There are lots of brands and styles of electric toothbrushes on the market today, but are they any better than using your trusty manual toothbrush? There are advantages and disadvantages to both types of toothbrushes.
Let’s compare them to help you decide which might be right for you.
Advantages of manual toothbrushes
• Less pressure on your teeth and gums. It’s easier to feel how much pressure you’re applying with a manual toothbrush. Too much pressure can deteriorate tooth enamel and increase your risks for decay.
• Convenience. Manual toothbrushes are easy to pack for trips or tuck away for use away from home.
• Learning tool for kids. Children should learn at a young age how to properly use a manual toothbrush, so that they can maintain good oral hygiene for the rest of their lives.
• Cost. Manual toothbrushes are inexpensive and readily available in many stores.
Advantages of electric toothbrushes
Many dentists claim that electric toothbrushes are more effective in getting rid of plaque buildup on your teeth and gums. They are often considered to be better at maintaining healthy gums. Also, electric toothbrushes are recommended for people who have difficulty brushing manually. Often this affects patients with arthritis or other conditions that affect their dexterity or mobility.
Change your toothbrush
No matter which type of toothbrush you choose, look for soft bristles that will less likely damage your enamel and gums. Remember to change your toothbrush or your toothbrush head when the bristles become worn, which is usually about every three months. It’s also a good idea to change your toothbrush after you recover from an illness such as a cold.
You may not realize it, but orthodontic treatment can drastically change people’s lives. A healthy, straight smile improves your appearance and increases self-esteem and confidence. Insecurities about your smile could be holding you back from all kinds of things; a beautiful smile might give you just the edge on life that you need.
It doesn’t matter if you’re 16 or 60, a great smile is important. Age is really not a consideration for orthodontic treatment, especially with new advancements making treatment more and more discreet. So if you’re unhappy with your look and wonder if orthodontics can help, schedule an appointment with a qualified and experienced orthodontist to learn about the possibilities for your smile.
Most orthodontists offer a variety of options for treatment. These may include traditional metal braces, ceramic braces, lingual braces, Invisalign clear aligners and other appliances as appropriate. Ask your orthodontist about the best way to improve your smile, making sure to voice your concerns about treatment and the lifestyle that you hope to have during the process. For example, if diet restrictions are a big deal to you, then Invisalign removeable aligners might be appealing.
Some common issues that orthodontics helps with include:
• Crowded or overlapping teeth
• Spaces or gaps between teeth
• Overbite where the upper front teeth protrude over the lower ones
• Underbite where the lower teeth cover the upper teeth
• Open bite where the teeth do not touch normally
A good orthodontist will work with you to create a comprehensive treatment plan that achieves your smile goals. You’ll learn how to care for your mouth during the process so that your teeth remain healthy and strong. Then when treatment is complete, you’ll be able to display your new look proudly and enjoy it for a lifetime.
The nearly invisible way to straighten your teenager’s teeth while avoiding diet restrictions and cleaning difficulties is Invisalign Teen. Instead of traditional metal brackets and wires, Invisalign consists of a series of clear plastic aligners that gently shift teeth into better positions.
Many parents and teens have questions about the process, so let’s get the facts.
What are the advantages? The aligners are removable to make eating and cleaning easy. There are no foods to avoid during treatment, and normal brushing and flossing are all that’s required. Your teen can even remove the aligners while playing sports or musical instruments. Invisalign Teen is a practical way to improve your teen’s smile.
Does it work as well as traditional braces? Yes, when worn consistently for the recommended 20-22 hours a day, Invisalign treats most orthodontic issues. This includes crowding, gaps, and bite issues that commonly send teens to the orthodontist. Look for a certified Invisalign Teen dental professional in your area to find out if your teen is a good candidate.
What if my teen is irresponsible? Invisalign Teen has a built-in check system to make it easy to know when it’s time to change aligners. Each tray has a blue indicator that fades over time, so the orthodontist will know if your teen is wearing the aligners as directed. Computer imaging also tracks your teen’s progress, allowing you to see how the teeth are moving and what the end results will look like. This spurs many teens on to see how great their smiles will be if they comply to the guidelines! Also, if your teen is one who tends to lose things all the time, don’t worry. Invisalign Teen provides six replacement aligners for free.
What about my teen’s busy schedule? Invisalign Teen requires less office visits than traditional braces since there are no adjustments or broken appliances. A checkup every 4-6 weeks is all that’s needed. Plus, the average overall treatment is often complete in as little as one year.
Research shows that self-conscious teens are happy to have an orthodontic option that is less embarrassing than traditional braces. This incognito approach, along with the other benefits, makes Invisalign Teen a solution worth checking out.
