by trilliumdental | Jul 20, 2020 | Invisalign Ottawa
As adults who have undergone teeth straightening procedures ourselves, our dentists and periodontists at Trillium Dental in Ottawa know just how difficult it can be to pursue braces as an adult. There are many reasons why this is so, and we’ve heard them all time and time again. For many adults, braces cause a level of discomfort and self-consciousness that no one wants to experience during adulthood. Yet, these things shouldn’t keep you from obtaining a beautiful smile that you can feel confident about for the rest of your life.
We’ve all heard the stereotypes about braces: they’re dorky, they hurt, they’re meant for teenagers, everyone will notice them — the list goes on. In reality, it is perfectly alright to need braces as an adult, and no stereotype should stand in your way of seeking the dental care you need. However, recent technological advancements in the field of dentistry have made it possible for adults to be much more discreet about their teeth straightening processes. One of our all-time favorites is Invisalign®.
WHAT IS INVISALIGN?
Invisalign is similar to traditional braces in the sense that it serves to straighten your teeth over time, providing you with a stunning smile as the end result. However, Invisalign retainers are clear and nearly invisible to others, making them a far more appealing option for older adults. In addition to these “clear braces” being hard to notice, the process of straightening your teeth with Invisalign is also quicker, more comfortable, and more convenient. Here’s how it works!
Upon meeting with your family dentist to talk about the possibility of getting Invisalign retainers, we will take X-rays of your teeth in order to determine exactly what needs to be done. If you have an overbite, underbite, or crowded or gapped teeth, for example, we can customize your aligner trays to serve these unique needs. This customized series of teeth straightening trays will also include instructions for you to follow, as the first tray will be replaced with the next one once your teeth have made that micro-shift, and so on and so forth, until you have reached the end result after 15 months.
You might be wondering how you’d manage to eat and drink with a clear plastic retainer in your mouth at all times, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised to know that they are removable. Before sitting down to eat, be sure to take your retainer out, as it is not meant to be kept in your mouth as you chew. Be careful though — two of the main drawbacks of Invisalign are the temptation to take it out too often and the tendency for people to forget to put it back in after eating.
WHY DO ADULTS CHOOSE INVISALIGN?
Invisalign sounds pretty great, right? As previously mentioned, part of the reason why so many adults love Invisalign is the fact that they are nearly invisible to others. The last thing working or otherwise busy adults need is to have the stereotypes associated with braces interfering with their daily lives. After all, the motive behind getting braces is to obtain a beautiful smile you can feel good about, so it’s only natural that you wouldn’t want people staring at obvious metal brackets on your teeth. With Invisalign, not only will be happy with your teeth after the work is done, but you also won’t hesitate to smile along the way!
Another thing that makes Invisalign a great alternative for adults is the fact that they are far more comfortable to wear than traditional braces. As professionals in family dentistry, we’ll be the first to say that braces aren’t always painless; in fact, they can cause a great deal of discomfort at first. With Invisalign, you won’t have to worry about dealing with noticeable metal brackets that rub against the inside of your cheeks and cause irritation. Invisalign retainers are so thin and snug that you’ll hardly notice they’re there!
Not only that, but any discomfort you feel with Invisalign will only occur for a day or so after you move on to each new retainer, which is a much smaller micro-adjustment that happens every two weeks. Compared to traditional braces, where you must visit your dental office to have your wires manually tightened every six to eight months, the micro-adjustments of Invisalign retainers are far easier to acclimate to. When worn diligently for 22 hours a day, seven days a week, Invisalign will leave you with perfectly straight teeth in just 15 months, as opposed to the somewhat unpredictable commitment of braces, which lasts anywhere from 18 months to over two years.
GET INVISALIGN AT TRILLIUM DENTAL
If you are an adult who needs braces and you don’t want to deal with obvious, sometimes irritating metal brackets, Invisalign is for you! There has never been an easier, more discrete way for adults to transform their crooked teeth into a stunning, youthful smile. All you have to do is schedule a consultation with your Ottawa dentist, let them set you up with a set of customized retainers, and wear them as instructed. The 15 months will fly by and you’ll have a perfect smile in no time!
Our dentists at Trillium Dental in Ottawa have provided many adults with customized Invisalign retainers that serve their unique needs and give them the smile they’ve always dreamed of. And the best part is that we can help you, too! Simply request an appointment on our website or give us a call today.
by trilliumdental | Jul 18, 2020 | Invisalign Ottawa
Most people wish they had straighter teeth but can’t stand the thought of having to wear braces. 20 years ago, this would have been your only choice if you really wanted straight teeth, but fortunately, dental technology has come a long way since then. What if we told you that getting beautiful, straight teeth was as easy as slipping in a clear retainer? That’s the beauty of Invisalign®!
