Category Archives: Invisalign

Are my teeth the cause of my dating problems?

My husband left a few years ago and I’m finally ready to start dating. The only problem is, I’ve got no takers. Do you think my tooth gap could be turning off potential dates?

Stephanie L. – Minnesotta

Stephanie,

I couldn’t give you a guarantee that your tooth gap is the source behind your dating woes, however, our smile is one of the first things people notice about us, so it is a possibility.

If that is the case, you have a few options. If the gap isn’t too big, you could close it up with dental bonding or porcelain veneers. However, if it is something you’d like to have permanently repaired, then I suggest you look into Invisalign.

This will allow you to straighten your teeth, without anyone even noticing. They have no metal wires or brackets. They really are invisible.

Give it a try and good luck with the dating!

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Black hole in my smile

My parents never believed in spending money on teeth. As a result, I have a giant gap  as well as some crooked teeth on the bottom.  The gap is big enough to assume there’s a small black hole in my smile. I’ve finally got my first real job and want to fix my teeth. However, I don’t want a metal mouth.  I’ve heard about invisalign, but worry my gap will make it obvious I’m wearing them.

Trey G. – Ft. Worth, TX

Trey,

How exciting that you get to fix your teeth after all these years. Invisalign is a wonderful option. Not every one is  candidate, so you’ll want to have a dentist check you out.

Don’t worry about the gap. Invisalign dentists are used to dealing with that and have a way of camoflauging it.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette Dentist Dr. Mike Malone

I damaged my aligner-what do I do?

I drank a bunch of hot tea when I was with friends.  Now my aligner is warped. What do I do?

Rhonda W. – Montana

Rhonda,

I would go see your dentist and let him look at your aligner. Worse case scenario is he makes you a new one, but go in as soon as possible or it will throw off your treatment plan.

Using Invisalign doesn’t mean you cannot drink tea. Just don’t do it while you have on your aligners. You’ve already learned that the heat can warp them.  What you may not know is that it can seriously damage your tooth enamel. It is likely that the tea will pool in your aligner.  The sugar and other acids in the tea will eat away at your enamel.

This blog is brought to you by Louisiana Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Did my dentist cheat me with my Invisalign?

I have reason to suspect my dentist gave me a knock off instead of the real deal on my invisalign treatments. Is there some way to be certain of their authenticity? Also, are they supposed to be cleaned a certain way? If I do it differently will it matter?

Sven B. – Pennsylvania

Sven,

Let me take these questions in order.

  1. First, I am curious what has made you suspicious.  To answer your question, yes, there is a way to tell if you’ve got  the actual brand.   In fact, Invisalign makes it super easy to tell.   On the biting surface of the tray and you will see their trademarked name. There will also be a set of numbers and letters that indicate your patient ID number, designations for your upper or lower arch ( marked as U and L),  as well as other information.  These are plainly visible.
  2. You should have been provided with an Invisalign cleaning kit. If for some reason you  weren’t, I would call your dental office and request one. If they don’t have them, don’t despair, there are ways to clean them without it.  You can use regular toothpaste. I wouldn’t use anything abrasive or it could create tiny scratches on your aligners. That may lead to staining. You could also simply brush them with water and rinse them thoroughly.  However, your dentist really should supply you with the cleaning kit.
  3. As to whether i would bad to clean them with something else, that answer really depends on what else you’re referring to.  Gentle toothpaste  and water are obviously OK, but I would use anything corrosive like bleach, etc.

This blog is brought to you by Louisiana Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Wine and Invisalign

I am planning on getting Invisalign. I know you can’t eat while the aligners are in and you just take them out for meals. I wondered if that meant I have to take them out whenever I drank too? I drink about five glasses of wine a day, plus some sodas. If I have to take them out everytime I drink, I won’t have them in much.

Karen D. -Maumelle, AR

Karen,

Unfortunately, It would not be a good idea to drink those beverages while wearing your Invisalign aligners. That doesn’t mean you can’t drink the whole time of your treatment. I would just limit them to when you’re eating your meals.

There is a danger in drinking such highly acidic drinks while having your aligners in. They are likely to get caught between the aligners and your teeth. Then they would sit there eating away at the enamel on your teeth.

It might be hard getting used to limiting how much you drink. There have been similar patients who’ve had to do so. They mentioned the one benefit was losing some weight.

However, don’t despair. Invisalign treatments work in half the time of traditional braces, sometimes even faster. So, the limiting when you drink won’t last very long.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Fixing protruded teeth

I have protruded teeth. I am wanting a cosmetic option to fix it, but don’t want braces. What are my best options?

Alina M. – Montreal

Alina,

Both the options I am about to share with you will repair protruded teeth. However, neither will work if your teeth are extremely protruded. My most important advice is to make sure you go to an expert cosmetic dentist. We’ll talk more about this in a minute. I’ll give you the options first.

