Invisalign Tips

Patients often ask, "Are there any tips to help movement as I am wearing my aligners"?  The answer is, that while everyone's teeth and dental needs are different, there are certain things you can do to make wearing Invisalign aligners a more rewarding experience.

Here are a few tips we give each patient when they initiate their Invisalign treatment:

• Always follow the instructions that you are given by Dr. Sondhi and Dr. Biggs.
• Continue flossing every day. You should be flossing on a regular basis. It is sometimes assumed that Invisalign will protect the teeth from bacteria, which is completely false. Bacteria can live behind the aligners and affect the health of your teeth and gums, which is why it is very important to continue with regular flossing.
• Follow the 48 hour rule. When you insert a new set of aligners, leave them in as much as possible during the first 48 hours. Your teeth will move more during this time, which means this is when the aligners are most active.
• Research studies suggest tooth movement is more predictable if aligners are worn more than 22 hours a day.
• Wearing aligners may sometimes cause slight discomfort, and regular over-the-counter pain relievers help alleviate this type of discomfort.  

As always, please feel free to contact any one of our Sondhi-Biggs Orthodontics team members with any questions or concerns regarding your treatment.

What's a Water Pik?

Dr. Sondhi, Dr. Biggs and the entire Sondhi-Biggs Orthodontics team understand that flossing is a time consuming and tiresome task at times. We recommend a Water Pik for just that reason.

A Water Pik helps to flush away the food and other bacteria that gets stuck around the brackets and on your teeth. The Water Pik is able to reach areas that you are not able to reach with floss, such as behind the wires engaged in your brackets. People who suffer from gum disease also find Water Piks quite effective because of their ability to flush out bacteria from inside any deep pockets between the teeth and gum tissue.

A Water Pik is braces friendly, and is also very gentle for the gum tissue. The use of a Water Pik is less aggressive, and doesn't cause bleeding that traditional flossing can cause in some patients. But, please remember that using a Water Pik is not a substitute for flossing.  It is simply a tool designed to "help" with flossing and cleaning in difficult to reach areas.

If you have questions about the Water Pik, flossing or any other part of your orthodontic treatment, please feel free to contact any one of our Sondhi-Biggs Orthodontics team members.

Confidence in Your Consultation

Your first visit in our office will  include a personal consultation with our doctors. You will find this visit to be extremely informative. Once you have arrived and checked in, you will be greeted by one of our Patient Coordinators. Because we request that health history forms be filled out and returned to our office prior to your initial consultation, we will have already contacted your general dentist, and obtained the necessary information regarding your history. This form can be sent to you via standard mail when the consultation is scheduled, or you may download it directly from our website for quick and convenient access.

One of the best ways to prepare for an orthodontic consultation is to understand your options. With so many choices available today, orthodontic care is a lot more versatile than in the past. You can start preparing now by seeking out and understanding the options. With a few specific things in mind, you can be totally confident and prepared for your consultation. Feel free to watch the Sondhi-Biggs Initial Consultation video on our website to learn more about our consultation process.

Once your consultation is complete, your options are not exhausted. If questions arise after the consultation, don't be afraid to ask. Our orthodontic team is always ready to help throughout the entire process.

With answers to your questions, and our orthodontic team on your side, you can be confident about any necessary orthodontic treatments. From the initial consultation to the day your braces are removed, your orthodontic treatment at Sondhi-Biggs Orthodontics promises to be a smooth and simple process.