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More than one patient has come into our office and asked, “What can I do to help my teeth when wearing Invisalign?”

While everyone’s teeth and dental needs are different, there are certain things everyone can do to make wearing their Invisalign aligners a more rewarding experience. Always follow the list of instructions and tips from Dr. Douglas and Larry Harte, and add the following advice to your daily routine.

Always ask us about teeth whitening. Our team at Harte Orthodontics knows how important it is for you to keep your teeth white and stain-free from the foods and drinks you consume daily. If you have attachments to your teeth, they will not whiten properly. Ask our office about teeth whitening when wearing your aligners; it might be best to wait until your treatment is complete.

Continue flossing every day. You should be flossing in any case. But it can be easy to assume that Invisalign will protect your teeth from bacteria. This is not true. Bacteria can get behind the aligners and affect the health of your teeth and gums, so keep up with your flossing schedule.

Follow the 48-hour rule when wearing your aligners. When you insert every new set of aligners, you should leave them in as much as possible during the first 48 hours. Your teeth will move more during this timeframe, and the aligners do the most good during this time.

You may experience slight discomfort while wearing your Invisalign aligners. You can take a pain reliever to help with the discomfort, but if you experience too much pain, please give us a call at our convenient Sparta or Livingston, NJ office to schedule an appointment!

If you’re brushing your teeth twice a day during your orthodontic treatment, Dr. Douglas and Larry Harte and our team think that’s wonderful! But, don’t forget that it’s also important for you to visit your general dentist every six months, or as recommended, in addition to brushing your teeth and flossing. (And visiting Harte Orthodontics for regular adjustments, of course.)

Dental checkups are crucial for maintaining good oral health. Your general dentist can check for problems that might not be seen or felt, detect cavities and early signs of tooth decay, as well as catch and treat oral health problems early. During an oral exam, your dentist can also check the health of your mouth, teeth, gums, cheeks, and tongue. Checkups will also include a thorough teeth cleaning and polishing.

If you have not been to the dentist in the last six months, let us know during your next adjustment visit and we will provide a few great references in the Sparta or Livingston, NJ area!

Many of our patients at Harte Orthodontics ask us about indirect bonding, a method of applying brackets for braces to the teeth in such a manner that an entire set of braces can be applied, including expanders, in less than an hour. Until now, braces were placed on each individual tooth, one at a time. The procedure required meticulous, long, painstaking sessions for both patient and doctor, to ensure each bracket was in the correct position, especially in the back of the mouth.

Indirect bonding process

Indirect bonding is a technique in which molds of the teeth are made, and most of the work for the braces is done in the lab. It is a remarkable process that depends on our ability to make particularly accurate models of your teeth. Much detail goes into the accurate measurement and alignment of the model, since your mouth is naturally unique to you.

The brackets for the braces are placed on the models of the teeth, exactly in the right place, fitted into the trays made on the model, and sealed and cured.

Setting the braces

When you come to our Sparta or Livingston, NJ office to have your braces fitted, the trays, made from your own teeth models, have been completed with the braces built into them. All that remains is a short sitting to fit the trays onto your teeth, align them, and separate the braces from the trays.

Your own teeth will have to undergo some preparatory work in order to accept the braces. This involves preparing the surface of the teeth for the adhesive for the braces, as well as preparing the surfaces of any crowns. You will also have a short period to wait while the adhesive cures, once the braces are in place.

All the other work that would traditionally have been done in the orthodontist’s chair has been done on the models, and by the time the orthodontist sees you for the second sitting, your braces are exactly aligned to your teeth, set in place, and the wires placed.

Adjustments to your braces

You will be seen approximately every six to 14 weeks. When needed, adjustments will be made to the wires that run through the braces. In this way, indirect bonded braces are very much like traditional braces. You’ll also need to follow a diet free of sticky, chewy, or crunchy foods, because they can damage your braces. If you have any questions about the potential for indirect bonding for your braces, please give us a call at our convenient Sparta or Livingston, NJ office or ask Dr. Douglas and Larry Harte during your next visit!

Patients who want corrective braces but don’t like the look of traditional braces with the metal showing on the front have an alternative in lingual braces. As opposed to metal braces visible across the front of the teeth, lingual braces are placed on the rear of the teeth. Most of the metal in lingual braces is not visible to other people, unless you have widely-spaced teeth. For those who make good candidates for lingual braces, Dr. Douglas and Larry Harte and our team at Harte Orthodontics will tell you it is a great alternative with a significant cosmetic benefit.

Benefits of Lingual Braces

The primary benefit of lingual braces is that the metal is on the back of the teeth, which is very rarely seen by anyone. Patients can comfortably talk and smile, without the added worry of someone noticing the metal braces on their teeth. Another advantage of lingual braces is that they are just as effective as traditional braces and are worn for the same amount of time. They are also helpful for people who play contact sports or play wind instruments because lingual braces don’t get in the way. Finally, lingual braces are a great option for patients who have are sensitive to plastic and can’t wear other types of clear or invisible braces.

Who can get lingual braces?

While many patients qualify for lingual braces, not everyone who needs corrective orthodontic treatment will be a good candidate. The best candidates are teenagers and adults with normal-sized teeth. Children who get braces often have smaller teeth, so lingual braces may not be suitable. A patient’s bite also makes a difference, because a deep vertical overbite makes lingual braces difficult to place.

Talk to Dr. Douglas and Larry Harte the possibility of lingual braces if you’re thinking about correcting your smile but don’t like the idea of metal braces worn on the front. Lingual braces have the same basic benefits of straightening teeth, correcting misalignments, and fixing overbites and underbites that regular braces offer, but are a great aesthetic alternative.

For more information about lingual braces, or to schedule an initial consultation with Dr. Douglas and Larry Harte, please give us a call at our convenient Sparta or Livingston, NJ office!