Category Archives: Invisalign

Invisalign

I’m Tired of Braces

I’ve had three sets of braces in my lifetime and I’m getting sick of it. No matter what I do, my gap in my front teeth keeps returning. My dentist is suggesting that I get porcelain veneers. He said I can get two veneers on my front teeth to close the gap. If I do that, will it really fix it? Like for good?

Lainey

Dear Lainey,

Invisalign aligner

 

While porcelain veneers won’t close the gap, they could make the  gap look closed. The benefit of porcelain veneers is that they can change anything about your smile, including the same, size, and color of your teeth.

This is an advanced cosmetic procedure. I would only allow an expert cosmetic dentist to do this. It would be a challenging case and you don’t want end up as another cosmetic dentistry horror story.  If you go that direction, I would get an AACD accredited dentist to do the work.

You could also try closing the gap with Invisalign. This doesn’t use metal wires and brackets the way traditional braces do. Instead, it uses clear aligners to straighten your teeth. Once the gap is closed again then you need to wear a retainer at night to keep it closed. This helps mitigate adult tooth movement.

You may not have to wear it forever. After a month or so, check it to see if your teeth are staying in place. You do that be leaving it out for a couple of days. If it goes back in easily. Leave it out some more, but keep checking it.

If it is a little tight going back in, then you’ve had some movement and you’ll need to keep wearing the retainer. You can either wear the provided aligner every night or your dentist can provide you with a splint retainer that attaches to the back of your teeth and will be on there permanently.

This blog is brought to you by family friendly dentists in  Lafayette Drs. Foreman and Thimmesh.

Invisalign

Dentist Won’t Fix Crowns Unless I Get Braces

I had two dental crowns placed on my front teeth over ten years ago. They are really discolored. I’m too embarrassed to smile.  I went to my dentist, who is a different one because the original dentist retired. He says that he cannot do the crowns unless I get full orthodontic treatment with braces. I don’t understand this at all. My first dentist was able to place the crowns without braces. Why can’t this one? The teeth themselves are a little crooked and do stick out a tiny bit, but that’s about it. I really can’t afford braces right now. Is there no way to just replace the crowns?

Marlene

Dear Marlene,

comparing metal backed crowns to all-porcelain crowns

I’m sorry your dentist is putting these restrictions on you. Not every case has to be the ideal. You asked a good question. If your old dentist could do the crowns without braces, why can’t he?

You don’t have to wait until you can afford orthodontics to get your crowns. You can have them without ortho, forever if you want, or you can have the orthodontics done later.

If you choose to have them done later, you are not locked into metal braces. There are other options, such as Invisalign, that can straighten your teeth using clear aligners. That way you can straighten your teeth without anyone ever knowing.

In the meantime, I’d look for a dentist who is a skilled cosmetic dentist. Front teeth are tricky to do. You certainly don’t want anyone who would place metal-based dental crowns on front teeth. You’ll want all-porcelain crowns placed instead. Otherwise they will look a bit fake. Eventually, they will also get a gray line at the gumline, such as you see on the example image above.

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Invisalign

Will Invisalign Work for Me?

I went to see an orthodontist about options in fixing my teeth. I was hoping to avoid braces altogether. I have some front teeth that are crooked. The orthodontist said that he tried Invisalign quite a few years ago and it did not work for the patients he tried it on. He’s recommending traditional braces. Is this my only option?

Caroline

Dear Caroline,

Invisalign aligner

I’m glad you wrote. No, it is not your only option. It sounds like your orthodontist only tried Invisalign when they first came out. In the beginning, Invisalign would only work on the most ideal cases. Since then, they have made great strides in being able to handle more cases. In fact, as of this post, Invisalign is able to treat all but the most complicated cases.

Orthodontists were trained in traditional braces. Not all of them are comfortable moving out of their original training. Plus, general dentists can provide Invisalign, which cuts into an orthodontist’s business.

You mentioned that you just had some front teeth that are crooked. Unless there is something extraordinarily unusual about your case, then Invisalign is a great solution for you. In fact, it even has a hidden benefit. The aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. You just need to ask your dentist to provide you with some professional strength teeth whitening gel. You place the gel inside your aligners at a time that is convenient to you.

This allows you to straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time, giving you the equivalent of a mini smile makeover at a fraction of the cost that it would be if you did the two procedures separately. Even dentists who only offer Zoom Whitening can provide you with whitening gel for your aligners.

I hope this helps. Talk to a few dentists who offer Invisalign. This will give you more than one opinion about your particular case. Based on what you’ve described, I don’t think you are going to have any problems.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentists Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.

Invisalign

How Often Do I Have to See a Dentist With Invisalign?

My husband knows that I have always been embarrassed with my smile. For this year’s birthday, he told me that I could do anything I want with my smile to fix it. I’ve been looking at options and decided I want to get my teeth whitened and get Invisalign. It looks like I get new aligners every two weeks. So, my only hesitation is that I have six kids. Yes, I know what causes that. I’ve heard all the jokes so don’t bother. They’re all under the age that I can leave them home safely and babysitters for that amount of children are expensive, as you can imagine. Do you think the dentist will let me come less than every two weeks?

