What Is Invisalign®?

by constitutiondental | Jan 25, 2019 | Blogs

Anyone who has had braces knows how irritating they can be, with all the wires, metal brackets, rubber bands, and other foreign objects poking into your cheeks and gums — not to mention how difficult basic tasks become, like eating and brushing your teeth. Thanks to recent advancements in dental technology, far more discreet and comfortable alternatives are now available to dental patients, and many don’t even need to visit an orthodontist to have their teeth straightened. At Constitution Dental in Downtown Ottawa, we are pleased to offer Invisalign® for patients who want to straighten their teeth without metal brackets!

What Is Invisalign?

Invisalign, commonly referred to as “clear braces” or “invisible braces,” refers to a set of clear retainers that gradually straighten your teeth as you progress through the sequence. These retainers are comfortable to wear and are hardly noticeable to others, making them an appealing alternative for teens and adults who want straighter teeth. Plus, they’re removable for eating, drinking, and brushing teeth, and they take even less time to straighten your teeth than traditional braces do! So, how does this work?

When you meet with your local dentist about getting Invisalign retainers, they will use dental x-rays to assess whether you would be a good candidate for the treatment and if you have an overbite, underbite, crowding teeth, or tooth gaps that will need to be corrected. Then, they will take an impression of your bite, which will be the foundation for your Invisalign trays. From there, a series of customized teeth straightening trays will be created for you, with instructions for how often you should wear each retainer and when you should switch to the next one in the set. Assuming they wear these clear retainers for at least 22 hours per day, patients typically finish the treatment after 15 months.

Benefits Of Invisalign

There are many obvious benefits of Invisalign over traditional braces and other orthodontic teeth straightening methods. Most notably, Invisalign retainers are see-through and difficult for others to notice, which is why so many adults opt for these “clear braces” if they work with clients or simply don’t want metal brackets to make them self-conscious in social settings. Another main benefit of Invisalign retainers is that they take less time to straighten your teeth than braces do, leaving you with a perfect, straight smile in just over a year, whereas many people with braces end up having them for more than two years.

Of course, patients also enjoy the freedom of being able to remove their Invisalign retainers whenever they want. However, it is also important to note that in order for your Invisalign treatment to be most effective and take no longer than 15 months to complete, you must wear them for at least 22 hours per day. Treat these “invisible braces” as if they were metal brackets and only remove them to eat, drink, and brush and floss your teeth.

Get Invisalign At Constitution Dental In Downtown Ottawa

Now that you know some of the basics of why dental patients love Invisalign, are you ready to get your own set of “clear braces?” Contact our dental clinic in Downtown Ottawa today to schedule your Invisalign consultation with our dentists!

3 Oral Hygiene Tips For A Healthy Smile

by constitutiondental | Jan 11, 2019 | Blogs

When it comes to your oral health, nothing is more important than maintaining good oral hygiene habits and making regular trips to your local dentist for comprehensive dental exams. At Constitution Dental in Downtown Ottawa, we pride ourselves on providing quality dental care for each of our patients, and our dentists are more than happy to be of assistance in any way we can. That being said, here are a few key tips to help patients stay on top of their oral hygiene at home in between teeth cleanings at our family dental clinic.

Brush Twice Per Day

Though it may be obvious to some, one of the best ways to avoid tooth cavities, gum infections, and other painful dental problems is to brush your teeth at least twice per day. And we don’t mean giving your pearly whites a quick rinse every now and then — you should be using a quality toothpaste and brushing your teeth thoroughly for two minutes every time. If you struggle to brush your teeth for this long, our dentists and dental hygienists recommend purchasing a small tooth brushing sand timer that you can set on your bathroom counter. Not only will this colorful little decoration help remind you to brush twice per day, but it will also help you brush for the full two minutes, reaching every crevice in your molars and behind the teeth.

Floss Daily

Some people absolutely despise dental floss, perhaps because they have sensitive gums that bleed easily or they simply don’t like the idea of extracting old food particles from between their teeth. Whatever the reason, it is incredibly important to floss your teeth every day so you don’t develop cavities — or even worse, gingivitis (early-stage gum disease). Food can easily get stuck between your teeth, especially popcorn kernels, fruit seeds, and stringy pieces of meat. If you don’t floss regularly, these tiny food particles begin to fester and eat away at the tooth enamel, causing cavities, tooth decay, and gum inflammation. For most people, having to make extra trips to the dental office for tooth fillings and gum disease treatments is more unpleasant than flossing your teeth every day, so do yourself a favor and remember to use dental floss!

Visit Your Family Dentist In Downtown Ottawa Twice Per Year

At the end of the day, there are some things that regular brushing and flossing can’t fix, like plaque that has built up and turned into tartar. This calcified deposit of bacteria must be removed by your dental hygienist, who uses a tooth scaler to scrape it away from the gum line so it can no longer eat away at the tooth enamel. If you are due for professional dental cleaning, contact Constitution Dental today or book an appointment with us online!