At Lotus Dental Wellness, our patients look to us to provide advice, education, and information on the types of orthodontic and cosmetic dentistry services available to them to correct tooth imperfections and misalignment. As a family dentist in west Edmonton, dental checkups are often the most convenient opportunity to sit down with our patients to discuss the current condition of their oral health and how it aligns with their long-term goals. Even the best dentist in Edmonton with the best dental clinic is no mind reader – communication with patients is central to the dentist-patient relationship.
Am I A Candidate for Invisalign®?
If you are mature enough to maintain the rigorous hygiene required when wearing Invisalign®, it may be a great option for your teeth. Even with your dedication, however, there are a few conditions that are contraindicated for Invisalign®. Patients with bridge restorations are not candidates for Invisalign®, nor are those who suffer from bruxism. Bruxism describes a habit of (primarily nighttime) clenching and grinding of the teeth. These motions will warp and break the thin plastic aligners required for Invisalign® therapy.
When alignment requires that teeth such as the canines and molars be rotated, or if misalignment is severe, traditional braces may be required.
What Can Invisalign® Correct?
Overbite
Front teeth that overlap the lower teeth slightly are considered normal unless the lower jaw is recessed to such a degree that the teeth no longer meet as they should.
Underbite
Similar to an overbite, underbite refers to a lower jaw that juts forward, overlapping the upper front teeth. Both overbites and underbites can cause pain and speech problems for the patient. Not only can this lower self-esteem, but the pain can result in a patient who avoids eating and therefore experiences malnutrition.
Spacing
Irregular spacing along the dental arches can be closed to improve the function of the bite and the appearance of the smile.
Crowding
Crowded and overlapping teeth are difficult to clean. With so many small nooks for food and bacteria to be trapped in, it is harder to reach with a brush, and floss difficult. Proper alignment improves appearance of the smile and makes accessing each tooth for cleaning much easier for patients.
I Want to Get Started but I Need a Dentist Near Me
If you are looking for a family dentist in Edmonton, or more specifically, a dentist in West Edmonton, you are in luck! Lotus Dental Wellness is a dentist accepting new patients in West Edmonton. We offer a full range of services from cavity filling and tooth extraction to cosmetic services like tooth whitening and veneers. Getting started with Invisalign® in westside Edmonton is easy, all it takes is a consultation with our dentist to determine your candidacy. Once your dentist has established you as a good candidate for Invisalign®, a 3-D digital imaging scan of your mouth will be taken. This digital scanning tool allows the precise dimensions of your teeth to be recorded so that your custom aligners can be made to fit you perfectly. Your dentist in westside Edmonton will send your digital scans to a certified Invisalign® lab, where a series of aligners will be made for you. Your dentist will receive between 20 and 30 aligners which will be presented to you at your next appointment where you will receive all your dentist’s instructions.
If a dental clinic in west Edmonton is not convenient, or if your Edmonton dentist of choice is not taking new patients, there are many dentists in West Edmonton offering Invisalign® therapy. We recommend using a google search to identify dentists in your area and explore both their website and their Google reviews to determine whether you’d like to book a consultation to get educated about Invisalign®.
Risks and Benefits
The risks and benefits of Invisalign® are determined by how stringently you adhere to a hygiene protocol throughout your therapy. Invisalign® aligners must be worn a minimum of 22 hours in a 24-hour period. That means that taking your Invisalign® out should only occur when eating or snacking. You can eat whatever you choose while wearing Invisalign®, with the condition that you brush and floss your teeth before reinserting the aligners. Skipping this step will trap food and germs under the aligners and potentially lead to gingivitis or cavities.
If you are taking good care of your teeth as an Invisalign® patient, your teeth will benefit from the alignment process, and you may even find secondary benefits like an improvement in your overall diet. This occurs because it is more convenient to skip snacking and drink more water while your aligners in because the teeth need to be cleaned every time you introduce something other than water into the mouth.
The greatest benefit of Invisalign® is the ability that it provides to straighten teeth while looking almost invisible in your daily interactions.