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May 31, 2019 - No Comments!

Everything You Need To Know About Wearing An Invisalign Retainer

Despite them being virtually invisible, there are a few things to remember when wearing an Invisalign retainer. This includes everything from how long to wear them, to how to take care of them.

Being prepared in advance will make your journey to a straighter smile even more smooth. Of course, you can always contact your orthodontist if you have any questions while about your retainer.

How Long Should I be Wearing an Invisalign Retainer?

One of the biggest benefits is you can your Invisalign retainer out to eat and drink and even for special occasions. However, you will need to wear it 20-22 hours every day for best results.

Your overall treatment time will vary based on your specific needs and customised plan. The average treatment time is 12 to 18 months. You'll get a new retainer every 1-2 weeks to gradually shift your teeth into the correct positions.

How Do I Brush My Teeth?

Unlike braces, wearing an Invisalign retainer makes doesn't change how you brush your teeth. You will need to brush them more often, though. Simply remove your retainer and brush your teeth as normal.

Now for the change. Brush your teeth after every meal. Otherwise, all the food and bacteria that build up on your teeth will end up in your retainer. This leads to more plaque buildup on your teeth. At the very least, rinse your mouth well with mouthwash before putting your retainer back in.

How Do I Care For My Invisalign Retainer?

The most important thing to remember while wearing an Invisalign retainer is to keep it safe. The last thing you want to do is accidentally drop it in the trash or leave it behind at a restaurant.

Instead, keep a hard case with you to store your retainer. Place it in your pocket or purse so it doesn't get lost or forgotten.

The next step is to clean it regularly. Bacteria can and will build up in your retainer. While Invisalign does state you can use toothpaste to clean your retainer, sometimes it's too abrasive and could damage the retainer. Instead, use the official Invisalign cleaning solution or just mild soap and lukewarm water. Never use hot water.

Brush your retainer gently while it's out of your mouth to remove any bacteria. Make this a part of your daily routine.

Wearing an Invisalign retainer isn't difficult once you get used to it. If you want to schedule an appointment or have any questions, please contact Profile Orthodontics today.

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May 24, 2019 - No Comments!

Why Have Your Teeth Straightened With Clear Aligners

Often times, people avoid braces because they hate the idea of seeing their smile marred by metal. However, metal braces aren't your only option for a straighter smile.

In fact, clear aligners are becoming a popular alternative. As the name implies, they're clear, making your smile the star of pictures and not your braces.

Secretly Straighten

The most obvious reason to have your teeth straightened with clear aligners is they're nearly invisible. Unless someone is really close or the light reflects off of them, no one may never even realise you're wearing an aligner.

While everyone else thinks your teeth are normal, you'll know they're being secretly straightened a little at a time.

Simple Adjustments

Unlike braces, your orthodontist won't need to adjust brackets and wires. Instead, you'll just get new clear aligners throughout each stage of your treatment. Thanks to 3D digital planning, your entire treatment plan is planned out in advance.

You'll receive new clear aligners regularly. These aligners gradually straighten your teeth much like braces by making small adjustments to the position of your teeth.

For anyone who has had an injury or accident, clear aligners are ideal for making simple adjustments without having to be fitted with metal braces.

Suits Many Cases

While not every person is a candidate for Invisalign or SureClear, many people are. Clear aligners are ideal for mild to moderate cases. This is the majority of cases, meaning many people who fear the look and feel of braces have an alternative.

Remove Them Daily

Traditional braces aren't always the most comfortable when it comes to eating and brushing. The good news - clear aligners are removable. You can take them out while you eat and brush to keep your teeth cleaner. This also makes it easier to keep your aligners clean and avoid a buildup of plaque and bacteria.

You will need to wear them for 20 hours or more a day. However, just getting small breaks every day makes them preferable over braces you can't remove.

More Comfortable

The plastic clear aligners are strong but comfortable. You don't get the same wear on your gums that you do with traditional braces. This makes it far easier to go about your day with little to no irritation.

Plus, since you can remove them, you get to give your mouth a few small breaks each day. This helps to further reduce irritation.

Are you considering having your teeth straightened? Contact our office today to find out if you're a candidate for clear aligners.

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May 17, 2019 - No Comments!

3D Technology Behind Suresmile Braces

One of the things that makes Suresmile technology so advanced is 3D imaging. Unlike with traditional oral x-rays, your orthodontist can see a full 3D image of your mouth.

Of course, you probably want to know more about how this technology works and why it's so beneficial for your oral health. By the time you're finished reading, you'll be amazed at how advanced Suresmile truly is.

