August 2018 - Old Milton Dental

Teenagers already have a rough life. Going through body changes, first dates, learning how to drive, applying to college, AP classes and all the drama with their friends, throw in some metal braces and their life gets even more complicated. Fortunately, you can give your teen some relief when it comes to orthodontic treatments. If you’re looking into the different orthodontic options out there to straighten your teen’s teeth, it’s time to learn more about Invisalign. Invisalign is perfect for teens with all of the benefits. Learn more about Invisalign in Alpharetta from Old Milton Dental.

Invisalign is Virtually Invisible

When it comes to orthodontic treatments, there’s nothing worse than taking a look in the mirror to see a mouth full of metal. With so much focus on a teen’s self-image these days, it’s no wonder teens want to put off their orthodontic treatment. Fortunately, with Invisalign clear aligners, they are virtually invisible. Your teen can receive a complete orthodontic treatment without any of their friends know. They can continue being their outgoing self without feeling held back by the appearance of their teeth. They don’t have to worry about their teen years having bad pictures when they look back when they’re older. If you’re looking for a discreet treatment, Invisalign is perfect for teens.

Invisalign Boosts Teens Self-Confidence

Since Invisalign treatment is basically invisible, your teen doesn’t have to suffer from the embarrassment of metal braces. Invisalign treatment is not noticeable. Your teen won’t have to listen to hurtful comments from other teens who think it’s okay to make fun of others with braces. Because your teen won’t feel embarrassed by their smile, you can expect their self-confidence to boost! They won’t hide their smile or avoid taking pictures or being themselves because their braces are hidden! Invisalign is perfect for teens because it saves them from the embarrassment of metal braces.

Invisalign is Just as Effective as Braces

If you’re worried that Invisalign doesn’t work as well as braces, you’re wrong. Invisalign clear aligners from your Alpharetta dentist are actually just as effective as metal braces. They are a series of clear aligners used to gradually move your teen’s teeth into their ideal position. As long as your teen is wearing them for at least 22 hours per day, you don’t have to worry about them not being as effective. Not all teens are good candidates for Invisalign though. Your dentist will let you know if Invisalign is the right option for your teen’s smile during their consultation. In most cases, Invisalign can only treat mild to moderate problems.

Invisalign is Perfect for Playing Music & Sports

If your teen is in band or in a contact sport, Invisalign is the most ideal option for them to continue pursuing their passions and hobbies without the damper of braces. When it comes to playing wind instruments, having metal braces can make this very uncomfortable. With the metal braces already brushing against the lips and cheeks, blowing into an instrument can make this even worse. With contact sports, if someone gently touches your cheek or mouth when you have metal braces, you can expect to cut yourself on them. With Invisalign, teens don’t have to worry about cutting themselves or feeling uncomfortable when playing instruments or sports. They won’t have to endure painful cuts on their mouths and lips every time they play.

Invisalign Allows You to Eat Any Food

One of the top reasons a teen wants to opt for Invisalign over metal braces is because it allows them to eat whatever they want. With metal braces, you have to give up a lot of food! This includes nuts, chewy candies, gum, hard bread, apples and so much more. This can be annoying to live with, especially if you love popcorn! With Invisalign, you remove the aligners to enjoy your food and snacks. This makes teens more happy with their treatment because they can continue eating their favorite foods!

Invisalign Costs About the Same as Traditional Braces

A lot of parents try to avoid Invisalign treatment in Alpharetta because they believe it costs more than traditional braces. This is false. Invisalign actually costs about the same! If you have dental insurance, they will most likely help you pay for your teen’s treatment. When it comes to cost, Invisalign might be a small amount more, but it offers so many more benefits and a more enjoyable treatment experience.

Invisalign is a Reliable Treatment

Many parents aren’t convinced that Invisalign is a reliable treatment because it can be removed. We should tell you, if your teen is responsible, there won’t be any issues. The treatment is reliable as long as the patient follows their dentist’s instructions to wear the aligners for at least 22 hours per day and switching the aligners to new ones as often as they are told. With proper care and following instructions, Invisalign may correct your teen’s teeth even faster than with metal braces.

Invisalign is Comfortable

It’s pretty normal to experience pain and discomfort during an orthodontic treatment because your teeth are moving. Although with metal braces, your teen can expect to experience a bit more pain and discomfort. First, the metal brackets and wires can rub on the cheeks, gums, and lips, causing sores and cuts that can be quite painful. Next, every 6 weeks your teen must visit the orthodontist where they tighten the braces. This can leave the mouth sore for days at a time. On the other hand, with Invisalign, your teen doesn’t have to deal with painful brackets. The clear aligners are made of a comfortable plastic that you won’t even notice. You change the aligners every 2 weeks to gradually move your teeth instead of all at once. This leaves teeth sore for less amount of time than with braces. If you care about comfort, Invisalign is perfect for teens.

