Frequently Asked Questions about Invisalign

Q:Will my Invisalign treatment be painful?
A: During the first few day patients feel a slight discomfort similar to a tightness or tenderness associated with a new pair of shoes or tightness of a pair of roller skates. This is normal.  This is a sign of the aligner working and moving teeth.  This pain is normal and should slowly fade as the aligner moves teeth.  The best way to keep the discomfort at a minimum is to take tylenol or I-B profen or anything that you would normally take for a headache.  We tell our patients to take this the day you start and the next day.  This will ease this process and help keep your mind off your teeth.  The best medicine is to stay busy and keep your aligners in as much as possible.

Q: Will wearing my Invisalign affect my speech?
A: Like any orthodontic treatment there are always a slight difference in speech.  Our patients notice a slight lisping the first few days the best way to get rid of this is practice talking in them.  Read a book out loud or sing in the car.  Talk as much as possible to retrain your tongue and this will disappear.  Most of our patients notice no change in speech at all, however.  Usually the only people who notice are close friends or family that you talk to on the phone.  The people who you speak to on a daily basis (co-workers & friends)  do not notice any changes. 

Q: What do I do if my aligners do not snap into place?
A: Minor discrepancies between the new aligner and current tooth position are normal, since the current tooth position are normal.  Since teeth need time to conform to the new aligner position.  You may need to add a few days until you change into your next aligner.  Always check your aligner before you try in a new one.  Check to see if the aligner is the right number and if it contends your personal ID#.  If all of this is correct and it still does not fit correctly consult the orthodontist.

Q:  Are there restrictions on what I can and can not eat?
A:In general, no.  Unlike traditional orthodontic appliance you can take your "braces" out.  So you may eat whatever you want.  The first few days in your aligners you may not want to eat anything too tough or chewy. This maybe more painful. 

Q: Is it ok to drink hot or cold drinks while wearing my aligner?
A: Except for cool water, Invisalign recommends that you take out your aligners to eat or drink anything.  This is to avoid the formation of cavities or staining.  Also hot drinks may warp the aligners.

Q: Can I chew gum with my aligners in?
A: NO.  Chewing gum will stick to the aligners.  If you need to chew gum the best time is after a meal, chewing sugar-free gum will help clean food from between the teeth. 

Q: Will smoking or chewing tobacco stain the aligners?
A: Yes, it is possible to stain the aligner if you smoke or chew tobacco.

Q: What should I do if I loss or break an aligner?
A: We tell our patients that they should go back to their previous aligner and call us so we can order a new aligner.

What's Next?

After I am finished with my orthodontic treatment 

what comes next?

              After you are finished wearing braces or Invisalign the next step is retention.  Retainers come in many shapes and sizes.  Each patient is special and has special needs for their teeth so retainers vary from patient to patient.  Whatever type of retainer is chosen for you should be worn for as long as you would like to keep your teeth straight.  So if you would like your teeth to stay straight forever, the only way that you can ensure that they do is to wear a retainer for 4-12 hours everyday or as instructed by the doctor.

In our office we typically use these retainers for these types of orthodontic procedures:

Full fixed (Braces)- Traditional retainer and a bonded (glued in retainer).
Invisalign- Essix (clear in office invisalign type retainer) or a Vivera (made by Invisalign)


What does that mean?

Types of retainers and their pros and cons:

• Traditional Retainers-  These retainers are an oldie but a goodie.  They are more bulky but they have lots of advantages.  These retainers can last 20-30 yrs and still do a great job.  These can have a picture or color choice added to them so that they can show off your personality.  These retainers can be adjusted if teeth have moved and are more forgiving if you slack in wearing them a few nights.  Traditional retainers also are a little less comfortable then the other types of retainers.

• Bonded Lower Retainers- Are a great way to keep your teeth straight and not have to worry about remembering to put it in your mouth.  These retainers are one of the easiest to wear but one of the hardest to keep clean.  Glued in retainers make it difficult to floss and to brush behind but it is possible.

