Conventional Dental Braces vs Invisalign

When it comes to teeth straightening, generally dentists prescribe either conventional dental braces or Invisalign to their patients. Both of them are effective teeth-straightening treatments as they are custom-made to attain perfect dental structure. During the treatment period, they slowly shift the misaligned teeth to their right places. And eventually, after a certain period of treatment, the patients get perfect dentures that help them to attain a pretty smile. 

If you are one of those persons who have misaligned, crooked, and crowded teeth, and have decided to opt for treatment of proper teeth alignment, you might be wondering whether you should opt for conventional dental braces or modern Invisalign treatment. This detailed guide will help you understand the difference between conventional dental braces and Invisalign treatment, their pros and cons, and choosing the most suitable teeth straightening treatment for you. Let’s start with the intro part. 

Introduction to Conventional Dental Braces and Invisalign

Conventional Dental Braces- Conventional dental braces are metal-made devices (also known as braces, orthodontic cases, and cases) used to align and straighten misaligned, crooked, and crowded teeth. They position the teeth with regard to the patient’s bite. They fix gaps, underbites, overbites, deep bites, open bites, crossbites, and other orthodontic flaws. They also aim for overall dental health. 

As long as they remain on the surface of the teeth, they constantly put pressure on both teeth and jaw. And this pressure allows teeth to shift and position correctly.

Invisalign- Invisalign is a modernly developed teeth-straightening treatment. According to the Invisalign McKinney specialists, this is one of the biggest examples of the excellence in modern dentistry. These days, it is widely gaining demand and popularity due to its amazing capabilities to treat faster than other treatments. 

It is an alternative to conventional dental braces and much more effective. It is a custom-made plastic teeth tray (also known as clear aligner, clear-aligner treatment), nearly invisible, used to correctly adjust and position the mild to moderate misalignment of teeth. It treats almost all the orthodontic problems such as misaligned, gapped, crooked, and crowded teeth. It also treats the bite's flaws. 

It needs to be worn on the surface of teeth for at least 20 hours a day during the whole treatment period. Like conventional braces, it put force on both teeth and jaws that help in positioning or shifting the teeth correctly.

Conventional Dental Braces and Invisalign- The Differences 

Structure

Dental braces consist of metal brackets that are tied together by a metal wire and tiny rubber bands. These are clearly visible devices when putting on teeth.

On the other hand, Invisalign is a plastic form of braces. It does not consist of metal, wires, and rubber bands. It is simply a plastic-made clear aligner. It is almost invisible while wearing on teeth.  

Color

Basically, dental braces come in metallic or silver colors. However, they are also available in enamel color. You can buy that by paying extra money. 

Invisalign is clear and transparent. 

Removable/Irremovable

Dental braces are irremovable due to its specific structure. While eating, drinking, and brushing your teeth, you cannot remove dental braces.

While Invisalign is easily removable and interchangeable. Before eating, drinking, and brushing your teeth, you can easily remove it, and after completing the task you can again wear it. 

Treatment Time

Dental braces are required to be worn 24/7 during the whole treatment period. 

Invisalign is required to be worn 20-22 hours a day during the whole treatment period. 

Cleaning

Dental braces must be nicely cleaned with the help of a toothbrush.

On the other hand, to keep your Invisalign clean, you need to use lukewarm water. 

Follow Up Visits

The patient who is taking dental braces treatment needs to meet the concerned dentist every month during the treatment period.

The patient who is taking Invisalign treatment needs to meet the concerned dentist every two weeks to interchange the clear aligners. 

Effectiveness

Dental braces are more effective for complex orthodontics problems. 

Invisalign is more effective for mild to moderate misalignment. 

Pros and Cons of Dental Braces 

Pros

• Effective to treat any type of orthodontics problem including mild, moderate, and severe

• Lesser follow up visits to the dentist

• Low-cost devices

Cons

• Irremovable

• Visible to the third person

• Discomfort in eating, drinking, and brushing teeth

• Food can get stuck between metal brackets

• Reduce the confidence level while speaking in front of some people

• May have pain and sores from metal brackets, wires, and teeth movement

• Required frequent cleaning

• Slow treatment process

Pros and Cons of Invisalign 

Pros

• Effective in mild to moderate orthodontics problems

• Easily removable and interchangeable

• Almost invisible to the third person

• No difficulties in eating, drinking, and brushing teeth

• No pain and sores

• Easy cleaning process

• Do not reduce the confidence level

• Treat faster than braces

Cons

• A bit costly

• Required frequent interchanging of clear aligner (every two weeks)

Conventional Dental Braces and Invisalign- Which One is Better For You?

