The Invisalign Process

Invisalign is a corrective dental system pioneered by Align Technology. It has become quite popular that 12.8 million patients to date have benefited using it. What is Invisalign? It’s a clear aligner designed and customized to fix crooked or misaligned teeth. Know how it works and the different alignment issues it can correct.

The Invisalign system uses a thermoplastic material that is patented as SmartTrack to correct crooked teeth. Hence, it is soft and more convenient to use. The plastic is clear yet strong making wearing it more aesthetically pleasing. It is also removable in instances when you have to eat and drink, as well as clean it. These are Invisalign’s advantages over what is traditionally used to correct misalignment – braces, with their brackets and metal wires.

How does Invisalign work?

A sequence of clear aligners will be used throughout treatment. The aligner trays that fit into the upper and lower jaws are based on photos and 3D digital scan of the patient’s teeth, then fabricated using 3D printing technology. Each aligner is intended to move the teeth a quarter of a millimeter at a time in the direction desired. This may take a few weeks, and then the patient gets the next aligner batch to make further movements in the next weeks. This becomes complete when the desired positioning of the tooth or teeth concerned is achieved. Your dentist may apply SmartForce attachments to your teeth before or during your Invisalign treatment. They give your aligners leverage, acting like handles.

What issues does Invisalign fix?

The system can be used to correct most types of bite problems and tooth alignment problems. It’s effective in all age groups and preferred for patients who previously suffered bone and gum loss. Sometimes patients as young as six can benefit, as well as mild to moderate to severe crowding.

However, in cases of severe overbite or underbite, or a tooth that is rotated more than 20 degrees, large gaps between your teeth, or intrusions/extrusions, the better option are braces. There may be cases where Invisalign may not work for patients. Some patients may not be able to give significant cooperation; for example, the aligners are meant to wear for 20 to 22 hours a day, replacing them with a new set every one to two weeks. This means frequent dentist visits.

Invisalign may not work for all, but for those others, it is a great option for confident smiles.

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Transforming Smiles with Invisalign in Bellevue

Desiring to confidently smile again? Then see your Invisalign-certified dentist here at Overlake Dental in Bellevue. Experience a pleasant Invisalign journey with us.

Different Types For Different Purposes

There are many types of dental floss and there is no one “right” floss for everyone. If you must have the right one, it may entail some hits and misses, just like any product. Nothing wrong with having several types, including an electric flosser. With so many available in the market, it’s more important to floss everyday. Find out more.

So what is the best floss for removing plaque?

According to a recent study involving different types of flossing products (unwaxed, woven, shred-resistant, and an electric one), there was no difference in their efficiency in removing dental plaque. Versus using toothbrush alone, all the floss products were effective, the electric floss, though, showed the highest average plaque reduction after one use. Another study compared the safety feature plus the plaque-removing capability of the electric flosser versus the regular floss. It turned out that both were equally effective at removing plaque and both are safe.

An electric flosser can be fun to use by older children and adults; the elderly and those with dexterity issues with fingers can find the electric floss useful. Truth is, different family members have their own preferences which can change. Little children can use non-electric, specialized flossers and then gradually move on to electric flossers. Those with orthodontic braces or other dental appliances can learn to use the spongy floss or the electric flosser.

Some helpful tips can make choosing the right floss easier.

• Do you have wider than normal gaps between your teeth? You can use dental tape. It’s flatter and a bit thicker, perfect for those gaps. However, it may be difficult to pass them through crowded teeth. It’s available in both unwaxed and wax versions.
• Do you have tighter spaces in between your teeth? A waxed floss can easily glide into those tight spaces. Its waxed layer makes the strand stronger and resistant to shredding. Being waxed, it is thicker than unwaxed floss and may be harder to grip with your fingers.
• Do you wear braces or a bridge? You can use super floss, which has three main components: regular floss, spongy floss, and a stiff end threader. The last component can help easily maneuver the strand under bridges and other dental fixtures.
• Are you for less-mess flossing? Disposable flosses are for you, or a floss in pre-measured strands.
• Do you do a lot of traveling or are always in quite a hurry? Prefer the electric flosser.

Remember that whatever floss you prefer, under your dentist’s guidance, look for the American Dental Association (ADA) seal of approval. Floss daily for optimal oral health.

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Learning More About Dental Floss

Visit your friendly Bellevue dentists at Overlake Dental for more helpful tips about flossing and flossing products. We adhere to daily flossing as part of proper oral hygiene.

Symptoms and Risk Factors of Dry Socket

What is dry socket?

It is the most common complication following a tooth extraction procedure. The condition is quite painful and other symptoms may also occur. There are certain factors that increase the risk of this happening after a tooth removal. It is important to consult your dentist. Learn more here.

After a tooth extraction, a blood clot is usually formed at the wound site. The dentist knows that the clot over the wound serves as a shield, protecting the tissue, bone, and nerves therein, otherwise they will be left exposed. Hence, to keep the clot in place, your dentist will ask you to bite on a small gauze pad placed on top. He will instruct you to keep it there in the next one hour at least.

It may happen that a blood clot doesn’t form or the clot gets dislodged, leaving the bone and nerves exposed to the air. After some time the wound would become painful. It is now called a dry socket or alveolar osteitis. You will have to see your dentist for this, a situation that could have been avoidable.

