. Orthodontic treatment can alter the bite and teeth to correct an openbite.
Missing teeth
When teeth are missing as a result of things like disease or trauma, the open space in your smile can allow your remaining teeth to shift inappropriately. Braces can move the existing teeth into the correct location so that then an artificial tooth, such as a dental implant, can be placed to fully restore your smile.
Braces dentist in Sherman Oaks California