Basically, it depends on the complexity of your orthodontics problem whether you should opt for conventional braces or Invisalign. You should leave this on your concerned dentist as he/she knows better what fits you the best. However, due to so many advantages, Invisalign is the first choice of dentists all around the world. They often prefer to prescribe Invisalign to dental patients instead of dental braces. You should also choose it for getting fast and effective results. 

Types of Dental Emergencies and Their Instant Treatments

Dental emergencies refer to the dental problems that need instant treatment or an instant temporary aid. They cannot wait for a few hours for a dentist to come, examine the problem, and provide the treatment. They need to undergo an instant treatment otherwise the problem gets bigger and more critical as every minute passes. 

They can occur anytime and anywhere due to several different reasons. If they occur at midnight and on a holiday or weekend, then they can create worse situations because of the unavailability of dentists. Therefore, it is important to know how to deal with dental emergencies.  

You need to wisely act as soon as the dental emergency occurs. You cannot wait for the dentist because if you do so, the problem will get worse. It is important to provide first aid as soon as possible. For example, if your gums are bleeding and you have extreme toothache, the very first thing you need to do is; contact the emergency dentists in McKinney. Then you need to rinse your mouth with warm water. Keep warm water in your mouth for a few minutes. It will relax your gums’ muscles, stop bleeding, and reduce the level of pain. If there is swelling in your gums, you should take a cold compress from outside of your mouth. It will give instant relief. 

What Are Considered As Dental Emergencies? 

It is very important to understand what is a dental emergency and what’s not. There is a thin line difference between a standard dental issue and a dental emergency. Any dental problem that can be treated by scheduling an appointment or can wait for hours and days is a standard dental issue. While on the other hand, any dental issue that needs instant attention or first aid is a dental emergency. It includes extreme toothache, non-stop gum bleeding, cracked and broken teeth, gum swelling, mouth injury, etc. 

Putting in simple terms, if you are unable to have control in any of your dental problems whether it is a toothache and cracked teeth, it should be considered as a dental emergency. 

Dental Emergencies and Their Instant Treatment  

There are several different types of dental emergencies and if you want to know what those are and how to deal with them, the below-mentioned section is for you. Here you will learn about the most common dental emergencies and how to wisely deal with them. 

Toothache & Gum Bleeding-  These two are the most common dental emergencies. They can occur due to several different causes such as tooth decay, wobbly teeth, infection, teeth worms, and mouth injury. You should treat these dental emergencies following the instructions we mentioned above in this article. Doing so will help you a lot to get rid of extreme toothache, stop gum bleeding, and have some instant relaxation. Later, you can visit the emergency dental clinic for treatment. 

Cracked Teeth- Cracked teeth are a dental emergency when it causes extreme toothache and gum bleeding. Generally, it occurs during an accident when participating in a recreational activity, playing outdoor sports, meeting a road accident, slipping in the washroom or slippery surface, etc. It must be treated instantly. Again the same instructions you need to follow. You need to rinse your mouth with warm water or keep warm water in your mouth for a few minutes. If there is swelling, take a cold compress. Once you get some relaxation and feel okay, you should visit the nearest emergency dentist. 

Broken Teeth- An accident or mouth injury can cause broken teeth. If you notice a reddish flesh, a lump of the dental pulp, a broken line, and too much bleeding from the root on your teeth after meeting with an accident, that means there are very high chances that your teeth get broken. 

The very first thing you need to do is collect the broken pieces of your teeth. Then rinse your mouth and broken pieces of teeth. To stop bleeding, apply gauze on the bleeding area for 5-10 minutes. Then take a cold compress to reduce the effects of swelling. Once you feel good, visit the emergency dentist and get your full dental check-up done. 

Gums, Tongue, and Lips Injury- Gums injury and infection can occur due to using a hard-bristled brush and during a mouth injury. While tongue and lips, injury can occur due to meeting an accident and different bites problems including open bite, underbite, crossbite, deep bite, and crowding. These are minor dental emergencies until the cut in lips and tongue are large enough. 

If you cut your lips or tongue, just stay calm and rinse your mouth appropriately. You need not do too many things. Just visit the emergency dentist in your locality as soon as possible. The dentist will examine the dental problem and provide you with an instant relieving solution. 

Something Stuck Between Your Teeth- Generally, this happens with those people who have large gaps between their teeth. While eating, if something gets stuck between your teeth and it is not getting out of your teeth despite putting so much effort, use the dental floss. If you don’t have dental floss, use a thin thread between your teeth where the particle of food is stuck. 

