Some Precautionary Tips For Invisalign Treatment

Undoubtedly, Invisalign is the best orthodontics treatment with several benefits. It is clear and transparent in color, easily removable & interchangeable, and very comfortable to wear on teeth the whole day. It is also far better than conventional metal braces. But, despite all of these benefits, it is a bit uncomfortable and painful for the first couple of weeks for patients. It is not easy to comfortably survive that first couple of weeks but to gain a proper alignment of teeth and a pretty smile, it is very important to get across that phase. 

In this guide, we have compiled four Invisalign precautionary tips that you must follow to lower the discomfort of the first couple of weeks of the treatment. Let’s have a quick look at those tips. 

1. Control Tongue Movement

2. Keep Invisalign Clean

3. Carefully Wear and Remove Invisalign

4. Take Painkillers and Cold Compress to Get Rid of Pain and Swelling 

Control Tongue Movement

The Invisalign is plastic-made clear aligners that have some sharp edges. Although those sharp edges are very light, still those can hurt the tongue. They are the biggest reason for the common tongue sores among dental patients who take Invisalign treatment. It is a bit tough avoiding those tongue sores while taking Invisalign treatment, still, you can avoid those sores by following some precautionary Invisalign tips. 

The first and most important thing you should follow is to control your tongue movement. Many patients repeatedly touch the Invisalign from their tongues and this causes tongue injuries. You should avoid doing this thing. Yes, we know this is a little tough, still, you will have to try your best to control your tongue movement. It would be difficult for the first 2-3 days, but later you will be able to do that very easily. If you face trouble for more than one week, you should consult Invisalign specials McKinney TX. He/she will suggest you doing some suitable practices to control your tongue movement. 

Another best way to avoid tongue injuries is to apply wax on sharp edges & rough spots of Invisalign. Take a small pinch of wax on your finger, then apply on the sharp edges and cover them properly. It is a good technique. You can follow this with the consultation of your concerned dentist. 

In case, if pain and injuries occur despite applying wax and following other precautionary steps, you should use peroxide-based mouthwash. It is very effective to give relief from minor pain, mouth injuries, and irritation during Invisalign treatment. However, before buying this, you should consult with your dentist. 

Keep Invisalign Clean 

Before wearing and after removing the Invisalign from your teeth, don’t forget to properly wash and clean it. It is the must-do task. It is crucial with the perspective of avoiding gum infections and tooth decay. 

To wash and clean your clear aligners, use lukewarm tap water. Take a bowl of lukewarm water, soak your Invisalign into it, and keep it soaked for 10-15 minutes. After that, gently rub Invisalign with soft hands or brush it with an extra toothbrush. Then wash it with clean water. 

You can also use cold water, denture cleaner, or Invisalign cleaning crystals to wash and clean it. Apart from these techniques, there are many different ways you can wash and clean Invisalign. But, we would suggest you choose one of the above-mentioned techniques as these are the safest. 

Carefully Wear and Remove Invisalign 

Most dental patients make mistakes when wearing and removing Invisalign, and these mistakes mainly cause gums and lips injuries. So, you should be careful when wearing and removing Invisalign. If you don’t know the right techniques to wear and remove clear aligners, you should learn from your concerned dentist. 

Here are a few things you should keep in mind when wearing and removing Invisalign. 

• Use soft hands

• Be gentle

• Use your fingertips to support the process

• Hold the only Invisalign when removing it from teeth 

• Use your thumbs and index fingers 

• Thumbs must be inside of the jaw and index fingers must be outside of the jaw when removing

• Invisalign from teeth 

• Thumbs must be under the upper teeth to gently push Invisalign when wearing it

• Use other fingers for support only when wearing it 

Take Painkillers and Cold Compress to Get Rid of Pain and Swelling 

You should always have some painkillers with you when you are taking Invisalign treatment. However, you should not take those painkillers until your endurance stops responding. You should take them only in extremely painful moments. If the pain is like minor pain, you should try some home remedies or natural treatments to get rid of that. 

On the other hand, if Invisalign causes gum swelling, you should take a cold compress from outside of your mouth. It would be really helpful to lower the pain level. What you need to do is take some ice in a cotton cloth, tie it like a bundle, and start pressing on the swelling area from the outside of the mouth. Do this until you feel good. This would certainly help reduce swelling. 