At Trillium Dental in Ottawa, we are pleased to offer Invisalign as a comfortable and subtle alternative to traditional braces — an opportunity many people take advantage of to straighten their teeth during adulthood. Our dentists and dental hygienists are big proponents of choosing Invisalign over braces, and many of them have used this teeth straightening method themselves. That being said, here are some reasons why we recommend that you choose Invisalign over braces!
SUBTLETY
One of the main reasons why so many adults choose Invisalign over braces is because they are much more subtle, leading them to feel less self-conscious in social situations. It’s understandable that people with braces would feel uncomfortable talking to their friends, colleagues, and even strangers when all others can seem to focus on is the metal brackets lining their teeth. Anyone who has had braces will tell you that it is not uncommon to have food stuck in your braces without even noticing, which can land you in an awkward situation when people stare.
As the name indicates, Invisalign offers a practical solution to this, as the clear retainers (also referred to as “clear braces”) are much more inconspicuous. Though not all adults mind the appearance of braces, most prefer a more subtle alternative like Invisalign so they feel more comfortable going about their daily tasks as normal. Odds are, you’ve spoken to several adults who have Invisalign retainers and didn’t even notice!
COMFORT
Another major benefit of Invisalign retainers is that they are much more comfortable to wear than braces — they won’t cut your cheeks, irritate your gums, or get jammed up with food. Unlike braces, which are often painful (especially after being tightened), Invisalign retainers fit snugly on your teeth without digging into your gums and can be removed at any time. Though we do not recommend removing your Invisalign retainers for anything other than eating, drinking, and brushing your teeth, you at least have the ability to do so if and when needed.
TIME
More often than not, patients who choose Invisalign over braces complete the teeth straightening treatment in less time — 15 months, to be exact. Of course, this depends on how diligent you are about wearing your retainers, and if you only remove them for the reasons mentioned above, you should have straight teeth in just over a year. Braces, on the other hand, are much more unpredictable in terms of treatment duration — in fact, some people end up wearing braces for more than two years.
CHOOSE TRILLIUM DENTAL FOR YOUR INVISALIGN TREATMENT
We hope that this blog post has given you a better idea of why Invisalign has become such a popular cosmetic dentistry treatment and why so many adults are opting for clear braces. Ready to schedule your consultation? Visit Trillium Dental in Ottawa today, or schedule your dental appointment online!
by trilliumdental | Jul 18, 2020 | Blog, Sedation Dentistry Ottawa
Fear of sedation is more common than many people think, and our friendly dentists at Trillium Dental in Ottawa are here to help you prepare for anesthesia so you can ultimately overcome your anxiety and have a smooth recovery. As it turns out, sedation dentistry is not nearly as scary as it seems — after all, you won’t hear, see, or feel a thing. Yet for some people, that is exactly what causes them fear. That being said, here are some tips to help you prepare for a sedation dentistry procedure, beginning with learning more about the procedure and sedation method, itself.
LEARN ABOUT THE PROCEDURE
While ignorance is bliss, this is often not the case with sedation dentistry. Prior to even scheduling your procedure, you must visit your dental clinic for a consultation with your dentist so that they can give you the lowdown on the procedure. During this meeting, you will learn exactly what the surgery entails, why it is the best option for you, what you can expect from the results, and how to prepare for sedation in terms of fasting, making driving arrangements, etc. You will also learn what kind of sedation is best for you and the nature of the surgery, whether that be IV sedation, oral sedation, or nitrous oxide.
This consultation is your chance to learn about the sedation dentistry procedure first-hand from the dentist who will be performing the surgery, so ask as many questions as you need to feel reassured. That way, you will have established greater trust for your dentist and will not be as afraid of losing control when you are given anesthesia. Another important thing to note is the importance of trusting and sticking to the information provided by the dentist in charge of your surgery, as staying up all night searching up the risks of anesthesia online will only put more irrational fears in your head. Remember, not everything on the internet is true, so it’s best to trust the experts at your local dental clinic.
FOLLOW DIRECTIONS
Hand in hand with learning about the procedure is following the instructions you are given by the dentist who will be performing the surgery. You may have heard that you should not eat or drink for eight hours prior to your procedure, and this is usually true due to nausea being a major side effect of most types of anesthesia. There are other health risks of not adhering to fasting instructions prior to oral surgery, so be sure to read the information your dentist gives you and take it seriously. That way, complications and surprises on the day of your procedure will be far less likely, which will put your mind at ease knowing that you have done everything in your power to prepare for success.