If still the situation remains the same, visit the emergency dentist as soon as possible otherwise this problem will poke you again and again. 

So, these are some dental emergencies and instant solutions. Whenever you find yourself in any of these situations, just stay calm and wisely act by following the instructions as specified in this article. You will surely get instant relief. 

Best Practices to Obtain a Good Oral Health

Obtaining good oral health needs good oral care for a lifetime. If you think brushing your teeth once a day is enough to keep your teeth healthy, you are wrong. Even brushing your teeth two times a day is also not enough. It needs more care.

In this blog, we have compiled the best practices that you should perform every day to keep your oral health healthy. Here are those:

Tips For Brushing Teeth

Brush Your Teeth Twice a Day- Every time dentists MacKinney TX suggest brushing your teeth twice a day, but hardly 10 percent of people follow their advice. The rest don’t take it seriously. A dentist only can advise you for your good oral health. He/she cannot force you to follow his/her advice. It’s all upon you. If you love your white and brightening teeth, then you must brush your teeth twice a day. It will keep your teeth brightening. The best times to brush your teeth are after waking up from bed in the morning and before going to bed at night. 

When You Brush, Don’t Rush- Generally, people consider “brushing teeth” a boring daily routine. Therefore, they complete this activity within a few seconds and without properly brushing their teeth. This is not useful for keeping oral health in good condition. You need to take at least 2-3 minutes to brush your teeth. This is an ideal timespan for brushing teeth. 

Don’t Forget to Clean Your Tongue- A dirty tongue is the biggest reason for bad breathing and mouth odor. Plaque and bacteria in the tongue promote bad breathing and mouth odor. If you want to keep these things away from your oral health, don’t forget to properly clean your tongue when you brush your teeth. You can use either a tongue-cleaning tool or toothbrush to clean your tongue. 

Use a Fluoride Toothpaste- When it comes to toothpaste, wisely select the best quality toothpaste. No matter what brand you prefer in toothpaste, just make sure whichever toothpaste you buy contains fluoride. This is the main element that fights against bacterias, germs, and keeps your teeth protected from tooth decay and infections. 

Use A Soft-Bristled Toothbrush- Soft-bristled toothbrushes are ideal for brushing teeth. Unlike the hard-bristled toothbrushes, they do not harm your gums. So, you should choose this type of toothbrush for you. If you want something better than soft-bristled toothbrushes, then battery-operated toothbrushes are for you. They are very effective to remove bacteria and plaque from your mouth. 

Don’t Brush Teeth Immediately After Eating- Don’t brush your teeth immediately after eating, especially when you eat acidic food. The combination of acid and base can harm your teeth. So, take 15-20 minutes to break after eating, then brush your teeth. It is good for your oral health.   

Replace Your Brush Every Three Months- Toothbrushes can get damaged after a certain period. Therefore, you should replace your toothbrush every three months. If you do not replace it, the hard and damaged bristles of your toothbrush can harm your gums. 

Flossing Tips

Do Flossing Regularly- Flossing is the most neglected part of oral care while it should be treated as important as brushing. Flossing is a process of removing the small particles of foods that are stuck between your teeth. It is done through a floss. It should be done at least once a day. 

Be Gentle While Flossing- Floss is a thread that can harm your gums while removing food particles from teeth. So, whenever you do flossing, be gentle so that your gums cannot be harmed.

Look For Alternative- Flossing can be a difficult job for you. If you face difficulties while flossing, you should look for alternatives such as a dental pick, tiny brushes that reach between teeth, pre-threaded flosser, a water flosser, or wooden or silicone wedge plaque remover.

Teeth Whitening Tips 

Do Not Eat Too Much Junk Food- The modern generation loves to eat junk food. It is not bad when you eat it once a week. But, it is bad when you eat it too much. Junk food contains a significant amount of harmful substances that affect your oral health as well as overall health. It is one of the main reasons for paled and stained teeth. So, make sure you avoid eating junk food. 

Eat Fresh Vegetables and Fruits- Fresh veggies and fruits are very healthy. They are vitamin-rich. You should eat fruits and veggies regularly. It will keep both your oral health and overall health in an optimal condition. 

Avoid Eating Tobacco and Chemical-Contained Edible- Everyone knows that tobacco and chemical containing edibles are harmful to health, but still people consume them. Maybe they consume them because they are addicted. If you want to keep your oral health in a good condition, you will have to avoid consuming these edibles otherwise they will affect your oral health very badly. They pose several oral illnesses such as paled and stained teeth, tooth decay, gum diseases, bad breathing, and infections. 