Many parents wonder when the right time is to start taking their children to see an orthodontist. As orthodontics has advanced through the years, oral health professionals have learned that it’s beneficial to address problems early when possible. Most specialists recommend taking children to the orthodontist around age seven, since the mouth has usually developed enough and permanent teeth are starting to come in.
Orthodontists are trained to identify issues at an early age and recognize which problems can be corrected before causing worse trouble later. Some conditions are simply easier to repair if they’re addressed early. This gives the orthodontist more control over where the permanent teeth erupt, especially when jaw structure is affected.
Some of the benefits of early intervention for orthodontics include:
• Correcting bite problems
• Guiding jaw growth to accommodate future teeth
• Predicting permanent teeth development
• Reducing the risks of damage to protruding teeth
• Correcting harmful habits like thumb sucking or tongue pushing
• Improving appearance
• Boosting self-esteem
• Lowering the risk for future invasive orthodontic treatment
A common trend in modern orthodontics is a two-phased approach. The first phase begins when the child still has mostly baby teeth, and treats issues like widening the palate or altering the bite. This is in preparation for the second phase when your child is older and more permanent teeth have erupted. The exact timing is determined by the child’s dental needs and growth patterns.
A consultation around age seven gives you and your child the opportunity to establish a relationship with an orthodontist, and obtain the peace of mind that you’re headed the right direction with your child’s treatment plan. This is just one way to ensure your child’s healthy, beautiful smile for life.
If you are beginning your orthodontic journey, it’s likely you’ll hear terms mentioned in the office that are new to you. If you or your child is told that some type of appliance is recommended to help achieve the perfect smile, it’s helpful to be familiar with what they are.
Here are descriptions of some of the most common orthodontic appliances.
Elastics
Sometimes braces require gentle but continuous force to aid individual tooth movement or jaw realignment. This can be achieved using small elastics or rubberbands. They must be worn at all times, even when eating, to be fully effective.
Headgear
One approach to creating more space for teeth is wearing headgear, which attaches to the braces with metal hooks or a facebow. Straps usually anchor the appliance to the back of the neck or head. Headgear is often used to draw the molars further back in the mouth to allow more space for shifting the front teeth as desired.
Palatal expander
Widening the upper jaw to allow the upper and lower teeth to fit together better is possible with a palatal expander. For best results, it is used in patients under 15 who still have pliable jaw bones. The expander involves attaching a screw to the teeth with bands around the teeth, and then activating the expander by turning the screw with a key.
Bite plate
To correct a bite where the upper front teeth extend too far over the lower front teeth, a bite plate may be required to be worn for 24 hours a day for 3 to 6 months. This small acrylic appliance is clipped to the inside of the top teeth using metal clasps, and is typically used in the early stages of orthodontic treatment.
Holding arch
This appliance prevents the molars from moving and causing crowded teeth to spread. It basically offers a holding spot until permanent teeth come in.
Retainers
There are several styles of retainers in use, but the purpose of each of them is to maintain treatment results after braces have been removed. Retainers offer the best way to ensure long-term orthodontic results.
Part of the hassle associated with improving your teenager’s smile with braces is getting your teen to buy into the process. Many teens are very resistant to wearing braces because they don’t want a mouth full of metal, food stuck in their braces, or restrictions placed on their diets. Invisalign Teen is here to help!
Invisalign Teen involves wearing a series of aligners over the teeth that gently shift them into better positions. The clear plastic aligners are virtually invisible, which thrills teenagers who don’t want to bring attention to their braces. This also rules out the potential for food becoming stuck in wires or brackets, a common hazard that teens wearing traditional braces fear.
Another plus to Invisalign Teen is the aligners are removeable. They are removed for eating, so there are no restrictions on your teen’s favorite foods. They still have the freedom to eat treats like popcorn or hard candy without concern. Aligners are also removed for cleaning, so normal brushing and flossing win out as opposed to the difficulties cleaning around metal braces.
You won’t have to listen to your teen complain about discomfort with braces when you choose Invisalign. There are no painful adjustments and no pointy wires to poke them in the mouth. You also don’t need to worry that your teen doesn’t know when to change sets of aligners, because Invisalign Teen has a special Blue Dot Indicator that lets you know it’s time to switch. And if your teenager tends to be irresponsible, Invisalign Teen offer six free aligner replacements when one is lost.
The benefits of Invisalign Teen are obvious: invisible, removeable, comfortable, customized and effective. Your teen can’t complain that their social life is negatively impacted by wearing braces when you choose Invisalign as the method. It seems that teenagers face enough hardships and change in their lives; Invisalign Teen offers a stress-free, unique approach to a beautiful smile.
