Invisalign: Straightening Teeth Without Braces

Invisalign: Straightening Teeth Without Braces

Having straight teeth is a goal from young people through mature adults, and achieving a great smile without having to wear braces is a wonderful benefit. Awkward moments of a mouth full of metal, food particles stuck in your smile, and painful wires poking your cheeks are all erased. How do you make this happen? The answer is Invisalign.

Invisalign is an orthodontic solution that involves wearing a series of clear plastic aligners that fit right onto your teeth, and move them using slow pressure. They are nearly invisible and can be removed at any time, allowing you to follow your usual eating and hygiene routines.

The first step is taking impressions of your teeth and making a digital 3-D image so that an exact treatment plan can be created. You will be able to see how your teeth should look at each treatment stage. Your customized aligners will be made in a lab so that they fit comfortably yet do their job.

You will need to wear your aligners during the day and while you sleep, but remove them for eating and hygiene. You can even remove them for special occasions, as long as you strive to wear the aligners 22 hours each day. Roughly every two weeks, you will change to a new set of aligners that will advance you to the next stage of treatment. You will see your dentist about every six weeks for checkups.

Invisalign treatment lasts about a year for adults and about two years for teens. Your progress will be visible throughout treatment, motivating you to continue wearing them to transform your smile. Once your treatment is complete, you’ll have beautiful straight teeth and very few complaints about your orthodontic experience.

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Getting a Stylish New Smile through Invisalign

Getting a Stylish New Smile through Invisalign

Feeling unhappy with your smile can leave you wondering how you can obtain a stylish new look. Instead of being turned off by traditional treatments like metal braces, consider the modern approach of Invisalign clear aligners.

This revolutionary treatment involves wearing clear plastic aligners made just for you to gently move your teeth into better positions. They are practically invisible and are removable for eating and cleaning. The smooth material makes them comfortable, and they do not have any bothersome metal brackets or wires.

If you are interested in Invisalign treatment, the first step is finding an orthodontist or dentist who provides this service. Not every professional is trained in this method, so look for a certified provider of Invisalign. Once you identify your choices, select the provider who is convenient, experienced and gives you confidence in your treatment.

Your initial appointment will allow the professional to examine your mouth to make sure you are a good candidate for Invisalign. Unless you have poor oral health or severe teeth problems, most people qualify for Invisalign. The doctor will then prepare a treatment plan to guide your case and create your aligners. An impression of your teeth, X-rays, and photos will be taken to help with the process. A 3-dimensional image will be developed to help with your treatment plan, and also to allow you to see how your teeth will improve at each stage of the process and provide a timeline.

Once your aligners are ready, you’ll begin wearing them for about two weeks at a time and then switch to a different set of aligners in the series your doctor gives you. A checkup at the office is required about every six weeks to monitor your progress and get more aligners in the series as needed. The process will continue until treatment is complete, often in about one year. Then you’ll be ready to show off your brand new smile thanks to Invisalign.

If you need a dentist in Baltimore contact us today

Dental Implants: A Tooth Replacement Miracle

Dental Implants: A Tooth Replacement Miracle

The days are gone when your only option for replacing missing teeth in your smile was getting dentures. Dental implants are the newest and most advanced method of restoring missing teeth, and this type of restoration accomplishes the task with natural-looking and comfortable results.

Dental implants actually replace the missing roots of a tooth that is gone. It is a very specialized procedure which requires the skill and experience of a qualified dentist or oral surgeon. The implant post, usually made of titanium, is surgically placed into a healthy jawbone. You can’t see the post after it is inserted, and then time is allowed for the post to properly fuse with the bone in a process called osseointegration. Once the area has fully healed, an artificial tooth or crown is placed on top. This completes the restoration so that it looks, feels and functions like a real tooth.

The dental implant process does not damage any adjacent teeth, and others likely won’t even be able to tell you had the procedure. Your smile is fully restored, and the tooth is strong and durable. Implants are typically lifelong solutions with good oral hygiene and regular dental checkups. They avoid some of the common complaints associated with other restoration methods, such as slipping in your mouth or having to alter your diet. After the initial implant placement, there is no mouth discomfort or irritation. Also, there is no special maintenance required with implants; normal brushing and flossing do the trick.

Another important advantage of implants is that the resorption or deterioration of bone and gum tissue in the area of your missing tooth does not occur. This prevents the side effect of premature aging which may occur when teeth are missing. Also, dental implants are not at risk for infection.

Dental implants have proven to be a very safe, reliable and effective way to restore your mouth to its complete and finest. Many patients consider implants to be the miracle solution for missing teeth.

