- »

Saturday, September 18, 2010

How to Pay for Invisalign

If you are considering an expensive treatment like Invisalign, talk to your dentist or orthodontist New York about possible payment options they may accept. Most dentist are happy to discuss alternatives with you.

Paying over time:
There is nominal down payment and the balance paid over the length of the treatment. (No interest is charged as long as the payments are on time.)

Dental Insurance:
If you have dental insurance, bring your insurance card. We will be able to give you an estimate of your costs at the first visit. We will call the insurance company on your behalf and find out if you have any orthodontic benefits and what they may be. All the claims will be submitted for you and we will do everything we can to get you your full reimbursement.

Cash, Checks & Credit Cards:
You may make payment using cash, check or credit card (MasterCard, Visa, American Express) at your appointment or by mail.

Automatic Bank Draft:
We encourage monthly payments by Automatic Bank Draft (automatic withdrawals from your checking account each month.) Save time and hassle! No checks to write, no envelops to stuff, save on stamps and no interest charges due to forgotten payments.
Invisalign is a wonderful alternative to conventional braces. It is certainly more attractive and easier to wear for most people, but, like braces it comes with a price tag that can be hard for many people to budget. Here are a few options to explore with your New York Dentist:

Automatic Credit Card Payments:
You can have a monthly payment automtically deducted from your credit card. Ask your dentist if this is an option.

Payment in full at time of bonding:
You may be able to get a discount for payment in full at the time of service.

Fee Plan (CareCredit):
Ask your dentist if you qualify for CareCredit - this is a payment plan system that works like a credit card with monthly payments to cover the cost of your New York Invisalign dental treatment.


Tips for Tooth Brushing

When I was in college I decided to give my local dental hygene program an opportunity to work on my teeth. At the time I assumed that it would be an opportunity for a free on hour . Boy - was I wrong. After reviewing the state of my teeth in horror for what seemed like hours, I was told that I had "pockets" of 4 and 5. This meant nothing to me at the time, but they emphasized that they needed patients with these qualities and they said it in a way that made me think it wasn't a good thing.

When they asked me if I flossed, I said sure and promtply gave them a demonstration showing how I managed floss both sides of my mouth with a single jab. They were clearly mistified by my awesome preventative abilities, or so I thought.

I spent every tuesday thereafter falling asleep in the dental hygene chair for weeks on end. That experiece taught me never to negect my teeth again and now I make sure to use all the right flossing and brushing to avoid more dental embarassments. Here are some things I learned:


Type of Toothbrush: I found that the toothbrush that works the best at the gumline is Sonicare - it is expensive but it reduces dental bills. However, if ou are patient and have good technique, you can use any brand of toothbrush you like. Try to buy one that is soft and has lots of bristles. Change your toothbrush often, no less than every three months. Toothbrushes are cheap compared to cavities. Make sure to change out the brushes regularly.

Type of Toothpaste: You should choose a toothpaste that will motivate you to brush. Avoid frequent use of whitening toothpaste. Any toothpaste that has fluoride is preferred. Fluoride can protect and rebuild your tooth structure. .

Flossing: I thought I was flossing correctly for years - but it turns out I didnt have the right technique. As your dental hygenist to demonstrate the correct technique the next time you are at the dentist Pennsylvania. You may be suprized at what you learn.

Dental Maintenance: Most dentists will ask you to go in for a cleaning every 6 months. This is also the most that your insurance will pay for, but you can always go more regularly if you have gingivitis.

Although I only brush twice a day (the shame!) it is recommended that you actually brush five times a day. Brush when you wake up, after breakfast, after work, after dinner, and before bedtime. There are folks at my office who bring their toothbrushes to work and I bet they have very low stress visits to their dentist as a result.

So, there you have it - my tips for beautiful, clean teeth, no gingivitis and great breath. Figure out what you can commit to for dental care Pennsylvania and stick to it!


The right age for getting your children orthodontic care in Pennsylvania

Although most orthodontic problems are best treated in late childhood, some conditions are best dealt with at an earlier age.

By age 7, most children have a mix of baby (primary) and adult (permanent) teeth. Some common orthodontic problems seen in children can be traced to genetics, that is they may be inherited from their parents. Children may experience dental crowding, too much space between teeth, protruding teeth, and extra or missing teeth and sometimes jaw growth problems.

Other malocclusions (literally, “bad bite”) are acquired. In other words, they develop over time. They can be caused by thumb or finger-sucking, mouth breathing, dental disease, abnormal swallowing, poor dental hygiene, the early or late loss of baby teeth, accidents or poor nutrition. Trauma and other medical conditions such as birth defects may contribute to orthodontic problems as well. Sometimes an inherited malocclusion is complicated by an acquired problem. Whatever the cause, the orthodontist is usually able to treat most conditions successfully.

