braces

Let’s face it – No one wants to wear braces, even if they are virtually undetectable. But what if we told you that we can potentially cut the amount of time you have to wear them in half by using a combination of Invisalign with AcceleDent Aura?

Invisalign is used to straighten teeth, adjust overbites, and close gaps using plastic trays that are nowhere near as noticeable as traditional braces. Invisalign trays are designed to be changed every two weeks until you achieve the results you desire. People choose Invisalign because of their effectiveness, and because they are difficult to detect. When used in combination with AcceleDent Aura, Invisalign can be one of the most effective treatments used to realign teeth.

What Is AcceleDent Aura?

AcceleDent Aura is a simple-to-use, hands-free device that was designed to accelerate orthodontic treatment. There are two notable advantages to using AcceleDent Aura – it cuts your treatment time in half and it reduces discomfort.

AcceleDent Aura comes with an Activator, a mouthpiece, and a USB extension cable, which can be plugged directly into a computer to view patient usage history.

Using AcceleDent Aura is easy. By inserting the mouthpiece, which is fitted around your existing Invisalign aligners, and turning on the Activator for 20 minutes every day, AcceleDent Aura will speed up your teeth movement. This technology, known as SoftPulse Technology®, emits vibrations – micropulses – that are even more gentle than an electric toothbrush. These pulses help your teeth move into the correct position up to 50% faster, while keeping your teeth and bone structure strong.

Using both Invisalign and AcceleDent Aura together is the perfect method for busy people to realign their teeth to provide natural looking and long lasting results. This allows you to achieve the perfect smile you’re looking for without having to wait as long as you would with traditional procedures.

Why Dentists Love It

Since its production in 2009, many dentists have been prescribing AcceleDent Aura as a way to effectively help move teeth. Dentists tend to like prescribing it for their patients because it’s faster, FDA-cleared, and virtually painless – many patients say they experienced little to no pain when using AcceleDent Aura.

AcceleDent Aura is one of the most effective tools available for your realignment treatment in order to safely speed up the process of your treatment.

If you have any questions about using AcceleDent Aura with Invisalign, or about your dental health, please contact us today to make an appointment.

If your teeth appear crooked and feel painful, it could be the result of teeth crowding – when there’s not enough room within the jaw for your teeth to come in naturally. Teeth crowding can be uncomfortable and can lead to a range of severe dental issues, but with Invisalign, it can be treated discreetly and relatively quickly and painlessly.

What Is Invisalign?

Invisalign is a clear aligner system designed to treat the same issues as traditional metal braces – without the unsightly and often painful metal brackets. Invisalign uses a series of custom-fitted clear plastic trays, worn for 2 weeks (one week now when using AcceleDent) to gently shift and straighten the teeth into the desired position.

The nearly invisible plastic trays are generally more comfortable than metal braces, and they don’t impede most daily activities. Unlike traditional metal braces, Invisalign trays are removed for meals, making them easier to keep clean. The ease of use and inconspicuous design make them popular among adults eager to achieve a better smile.

The Dangers of Teeth Crowding

Teeth crowding occurs when the teeth don’t have enough space to fit in the jaw. Teeth that come in too close together can, over time, begin to twist or rotate and become severely crooked.

Crooked teeth can cause excessive pressure in certain parts of the mouth, leading to premature wear, including chipped or fractured teeth, or teeth with worn edges. Premature wear can, in turn, cause tooth sensitivity, recessed gum lines, and even tooth loss. Excessive pressure on the jaw itself, also a symptom of crooked teeth, can cause jaw pain and even severe headaches.

Teeth crowding can also lead to more severe issues such as tooth decay and increased risk of gum disease, because the tight spaces make it more difficult to sufficiently clean between the teeth.

How Can Invisalign Help?

If you’re concerned that your teeth might be crowded and think that Invisalign might be the solution for you, the first step is to make an appointment for a consultation to determine if you’re a candidate for the treatment.

To begin treatment, your provider will take x-rays and a 3-D scan of your teeth and use them to create a three-dimensional Invisalign profile of your mouth. This 3-D map of your mouth will help the provider determine the appropriate course of action. The 3-D imaging software allows them to show the projected changes for each tooth along each step of the process and provides a timeline for treatment – generally about a year for adults.