How will you recognize that you may have a dry socket?

Firstly, the wound site becomes painful due to the exposed nerves, the clot that protects the wound is no longer there, some bone is exposed, a foul odor emanates from your mouth, or a bad taste in the mouth.

The most common symptom of pain can run anywhere from right after extraction to several days. While pain is normal after the procedure, it should not worsen.

It is not so clear why it happens to some and not to others, but experts say that certain factors play a role in dry socket. Smoking or chewing tobacco is one. Poor oral hygiene and failure to follow dentist’s instructions that lead to clot dislodgement also contribute. Presence of an infection near the tooth concerned or the surrounding gums increases the risk. Sometimes women who use birth control pills or have ERT are suspect, too. Another risk factor is a history of dry socket.

Dry socket can be avoided with proper care. Though it may be a transient condition, it is quite painful. Seek appropriate treatment when it happens to prevent other complications.

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Avoiding Dry Socket Experience in Bellevue

We at Overlake Dental are well aware of the high incidence of complications after tooth extraction. Rest assured that we take all proper precautions and care to ensure safe and effective dentistry.

Tips and Helps for Tooth Extraction Healing and Recovery

The treatment of wisdom tooth extraction can cause patients some discomfort by way of pain, swelling, bruising, or some other inconvenience that can drag for quite some time. It is hence important that the healing journey be made as comfortable as possible so as not to impede the quality of life. Here are some helpful tips that can speed up the healing process.

Wisdom tooth extraction can leave a localized swelling in the site of removal. After the anesthetic has waned, you can feel the traumatized tissue undergoing swelling and inflammation, some pain and bleeding, that can make you very uncomfortable. Hence, pay heed to your dentist-surgeon’s after-care instructions to make your healing process go smoothly.

You may be prescribed anti-inflammatory meds, like ibuprofen or naproxen, to decrease the swelling. Ice packs or a cold compress applied to that area of your face where the removal site is will also bring the swelling down and ease any pain that accompanies it. Apply this cold application 15 minutes on and followed by 15 minutes off for a few hours thereafter. Starting 24 hours after your surgery, if swelling still occurs, rinse the mouth with salt water or an oral rinse that is also antiseptic to prevent infection.

Note that immediately after your procedure, your dentist-surgeon will ask you to bite on a gauze pad placed over your wound. Keep it there in the next 60 minutes as it will prevent the wound from further bleeding out, and so that blood clots can form. Blood clots are essential in the healing process because they cover the wound and protect it from infection. They also protect the exposed bone and allow new tissue to grow.

After your gauze has come off, do not dislodge the clots in the next 24 hours. Do not try to rinse your mouth, drink hot fluids, suck on straws, or chew your food. They can dislodge the clot and cause pain. Definitely do not smoke or drink because these things can impede healing.

For a few days more, eat only soft or liquid foods like gelatin, mashed bananas, pudding, thin soup, and the like. Avoid foods that need chewing or crunching, and foods that are spicy. Don’t engage in exercises or any strenuous activity. Raise your head when lying down or when sleeping. Lastly, keep your wound clean with an occasional antiseptic mouth rinse that helps against infection.

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Helping In Your Healing Journey in Bellevue

Rest assured that we are here to help you through your healing process after a wisdom tooth extraction. Know more about wisdom tooth removal and its after-care from your Bellevue dentist.

A Little History of The Dental Floss

Dental floss has become routine in our daily oral hygiene regimen, yet it wasn’t the case before. Since early times, people have tried using different tools to take out irritating matter stuck in between the teeth. While the toothbrush has been used in its earliest form to clean teeth, floss is fairly a recent invention. Know more about where this magic string came from.

While dentists early on know that debris stuck in between teeth can cause future gum problems, it was a dentist from New Orleans, Levi Spear Parmly, who came out with the first form of dental floss. In 1819, he said a waxen silk thread running through the spaces between the teeth, including the gum arches, can dislodge debris that a toothbrush cannot remove. It caught on and became popular. However, floss only became commercially available in the latter part of the century when the Codman and Shurtleft company started producing unwaxed silk floss. In 1898, the Johnson & Johnson Corporation patented it using the same silk material that surgeons used for stitches.

By the 1940s, the dental floss material was nylon which replaced silk. Its texture is more consistent and resistant to shredding, definitely an improvement over silk. Then the use of nylon made possible the development of waxed floss in the 1940s, and for the development of dental tape in the 1950s. By the 1970s, North Americans had made dental floss a part of their daily oral care routine.

From that time dental floss came in a variety of types. There are waxed and unwaxed dental floss, soft floss and spongy floss, and others. And there are those that can be used around braces and other oral appliances. There are expensive dental floss and inexpensive ones. Practically, their price tags do not mean much difference. Today’s interdental cleaners may come with dispensers, or have plastic wands or as floss picks.

But there are factors to consider in picking out the better version for you. For example, consider the tightness between your teeth surfaces; a dental tape is recommended for larger tooth spaces. Consider, too, the gingival contour, and the roughness of the surfaces of neighboring teeth. You might also need to consider if the user has the dexterity and preference to use certain types of dental floss.

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Learn More About Dental Floss

For a more informed discussion about dental flosses, seek your dentist’s recommendations. Come and see your Bellevue dental professionals here at Overlake Dental and find out more.