Orthodontists are trained to spot subtle problems with jaw growth and emerging teeth while some baby teeth are still present. The advantage for patients of early detection of orthodontic problems is that some problems may be easier to correct if they are found and treated early. Waiting until all the permanent teeth have come in, or until facial growth is nearly complete, may make correction of some problems more difficult. For these reasons, the AAO recommends that all children get a check-up with an orthodontist no later than age 7. While your child’s teeth may appear straight to you, there could be a problem that only an orthodontist can detect. Of course, the check-up may reveal that your child’s bite is fine, and that is comforting news.

Even if a problem is detected, chances are we will take a “wait-and-see” approach, checking your child from time to time as the permanent teeth come in and the jaws and face continue to grow. For each patient who needs treatment, there is an ideal time for it to begin in order to achieve the best result. Starting earlier doesn't necessarily mean finishing sooner. The orthodontist has the expertise to determine when the treatment time is right. The orthodontist’s goal is to provide each patient with the most appropriate treatment at the most appropriate time.

©2006 American Association of Orthodontists


Why to get Invisalign

Why Straighten Teeth?

Straight teeth help an individual to effectively bite, chew and speak. Straight teeth contribute to healthy teeth and gums. Properly aligned teeth and jaws may alleviate or prevent physical health problems.

It contributes to self-esteem, self-confidence and self-image - important qualities at every age. A pleasing appearance is a vital component of self-confidence. A person's self-esteem often improves as orthodontic treatment brings teeth, lips and face into proportion. In this way, orthodontic treatment can benefit social and career success, as well as improve a person’s general attitude toward life.

You may be surprised to learn that straight teeth are less prone to decay, gum disease and injury. Straight teeth collect less plaque, a colorless, sticky film composed of bacteria, food and saliva. Decay results when the bacteria in plaque feed on carbohydrates (sugar and starch) we eat or drink to produce acids that can cause cavities. Plaque can also increase the risk for periodontal (gum) disease. When teeth are properly aligned, and less plaque collects, these risks decline. And when teeth are properly aligned it is easier to keep teeth clean. As for injuries to teeth, protruding upper teeth are more likely to be broken in an accident. When repositioned and aligned with other teeth, these teeth are most probably going to be at a decreased risk for fracture.


Untreated orthodontic problems may become worse. They may lead to tooth decay, gum disease , destruction of the bone that holds teeth in place, and chewing and digestive difficulties. Orthodontic problems can cause abnormal wear of tooth surfaces , inefficient chewing function, excessive stress on gum tissue and the bone that supports the teeth, or misalignment of the jaw joints, sometimes leading to chronic headaches or pain in the face or neck. Treatment by an orthodontist to correct a problem early may be less costly than the restorative dental care required to treat more serious problems that can develop in later years.

©2006 American Association of Orthodontists


Friday, September 17, 2010

Dental Implants

Over 15 years ago I lost one of my teeth due to an unexplained decay of one of my roots. My dentist explained that sometimes the body attacks itself and that is why my root had decayed and had subsequently resulted in the necessity of removing my molar. So, after much drilling and poking and prodding and pressure as if my mouth were a construction site, my tooth was removing. I was told at that time that I should either get a bridge or a dental implant Pennsylvania. I thought that might be a good idea and that I should probaby do it, but then I heard the price tag. Needless to say, cheapskate that I am, I still have a gaping hole in my mouth and have learned to live without my tooth.

Being a cheapskate I finally got my implant 15 years later. I learned a great deal about the difference between a bridge and an implant and I can tell you that the difference is worth it. A bridge is less expensive, but you ruin 2 good teath on either side of your missing tooth and that seems counterproductive. And the pain that I had anticipated turned out to be minimal. I expected to be on vicodine for days, but, with minimal anti-inflamatories I recovered a few days later. In retrospect, I wish I had gotten the dental implant after the tooth was drilled when my insurance was willing to cover it.

So, the moral of the story is that if you have a missing tooth - get a dental impant. It looks and feels like a real tooth once the crown is put on and it leaves all your teath intact.


Invisible Braces

Like many of today's parents, I grew up in the 80's. The 80's was a good time for poor taste - shoulder pads, spandex, hair bands, acid washed jeans and...metal braces. Every teenager dreaded them, food got stuck in them at the oddest moments and kissing was acqward to say the least. So, I feel a little irritated when I hear that today's teenagers have another option - Invisalign - a system using clear plastic trays to straighten teeth. I mean, braces are a necessary right of passage, right?

So, today's teenagers have a far more attractive option. Here's what one reviewer from Realself.com has to say about invisalign:

“All the Invisalign Info You'll Ever Need”


Spent: $5,380 in Kenosha, WI
After having slightly crooked teeth for most of my life, I decided I was ready at age 25 to confront my inner demons and fix my self-esteem crushing mouth for good. As a pre-teen, my folks didn't have the money for braces so I did without. My most notable dental flaw is my left upper canine tooth is crooked and sticks out, and over the years I've compensated for this by adjusting my smile accordingly in an attempt to hide it. I've noticed my forced/half smile in pictures, and decided to finally do something about it.