Based on the images and treatment plan, a series of custom-created clear plastic aligners will be created for your specific treatment, each designed to be worn for 20-22 hours a day, for approximately two weeks. At the end of each two-week stage, teeth should have shifted to fit the mold and will be ready to progress to the next aligner. Throughout the process, your provider should check about every six weeks to ensure the treatment is going as planned.

The Invisalign trays work to gently guide your teeth into a better position, so they bite and wear more evenly, which promotes stronger, longer-lasting teeth as well as overall dental health. They’re simple to clean, and because they’re not worn during meals, it’s easy to keep them, as well as your teeth, clean and healthy.

Tooth crowding might not seem like a serious issue but left untreated, it can cause a host of dental problems. For more information about Invisalign and to take the steps for a straighter, healthier smile, contact Dr. Aneszko or Dr. Stino today.

We use our tongues to talk, drink, and eat. Any time they get hurt, it can feel like the pain is magnified ten-fold. Usually, pain on the underside of the tongue is caused by a minor injury or ailment and isn’t cause for too much concern. Here are 5 reasons the underside of your tongue may hurt.

#1 - Injury from a Bite

Nearly everyone has accidentally bitten his or her tongue, probably more than once. It can hurt, but the pain usually subsides in a few minutes. Depending on where and how it was bitten, it could hurt more on the underside of the tongue, especially if the bite was the result of a fall or a blow that caused you to bite down inadvertently. Irritation may continue for a few days if your taste buds – the small bumps on the tongue – are injured from the bite and become infected and inflamed.

#2 – Irritation from Foods or Foreign Objects

Common orthodontic devices like dentures and braces can cause tongue pain and irritation if they don’t fit quite right. Often the irritation occurs when someone has just gotten their braces or dentures, and they are still adjusting. Both braces and dentures can cause sores or cuts on the tongue and inside of the mouth that can be remedied by gargling with salt water or using over the counter oral gels or pain relievers.

Irritation can also come from foods, particularly those served at a high temperature like hot cocoa or soup or those that are spicy. Accidentally sipping or biting into something that’s too hot can cause the tongue to feel burned and to become red and swollen. Most tongue burns from too-hot foods are first-degree burns that heal quickly, but more severe burns should be seen and treated by a doctor. Spicy foods can make the tongue feel as if it’s burning and can exacerbate other conditions.

#3 - Canker Sore

Canker sores can develop on the tongue, underneath the tongue, or on the inside of the mouth. The cause is unknown, but they look like a small crater and may be red with white and yellow in the center. Canker sores can be related to irritation and injury from braces or biting the tongue, but may also be triggered by other factors, including stress. They usually stop hurting in 7-10 days and are completely gone within a few weeks.

#4 - Strained Tongue

The tongue is one of the strongest muscles in the body. It’s rare for it to become strained because it’s accustomed to nearly constant use from eating, talking and drinking, but it is possible. A strained tongue would be most likely to occur from overexertion or overuse of the muscle.

#5 – Glossitis, or Inflamed Tongue

Glossitis is inflammation of the tongue that is often the symptom of another issue. Acute glossitis has a sudden onset, usually stemming from an allergic reaction. Chronic glossitis, on the other hand, is recurring and generally signals an underlying health issue. Allergic reactions or irritation from food or medication, low iron levels, mouth trauma, dental appliances like braces or dentures, dry mouth, and certain diseases are all potential causes of different types of glossitis.

There are many reasons people may experience pain on the underside of the tongue Most of them are not serious and will go away within a few days or, at most, a few weeks. Tongue pain, however, can be the sign of a serious underlying medical issue. Always consult with a dentist to ensure that the pain isn’t the result of a severe problem, like a viral infection or even tongue cancer. Reach out to us today to find out what may be causing pain on the underside of your tongue!

For teens and adults considering Invisalign, the nearly invisible aligner treatment is a big draw. But the fear of developing a lisp is enough to make many people reconsider. After all, what’s the point of investing in invisible orthodontic work if one of the potential side effects would quickly reveal the secret?

The good news for patients considering Invisalign treatments is that not everyone experiences a lisp, and in many cases, it’s extremely minor. Even those who experience more distinct lisps usually adjust quickly to resume normal speech, so the potential for a temporary speech difficulty shouldn’t be a deterrent when considering treatment.

Why do Some Invisalign Patients Experience Lisps?