Use Mouthwash- Mouthwash is the best thing you can do several times a day without any difficulty. You just need to put a significant amount of liquid of mouth freshener or mouthwash in your mouth and gargle for a few seconds. This will keep your teeth brightening. 

Take Teeth Whitening Treatments- If your teeth are paled and stained, then you should take teeth whitening treatment. Tray bleaching and whitening stripes are the two best teeth whitening treatments. You can take any of these. The treatment period will be more than three months. After that, you will see the difference in your teeth. 

What Is Considered As A Dental Emergency?

When you have come across any dental problem, then you should call your dentist without any second thought. But what if you face a dental emergency late in the night, early in the morning or on weekends when most of the dentists are not available. If you are facing a severe dental problem after the normal working hours, you will likely need emergency dentist McKinney TX or even an emergency room visit.

Before you consider your problem as an emergency, you must first know whether it is a dental emergency or not. You must understand the difference between a standard dental problem that can wait till morning and a real emergency that can affect your health badly or cost you a tooth. Here are a few things you should know to recognize dental emergencies.

How To Know If It’s A Dental Emergency Or Not?

There are so many people who experience dental or oral pain, showing how common dental issues are. But still, not every dental situation is considered an emergency. To determine if your dental problem can wait to be seen by your dentist or if you need to take a trip to an emergency dentist McKinney TX, you must ask the below questions to yourself:

Are you in severe pain? If you have severe pain and experiencing bleeding, then these are signs of an emergency.

Have you lost a tooth? If you have lost a tooth in an accidental fall, then quick and instant treatment can potentially save your tooth.

Do you have a loose tooth? A loose tooth, even without pain, is a serious problem. You must see the dentist immediately.

Do you have an infection? An abscess or serious infection can be potentially dangerous, and treatment should not wait. If you notice swelling or knots on your gums or around your face, then it is an emergency situation.

Are you bleeding from the mouth? This is definitely a sign of an emergency.

In general, any dental problem that requires instant treatment to stop bleeding, lessen pain, or protect a tooth is deliberated as an emergency. If you have any of the above-mentioned symptoms, you may be going through a dental emergency. Call your emergency dentist McKinney TX straightaway and explain to them what has happened.

What Isn’t a Dental Emergency?

If your dental problem can wait until your dentist can see you, and you could wait for the next couple of days, then it is not a dental emergency. Sometimes your dental problem might appear critical to you, but you can in fact wait for a day or so for treatment. The best example to explain this is – if you have a chipped or cracked tooth and the fracture is very painful, then it is a dental emergency.  If it has left sharp fragments, then these need to be treated immediately as it can cause trauma inside your mouth. But if your chipped tooth is not hurting you, you can wait for a day or so to see your dentist.

Also, if you have a toothache that is not very severe, then you can wait for treatment. If you don’t have symptoms of an abscess such as high fever, swelling of the face or gums, then you could also wait for your treatment. Those who have lost a crown or filling can wait a few days to see their dentist.

Avoiding Potential Emergencies

The best way to prevent dental emergencies is to maintain your oral hygiene and get routine check-ups with your dentist. If you visit your dentist for regular check-ups, your dentist will check for loose fillings and crowns along with any signs of decay, infection, and gum disease. If you have gone for tooth extracted recently due to a dental emergency, make sure you follow your dentist’s home care instructions prudently to prevent risks, such as tooth or gum infection.

Generally, a dentist provides different kinds of dental services like:

·         Whitening For Life

·         Invisalign

·         All-On-Four

·         Implants

·         Cosmetic Dentistry

·         Veneers

·         Wisdom Teeth

·         Endodontic Treatment

·         Preventive Care

·         Teeth For Life

·         Sedation Dentistry

·         Pediatric Dentistry

Your dentist may suggest any of the above treatments instantly or in the near future by going through your current dental status. A good dentist always suggests his patient’s different ways through which they can maintain dental health and avoid dental emergencies like pain and infections. They also recommend them basic medicines that they can take in case of instant pains or swelling.

Many dentists offer comprehensive and preventive dental care based on advanced digital dentistry technology. They provide traditional patient-focused care and give treatments to achieve healthy results that last a lifetime.  They provide all the services that you would expect from a modern dental practitioner including implants, veneers, teeth whitening, sedation, and general dental care for the whole family. That’s why they call themselves as family dentists. They know that most of the patients visiting their clinic are fearful of dental treatment. That’s why they take additional care to make them feel comfortable and have a positive visiting experience. They want their patients to be so impressed so that they can refer their family and friends to experience genuine care.