I knew some colleagues at work who were using Invisalign and they seemed relatively happy with their progress, so I took the plunge and made an appointment with a Premier Invisalign Provider in my area. The orthodontist was very thorough and quite personable initially, and I felt comfortable in their office. Then they mentioned the price of my treatment: $5,000. My associates had said that their treatment had only cost $4,000 so I wasn't sure if I was getting a fair quote. I was referred to another provider by a co-worker and their price was roughly the same, but I was creeped out by the orthodontist and just got a bad vibe from the whole experience. A few months later and after much deliberation, I went back to my initial Invisalign orthodontist and gave them the go-ahead to order the molds and start the process.

Part of my treatment plan was to have a tooth extracted to make room for the crooked upper canine to shift into place. Apparently when all four of my wisdom teeth surfaced (non-impacted, luckily), they shifted everything forward which only exacerbated the degree of my smile's crookedness.

Onto the process: The molds weren't that cumbersome to take, especially compared to some horror stories I've heard. It took a few weeks for the aligners to be sent from the Invisalign headquarters in California. Once they arrived, we had an appointment and went over the ClinCheck, a 3D animated program that shows the progression of tooth movement over time, from tray to tray. I started the trays on Tuesday, 10/6/09 after eating a delicious Cuban dinner in honor of my brother’s birthday. Those first few hours were the most orally painful of my life. The first tray is certainly the worst, but gradually you get used to them.

First, there is pain and pressure. You take the trays out and your teeth feel somewhat loose in their sockets; this is perfectly normal since they are in the shifting process. A good tip is to take an Advil PM about an hour before bedtime and then put them in right before you go to sleep. This gives the trays ample time while you are sleeping to do their magic so it’s not as difficult to remove them in the morning when you brush your teeth.

During the Invisalign process, patients are supposed to visit their orthodontist’s office roughly every 4 weeks to check their progress and make any adjustments. After the first tray or so, my orthodontist had me come back to have attachments put on my teeth. They are small, tooth-colored nubs that fit into what can best be described as pockets on the aligners themselves. It makes them fit tighter and harder to remove, and I believe it helps with tooth rotation. The process of putting on the attachments is less than desirable. They first prep your teeth with a bonding agent and then apply the attachments using a UV/heat gun. After they have set, they use a drill to remove any excess material from the teeth. The drill is scary and loud; if it deviates in the slightest, you smell enamel burning (scary!).

After the attachments were applied, I was told to have a soft diet (soups and pastas) for the next day or so. Despite my adherence to this policy, some of the attachments wore off. My orthodontist seemed slightly concerned by this, but went on with treatment, stating that if they were to try to reapply the attachments they would only be more likely to come off because they would be applied on the attachment polymer rather than pure, porous enamel.

The next step in my orthodontist’s bag of tricks was “elastics” – their fancy way of saying rubber bands. These elastics are strung between my upper and lower arches, making the fact that I am wearing braces QUITE noticeable. I didn’t know this would be part of my treatment program, and honestly if I had I doubt I would have proceeded. The elastics hook on to small tabs that the orthodontist cuts into the aligners. The purpose of the elastics is to put more pressure on the teeth to move, and also to ensure that my bite lines up properly now and later on when treatment is completed.

Of course, nothing is ever easy. In addition to the attachments popping off (making my aligners less than snug), I had trouble with the elastics staying on the makeshift hooks. This is a recipe for disaster! I had rubber bands snapping in my mouth constantly, popping off of one hook or another; it’s painful and annoying. I remember one lower tray in particular that was quite loose to begin with, and the torque from the elastic actually made the tray pop off of my teeth entirely whenever I would open my mouth (yawning, speaking, etc.) which was quite embarrassing. I made an emergency orthodontist appointment that day and went in after-hours for them to pinch the aligner with some pliers to make them grip my teeth better. It was a temporary fix until I put in my next, tighter aligner.

As I write this now, I’m on the last week of my 10th aligner out of 16. I’ve seen some encouraging progress in the shifting of my teeth; my mother even noticed and said that they look a lot straighter. I’m about halfway there and am excited for the final result. Once I’ve completed treatment, I am supposed to wear a retainer at night for the first year, and then one night a week for the rest of my life (or as long as I want straight teeth).

My suggestion for people considering Invisalign is to discuss in detail EVERYTHING in your treatment program. My "invisible braces" are anything but invisible with these God-awful rubber bands in sight. I have developed a lisp that hasn't gone away (even after 5 months). I honestly feel like a teenager - and not in a good way - but if you don't have the elastics as part of your program or if it's only for a limited time, this shouldn't be an issue.

Beyond the obvious obstacles I've had with Invisalign thus far, I feel it's a great way to improve your smile in an unobtrusive way. I wear my aligners religiously and if I am ever EXTREMELY self-conscious about the elastics, I just unhook them from the top arch and let the band fall to rest on my lower gums (making them unnoticeable). When I am free from the embarassing situation, I hook them back on and I'm on my way. The movement I've seen of the crooked canine tooth is very impressive - I would gladly pay $5K merely for the results I've had thus far.

Words can't describe how excited I am for the ultimate end result, when I can finally smile with full confidence! I, of course, will update this review once I'm finished with the program. Best wishes and good luck to all! :)