dentist

Am I still a candidate for Invisalign if I’ve had braces?

Traditional braces are sometimes the best option for orthodontic treatment, especially if your teeth are severely out of alignment. However, sometimes after treatment with traditional braces, the teeth can shift, creating a need for additional correction. to manage this type of treatment.

When is Invisalign a Good Choice After Braces?

After you’ve had braces, you need to wear a retainer to keep your teeth from moving out of position. Your orthodontist will give you instructions on when and how often to wear your retainer. If you follow these instructions diligently, you’ll keep your new, properly aligned smile for a long time.

However, some people have a hard time making sure they wear their retainer regularly, especially younger patients who have had braces. Without the retainer, the teeth can shift and move, creating new issues with alignment. Fortunately, these problems are nearly always much less severe than those originally treated with braces.

For these cases, Invisalign is an excellent option. Without the discomfort and unattractiveness of traditional braces, you can still have treatment to move your teeth back into the correct position. Invisalign is ideal for correcting these minor gaps and slight misalignments that can develop after traditional orthodontic treatment. It might also be applicable if you have undergone a full course of traditional orthodontic treatment and still have slight gaps or minor misalignment.

Caring for Your Teeth After Braces

Your orthodontist is the best source for information on caring for your teeth after you’ve had braces. In addition to brushing, flossing, and regular dental appointments, you’ll need to wear your retainer, usually at night, on a regular or semi-regular basis to keep your teeth positioned properly.

Even if you wear your retainer exactly as instructed, there is still a slight chance that your teeth might shift out of alignment. If this occurs, go back to your orthodontist for an evaluation to determine the best course of action.

If you are interested in seeking Invisalign treatment and would like more information, contact us today to schedule a consultation.

Root canal: When is it necessary?

Brushing twice a day, flossing, and visiting your dentist for exams each year is essential for your oral health. Unfortunately, you still may require involved dental treatments even after following your dentist’s recommendations for healthy teeth and gums. Considering millions of people undergo a root canal treatment, learning when this common procedure is necessary is smart.

Broken Tooth

A chipped, broken tooth not only affects the appeal of your smile, but it can also cause damage to your underlying nerves. If the tooth is hit with severe trauma, it can also sever the nerve completely. This kills the nerve, decreasing your chances of successful tooth repair.

A root canal may be able to repair the damage to the nerve, reconnecting it to the existing tooth. After saving the damaged nerve, your dentist can bond the surface enamel to restore the broken tooth.

Abscess

An abscess develops when an infection develops in the tooth pulp and spreads to its roots. An abscessed tooth is painful, but very serious. If this infection is left untreated, it may spread to the bone, resulting in serious complications.

Antibiotics will be necessary to treat the infection, but your dentist will also perform a root canal treatment to remove bacteria and dead tissue from the tooth pulp and roots.

Cavity

Cavities are also common reasons to undergo a root canal. Since cavities form over time, they can cause bacteria to spread deep into the tooth pulp, decaying the tooth and infecting the pulp and roots. If you have a deep cavity, you may experience tooth sensitivity, pain in and around the mouth, head, and jaw, and tender, bleeding gums.

The best option for repairing deep cavities is to remove the decay by cleaning out the root canals. In many cases, removal of the damaged nerve will also be necessary.

A root canal treatment may be common, but it deserves serious thought and consideration. Contact our caring team at Florida Smile Studio to learn if this procedure will benefit you and your dental health.

Tips for Choosing a Cosmetic Dentist

When you decide on cosmetic dentistry, it’s important to work with a cosmetic dentist who’ll provide the results you want. Taking some time to get referrals and schedule consultations can help you ensure you’re comfortable with your dentist and will end up with cosmetic work you’re happy with.

Narrowing Down Your List

It’s easy enough to type “cosmetic dentist” into your search engine of choice and take a look at all the dentists in your area. But you shouldn’t stop there. You want to make the best choice for you, so take some time to narrow your list. There are a few effective ways to do this, including:

• Ask friends or family for referrals
• Look for information on dentists’ websites listing their experience and education
• Look at before and after galleries to see what kind of work a dentist does
• See if the dentist is experienced in the procedures you wish to have done

Whether you’re having your teeth whitened, your gums contoured, or are getting veneers, it’s important to find a cosmetic dentist with experience in that procedure. If you’ve gotten a referral and you’re happy with the work you see in a dentist’s before and after gallery, it’s time to move on to scheduling a consultation.

Effective Consultations

It’s easy to forget even basic questions in the middle of a conversation, so before you go to your consultation, make a list of all the questions you’d like to ask. You’ll want to be sure to tell our dentist exactly what you’d like to have changed about your smile and what you’d like it to look like when you’re done. If you plan to have more than one cosmetic dentistry procedure, find out if you can have two or three done at the same time.

The dentist will make recommendations regarding what procedures will achieve your goals. The more you know about what to expect after treatment, the more likely you are to be happy about your final results.

Get started on your new smile by choosing our practice and calling the office of Dr. Burak Tashkonak today.