Invisalign Treatment– Answers To All Your Clear Braces Queries

Invisalign or clear braces might appear like an easy thing to many, but it’s not. Though it has been much better than traditional metal braces, but still there is some confusion among wearer regarding what they can do and what they can’t. This blog by one of the reputable dentists that offer Invisalign McKinney answers all the queries related to it.

Many adults choose clear aligners because they are the least obtrusive and subtle options. Invisalign are getting popular due to their invisibility and incredible practicality, but you have to follow a long list of rules. Invisalign process impacts even the simplest activities of your routine like brushing your teeth or having a cup of tea. But the benefits it offers simply outweigh its downsides. So, if you have decided to get them, get yourself prepared by reading the common queries that people ask Invisalign McKinney dentists regarding Invisalign and answers to those tricky questions.

Drinking With Trays On: While wearing aligners, you should only drink water. Tea, coffee, and red wine can stain the trays. Even avoid sugary drinks as they can collect under them, which could lead to cavities. Similarly, avoid drinking too many hot drinks. If the drink is boiling hot, then it can warp your trays.

Drinking Through A Straw With Trays On: Some Invisalign-wearers use a straw to get around the no-drink rule, but it is not absolutely foolproof. It is suggested to avoid sugary or acidic drinks.

Eating with Trays On: The answer to this question is straightaway “No”. It is extremely difficult to eat and chew food with trays on. For ideal teeth movement, you should wear the trays for 22 hours a day. You can remove trays for 2 hours which can be evenly spread throughout the day for eating, drinking, or anything. Always make sure that you should brush your teeth and rinse your mouth well after having your meals and before putting them back in.

Cleaning Trays Using Toothpaste: Just like your teeth, Invisalign aligners need regular cleaning. Just like teeth, people mostly consider toothpaste on a toothbrush as a clear cleaning option. But experts believe that toothpaste contains ingredients like fluoride that is essential for the health of the teeth and therefore, toothpaste is not required for aligners. Simply rinse your aligners with water and use your toothbrush to clean it. You can also soak them in water for some time.

Wearing Lipstick In Invisalign: Even though you are not a pro lipstick wearer, we still find it fine. If you can avoid wearing it when aligners are on, then there is nothing better than this. Experiencing smudge of lipstick across the front teeth is very common, but this doesn’t mean that you should completely avoid using lip products. Doing it occasionally will be good for your aligners.

Can I Get Invisalign With Cavities? People have the misconception that that Invisalign does not work well on teeth that already have fillings. But this is not true at all. All you need to check is that your fillings are in perfect condition before you start Invisalign treatment. Preferably, you must have a stable dental structure before you embark on Invisalign. You must not have any gum or teeth problems. This is essential if you want to avoid pain or other treatments during Invisalign. Though it is possible to perform filings and treat gum problems whilst going through treatment. But it can affect the surface and shape of the tooth which in turn can affect the fitting of the aligner.

Getting Invisalign With A Crown: Yes, you can have crowns before Invisalign, but your dentist must know which tooth is crowned as you cannot use this surface for the Invisalign attachments. A crowned tooth cannot be used to fix buttons that are stuck on the teeth to help with tooth movement.

It is always suggested that one should visit the dentist first, get the checkup and inform the dentist about the crown or cavity if any before initiating the Invisalign process. A full consultation is essential which also includes health checkups and x-rays. If any periodontal (gum or dental) work needs to be done, it would be carried out before the Invisalign. After doing that, digital scans for your aligners will be performed followed by the Invisalign plan. After that, you are good to go to get your aligners on.

If you are living in McKinney and looking for Invisalign McKinney expert, then there are a few reputable dental clinics that are family-owned and have been running from the past so many years. You can trust them. Apart from helping you in your Invisalign treatment, they can also guide you well in other dental problems like:

• Whitening For Life

• All-On-Four

• Implants

• Cosmetic Dentistry

• Veneers

• Wisdom Teeth

• Endodontic Treatment

• Preventive Care

• Teeth For Life

• Sedation Dentistry

• Pediatric Dentistry

• Emergency Care

A few of them are following all preventive measures that are necessary to be followed by dental experts. They properly sanitize their premises after every treatment. It is important to follow so that infection doesn’t reach the clinic and does not put the life of the patients at risk.