• Essix Retainers- These in office clear plastic retainers are super comfy and invisible but they do have a few drawbacks.  These retainers are great but only last about a year to a year in half just like contact lens.  They can become expensive if you are going to wear them for a life time because you have to replace them yearly.  (About $100 an arch)

• Vivera Retainers- Invisalign's retention appliance is a great option for patients who love the clear aligners but aren't available to get to an orthodontist every year.  These retainers are made by either taking an impression or a LED Scan.  They are made by Invisalign and are made 4 sets at a time.  So you won't have to come back in for appointments yearly.  Also the scans are saved by invisalign so as long as your last aligner fits you may never have to take an impression again.     

How Much Do I Wear My Invisalign

How much do I wear my Invisalign aligners?

           Patients that are moving teeth and are wearing Invisalign appliances should wear their aligners anywhere from 23-22 hours everyday to get the best optimal wear. 

           This amounts to taking them out only to eat or to brush.  One nice thing about Invisalign though is if you have a special occasion or a meeting or even photo shoot you can take them out and just make up the time you lost at the end of your two week process.  

           Certain days you may not want to risk losing them so you can just keep them in a safe place and just add a day at the end.  The one thing that you must always do is wear them for the full two weeks.  Each aligner is only designed to do 100% of its job it can not do anymore than that so if you aren't wearing your aligners enough you will build an in correction into your future aligners.  

"Shopping" for Orthodontics?

Would you pick a heart surgeon on price alone? Now teeth are not quite life and death, but they do play a huge part in your appearance and well being!

Braces and Invisalign are simply tools. The results that are achieved are entirely dependent upon the skills of the doctor and staff. When evaluating your options, this is the most important factor to consider in your buying decision.

Our doctors are specialists in the field of orthodontics. Trained in all aspects of orthodontic diagnosis and correction, they have the ability to utilize many different techniques to get the best possible results in the minimum amount of time.

Our practice was a pioneer in the use of Invisalign since its inception in 1999 and our disignation as an Elite provider puts us in the top Invisalign practices in the country. Only 1% of orthodontics reach this status.

How We Practice

 Unlike most group practices, treatment at our office is a mutual collaboration, with Dr. Waxler and Dr. Cavanaugh jointly  diagnosing, treatment planning, and treating most of our patients.  We feel that the advantages of multiple insights has been extremely beneficial for our patients.  We do understand, however, that certain patients may desire or require a particular doctor. 

 Where We Come From

Our practice has been around for a very LONG time, over a century.  Dr. Edward Angle is considered around the world to be the father of modern orthodontics.  Among his many accomplishments were the invention of the edgewise appliance which are the "braces" used by the majority of the world's orthodontists, establishing the world's first school for orthodontic education right here in St. Louis in the year 1899 and finally founder and first president of what has become the American Association of Orthodontists which has its headquarters here in St. Louis.  As we traced our origins, we were pleased to discover that our founder and predecessor was this very same Dr. Angle, who started his private orthodontic practice in 1896.  His practice has changed hands and moved locations through the years but has always remained intact.

 

How do I know if I have a type of gum disease?

Gum Disease-

You may not have pain or any “problems,” but there are a few ways to tell if you need to go see your dental professional.  

            Some ways to know are your gums bleed when you are brushing or flossing, your gums are red and swollen, and/ or  you have mouth sores or bumps that will not go away.  
         
         When you are at the dental professional’s office, it is important that you ask what steps to take to improve your oral hygiene.  Even though you maybe brushing you may be doing it incorrectly or not brushing or flossing long enough.

No More Goopey Mess

Invisalign Intraoral Scanner

Our goal at Century Orthodontics has always been to be the St. Louis Leader in Invisalign treatment. We were the first in the Missouri to use Invisalign and we have consistently been one of the top Invisalign providers in the country. That's why we are the first orthodontic office in St. Louis to acquire the iOC Invisalign intraoral scanner. The scanner will allow us to do away the gooey impressions that are normally used to created 3-D models of the teeth. While this machine costs as much as a nice new car, we feel that our patients are worth it!

The benefits of a 3-D dental scanner:

-no need to have impressions taken, leading to a much more comfortable experience and no gagging

-increased accuracy leading to better fitting appliances and thus better control of tooth movement

-elimination of rejected impressions and redo’s

-ability to see the 3-D image of your teeth immediately following the scan

-Ability to view Invisalign tooth animation in a few days vs. a few weeks, allowing us to start treatment 50% faster

The scans generally take between 15-20 minutes, which is comparable to the time required for a full set of impressions. Unlike other scanning systems, iOC is a laser and optical scanner, so there is also no concern about any radiation.

