In part one on our exploration of Invisalign, we looked at what it is and covered a few bite patterns that it can help treat. Stick around for today’s post as we continue the conversation on Invisalign.

At Zen Smiles Miami, Dr. Karen Martinez, DMD fosters a patient-centered practice that advocates preventative dental care and education. Find a variety of services from family dentistry to cosmetic dental care.

Bite Patterns That Invisalign Treats

Open bite – An open bite happens when your upper and bottom teeth don’t touch, making chewing difficult. Invisalign addressed those with an open bite with great success.

Crowded teeth – Your teeth become crowded when there is not enough room for them to properly fit. Teeth twist, overlap, and bunch up. Flossing and brushing may become difficult, making it easier for plaque, tartar, and cavities to form. Teeth shift over time, so crowded teeth may get worse. Invisalign corrects and fixes crowded teeth.

Minor teeth issues – Sometimes straightening your teeth is purely aesthetic, and perhaps you have one crooked tooth that you want to be fixed. Invisalign can address these small issues.

How Does Invisalign Work?

You can start the Invisalign procedure with a qualified dentist and after the initial consult, you’ll receive a digital scan of your teeth showing every shift and movement in the process, from start to finish. The Invisalign retainers are made from SmartTrack material developed by biomechanical engineers to provide your teeth with the right amount of force while remaining supple and free from pain. The material is flexible and has precision trimming so it doesn’t cut or scrape against your gums like other companies do. Because Invisalign has successfully treated over 5 million smiles, they’ve perfected they’re orthodontic technology and can straighten teeth in as little as three months.

Find freedom in Invisalign.

Invisalign is perfect for anyone who is looking for a teeth straightening option that doesn’t interrupt their daily life. With Invisalign you’re able to:

• Live bracket- and wire-free and continue to brush and floss as you normally would.
• Continue eating all the foods on the braces “do not eat list.”
• Stay active in sports without having to worry about getting hit in the mouth.
• Hassle-free maintenance without wires and brackets breaking.

With Invisalign you’ll wear your trays for up to 20 to 22 hours a day, only taking them out to eat, drink, and clean your teeth. Some retainers can even have a blue compliance indicator to ensure that you’re wearing them enough — this is great for our teen patients! Each retainer is worn on average of one to two weeks before a new one is prescribed, and checkups are every six to eight weeks to evaluate your progress — less time at the dentist gives you more time to enjoy the things you love!

When you do receive a set of new retainers, a little extra pressure is normal and you may feel some discomfort the first couple of days.

Invisalign treats almost all orthodontic bite patterns and you can quickly get started with a simple digital scan and receive your first pair of Invisalign retainers that stand out from others because of their SmartTrack technology that provides the utmost comfort.

Live freely with Invisalign retainers today!

To schedule an Invisalign consult or to find out more information on Invisalign, connect with our office today!

Straight, white, and cavity-free teeth are the epitome of a healthy smile, and achieving this takes a little work from both you and your dentist. Decent oral health comes as a result of brushing and flossing daily and seeing your lovely dentist twice a year. Beyond preventative dental care, cosmetic procedures such as teeth whitening can be easily accomplished in office in a couple of visits. Having white and healthy teeth takes relatively little effort; it’s straightening teeth that may take a little more work.

If you’ve been considering straightening your teeth for the first or even the second time — after the middle school braces were a bust — Zen Smiles Miami has a solution for you! At Zen Smiles Miami, the focus on preventative dental care and education is what brings the best in optimal dental health. Find a myriad of treatments from cosmetic dentistry including teeth whitening and Invisalign to family dentistry, dental implants, and gum disease treatments. Follow along in today’s post as we examine Invisalign and how it can help straighten you out!

Invisalign is here for simple straightening to more complicated fixes.

What is Invisalign?

Invisalign is a revolutionary type of orthodontics that straighten teeth without the traditional method of metal braces. The aesthetics of metal braces has always been a downfall of orthodontics — they’re bulky, a bit unsightly, and everyone can see them. Invisalign differs in that they’re clear plastic retainers that guide your teeth into a straighter pattern and are comparably more attractive and go undetected.

What Can Invisalign Treat?

Invisalign has seen innovation since its inception and can treat a myriad of different smile concerns. The disconnect between Invisalign and traditional braces is that some think Invisalign can’t treat their issue, but more often than not, it can.

