orthodontics

Smiling Speaks to People Charmingly without Saying a Word

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A smile is the easiest way to make a human connection. A great smile will open doors and make your life easier. The benefits of a stunning smile are nearly endless.

Smiling At Strangers

A beautiful smile can make the world a better place. You never know when a stranger needs something positive in their life. Smiling speaks to people in unique ways. If you have a stunning smile and smile at a stranger, you may very well make their day or save their life. Many people feel lonely and depressed on any given day. When you smile at a stranger, you make them feel more connected and it can improve their health. Hence, your smile in Fredericksburg can save lives.

Career Benefits

Your appearance and first impression is often the difference between success and failure. People who have great teeth and a great smile will be provided with more opportunities throughout their career. People are quick to make judgments about individuals who do not have nice teeth. A straight and bright smile put others at ease and make them more likable which results in more career opportunities and better pay.

Life Benefits

There are additional life benefits to a great smile. Smile charmingly at a customer service representative rather than to yell at them and you might get much further than you thought possible. Smiling will improve your mood and if you smile when you are on the phone it is reflected in your tone. You will often feel less stressed the more you smile. And, a beautiful smile will attract more attractive partners.

A beautiful smile is an investment that keeps on giving for a lifetime. To smile at a stranger costs nothing. Make an appointment with a top professional orthodontist today so that you or your children can have a better future and easier life tomorrow.

 Beecroft Orthodontics - 10472 Georgetown Dr, Fredericksburg, VA22553 Phone: 540 8982200

Smiling Speaks to People Charmingly without Saying a Word

Is It Required That Teeth Are Shaved to Correct Crowding with Invisalign?

Teeth that are misaligned or crooked can be straightened without the need for braces thanks to Invisalign, the modern system of alignment that is more comfortable than the traditional metal braces and virtually invisible while you are wearing it. Invisalign is available to most teenagers and adults who need straightening of their teeth to improve their smile. Invisalign can work in cases where teeth are crowded, but sometimes a procedure known as teeth shaving may be necessary before Invisalign treatment can begin, or at a later point during the treatment. To understand teeth shaving and how it works with Invisalign, let’s begin with an explanation of the process of teeth shaving, what it is, what it does and circumstances under which it might be needed.

Teeth Shaving Terminology

The proper term for teeth shaving is interproximal reduction, but it may also be referred to by other terms including teeth stripping, interdental reduction or interproximal enamel reduction. The last term is quite correct and emphasizes the fact that only tooth enamel, the outer surface of the teeth, is being removed or reduced during the procedure. The reduction of enamel is usually done on the sides of the teeth to reduce the thickness of the teeth.

Reasons That Teeth Shaving May be Performed

Teeth shaving is often performed to reduce crowding or as a preliminary treatment for orthodontic procedures to align the teeth. Shaving teeth to correct crowding is sometimes an option when the upper and lower front teeth do not fit together properly. Reducing the size of the teeth that are crowded may be preferable and generally easier than the alternative, which would be to use veneers or crowns to increase the size of the teeth that are too narrow.

Teeth Shaving and Invisalign

Teeth shaving is not always necessary for Invisalign treatment, but it may help with crowded teeth and eliminate the need to extract any tooth prior to the Invisalign treatment.

To correct crowding with Invisalign, advances in Invisalign technology have made it possible for the treatment to begin before teeth shaving happens. This is called staging. In the past, teeth shaving before Invisalign treatment sometimes resulted in inadvertent reduction of neighboring teeth. With staging, the orthodontist can perform any necessary teeth shaving during Invisalign treatment when the teeth to be reduced are in a better position to be reached by orthodontic instruments without contacting other teeth.

Another advantage to teeth shaving before or during an orthodontic procedure is that the flat, smooth surface created by teeth shaving will help the teeth to remain straight after the orthodontic treatment is finished.

The Teeth Shaving Procedure

Having your teeth shaved is painless. The process is performed with the use of a drill or by hand with abrasive strips. A drill is usually used when a larger amount of enamel needs to be removed. Because there is no pain during teeth shaving, anesthetic is usually not used. You may feel a slight irritation from the tugging or vibration of the rough surface being moved over your teeth.

Can You Still Get Braces if You Have Fillings?