Our office has scheduled 3 days of hand-on training and will begin using the scanner for most Invisalign and Invisalign Teen patients shortly. We think this is going to really improve the overall Invisalign experience and look forward to helping you smile without braces!

What are Rubber Bands for Braces for?

Everyday at least one of our patients will ask, "Why am I wearing these rubber bands?" Patients wear rubber bands for many different reasons. Common reasons are to fix bite problems or to help guide the movement of teeth. Patients for the most part find that wearing their elastics is one of the most annoying parts of braces, but it is also one of the most important parts to getting the teeth straight and to having proper bite.

Why do I wear elastics? These elastics create a small but continuous amount of pressure on the teeth or jaws to move them into more desirable positions. If you wear your elastics as instructed, treatment will be completed more rapidly. When you are wearing your elastics full time, this means 24/7, taking them out only to eat and brush. We ask our patients to switch their elastics 3-4 times daily. Switching them ensures that the elastics will retain their strength, and the force will be steady. Your teeth will be sore when you start wearing your rubber bands, but the better you are with wearing them the sooner the soreness will go away. Just smile through the first few days, and your rubber bands will become easier and easier.

For patients wearing elastics the most difficult time of the day is right after lunch. Patients forget to put their rubbrt bands back in until after they get home from school or until after dinner. Forgetting will bring tooth movement to a halt and extend the amount of time in braces. It takes 10-12hrs for the teeth to start moving when wearing elastics.

Dr. Waxler tells patients their teeth are like semi-trucks. If two vehicles are on the highway and one is a sports car and the other is a semi-truck, they both can do the speed limit but when they have to come to a stop, it only takes the sports car a few seconds to accelerate back up to the 60 miles an hour. The semi-truck takes a lot longer to reach the speed limit. This is why those big trucks don't want to stop if they can avoid it.

Since your teeth are like semi-trucks, the only thing to keep them from stopping their movement is to wear your elastics as instructed. Teeth will stop moving if the elastics are out of the mouth for more then just eating and brushing. We tell our patients to put their elastics on their pinkie fingers when the bands are out of their mouths. When you are finished eating and brushing, you will look down and remember to put them back in

How long do I need to wear my retainers?

How long do I need to wear my retainers?

This is a question that is asked almost everyday in our office. The answer is an easy one, you need to wear them as long as you would like to keep your teeth straight. If you would like your teeth to be straight until you are 90 then wear your retainers until you are 90. We can only ensure that your teeth stay straight as long as you wear your retainers and they fit properly. Dr. Waxler always says "Our bodies are ever changing no matter how long you've held your teeth straight they can still move as you get older. Even people who had "perfect" teeth when they were young, often find their teeth moving slightly as they age."

So what good were braces?

The secret of a good orthodontic result is to put the teeth in the most stable position that is possible considering the person's facial structure and dental problems. After a few years in retainers, the tooth arrangement should be reasonably stable; although corrected dental and skeletal problems all have varying tendencies to "rebound". This is like people who always have to be on a diet or wear glasses to correct a problem, some teeth need to be retained forever.

If I decide not to wear my retainer...., should I still see my Orthodontist?

After approximately two years of retainer wear we enter into a post-retention period. We require appointments on a "as needed" basis. Unless you are told that your problem is particularly unstable, you may only need to wear your retainer 2-4 nights a week. If you lose, break or your retainer no longer fits please call our office to make an appointment so we can advise you on what options will fit your situation best. If you have graduated from our office there may be an office visit charge or a replacement fee.

What about my bonded (or glued in) retainer?

You may come back to see us anytime to have our office check your bonded retainer, but your regular dentist can evaluate this retainer for you at your dental check ups. If anything appears to be wrong please call us immediately to have it checked. If we need to remove this retainer we suggest getting a removable retainer to ensure that your teeth will stay straight. You may have this retainer removed at anytime and take an impression for a removable retainer to be made (at the current fee). This removable retainer will be asked to wear at night time for as long as you would like to hold those teeth straight.