Orthodontic retainers are devices that are used to prevent relapse in your smile’s alignment. Since your teeth are surrounded by thousands of tiny ligaments, they tend to want to reset or “bounce back” to where your tooth was positioned before orthodontic treatment. Wearing a retainer keeps your teeth in their new position, protecting the monetary and time investment you’ve put into your smile.

Traditional braces patients tend to have a removable and/or permanent retainer fitted to their upper and lower teeth.

Invisalign patients also require retention appliances. Since the soft tissue “memory” around your teeth could lead to relapse, it’s important to wear a retainer after completing your Invisalign therapy. But in this case, you’ll want something more discreet.

What do Invisalign Retainers Look Like?

Dr. Milstein uses Vivera® retainers. The Vivera® design reflects the same state-of-the-art technology and fit as your former Invisalign trays. The two are almost identical, save for a slight difference in the rigidity of the material.

Your Vivera® retainers are just as easy to clean and care for as your Invisalign trays were. In the beginning, you’ll probably need to wear your clear retainers several hours around the clock. Over time, you can transition into wearing them at night while you’re sleeping but removing them in the daytime.

If for any reason you lose or misplace your retainer, let us know. We can use your 3D digital records in lieu of taking a new impression to have a new retainer manufactured.

Vivera® retainers are made so that they help prevent relapse and minimize natural shifting patterns.

Benefits of Vivera® Retainers

A clear, removable retainer is practically invisible and custom fit to your teeth, just like Invisalign! That way you can continue with convenient, discreet results after your Invisalign process is complete.

Keep your smile straighter, longer. Call Marina Milstein Orthodontics in Granite Bay today to reserve an Invisalign consultation.

Orthodontic therapy is a process that takes advantage of your body’s natural growth patterns and anatomical characteristics. Since our Granite Bay patients get braces or aligners at various ages, the treatment is adapted to their unique situation. But sometimes, major tooth misalignment and growth concerns can be prevented before they start. The key is to intervene early, while the jaws and orofacial structures are still developing. We call this phase of orthodontic therapy “early interceptive orthodontics” or “Phase 1 Ortho.”

Interceptive orthodontics takes advantage of your child’s rapidly growing facial structures and developing smile to minimize issues like:

• Impacted teeth
• Crowding or gaps
• Overbites and underbites
• Overjets and underjets
• Crossbites
• Jaw irregularities

During interceptive orthodontics, Dr. Milstein adapts the therapy to guide your child’s developing teeth and jaws into a more anatomically correct position. By intervening early, future orthognathic surgeries or complex orthodontic treatment can potentially be eliminated or minimized.

Phase 1 Ortho

Interceptive orthodontics adapt your child’s developing smile for optimal health. Then, later on, the second phase of orthodontic appliances or aligners are used to fine-tune the bite (“Phase 2 Ortho”). Two phase treatments aren’t necessary for everyone, but they can be exceptionally useful when there are hereditary or growth pattern concerns.

The ideal time to initiate early interceptive orthodontics is usually no younger than age 7. At that point in a child’s development, Dr. Milstein can evaluate and predict growth patterns as they will affect your child’s future smile. Depending on the findings, Phase 1 braces may be recommended, or it could be best to monitor your child on a six-month to an annual basis.

Looking for an Experienced Orthodontist in Granite Bay?

Both the American Dental Association and the American Association of Orthodontists recommend that every child have an orthodontic exam by age 7.

Request a consultation at Marina Milstein Orthodontics today. We welcome patients of all ages!

When teeth are crowded, rotated, or crooked, they tend to collect more plaque biofilm than the other teeth in your mouth. Even if you’re great about your oral hygiene, there may be a few areas where your gum tissues are consistently inflamed or bleed.

If you’ve struggled with gum health problems in the past — whether it’s gingivitis or early periodontal disease — correcting your tooth alignment could help. Bringing your teeth into a proper biting relationship makes it easier to brush and floss thoroughly. As a result, you lower the number of bacteria collecting in those parts of your mouth.

The best part is that with Invisalign, you can brush and floss normally. Simply remove your aligners and clean your teeth as usual. You won’t need any extra hygiene aids to clean under wires or between brackets. Plus, the aligners can easily be brushed clean with tap water and antibacterial soap.

Although Invisalign itself doesn’t “treat” gum disease, it can guide your teeth into a healthy alignment that’s less prone to periodontal infections. It’s part of a comprehensive care plan for your smile. Orthodontic therapy, when combined with other types of ongoing periodontal treatment, can play a role in lowering your risk of future gum disease and tooth loss.

Do you have “problem areas” that tend to always get tartar buildup, or bleed when you’re brushing? Consider getting an orthodontic evaluation with Dr. Milstein to determine if the tooth rotation and position may be playing a role. If they are, adjusting your bite with removable Invisalign trays can help you get your oral health back on track.

To learn more about what Invisalign can do to enhance your overall oral health, schedule a consultation at Marina Milstein Orthodontics in Granite Bay. We also offer free virtual consultations via our secure mobile app. Contact us today to get started!

With traditional braces, it can take a little practice to make sure you’re getting your mouth clean. Here are five things to do if you’re a new orthodontic patient or have a few hard-to-reach areas:

Invest in an Electric Toothbrush

Now is the perfect time to be using a powered toothbrush. Just remember that you get what you pay for. A soft-bristled, ultrasonic toothbrush is ideal. Hold the bristles in place and allow the brush to do the work for you. Use it twice a day for two minutes.

Consider Using a Water Flosser

Water flossers seem a little messy at first, but with plenty of practice, they’re a great tool to have on hand. The steady stream of water makes it easy to clean around orthodontic appliances, along gumlines, and between teeth. Some models even have interchangeable tips or a version that mounts in the shower (for less mess!)

Proxy-brushes are Your Friend

They go by many different names, but these tufted, Christmas-tree shaped brushes resemble a tapered pipe cleaner on the end of a toothbrush handle. They’re great for brushing between brackets and removing food that’s caught under your archwires.

Use Fluoride Rinse/Gel Daily

Plaque etches and “eats away” at tooth enamel. If you supplement with a daily fluoride, you can counteract the tooth decay process to keep your smile healthy. Dr. Milstein may recommend a prescription gel or rinse, depending on your oral health history.

Schedule Regular Checkups and Cleanings

No matter how great your oral hygiene is, there will likely be a few areas that get plaque and tartar buildup over time. So always be sure to schedule a six-month cleaning with your hygienist, especially while you’re wearing braces.

For more tips and tricks on how to clean around braces, contact our Granite Bay orthodontic office!