Suresmile Technology Basics

Before diving deep into the 3D technology, it's a good idea to get an overview of the entire process. Despite how advanced everything is, it's actually only three main steps:

  • 3D scan
  • Treatment planning
  • Creating the braces or aligners

Sounds simple, right? However, it's a highly complex process. Much of the magic happens behind the scenes thanks to scanning equipment, Suresmile software and precision robotic equipment.

3D Technology Behind Suresmile

The star of Suresmile is the 3D scan. Your orthodontist takes a scan using a white light scanner or cone beam computed tomography, CBCT. Unlike traditional x-rays, these scans don't just take a two-dimensional image of your mouth.

Instead, they create a true 3D image of your entire mouth, including the roots and surrounding tissues. When your orthodontist is limited to seeing just your teeth and directly below the gumline, they're only seeing part of the problem. This means your treatment plan may not be as effective.

To create a better, more efficient plan, your orthodontist needs to be able to understand more about the structure of your entire mouth. It's not just your teeth involved. To realign your teeth as quickly as possible, your orthodontist must also consider:

  • Gums
  • Nerves
  • Bone
  • Soft tissue
  • Roots

As you can see, your mouth is not just teeth, gums and tongue. A 3D scan allows your orthodontist to see everything about your mouth from all angles. We've moved beyond 2D images at our offices. Our 3D camera combines images from six different cameras to create a full 3D image of your mouth and facial structure. After all, your facial structure and oral issues can be tied together.

Think of it like those clear phones where you can see all the inner workings. It's kind of like that, but with your mouth.

The first step towards benefitting from Suresmile technology is going in for your 3D scan.

Using Your 3D Scan

Having a 3D scan is nice, but how does it help you? The scan works with the Suresmile software to give your orthodontist a virtual 3D image of your mouth. They can manipulate it, spin it around to view different angles, adjust your teeth and even see the final result.

The orthodontist has full control over how they design your treatment plan based upon the 3D scan. Instead of having to start with a partial plan and adjust along the way, the entire plan is designed at one time.

Before anything else is done, your orthodontist will meet with you to discuss the treatment plan and show you what the final result will be. The scan isn't just for your orthodontist. Thanks to the power of 3D technology, you get to see what your smile will look before you ever get your Suresmile braces. That gives you something to look forward to, as if wearing them for less time wasn't enough.

Suresmile Technology Shortens Time

You read that right. Thanks to the 3D technology behind Suresmile, your orthodontist is able to create a more customised plan for your treatment. In studies, the average treatment time for Suresmile patients was approximately seven months shorter than patients with conventional braces.

Once again, it's all due to 3D technology. By having access to more data about your mouth, your orthodontist uses the Suresmile software to design a faster treatment plan that adjusts your teeth using the best possible path.

With traditional braces, your orthodontist has to manually adjust the plan with each visit, carefully adjusting the wires to move your teeth based on the results thus far. This isn't true with Suresmile.

Instead, the wires are already in the perfect starting position to get your teeth straighter in far less time.

3D Meets Robotics

While it's up to your orthodontist to use the 3D scan to create a custom treatment plan, robotic equipment takes over from there. The virtual 3D treatment plan is sent to Suresmile, where robotic equipment is used to carefully bend and form a shape memory alloy archwire to perfectly fit your plan.

Conventional braces have to be formed manually by hand. This does work, but it doesn't offer the same level of accuracy.

Plus, with manual formation, you need more adjustments. After all, your orthodontist isn't able to see exactly how your teeth need to be moved from day one. Instead, the plan must be altered as your teeth move into place little by little.

Robotic equipment forms the wires perfectly, allow them to put pressure in just the right places to gently push your teeth on their optimal paths to the perfect position for a straighter smile.

From 3D To Your Mouth

The final step turns that first 3D scan into your new Suresmile braces. The wires that were formed based on your custom treatment plan are fitted to your teeth. Thanks to innovative Suresmile technology, the wires react to your body heat. As they're placed on your teeth, the automatically adjust to the prescribed position. This leads to less adjusting and a quicker start to getting your dream smile.

Handling Adjustments

Just because the 3D technology helps your orthodontist create a more efficient plan doesn't mean you won't have to go in for adjustments. However, you'll need fewer adjustments than with conventional braces. The Suresmile technology lets your orthodontist plan ahead for adjustments, such as scheduling when and knowing exactly what needs to be adjusted to keep your treatment plan on track.