Your first option is Invisalign. These are different than braces, which I can understand you not wanting.  They will repair your teeth, straightening them like braces, but there are no uncomfortable wires and brackets, plus they are no visible to other people, even at at conversational distance. No one will even know you are wearing them. If you’re open to that, then Invisalign would be one of your options. A good one too, because your teeth will be straight.

A second option is to get porcelain veneers. These will not actually straighten your teeth, but they will make them appear straight. Even though these don’t actually straighten your teeth, they do have a different kind of advantage. These can also change the shape and color of your teeth.  So, if there is more than just straightening your teeth you had in mind, these may be a better option.

That being said, if you ever get cosmetic work done of any kind, it is extraordinarily important that you use a highly skilled cosmetic dentist. Cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized specialty. Therefore, any general dentist can call themselves a cosmetic dentist. The skills necessary to do a beautiful smile makeover are not taught in dental school. It takes a considerable amount of post-graduate training to develop the skill and technique necessary. Plus, you want a dentist with an artistic eye.

So, how do you make sure you’re getting a qualified cosmetic dentist? My recomendation would be to find a dentist who is accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). Only the top cosmetic dentist reach accreditation level.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

 

The Importance of the Time Between Invisalign Aligners

I thought we’d address a common question we get sometime during a patient’s Invisalign treatment. Invisalign has a very high patient satisfaction rating, however, at some point every patient wonders why they have to wait the full two weeks before they can switch to the next set of aligners. Here’ s why.

Your teeth will move into their new position within just a few days. It is often tempting to think if you switch to the next group of aligners as soon as your teeth are in the new position that you can get through your Invisalign treatment that much faster.

There is a reason your dentist will want you to wait the full two weeks. Your teeth are supported by bone that surrounds the root of your teeth. When your teeth move, the root is moved as well. If you don’t give the bone time to re-form around the roots. If you don’t give them that time, your teeth will become loose. It’s possible they would even fall out.

In the grand scheme of things, two weeks isn’t that long a time, especially to ensure long term health for your teeth.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Switching dentists during invisalign

My dentist made some distasteful comments about my weight and I want to switch dentists. The only problem I have is I am in the middle of invisalign treatments. Will that be a problem?

Sandy W. – Boise

Sandy, Have you spoken to the office about his/her comments?  Could their be a misunderstanding?

Let’s assume in this case there was no misunderstanding and your dentist was rude and insensitive.  When you decide to switch to another dentist, your dentist is ethically bound to make the transititon as smooth as possible.

You’ll want to find another dentist who is skilled with Invisalign and then your dentist can get him or her up to date on where you are in your treatments, along with providing any and all x-rays and other necessary materials. I hope you have a better experience in the future.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Snap on Smile for straight teeth

Will snap on smile make my teeth look straight? I’m too old for braces.

Cathy- Maine

Cathy,

Whether Snap-on Smile can make your teeth look straight, will depend on how your teeth need to look straight. If you have a large overbite, then it would make your smile stick out further.  If your teeth are a little crooked, then it will make them look straight. You need to know that while this will give you a decent smile, it will not give you a stunning smile like you would get with porcelain veneers.

You mentioned that you are too old for braces, but have you considered getting Invisalign? These will straighten your teeth with invisable aligners. No one will even know you are straightening your teeth.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

 

Treating a huge tooth gap

If I have a large tooth gap. i measured it and it looks like it is a little over half a centimeter. if I wanted to treat that would it be better to do lumineers, dental  bonding, or something else?

Eric S.- Philadelphia

Eric,

Which treatment you use will depend in part about how you feel about your teeth in general. Are you happy with the shape and color of your teeth, but just want to fix the gap? Do you want to fix your gap and whiten? Or do you not like anything about your teeth and want a complete smile makeover? The only thing you mentioned that I would definitively say no to is the dental bonding. It is just too large a gap for that to be an attractive solution.

If you’re happy with your teeth and just want to fix the gap, then I would recommend Invisalign. These will straighten your teeth in less than half the time of traditional braces. The best part is the aligners are invisible. Even at a conversational distance people will not be able to tell you are wearing them.  It is also possible to do teeth whitening at the same time.

However, if there are other things, such as the size and shape of your teeth, that you want to change, then you might want to consider porcelain veneers. I know you mentioned Lumineers. I don’t know if you are aware that they are just a brand of porcelain veneers. Most expert cosmetic dentists are not happy with the quality of their product. Let me give you a word of caution. A gap the size you mentioned is large enough to fit another tooth into. Because of this, if you choose any type of porcelain veneers you had really better make sure you are going to an expert cosmetic dentist. I wouldn’t go to anyone who wasn’t accredited (which is different from just a member) by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). Only about the top 1% of dentists reach the level of accreditation. They’ll be able to handle a complicated case like yours.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette LA Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.