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Oral Surgery: Removing Impacted Wisdom Teeth

Oral Surgery: Removing Impacted Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth are the third set of molars and the last adult teeth to erupt into the mouth. Most people have four wisdom teeth, two on the bottom and two on top. Many people do not have enough room for these molars to emerge completely, causing them to become impacted in the gum. Impacted wisdom teeth are difficult to clean, making them more susceptible to decay and disease. Other dental problems caused by impacted wisdom teeth include pain, damage to surrounding teeth, and bite alignment issues. For these reasons, your dentist may recommend having the impacted teeth removed to prevent future problems.

Surgery to extract an impacted wisdom tooth or set of wisdom teeth is usually an outpatient procedure done in your dentist or oral surgeon’s office. If the tooth or surrounding area are deemed to have an infection prior to the procedure, surgery will be delayed, and your dental professional will likely prescribe antibiotics to help heal the area.

On the day of surgery, local anesthesia will be administered to numb the area where the extracted tooth will be removed. Depending on the severity of your case, your dentist or oral surgeon may also utilize a general anesthetic.

Once the anesthesia has taken effect, an incision will be made to open up the gum and any bone blocking the tooth will be removed. Your dentist or surgeon will then separate the tissue connecting the bone to the tooth and extract the tooth. Some teeth are too large to remove in one piece, in which case your surgeon will cut the tooth into smaller pieces to make it easier to remove. Finally, the incision is closed with stitches and packed with gauze to help alleviate bleeding.

Long-term complications from impacted wisdom tooth surgery are rare. To ensure a successful recovery from this or any oral surgery, be sure to follow all aftercare instructions provided by your dentist or oral surgeon.


We treat patients from Baltimore and the surrounding area

Removing Impacted Wisdom Teeth Through Oral Surgery

Removing Impacted Wisdom Teeth Through Oral Surgery

Wisdom teeth are the last adult teeth to erupt into the mouth, generally emerging between the ages of seventeen and twenty-one. They are the third set of molars and are in pairs: two each on the top and bottom arch of teeth. While some patients don’t have wisdom teeth, most do. Many of those who do have them don’t have enough room for those teeth to erupt fully, causing them to be wedged under the back of another tooth, impacted in the gum.

Impacted wisdom teeth are very difficult to clean, and can negatively affect the surrounding teeth. They are highly vulnerable to disease and decay and may lead to tooth pain and damage to adjacent teeth. For these and other reasons, a dentist may recommend that the teeth be extracted through oral surgery as soon as necessary to prevent any problems.

Extraction of wisdom teeth is typically an outpatient procedure done in an oral surgeon’s office. A healthy patient can proceed with a typical surgery, but if any infection is detected, the surgery can’t move forward until the infection is cleared up through the use of a full course of antibiotics. Once the surgery is moving forward, the surgeon’s team will administer some form of anesthesia to numb the area surrounding the tooth or to possibly sedate the patient through IV sedation dentistry.

After the anesthesia has fully taken effect, the surgeon makes an incision to open the gum and to remove any bone that is blocking the tooth from extraction. The tissue connecting the bone to the tooth will be separated and the tooth will be removed. In some cases, the surgeon will have to break the tooth into smaller pieces to make it easier to remove. After thoroughly cleaning the area and removing any remaining debris, the incision will be closed, stitched and packed with sterile cotton gauze to staunch any bleeding.

The surgeon will provide aftercare instructions. Patients should follow these instructions to the letter in order to ensure the best and fastest healing of the surgical site.


We treat patients from Baltimore and the surrounding area

Dental Implants: A Reason to Smile

Dental Implants: A Reason to Smile

Dental implants have become the standard of care recommended by dentists for replacing missing or damaged teeth. Compared to other solutions, many patients are finding that dental implants give them a reason to smile.

Realism:
Dental implants provide a new tooth and root that looks, fits, functions, and feel like a natural tooth. Implants avoid the potential problems associated with some alternatives, such as trouble eating, speaking or laughing.

Durability:
Dental implants can last a lifetime with proper care, making them outlast most of their counterparts which have a lifespan of up to 10 years.

Natural:
Patients are able to retain their natural face shape. Missing teeth can make a person’s face look sunken and saggy, but implants allow you to maintain your proper face shape and smile.

Protective:
Missing teeth may cause jaw bone deterioration or loss, but implants preserve and stimulate the natural bone. The jaw is able to maintain its strength and firmness, protecting your bone structure. Also, neighboring teeth are not affected by dental implants. Healthy adjacent teeth are not damaged and stay exactly where they should be.

Health:
Cavities can’t take hold in a dental implant and crown. Proper hygiene and regular checkups should continue to ensure your mouth is healthy, but that particular tooth will not decay.

Confidence:
Dental implants erase the patient’s embarrassment about their smile and give them the confidence to enjoy life again. No more worries about a big space in the smile, and no concerns that the restoration will loosen or fall out like may happen with dentures.

Convenience:
There are no hassles for the patient to alter their diet because implants allow natural biting and chewing. Favorite foods can still be enjoyed with this restoration.

We treat patients from Baltimore and the surrounding area