The orthodontist will take measurements during the procedure to be sure that only the necessary amount of enamel is being removed. You may notice very small gaps between your teeth after the process is over, but remember that this was done to help your teeth to move better with Invisalign, and in time, the gaps will close as your teeth move into proper alignment.

Shaving Teeth Safety

The process of teeth shaving may seem like deliberately damaging healthy teeth, but the benefits greatly outweigh the effects of the minor damage that is done. The removal of enamel in teeth shaving is really no different than the kind of wear tooth enamel experiences normally in our lives. Tooth enamel is damaged on a routine basis by acids in the food that we eat, and it can wear down from contact with other teeth. If you have crowded teeth or an overbite, this kind of contact is happening more than it should be, making the problem of tooth wear even greater. Teeth shaving to correct crowding can be much better for teeth in the long run than allowing crowding or an overbite to continue.

Teeth that have undergone shaving are no more likely to experience like tooth decay, bone problems or gum disease, according to studies that have been performed. So yes, teeth shaving is safe, and can help crowded teeth and assist in the successful completion of orthodontic treatment to straighten your teeth.

Benefits of Invisalign

Invisalign is sometimes called “clear braces,” but this is an inaccurate term because Invisalign aligners are very different than the traditional metal braces. The aligners are removable, and you do take them out daily to brush your teeth and when you eat. This alone makes wearing Invisalign aligners more convenient than wearing traditional metal braces because you never have to worry about “learning how” to eat or brush your teeth with them. Many people, especially adults and teenagers, are drawn to Invisalign treatment because the aligners are clear and virtually invisible. Another advantage is that the overall treatment usually takes less time than the treatment with braces.

Invisalign is not available to younger children, but it is suitable for teens who have most of their permanent teeth. A set of aligners lasts for about two weeks, and then replaced with a new set, with each set being designed for your

teeth as they are moving into proper alignment.

Invisalign may not be recommended in all cases, especially if the teeth are rotated, the bite misalignment is severe or if the teeth need to be moved vertically. A visit to our King George orthodontist is the first step in determining if Invisalign could work for you or your child.

Get More Information about Invisalign

Call Beecroft Orthodontics now to set up a consultation appointment to discuss Invisalign, teeth shaving and orthodontics. When you come in, we want you to feel free to ask any and all questions you have. At Beecroft Orthodontics, we are dedicated to helping our patients have the healthy and beautiful smiles we believe everyone deserves.

Beecroft Orthodontics - 10472 Georgetown Dr, Fredericksburg, VA22553 Phone: 540 898 2200

Is It Required That Teeth Are Shaved to Correct Crowding with Invisalign?

You'll Find That Life Is Still Worthwhile, If You Just Smile - Charles Chaplin

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Charles Chaplin, the great British comic of the silent-film era, actually had a lot to say. One of his famous quotes was: "Life is still worthwhile, if you just smile." Charlie had a point. A smile not only can cheer you up, but it can also cheer up almost anyone around you.

Why is a big smile so cheery? One of the reasons may be that a smile can show off your white, well-aligned teeth. That is easy to do, except what if you don't have white, well-aligned teeth? How do you get them?

One way to get that attractive smile is to see an orthodontist, who specializes in smiles. An orthodontist also specializes in:

  • aligning your teeth to improve your appearance

  • correcting an improper bite, called a malocclusion

An orthodontist specializes in making sure that you maintain the overall health of your mouth. If your teeth are crooked, braces apply a steady, gentle pressure that will move the teeth into the proper position. The process takes time, but with new materials and procedures, the overall time that you wear braces is now shorter than ever before as well as more effective.

An orthodontist also specializes in the mouth health of children. If your child needs braces to improve the appearance and overall health of the teeth, an orthodontist can usually fit the braces in a relatively painless procedure. Modern braces generally allow a child to continue to play sports or play a musical instrument.

If you or your children have any problem with your teeth, contact your local orthodontist or find his or her website. Do it now and get a start on improving that smile. Just remember what Charlie Chaplin said: Life is still worthwhile, if you just smile. Also remember these words: Always smile in Fredericksburg!

Beecroft Orthodontics - 10472 Georgetown Dr, Fredericksburg, VA22553 Phone: 540 898 2200

You'll Find That Life Is Still Worthwhile, If You Just Smile - Charles Chaplin