If you have an upcoming wisdom teeth removal, dental implant procedure, root canal treatment, or any other kind of oral surgery that requires sedation, follow these two tips to help ease your fear of anesthesia. It really is that simple, and the more you know, the better prepared you will be. Please don’t hesitate to contact our dentists at Trillium Dental in Ottawa if you have further questions about sedation dentistry, and request a consultation online if you think you might need oral surgery.
by trilliumdental | Jul 18, 2020 | Neuromuscular Dentistry Ottawa
OTTAWA, ONTARIO – New research led by University of Bristol’s Dr. Martin Ruecklin proves the oldest jawed vertebrates had teeth, which suggests teeth and jaws evolved together.
The paper Development of teeth and jaws in the earliest jawed vertebrates was published Oct. 17 in Nature, the International Weekly Journal of Science. The study is telling, as previous research suggested the first jawed vertebrates were toothless.
Dr. David Bartos, a beauty dentist in Ottawa, and his business partner Dr. Mark Northcott are interested in how this research shows the tightly linked harmony of our teeth and jawbones. Our six family dental offices serve patients in the greater Ottawa area, and we help improve jaw function and placement with neuromuscular dentistry.
The team included researchers from across the globe. Swiss physicists joined forces with paleontologists from the University of Bristol, the Natural History Museum and Australia’s Curtin University to study the prehistoric jawed fish Compagopiscis. The team used well-preserved fossils and high energy X-rays to learn how the fish’s teeth and jaws developed.
“We were able to visualize every tissue, cell and growth line within the bony jaws, allowing us to study the development of the jaws and teeth,” says Dr. Ruecklin. “We could then make comparisons with the embryology of living vertebrates, thus demonstrating that placoderms possessed teeth.”
The high energy X-rays are not invasive. This method gave the researchers extremely detailed data without destroying the fossil. Scientists previously thought these ancient vertebrate species were toothless and used their jawbones like scissors. The study gives firm evidence that primitive jawed vertebrates had jaws and teeth.
“These wonderfully preserved fossils from Australia yield many secrets of our evolutionary ancestry but research has been held back waiting for the kind of non-destructive technology that we used in this study,” says Natural History Museum researcher Dr. Zerina Johanson. “Without the collaborations between paleontologists and physicists, our evolutionary history would remain hidden in the rocks.”
Drs. Bartos and Northcott practice neuromuscular dentistry, a treatment philosophy which finds the delicate balance between your facial muscles, your temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and your bite. We understand the complex relationship between your teeth and jaw, and our custom orthotics will help you stabilize your bite. You may suffer from migraines, neck and face pain, ringing ears, a popping jaw or numbed fingertips. All of these symptoms may stem from your misaligned TMJ. Contact our team to test your jaw alignment with our advanced technology.
by trilliumdental | Jul 18, 2020 | Dental Problems Ottawa, Sedation Dentistry Ottawa
Some men think women don’t mask their feelings well. That statement as a whole can be debated, but when it comes to dental anxieties, they’re right.
Data from the Adult Dental Health Survey in Britain recently offered some interesting findings. After viewing pictures of dental procedures in action, women who admitted to having dental phobias were an incredible six times more likely to be disgusted by the images, compared with women who had no qualms regarding dentistry. The study also found that women voiced their disgust and fear of dental work considerably more than men who had the same anxieties. In addition, almost half of the adults surveyed were moderately to severely afraid of the dentist.
The solution to these common dental fears isn’t to avoid the dentist’s office at all costs. Maintaining a clean and healthy smile is vital to multiple aspects of your health, and professional care is the only way to ensure your teeth and gums are thriving. Trillium Dental, a trusted provider of family dentistry in Ottawa, encourages patients to take a hint from the women in the survey and voice their concerns to their dentist.
The thought of receiving extensive dental work can be scary. We understand. Our team of dentists and hygienists aim to make every patient feel comfortable and relaxed so they can receive important treatments in a stress-free environment. We excel in caring for patients with dental anxieties, and incorporate modern technologies and techniques that reduce discomfort during treatment.
For those with severe phobias, we offer sedation dentistry. Depending on the type of procedure and your anxiety levels, we can administer three types of safe and proven sedatives. This includes IV sedation, oral sedation and nitrous oxide, known as “laughing gas.” All three of these options allow us to care for your teeth and gums while you remain totally at ease.
Can you relate with the anxious men and women in the survey? If so, we encourage you to visit one of our office locations in Ottawa, Kanata, Nepean, Orleans or Stittsville. Dentists and hygienists will work with you to ensure a relaxing and stress-free treatment and the outcome of a healthy smile. Give Trillium Dental a call to learn more.