Overbite – If you have an overbite where your top set of teeth overlap the bottom, Invisalign can help fix this bite pattern.

Underbite – When your bottom teeth are in front of your top teeth, this is considered an underbite. Invisalign treats underbites, however, more advanced issues may require surgery.

Crossbite – A crossbite has a mix of teeth that sit inside your lower teeth and upper teeth. A crossbite can cause additional issues than just the aesthetics because the teeth can wear down and chip more easily. It can also cause the gumline to recede and create small chips that eventually lead to bone loss. Invisalign is great for some crossbites, but always see a skilled dentist such as us at Zen Smiles Miami.

Gap teeth – This type of issue is when teeth are present with a large gap between two or more teeth. Food easily gets stuck and can cause gum tenderness and may lead to gum disease. Invisalign treats gap teeth with an experienced dentist.

Having straight teeth is not only aesthetic — it can improve on regular dental care practices and minimize tooth decay. Invisalign is a great option for those looking for orthodontics apart from braces and can treat most bite patterns.

Stay tuned for part two as we look further into how Invisalign can help!

For more information on Invisalign or to schedule a consult, contact our office today!

In parts one and two in how medications can affect your dental health, we learned that proper dental health begins with the small things before aesthetic dentistry can be examined. It was also noted that over 70 percent of Americans are on at least one doctor-prescribed medication. While pharmaceuticals can be advantageous in certain situations, they can also be the culprit of poor dental health, as they lead to dry mouth, enamel erosion, inflammation, altered tastes, and mouth sores.

At Zen Smiles, we want our patients to be educated and informed on all the areas that can affect their dental health, including medications. In part two, we’ll dive in to more specific medications that can harm your teeth.

Medications and Tooth Erosion

In part one, we looked at how decongestants, antihistamines, and antidepressants can cause tooth decay, and there a few more that can be noted.

• Antacids – If you suffer from acid reflux or heartburn, the stomach acid alone that bubbles up can cause teeth erosion; however, counterintuitively, antacids can also be used to treat it. The main culprit that leads to tooth decay, is from the sugar that is present in the chewable and liquid forms of antacids. The best course of action is to stick with an antacid with a sugar-alternative, or one that you can swallow.

• Pain medications – If you have acute or chronic pain, treating it is often your first priority because its effects can be debilitating. Pain medications, however, can cause tooth erosion because they produce dry-mouth. Opioids, one of the most prescribed pharmaceuticals for pain, are notorious for causing tooth erosion and tooth decay over prolonged usage. Aspirin, while it may not cause tooth erosion, it will move your teeth and be a possible cause of bleeding gums.

Medications and Altered Tastes

Believe it or not, that bitter or metallic taste you’ve been experiencing may be related to certain medications you’re taking. Medications can be the culprit for altering the way things taste, including:

• Cardiovascular drugs (calcium channel blockers and beta blockers)
• Stimulants related to the central nervous system
• Metronidazole (Flagyl, an antibiotic)
• Nicotine patches
• Certain respiratory inhalants

Medications and Soft Tissue Issues

Soft tissue issues are anything that causes mouth sores, discoloration, or inflammation in your mouth. The following prescribed medications have been indicated to cause soft tissue reactions:

• Oral contraceptives
• Chemotherapy drugs
• Immunosuppressive drugs
• Blood pressure medications

Medications and Gingival Overgrowth

There are medications that can cause your gums to swell, and they include:

• Calcium channel blockers
• Immunosuppressive drugs
• Anti-seizure medications

Medications and Thrush

Thrush is a bacterial overgrowth in your mouth or an oral yeast infection caused by a fungus called candida. It can appear as lesions on the tongue and mouth or a white coat on your tongue. Medications that can cause thrush include:

• Chemotherapy drugs
• Steroids
• Antibiotics

In today’s post, we’ve found that many medications can affect your oral health and many of them in different areas. Medications not only affect tooth erosion but they also can alter your taste, cause soft tissue reactions, gingival overgrowth, and thrush.

This concludes our three-part series on medications and oral health. It’s always wise to address basic oral health issues before aesthetic dentistry, so if you’re ready for a routine dental cleaning, schedule with our office today!