So, these are four precautionary tips for those who are taking Invisalign treatment. You might be taking stress after reading about the injuries, infections, and pain that occurs due to following the wrong techniques of wearing and removing Invisalign and not taking care of it. But you need not worry as these cases are rare. If you rightly use Invisalign and take care of it, you will never face such issues. Still, you need to follow all the precautionary Invisalign tips that are mentioned in this guide. 

MOST COMMON DENTAL INJURIES THAT OCCUR IN SPORTS

When you are involved in any sports, then injuries and scars are parts of this journey. Athletes feel proud of their injuries and marks as these depict their hard work and dedication. If you are an athlete and you have gone through dental injury, then you should immediately consult an emergency dentist McKinney TX as correcting different dental injuries is possible with modern dentistry. You cannot compromise with your oral health and we do not let it happen as maintaining a beautiful smile on every face is what we are aiming for. And when you are a sportsperson, then it becomes essential to correct your injuries so that your smile can always be intact.

Dental emergencies involve instant attention to boot out severe pain, treat the high risk of infection, or save a tooth that is at high risk. Sometimes an accident while playing can knock your tooth out and the emergency is evident, but other times you may experience pain or distress and don’t know what to do. Broken dental equipment, lost fillings, and chipped veneers can be annoying, but they don't call for emergency dental care. Here are some examples of dental injuries where you should act quickly:

CRACKED TOOTH: A cracked or fractured tooth has riotously varying levels of severity. It happens mostly during sports when the player experiences an unexpected blow to the face. Sports authorities of the country estimate that players who don't wear mouthguards are more likely to damage their teeth through these unexpected blows during the competition and a tooth injury caused in this way can result in various long-term problems.

A tooth with longitudinal cracks is known as "craze lines" in the professional language. These are scoring lines in the enamel and do not cause high risk for your dental health. A cracked tooth, on the other hand, comprises of a crack or split that initiates at the crown of the tooth and outspreads downward into the tooth. Given below are some symptoms you might experience with a cracked tooth include:

·         A sharp pain when you bite down, which disperses later.

·         Tooth pain that comes and goes but isn't continuously present.

·         Pain while eating and drinking, particularly when you consume hot or cold foods.

·         Losing a section of the outer enamel shell of a tooth, which revels the dentin and pulp and sometimes the root surface.

·         It is also possible that you don't experience pain at all. This is because a cracked tooth isn't always noticeable to the naked eye; you may only determine it during your next dental checkup.

If you have experienced a vertical fracture near the center of the tooth, it generally won't let you lose a section of the tooth and just expose the tooth pulp. But if the crack prolongs through the tooth, it could affect the cusp, which is the sharp tips of the tooth. In this case, your dentist may make a diagnosis of a cuspal fracture, which will involve either performing root canal treatment or demand having the tooth extracted to avoid bacterial infection.

FRACTURED ROOTS: A tooth injury in sports isn't always restricted to the crown of the tooth. There is a possibility that a blow at the wrong angle can result in a fractured root, first. This happens when a crack starts from the root and travels in the direction of the tooth's chewing surface. Since fractures are often unseen; you might only determine the problem when an infection progresses. The rigorousness of this type of tooth damage depends on the position of the fracture along the root. The faster a patient with a root fracture is given root canal therapy, also known as endodontic treatment to avoid infection in the pulp, the lesser they have to experience necrosis that leads to tooth loss.

TOOTH INTRUSION:  Sports injuries are normally associated with teeth getting cracked, but a tooth can be driven back into the jawbone in its place. This type of suffering is called intrusion, and it happens very rarely in a small percentage of dental injuries that involve permanent teeth. Though these could be more common in primary teeth since a child's alveolar bones, which embrace the tooth sockets, are not tough enough just like in adults. Here are some of the complications that may arise from tooth intrusion:

·         Damage of the tooth pulp, either by due to necrosis or being injured during an accident which is beyond recovery.

·         Root resorption, which is a shortening of the roots. This happens in up to 70% of permanent teeth that are damaged in this way.

·         Ankylosis, which is described as the merging of the root of the injured tooth to the alveolar bone.

If you have gone through a sports-related dental emergency, call emergency dentist McKinney TX. Even though you find their office closed, they would definitely offer you help through emergency numbers mentioned on their website. If your treatment can wait till the next business day, move ahead and leave a message. Most of the dental clinics often leave appointments open for emergency cases and see them first. 

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.