Find out If Invisalign is Right for Your Teen Today

Now that you know more about Invisalign, you can probably see why it’s perfect for teens. Give our Alpharetta dental office a call to schedule a consultation for your teenager today. You can also fill out our online form and we will get back to you.

Side Effects of Smoking on Your Oral Health

When you smoke, it can take quite the toll on your oral health as well as your teeth. Aside from hurting your dental health, smoking can also lead to lung cancer, cardiopulmonary problems and make asthma symptoms worse and increase coughing fits. Smoking can also affect your blood pressure, increase your risk of heart attacks, strokes and cause chronic lung problems like emphysema. On the other hand, smoking can lead to some terrible oral health side effects like bad breath, discolor your teeth, increase your risk of developing oral cancer, cause gum disease, and increase the time it takes for your body to heal wounds or after surgery.

Cigarettes contain harmful substances like tar, nicotine, and others that can do a lot of damage to your teeth. When you smoke, your mouth and teeth are the first parts of your body that come into contact with the smoke and chemicals which is why it’s no wonder smoking causes so many oral health problems. When you smoke, the chemicals go directly onto your teeth. Unless you brush your teeth directly after smoking, these chemicals will cause plaque, yellow stains and weaken your enamel. In addition, your weakened enamel will protect your teeth less from the harmful bacteria that smoking also produces. This means your teeth are more likely to develop cavities and gum disease. Gum disease can lead to rotting teeth that eventually fall out.

Smoking Affects Surgeries and Wound Healing

When you smoke, it decreases the amount of oxygen in your body. As a result, your body heals a lot slower when you’re a smoker. This is one of the top reasons doctors are hesitant to perform surgery on smokers. When it comes time to heal, your body will heal at a much slower rate. This can increase your chance of infection. If you have broken bones that need healing, smoking also affects the rate at which these heal as well. If you are going to undergo surgery, we highly recommend that you quit smoking a month before your surgery. Just a few days after quitting, your oxygen levels rise significantly. 4 weeks after quitting, your inflammatory cell response reduces. In addition, if you’re a smoker, your risk of having a heart attack, going into cardiac arrest and having a stroke is increased significantly during surgery. In other words, if you smoke and undergo surgery, it’s more likely you can have life-threatening problems.

How Vaping Affects Your Dental Health

Now that you know how cigarette smoking affects your dental health, it’s time to learn how vaping affects your dental health. Vaping is trending now more than ever when it comes to alternatives to smoking cigarettes. This is because people think it is a healthier alternative. Studies have shown that vaping is healthier for your teeth, but just as harmful to your overall health.

For example, vaping has not shown to give patients bad breath, plaque build-up or tooth discoloration. This should not encourage you to want to vape. Studies have found that if you smoke the vaporizers with nicotine in them, you are still going to experience the side effects that come with smoking nicotine such as a decreased blood flow. Therefore, you will still be at an increased risk for problems during surgery and your body will take longer to heal wounds. This decrease in blood flow can prevent your mouth from fighting off harmful bacteria. Therefore, you are more prone to infections in your gums and teeth. No kind of smoking is good for your teeth!

Although vaping does not stain your teeth, the vapors in the cartridges release different inflammatory proteins that seep into the gum tissue. This can lead to different oral diseases. In addition, some of the different flavorings found in vaporizers can lead to cellular damage throughout your mouth. Vaping can also suppress your immune system. Studies have found that vaporizer users can still have respiratory problems and issues in the nasal passages. If you think that vaping is a healthy alternative to smoking cigarettes, think again.

Increasing Your Oral Health as a Smoker

If you’re a smoker, of course, our first piece of advice is to quit smoking. Unfortunately, not all patients can do this, nor is it an easy process. In the meantime, we recommend that you do everything in your power to maintain your dental health. This means you need to brush more often than non-smokers so that you can remove the harmful chemicals from your teeth. This will help prevent decay, cavities and gum disease. We can even recommend some toothpaste and mouthwashes that are designed specifically for smokers. They might fight off bad breath and harmful chemicals better than traditional products. We also recommend that you visit us every 6 months for your dental checkups and cleanings. Our dentist will check for cavities, decay, signs of gum disease and check for oral cancer. Prevention is the best way to keep your mouth healthy!

Schedule Your Next Visit Today

If you are a smoker, it’s important for you to visit our dental office in Alpharetta regularly so that we can ensure your smile stays healthy. If you can’t quit, make sure you are taking as good care of your oral health as possible. Smoking is bad for your oral health and we’re here to help you as well as we can. Give Old Milton Dental a call or fill out our online form today to schedule your next dental appointment.

Month: August 2018

Why Invisalign is Perfect for Teens