Dr. Noah's Dentistry Blog

Questions About Dentistry Answered

Does Invisalign hurt as much as braces?

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When my first daughter had braces they hurt her all the time. The inside of her mouth was constantly cut, no matter how much “wax” was put on the brackets. My youngest child now needs braces. I keep hearing about invisalign. Are they more comfortable than braces?

Irene F. – Nevada

Irene,

Your youngest daughter is lucky. Orthodontics have changed a lot. Invisalign is much more comfortable than traditional braces, as long if she is a good candidate. There are some things to take into consideration.

First, they are slightly more expensive than traditional braces. But, given your first child’s experience, I doubt you’d mind.

The second one is your youngest child’s responsibility level. Unlike braces, Invisalign is removable. So, if your child won’t keep them in, that could be a problem. The treatment only works if they’re kept in the prescribed amount of time.  There is an Invisalign Teen which has a few replacement aligners, but only you know your child.

I hope this helps.

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Dentist Dr. Ryan Noah.

Orthodontics for adults

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I’m 42 years old with crooked teeth. I’m determined to do something about it in 2016, but don’t want to wear teen aged braces with mouth full of metal.  Tell me there is something else for adults?

Leslie M. – Connecticut

Leslie,

You are in luck!  You can have straight teeth in 2016 and not only do it without metal braces, but do it without anyone ever knowing. There are tons of advances in orthodontics.

Invisalign uses invisible aligners.  Not everyone is a candidate, so you’ll have to be checked to see if they’ll work for you.

If you’re serious about a smile makeover, you’ll want to look into porcelain veneers. These won’t straighten your teeth, but they can make them appear straight. The big benefit about these is they can change the shape, size, and color of you teeth. You can get a completely new smile.

Good luck with your new smile in the new year!

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Dentist Dr. Ryan Noah.

Do it yourself braces

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Will you help me?  My daughter saw a video on youtube by a teen who is doing her braces herself because her parents can’t afford braces.  We’ve been saving up to get our daughter invisalign teen, but just don’t have all the funds….yet.  I expect we will by next summer.  But, my daughter is impatient and I saw her watching the video and trying to do it herself.  I’m not dentist, but I think this is dangerous.  Will you tell me what I can say to her?

Worried Mom

Dear Worried Mom,

You’re right to be concerned.  I’ve seen the video you’re referring to (if we’re thinking of the same one). There are a couple of pretty serious things that can go wrong with this:

  • Dentists move teeth in two stages. This is true whether you use traditional braces or Invisalign. First we move the teeth and then we have a rest period for the bone to reform over the newly positioned tooth root.  With the do it yourself method, you’re tipping the teeth which doesn’t take the root into consideration.  Eventually, your teeth can come loose and even fall out.
  • The bands that the teens are using can actually cut off the blood supply in their gums. Even just a minor blood supply cut-off can change the color of her teeth. Fully cutting it off can lead to painful inflamation and infection.

I know it seems like forever to your daughter now, but waiting will not only give her a more beautiful smile, but do it in a safe way that doesn’t put her teeth or health at risk.

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Dentist Dr. Ryan Noah.

SmileCareClub

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What can you tell me about the Smile Care Club?

Jessica B. – Flagstaff, AZ

Jessica,

The SmileCareClub is, in essence, a do it yourself Invisalign treatment. There are some differences.

  1. Your treatment is not monitered by a dentist, so if something goes wrong, you’re on your own.
  2. A dentist looks at pictures of your teeth, to see if you’re a good candidate. That might work to tell if there is a crowding issue. Unfortunately, he or she is not likely to be able to tell if you have gum disease. That could be a serious issue, because if you have gum disease, the shifting of your teeth could cause them to come loose.
  3. With Invisalign you switch aligners every two weeks, with SmileCareClub every four.

It possible this will work. I would just be concerned about the possibilities of things going wrong and not having an orthodontist or dentist who does orthodontic work to keep his or her eye on things.

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Dentist Dr. Ryan Noah.

Do you have to go to an orthodontist for invisalign?

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I was thinking of getting invisalign, but wondered if I’d have to see an orthodontist?

Jennifer R. – Mississippi

Jennifer,

No, you do not have to see an orthodontist for invisalign.  Many general dentists are qualified to handle your orthodontic needs, including not just invisalign, but braces as well.

