Invisalign Tips from Dr. Cottingham

Many people know that Invisalign is a great solution to braces if you don’t want to experience the look and feel of traditional metal braces.

What few people know, however, is that just like traditional braces, Invisalign requires proper care to work effectively. Dr. Karen Cottingham will always tell you good oral hygiene is highly important, even when you are wearing something in your mouth that you can take out to eat with. It’s still likely that your aligners can build up plaque if not treated properly. When wearing your Invisalign aligners, Dr. Cottingham and team want you to ask yourself the following questions:

1.) Am I eating with my aligners on? – These aligners are removable and should be taken out when you eat.

2.) Am I drinking anything other than water with my aligners on? – Though it’s not a necessity for you to take out your aligners while you drink, think about how sticky a soda is. If you take out your aligners when drinking a soda, you have a better chance of keeping your aligners clean.

3.) Am I brushing before putting the trays on? – The aligners have both an inside and outside. Keeping the outside clean is easy. Keeping the inside clean is also easy: just make sure you’ve brushed your teeth before putting the trays on.

These are all very simple steps, and ultimately, they help to keep you building good oral habits. If you have any questions about the benefits of Invisalign, we invite you to give us a call. Or, you may ask Dr. Cottingham on Facebook!

Ask Dr. Cottingham: What can Invisalign® do for my oral health?

We’ve discussed the power of Invisalign treatment in a previous post, and today thought we’d share the oral health benefits of wearing Invisalign’s clear aligners.

When considering treatment options, patients often ask us about the advantages of Invisalign treatment. Just like traditional braces, there are more reasons to smile about Invisalign than you may know. Invisalign, a series of removable aligners that are nearly invisible, not only help straighten your teeth, but, just like traditional braces, they can also improve your oral health. Here’s how:

Healthy gums: Regardless of treatment methods, straight teeth and a proper bite allow a close fit for gums. This lessens the gum stress that is caused by crowded or widely spaced teeth, thus also reducing red and swollen gums.

Easy cleaning: Invisalign is removable, therefore, brushing and flossing are somewhat easier than conventional braces. This can improve your ability to maintain a healthy mouth during treatment. These habits are vital to avoiding tooth decay, plaque and even gum disease.

Improved speech and chewing: Properly-aligned teeth don’t have the discomfort or compound speech impediments that can be caused by crowded teeth or a deteriorating jawbone.

Dr. Cottingham is a certified Invisalign provider here in Indianapolis, Avon and surrounding communities. If you have any questions about Invisalign, please give us a call at (317) 202-1873 to schedule your initial complimentary consultation. We also invite you to post your question on our interactive Facebook page!

Happy Thursday!

Ask Dr. Cottingham: Is Invisalign® for me?

Our staff at Cottingham Orthodontics will tell you that part of what makes Invisalign clear aligners "work" is that the treatment is customizable for pretty much anyone's teeth. To find out if you are the right candidate for Invisalign treatment, the first thing Dr. Karen Cottingham does is take an impression of your teeth as they are now and digitize it. Using special software, Dr. Cottingham and our team look at the current positioning of your teeth and compare it to the way your teeth should look.

Next we use special software to map out the exact path your teeth will take from the beginning of your treatment to the end. Based on the results, a set of custom aligners are created just for your teeth. Throughout the course of treatment, you will be required to wear these clear, removable aligners one at a time; each one moving your teeth closer and closer to their final, perfectly aligned position. And since the aligners are virtually invisible, nobody around you will even know you are wearing braces!

Dr. Cottingham is a certified Invisalign provider in Indianapolis and Avon. If you have questions about Invisalign, or would like to find out if you are a candidate for Invisalign treatment at Cottingham Orthodontics, please give us a call!