Tamar

Dear Tamar,

Invisalign aligner

You’ll find that Invisalign has a very high patient satisfaction rate, so I think you will be remarkably happy with your choice. I also have a couple of pieces of good news for you.

First, even though you switch out the aligners every two weeks, your dentist will give you two pairs of aligners at a time. That means you would likely only need to go in once a month. However, given your situation. I think as long as there are not any complicating factors with your case, if you explain things to your dentist, he may be willing to let you come in even less.

Second, the aligners you will use to straighten your teeth can also double as teeth whitening trays. This means you can straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time. This will save you additional money because you will not need to have custom fitted teeth whitening trays made. Instead, you’ll just need your dentist to provide you with the whitening gel which you can wear in your Invisalign trays at your convenience.

Even dentists who only offer Zoom Whitening will be able to provide you with whitening gel to use.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentists Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.

Invisalign

Do I Really Need Three Procedures for a Smile Makeover?

I hope to get a smile makeover. I thought it would just mean porcelain veneers. I have stained teeth and my two front teeth are a bit crooked. However, my dentist is suggesting that I get three procedures. First, Invisalign to straighten the crooked teeth, then, teeth whitening. Finally Lumineers, which he said are better because they do not need any tooth prep. Is all of this really necessary? I thought veneers could make teeth look straight.

Penelope

Dear Penelope,

Invisalign aligner

I am really glad you wrote. I’m concerned about the advice you are getting. While it is true that porcelain veneers can make teeth look straight, it actually takes an advanced cosmetic dentist to make it look right. I don’t think your dentist qualifies. He is suggesting Lumineers. This is a brand of porcelain veneers that is heavily marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists.

While a few smiles do okay without any tooth prep, most of them require some. Otherwise, the teeth will look bulky. I think this is why he is suggesting Invisalign. He doesn’t know how to make your teeth look right without the orthodontics.

This teeth whitening is okay and will actually save you money. Unless you want to get a porcelain veneer on every tooth, which would cost a fortune, you can get your teeth whitening first and then have porcelain veneers placed on the teeth that are visible when you smile. Because of the teeth whitening, the remainder of the teeth will will blend in.

However, I want to suggest something. You only mentioned that you had discolored and crooked teeth. You didn’t say anything about wanting to change the shape and size of your teeth. In that case, you can save a LOT of money by just having Invisalign and teeth whitening done. That will take care of both of those issues for you. In fact, Invisalign can double as teeth whitening trays. All your dentist has to do is provide you with professional strength teeth whitening gel to wear inside your aligners.

This means you can straighten and whiten your teeth at a fraction of the cost.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentists Drs. Foreman and Thimmesh.

Invisalign

Fixing Misaligned Teeth Without Braces

I have some misaligned teeth, especially in the front. They’re not horrible, they’re just not in the right place. My dentist wants me to do a full set of braces. I’m not too keen on that idea. I’m 42 and have a professional job. Is there another option? I asked about Invisalign, but he said that the Invisalign treatment was not meant for misaligned teeth. What are they for then? If that won’t work, what will that isn’t braces?

Frank

Dear Frank,

Invisalign aligner

I am glad you wrote. I am not sure why your dentist said that Invisalign would not work for misalignment. That is exactly what the procedure is for. My guess is that he doesn’t offer the procedure and he is leading you to braces so you don’t switch to a dentist who has a broader service offering.

You mentioned that your teeth were not that bad, just a bit out of alignment. If that is the case, then you have a couple of options. The first is Invisalign. It will straighten your teeth. If you want to whiten them too, the aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. This will allow you to straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time. Both of these are simple procedures that pretty much any dentist who offers them can do for you.

However, if there are other things you would like to improve about your smile, you also have the option of getting a complete smile makeover. It will not actually straighten your teeth, but when done by an expert cosmetic dentist, it will make your smile look straight. Using porcelain veneers, you can change anything about your smile, including the shape, size, and color of your teeth all at the same time. This is the procedure that Hollywood celebrities go to in order to get their gorgeous smiles.

Unlike the first option, you will need to go to a dentist with serious cosmetic dentistry training to do your smile makeover. The best cosmetic dentists are accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). If you want to go with the complete smile makeover, look for a practice that has an expert cosmetic dentist. For instance, at Camellia Dental Dr. Mike Malone does our cosmetic cases.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentist Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.

Invisalign

Do I Need Porcelain Veneers, Teeth Whitening AND Invisalign?

I am a bit confused. I thought that porcelain veneers could make teeth look straight and white. When I went to see my dentist about getting a smile makeover with porcelain veneers, he said I would need to get my teeth whitened first, next Invisalign, THEN I can get porcelain veneers. I really don’t understand why three procedures. The only thing crooked on my teeth is a slight overlap of my front teeth. I truly thought the porcelain veneers would take care of that. Do I need all three procedures?

