Galleria Dental Aesthetics | Dental Blog
Northern Virginia, including Arlington and Alexandria
Archive for May, 2011
What Problems Can Invisalign® Fix?
Friday, May 27th, 2011
Invisalign® is an exciting new advancement in orthodontics that can be used to correct a wide range of mild bite issues. Invisalign® has been proven effective in treating:
- Widely spaced or gapped teeth
- Overbite
- Underbite
- Cross bite
- Overcrowded teeth
Invisalign® has been very effective in gently moving teeth one to five millimeters and correcting mild irregularities. However, for more severe bite issues, traditional braces or a smile makeover may be required.
During your consultation at Galleria Dental Aesthetics, our experienced Virginia cosmetic dentists will closely examine the alignment of your jaw and teeth. X-rays may be required as well as the use of computer imaging to give us a full idea what treatment option is best suited to meet your needs. In this way, we can better assess if you are an ideal candidate for Invisalign®.
For patients who may not benefit from Invisalign®, we can offer other orthodontic solutions to help give you the smile of your dreams. Let us know if you have more questions about Invisalign®.
To find out if Invisalign® could work for you, please contact the Invisalign® dentists at Galleria Dental Aesthetics to schedule your free Invisalign® consultation today.
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How Long Does Invisalign® Take?
Tuesday, May 24th, 2011
Invisalign® uses a progressive set of clear plastic aligners to correct common orthodontic problems. These aligners work to gently move your teeth in two week increments. The length of time you will need to wear the aligners depends on factors including:
- The problem being corrected
- How frequently you can wear the aligners
- How closely you follow your dentist’s directions
Each case is unique making it difficult to give an exact amount of time for Invisalign® to work without a consultation. However, in most cases, orthodontic issues can be corrected in about twelve months.
How Invisalign® Works
All of your Invisalign® retainers will be made at the same time. Each set of aligners needs to be worn at all times during the day and night to correctly perform alignment. The exceptions to this include when you are eating or brushing your teeth.
The aligners are changed every two weeks to allow your teeth to gently be realigned in progressive steps. Invisalign® gently pushes your teeth into their correct position during the treatment period, but you will require a nighttime retainer to keep your results after your treatment period has ended.
Because all of your trays are made at the same time, you will know upfront exactly how long it will take for Invisalign® to work in your particular case. Your Virginia cosmetic dentist will work closely with you to help ensure the process is successful and produces a beautifully straight and functionally superior smile.
If you live in or around Tysons Corner or McLean, Virginia and would like to learn more about Invisalign®, please contact the orthodontists at Galleria Dental Aesthetics to schedule an initial consultation today.
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What are My Options for Orthodontics as an Adult?
Friday, May 20th, 2011
The consequences of an uneven or crooked smile for an adult are much greater than those for a teenager. In addition to increased feelings of awkwardness, an incorrect bite can lead to several painful symptoms such as headaches and jaw misalignment. For most adults, the thought of having traditional, metal braces is not very appealing. Even newer, less visible braces can decrease self-confidence and make social situations uncomfortable.
At Galleria Dental Aesthetics, our experienced cosmetic dentists know how difficult it can be to live with both the pain of orthodontic problems and the emotional stress of their traditional fixes. We are pleased to offer our patients new and exciting ways to correct orthodontic issues without the use of obvious braces.
Invisalign®
Our doctors can correct a wide range of orthodontic issues with Invisalign®. Using a progressive series of clear, removable aligners, Invisalign® can correct problems including:
- Overbite
- Underbite
- Crossbite
- Crowded teeth
- Unevenly spaced teeth
Because the aligners are removable, you can take them out for cleaning, eating, and when social and business situations deem it necessary. Best of all, this process takes about half the time of traditional braces.
If you are interested in learning more about Invisalign®, please contact the cosmetic dentists at Galleria Dental Aesthetics to schedule a consultation today.
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Questions about Orthodontics
Wednesday, May 18th, 2011
What is orthodontics?
Orthdontics is a specialized branch of dentistry that focuses on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of dental and facial irregularities. Commonly, orthodontics treats issues of misaligned teeth such as overbite, underbite, crossbite, gaps, and crowded teeth.
At what age is orthodontics necessary?
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children with misaligned teeth start seeing an orthodontist at the age of seven. Problems detected before the jaw has fully grown can be substantially easier to treat. However, orthodontics can help teenagers and adults as well.
Can adults see an orthodontist?
Adults can and do see orthodontists. In fact, over twenty-five percent of orthodontic patients in the United States are over the age of eighteen.
What are some common orthodontic treatments?
Orthodontic treatments include any apparatus that can be used to realign teeth and correct bite issues. Some of these include braces, Invisalign®, and retainers. At Galleria Dental Aesthetics, our Virginia cosmetic dentists can solve a majority of orthodontic problems without the use of traditional metal braces.
How long does orthodontic treatment take?
Orthodontics is done on a case by case basis. With Invisalign®, the process generally takes around twelve months. Traditional braces can take up to two years to correct common problems. Your results will rely on how well you follow our doctor’s instructions.
Talk to our experienced Northern Virginia cosmetic dentists if you have more questions about Invisalign®.
If you are interested in your options for orthodontic treatment in Northern Virginia, please contact Galleria Dental Aesthetics; straightening smiles in McLean and Tysons Corner, Virginia.
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