Better Oral Health During And After Invisalign Treatment

Having straighter teeth means more than just a more attractive smile. Your mouth can be healthier too….

Most of you hopefully follow a good oral health regime, with regular brushing, flossing and appointments with both the dentist and hygienist at our Swadlincote dental practice. You may even think that there is little else that can be done to improve the way that you look after your teeth?

If you are doing the above, then you are going a long way to the best oral health possible; but there is one other factor that can act as a bit of a barrier to maintaining healthy teeth and gums.

However well you brush and floss your teeth, the chances are that you have some teeth that are difficult to keep clean, especially in the gaps between them. Teeth that are pressed closely together or that overlap, can be notoriously difficult to keep clean, even when using dental floss. There is little doubt that straighter teeth are easier to maintain than crooked and uneven ones.

Not just cosmetic dentistry

Whilst it is true that most people who have orthodontic treatment at Alexandra Dental Care do so for aesthetic reasons, usually wishing to have a more attractive smile, this is not the only benefit. As we have said earlier, straight teeth are easier to brush and floss than crooked teeth and through the use of one particular orthodontic system, you can also maintain good oral health more easily throughout the duration of the treatment.

Although the end outcome of having even teeth is beneficial, patients that have traditionally used regular braces to achieve this sometimes find that problems can occur during the treatment process itself. Traditional braces use a combination of wires and braces that gradually correct the position of the teeth and unfortunately it is quite common for food to become trapped in the mechanism. However hard you might try to remove this and clean the area, there is a strong possibility that a tiny amount will remain trapped between the wire or bracket and the tooth. Over time, this will attract bacteria that damages the enamel of the tooth and can result in tooth decay.

Invisalign

You don’t need to endure the risk of tooth decay when you have your teeth straightened though. Our patients from the Burton and Ashby area can have treatment using an advanced teeth straightening system that doesn’t use wires and brackets at all. Instead of these, it uses a series of transparent medical grade plastic trays that are custom produced from scans and impressions that we take of your teeth. You will receive several of these, each of which is designed to be worn for a few weeks before being removed and replaced by the next in the series. These will gradually progress your teeth to the desired end position.

The obvious benefit of this Invisalign orthodontic system is the lack of wires and brackets for food to become stuck in. The system works even better than that though as not only are there no wires or brackets, but the trays are made to be removable by you. This means that you can remove them not only for eating, but to also give your teeth a thorough clean as you would normally do. The trays will also need some cleaning and we will advise more on this when you have your consultation with us. You should take care to remove them only for these purposes though. Leaving the trays out for too long or too often will almost inevitably mean that it will take longer for your treatment to be completed. Although the Invisalign system is reasonably comfortable, we are sure that most people would still rather their treatment be completed as soon as possible.

Why are straighter teeth generally easier to keep clean?

Finally, we come to the question as to why straighter teeth tend to be the healthiest. The reality is that toothbrush bristles and to a degree, dental floss, have a certain thickness that makes it tricky for them to reach into tight spaces. Resolving the problem of overlapping teeth etc means that they can do this more easily and remove any small particles of food that have become trapped, along with bacteria.

Even teeth also tend not to suffer from some other forms of damage too. One problem with crooked teeth is that tooth surfaces don’t always meet as they should when we are chewing. This can mean that a part of the tooth that isn’t designed for the purpose can be used to bite our food. This area is likely to be less strong and premature wearing of the enamel and even breakages can occur if the teeth do not meet together correctly.

If you are having difficulty keeping your teeth clean because they are crooked, or perhaps simply because you would like to improve your appearance with a much improved smile, why not call Alexandra Dental Care to arrange a consultation with one of our dentists? We will explain the procedure in more detail and answer any questions that you have, with no obligation.

If you would like to book an appointment, please call us today on 01283 216347.

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