Samantha

Dear Samantha,

Invisalign aligner

No, you should not need all three procedures. Two makes sense. The third does not. Which two you get will depend on your goals. If you are wanting your teeth to simply be whiter and straighter, then you would save a LOT of money by having teeth whitening and Invisalign. In fact, you could do both of these procedures at the same time. This is because the Invisalign aligners can double as teeth whitening trays.

If, however, you were wanting to change the shape or size of your teeth, then your best option is to get teeth whitening and porcelain veneers. You may be wondering why both? Most people’s smile is eight to ten teeth wide. If you cannot get that many porcelain veneers, you will want to whiten your teeth before getting the porcelain veneers so that the teeth can blend together more naturally. Most people do not place veneers on their bottom teeth unless they feel the need to change their appearance. In most cases, the will just whiten the bottom arch. You will not need the Invisalign in this case because a skilled cosmetic dentist can make those front teeth look perfectly straight.

So why is your dentist suggesting all three? The most logical reason is that he or she is not skilled enough to make the teeth look straight. If you want porcelain veneers, you will want to have an expert cosmetic dentist to do the procedure. If you decide to do Invisalign and teeth whitening, just about any dentist who does Invisalign can do both procedures.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentists Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.

Invisalign

Can Invisalign Work With Missing Teeth

I never got to have braces when I was younger. Since then, I lost a couple of teeth. I am too embarrassed to smile. I have a job and they recently hinted that they want to promote me. However, because it is an upfront position, I would need to get my smile fixed up. The job description does include a professional appearance. I was thinking I should straighten them because I have some crooked teeth, too. Do you know if Invisalign would work with missing teeth? Do I have to replace the teeth or can the gaps just be closed?

Amanda

Dear Amanda,

Invisalign aligner

Congratulations on your possible promotion. It is obvious they value your work. Invisalign can work with missing teeth. Depending on which teeth are missing, you may or may not need to replace them. One thing to be aware of is that different dentists have varying degrees of confidence when it comes to cases such as yours. I would feel better if you got about three opinions from different Invisalign dentists so you have a bigger picture in your mind.

If you do need to replace your teeth, I suggest you replace them with dental implants. They are more expensive, but they are the most like having natural tooth structure. More importantly, they’re the only solution that will protect you from bone loss in the area, which will impact your smile.

As you are trying to get the most professional appearance possible, using Invisalign will also allow you to whiten your teeth and straighten them at the same time for a fraction of the cost. This is because the aligners will double as teeth whitening trays. All you’ll need to purchase from your dentist to whiten your teeth is the professional strength gel. You won’t need the custom-fitted trays because you can use the aligners.

Best of luck on your promotion!
This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentists Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.

Invisalign

Fixing Beaver Teeth

I have really large front teeth that tend to make me look a bit like a beaver. I am trying to think of a way to improve the look of my smile but can’t think of anything that won’t be very unpleasant. I could get braces, but I don’t want a bunch of metal in my mouth at my age. Plus, though I am no orthodontist, I am guessing that because of the size of my teeth there might not be room to move them in, which might require removing some back teeth. That is something else I am not too keen on.  Is there an option that I have not considered?

Sammie

Dear Sammie,

Invisalign aligner

I am glad you wrote. Yes, there is another option for you. First, if your dentist has some cosmetic skills, he or she could trim the sides of the teeth enough for them to be moved into a more esthetically pleasing, aligned position.  This has to be done with diamond burrs and diamond strips.

You would not have to move them with braces. Instead, you could use Invisalign. These are a type of invisible braces that use clear aligners to adjust the position of your teeth. No one will even know that you are wearing orthodontics, even at a conversational distance.

If your teeth require a great deal of trimming, enough to where the dentin is exposed, then you will need to have porcelain veneers placed in order to cover the dentin.

All of these procedures require training, so don’t pressure your dentist into any of them. If he or she is unfamiliar on how to do this don’t push them into it. You won’t like the results. Instead, find a cosmetic dentist with the training to do the trimming and, if necessary, the porcelain veneers.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentists Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.

 

Invisalign

Ways to Straighten a Crooked Tooth

I have two crooked teeth and a couple of small gaps. I went to my dentist to discuss braces. I heard there are clear braces these days. My dentist is suggesting porcelain veneers because my teeth are yellow and these can straighten my teeth and make them whiter. I am a bit concerned on how expensive porcelain veneers are. Are there better options?

Enid

Dear Enid,

Invisalign aligner

Let’s start with the porcelain veneers. They can make your teeth look straight, but they will not actually straighten your teeth. These are more useful if you are looking for a complete smile makeover, but not a great use of your money if you are just wanting to straighten and whiten your teeth.

In all honesty, there is a much less expensive option for you. If you get Invisalign, which use clear aligners. These can both straighten and whiten your teeth simultaneously. The aligners can double as teeth whitening trays so all you will need is to get some professional strength gel from your dentist.

This will straighten and whiten your teeth at a fraction of the cost of porcelain veneers.

Of course, if there are other things that you would like to change about your teeth, such as their shape or size, then porcelain veneers will be a great option. Just make certain that you go to an expert cosmetic dentist to have the work done. Otherwise, you could end up with a smile that is less attractive than your natural smile.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentists Drs. Forman and Thimmesch.