Zelienople
Cosmetic Dentistry

Clear aligners are custom-built for a tight fit, making them ideal for adults or teens. Straightening a child’s teeth is complicated because their mouths are still growing and developing. Therefore, Dr. Marion does not typically recommend clear aligners for children.

You may be a good candidate for clear orthodontic aligners if you have mild to moderate overcrowding or alignment issues. Patients with severe crowding or spacing problems – such as severe underbite, overbite, or crossbite – may need more complex treatment.

One of the first things we will do is take precise digital impressions of your mouth and teeth. You will be fitted for several versions of the aligners that can gradually move your teeth over time. The aligners are made of see-through acrylic material. Clear aligners are designed to fit tightly over your teeth, and can be removed for eating, brushing, and flossing. You will receive a new, slightly adjusted aligner every two weeks to continue moving the teeth into the desired position.

The necessary treatment time with clear aligners is based on how much your teeth need to be moved or rotated. The more crooked or misaligned your teeth or bite are, the longer it will take. The average duration of treatment is between 10 and 24 months. If you are an adult who had braces as a child, and your teeth shifted slightly over the years, you may need clear aligners for a much shorter period of time.

There numerous advantages of clear aligners over braces, including:

• Easy access for oral hygiene. Traditional straightening methods like braces can prevent you from properly cleaning your teeth, resulting in an increased risk of cavities and periodontal woes, such as gingivitis, hyperplasia, bone loss, and even tooth loss. Clear aligners, on the other hand, can be removed to allow you to brush and floss as you normally would.
• Aligners are practically invisible. Braces present cosmetic challenges for those looking to straighten their teeth later in life, or during life events when your appearance is particularly important, such as for a wedding, reunion, or high-visibility work. Clear aligners aren’t obvious, so you can smile knowing you’re straightening your smile on the sly.
• Say goodbye to the pain of sharp wires in your mouth. If you’ve ever had braces, or know someone else who has, you’re already aware of the discomfort associated with having bars and wires in the small, contained space of your mouth. Wax and topical pain relievers can only do so much for cuts, canker sores, and the pain of braces. With clear aligners, those days are over.
• Aligners are a breath of fresh air, literally. Clear aligners don’t leave you susceptible to the sour breath associated with braces. Your aligners can be removed completely for thorough brushing and flossing whenever needed.

The good news is clear aligners require fewer office visits than if you had regular braces. Treatment duration is also typically shorter with clear aligners.

Absolutely! As a matter of fact, clear aligners can address both issues for patients with temporomandibular jaw (TMJ) dysfunction who also wish to straighten their teeth. For these patients, clear aligners have relieved TMJ pain when worn for the required 22 hours a day.

Just as your smile is one-of-a-kind, clear aligners are trimmed to fit your gum line, so your treatment is tailored for your mouth and goals. Each clear aligner tray is designed to provide optimal comfort and appearance for you.

Here are some tips on how to care for your clear aligners:

• Remove aligners before eating
• Always rinse the aligners with cold or lukewarm water after removal – do not use hot water because heat can damage and warp the plastic
• Soak the aligners in retainer or denture cleaner
• Brush and floss your teeth before wearing the aligners
• Clean aligners with mild soap every day – never use toothpaste on your aligners

After you have completed your treatment using clear aligners, a customized clear retainer is made from a mold of your newly straightened teeth. This retainer should be worn while sleeping for a period of time following your treatment to ensure malocclusion does not occur.

You may be a good candidate for veneers if your dental issues are relatively minor and don’t require more treatment than a cosmetic fix. Dr. Marion primarily uses them to conceal discoloration and other superficial issues. You may want to consider veneers to correct for the following types of dental issues:

• Stains
• Cracks
• Gaps between teeth
• Alignment issues
• Small teeth

For veneers, the placement process usually takes two appointments, about 2 to 3 weeks apart. The process may involve a single tooth or multiple teeth, depending on your needs.

During your first visit, we will take an impression of your mouth and teeth using our digital scanner and send it electronically to our dental lab. Dr. Marion will get the surface of your tooth ready for the veneer. Your tooth will be cleaned, polished, and etched. He will place a temporary veneer over the tooth until the final veneer is prepared.

At your second appointment, Dr. Marion will bond the final veneer to your tooth and allow it to harden in place using a special light. At Marion Smile Center, we use state-of-the-art Emax veneers when possible, which are crafted from high-quality lithium disilicate and can be customized for each of our patients. This new material is better than porcelain or resin, which we previously used. It is stronger, mimics the light-reflecting properties of natural teeth, is more translucent, and resists staining. Dr. Marion will select the choice of veneer material that works best for you.

Veneers generally last between 7 and 15 years, after which time they may need to be replaced. Once your veneers are in place, the affected teeth should remain in place, with minimal movement. Dr. Marion will recommend a night guard to protect the veneer if you have a habit of grinding or clenching your teeth, as this can cause the veneers to crack or chip.

Dental veneers do not require any special care. However, teeth with veneers can still experience decay. Continue to follow good oral hygiene practices, including regular professional cleanings, at-home brushing, flossing, and rinsing with an antiseptic mouthwash as you normally would