From the moment the scan is taken and entered into the Suresmile software, your entire treatment plan is mapped out. This takes out any guesswork and those sometimes painful manual adjustments. All of this is thanks to what may seem like just a simple 3D scan, but it's actually the start of an advanced treatment that'll make you glad you opted for Suresmile.

Want to learn more about our Suresmile process and average treatment lengths? Contact our office today to discuss treatment options and schedule an appointment for your 3D scan.

 

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May 10, 2019 - No Comments!

Best Children’s Orthodontist In Joondalup

Before you address your child's orthodontic issues, you'll want to do some research to make sure you're using the best children's orthodontist in Joondalup. This means you'll have a better experience and your child's oral health will have a brighter, straighter future.

Picking the good from the bad doesn't have to be difficult. Simply make sure they meet some very important criteria. If they do, you've got a winner for your child.

Highly Recommended

This is always a great start. First, if you have a great relationship with your child's dentist, you can trust their recommendation for an orthodontist in Joondalup. After all, they've proven that they only want the best for your child.

Of course, you don't have to rely on the dentist's word alone. Thanks to online reviews, it's easier than ever to see what types of experiences others have had. In many cases, you may even find before and after photos to showcase what type of work various orthodontists have done.

Programs Specifically For Children

The next thing to check is whether or not they have programs in place specifically for children. If they only have general programs, this may not be the right fit for your child. While the orthodontist might be a great fit for older teens and adults, children's teeth and orthodontic needs are different. Having someone who's experienced in working with children is beneficial.

Offers Newer Solutions

While you probably don't want your child to be the first to try a new orthodontic treatment, the best children's orthodontist in Joondalup will use cutting edge solutions to offer the best possible treatment.

For instance, they might use SureSmile over conventional orthodontic treatment to straighten their teeth more accurately and in less time. By working with an orthodontist that stays current with the latest advances in their industry, you'll know they truly care about the oral health of their patients.

Children's Orthodontist In Joondalup

At Profile Orthodontics, we love working with children as is evident with our Grow With Us program. Contact our office in Joondalup to learn more about starting your child's orthodontic journey with us.

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May 3, 2019 - No Comments!

5 Tips For Taking Care Of Your New Invisible Braces

One of the worst things about traditional metal braces is the anxiety around their appearance. These days though, there are plenty of nearly invisible options! However, just because you can't see them easily, it doesn't mean you don't have to take care of your new invisible braces.

To make sure your invisible braces and clear aligners help you get the best smile possible, there are few things to keep in mind.

1. Rinse Them Often

Good news! Your clear aligners are removable. But, when you take them out, you expose them to bacteria. You definitely don't want that back in your mouth! So, instead, rinse them thoroughly before you put them back in. It's a good idea to rinse your mouth too, so as not to trap any food particles.

If you have invisible braces with clear brackets attached to your teeth, try to rinse after you drink or eat any foods that could stain them. Like red wine and coffee.

2. Deep Clean Regularly

While regular water works for a quick rinse, you'll need to give your invisible braces a deeper clean sometimes, much like brushing your teeth. Use a clear antibacterial soap or antibacterial rinse to clean your invisible aligners. You can even let them soak for a couple hours. Don't use toothpaste as this can damage them. You can use a soft-bristled toothbrush to clean them, though.

Your orthodontist will show you some techniques to clean your clear braces when you are at the clinic too.

3. Skip Your New Invisible Braces While Eating

Hate the thought of getting food caught in your braces? Not a problem with clear aligners. In fact, you should remove them before eating or drinking to avoid damaging them, especially with extremely hot foods and drinks. Of course, this makes it easier to avoid getting food trapped between your teeth and aligners. So, refer to point 1!

4. Brush Regularly

Since your new invisible braces sit on your teeth, you'll want to keep your teeth as clean as possible, so brush regularly.

If you can, brush with a soft-bristled toothbrush after eating to remove any food particles before putting your aligners back on.  Brush your aligners daily as well. However, always use a soft-bristled brush and be extremely gentle. Scrubbing or using a hard-bristled brush can cause scratches, making your braces not so invisible anymore.

5. Store Them Safely

You've probably heard the horror stories of people who've lost retainers and aligners in trash cans or while traveling. This is why we recommend you always store your new invisible braces in a hard container when you take them out. Immediately put the container in your pocket, purse, bag, briefcase, etc. to keep them with you.

If you have any questions about invisible braces and how to care for them, don't hesitate to contact us or make an appointment today. We're always happy to help you take the first step towards getting the smile of your dreams.