Each dentist is a little different with how they handle it.  Some do it themselves. Others, share their practice with an orthodontist who comes in once a week.

I’d start with talking to your family dentist. If he doesn’t place invisalign, he can certainly recommend you to someone who does.

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Dentist Dr. Ryan Noah.

Does invisalign teen work the same way as invisalign for adults?

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I was thinking of getting my daughter Invisalign because I was so happy with mine.  She’s 14. I know they have invisalign teen. Do they work the same?

Jenna K. – Orlando, FL

Jenna,

I’m glad to know how much you enjoyed your Invisalign treatment. It has a very high patient satisfaction rate.  Invisalign teen works very much like the adult version.  There are two big differences.

The first is that unlike the adult version,  Invisalign teen can work on studentst that have erupting or erupted permanent dentition. An orthodontist can tell you if she is a good candidate. The second big difference is extra aligners. Because invisalign realizes that teenagers aren’t always as responsible as adults. Because of that, they do offer a few extra aligners in case your darling misplaces one or two.

It is still very important that they wear the aligners for the prescribed amount of time. Otherwise the treatment won’t work. If you think she’ll cooperate with that, then Invisalign Teen is a great option.

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Dentist Dr. Ryan Noah.

Braces and fainting spells

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I have very low blood pressure. As a result I get fainting spells. My mother has never let me get braces as a result.  She’s worried I’ll cut my mouth on the metal.  Is there anything you can say to make her worry less and let me get braces? All my other friends have straight teeth or are getting them straightened. I’m worried I’m going to end up as the ugly friend.

Dena M. – Mississippi

Dena,

Parents worry. Sometimes their worries are well founded and sometimes they’re not. But, at least you can know that they love you. Otherwise they’d just let you do what you want.

In this case we can put your mother’s mind at ease. There are more than one type of orthodontic. If she’s worried about tissue damage from a fall, you could wear Invisalign aligners.  Even if you fell directly onto your mouth, these will not cut you. There are no metals, wires, or brackets.

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Dentist Dr. Ryan Noah.

Why do I have to wear a retainer?

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I just got my braces off and now I find out that I have to wear a retainer. I’m so disappointed. I was looking forward to having clear teeth. What is the point? Didn’t the braces straighten my teeth?

Maddie K. – Kansas City, MO

Maddie,

I can understand your disappointment. Most people assume that once their braces treatment is done they’re free. Hopefully your orthodontist told you ahead of time and you’d just forgotten. Retainers are pretty standard after braces.

There is a good reason for it. You’re teeth, like most biological things prefer the path of least resistance. That means they’ll have a tendency to shift back into their old place.  The retainer helps remind them they have a new home and help them set up a life there.

Be sure to wear it, because it really will help to keep your beautiful new smile.  Before you know it, you really will be free.  Be sure to send us a picture of your gorgeous new chompers.

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa dentist Dr. Ryan Noah.

Why can I taste metal?

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I used a paper clip to pick some food out of my braces. When I did that I got a horrible metallic taste in my mouth?

Ben H. – Ohio

Ben,

Your saliva works as an electrolyte to the two different metals you placed in your mouth. One being the braces and the other the paper clip. When you did that, it caused a reaction. That’s how a battery is formed.  Depending on what metals you use, the voltage can get pretty high and can shock or burn you.

Hopefully, your orthodontist told you not to put metal in your mouth, but if not, you know now.

The same thing can happen with silver fillings.

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Dentist Dr. Ryan Noah.

Bleaching trays for a retainer

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My retainer has completely worn out. My dentist wants $530 to make a new one. I just don’t have that kind of money. I was wondering if my bleaching trays would work instead?

Anne K. – Missouri

Anne,

After braces, it’s important to wear a retainer to help your teeth stay in their correct position. However, I can very cautiously say that you can wear your trays as a retainer, if it is designed to fit your teeth properly. However, I want to give you a warning to be aware of.  If at any time your trays start to fit differently, that means your teeth are shifting out of position and you’ll actually need to get a new orthodontic.

Regarding the price you were quoted, I think you could get a very good retainer for significantly lower, without sacrificing quality. Call around to other orthodontists. They’re not hard or expensive to make.

This blog is blog is brought to you by Tulsa dentist Dr. Ryan Noah.