A lisp is a speech defect that causes the –s and –z sounds to be pronounced “th.” Lisps are caused by improper tongue placement inside the mouth when speaking, which affects airflow and makes certain words sound different when spoken.

Some Invisalign patients, as well as patients with traditional braces, develop lisps because the aligners alter the space within the mouth. They also cause the tongue to move differently around the teeth, which can affect pronunciation. Invisalign aligners are made of very thin plastic, so the changes and effects are usually minimal. But some people may take longer to adjust.

Lisps due to Invisalign may also be caused ill-fitting Invisalign trays. Each tray is a clear plastic mold designed to fit snugly over the teeth, but because the goal is to change the tooth positioning, the molds are made to fit the desired tooth positioning for the end of that phase of treatment.

Typically, Invisalign patients do not develop lisps with each new set of aligners because they are similar enough in shape and thickness. But if a tray isn’t shaped quite right or is improperly placed, it can cause a lisp. This is why it’s important to receive Invisalign treatment from skilled and experienced dentists, like Dr. Aneszko and Dr. Stino. 

How Long Will It Last?

Every patient is different, but in general, any lisp due to Invisalign will go away after no more than a few weeks. Some people even adjust within a few hours! If a lisp occurs, it will fade and eventually disappear as the tongue get accustomed to the aligners and adjusts accordingly.

How to Prevent or Fix Invisalign Lisps

To prevent or fix a lisp due to Invisalign, keep talking! For someone with a lisp, the first instinct may be to talk less to hide the defect. But talking will actually help fix the issue sooner. Because the lisp is caused when the tongue adjusts to the orthodontia, the more a person talks, the more quickly the tongue will be able to learn how to maneuver around the aligners to form sounds, and the more quickly speech will return to normal.

To avoid speaking with a lisp at a major event or during an important meeting or phone call, just remove the aligners for that specific time. Unlike other dental work, Invisalign can be removed temporarily during treatment. The aligners must come out while eating, and they can also be taken out at other times as needed. (Just make sure to consistently wear them 20-22 hours a day to achieve results!)

If the lisp develops after beginning Invisalign treatment and doesn’t go away within a few weeks, contact the prescribing dentist or orthodontist. It’s normal to have a slight lisp during the adjustment period as the mouth and tongue re-learn how to make the proper shapes for each sound while wearing the aligners. If the issue is ongoing, however, there could be a problem with the fit or placement of the mold.

Interested in learning more about Invisalign? Contact Water Tower Dental Care today! We are Invisalign experts and would love to put you on a path to straighter teeth.

There’s nothing like a little Chicago crosstown rivalry to get the blood boiling. While we’ll leave the big game analysis up to the professional players, we’re here to compare the teams in a new, but equally important way: by their mascot’s teeth. After all, who wants to follow a team that represents bad dental health?

White Sox: Southpaw

White Sox definitely wins the award for one of the most random mascots. Southpaw, the White Sox’s mascot, is not an alligator, frog, or a dirty sock, despite people’s assumptions. In reality, he’s just a big, strong green guy with big love for the Chicago White Sox.

But what about his dental health?

We can’t actually see Southpaw’s teeth, which is not typically normal for such a big guy. According to the White Sox website, his favorite foods are fruits and veggies, so he’s on the right track for having great teeth (and he definitely needs teeth to eat these things). But we’re worried that his teeth are too small for his mouth. We’d recommend dental veneers to lengthen the teeth or maybe even braces to move his teeth down and allow them to be more visible.

Get to know Southpaw more here!

Cubs: Clark

When it comes to teeth, the Chicago Cubs mascot, Clark the cub, has an advantage: He’s young. Just like most parts of your body, your teeth get older as you get older. You may lose enamel as you age, making your teeth weaker. And your teeth will inevitably get worn down thanks to chewing and bad habits, like grinding or chewing ice.

There’s no doubt about it - Clark’s teeth are amazing. They are beautifully sharp, straight and white. We’re not sure what Clark’s eating or what his oral hygiene routine is, but we hope he keeps it up as he gets older. He’s on the right track.

Get to know Clark more here!

Final Score: Which Chicago Mascot Has the Best Teeth?

Without Clark and Southpaw coming into Water Tower Dental Care for an appointment, it’s hard to judge the health of their teeth. But only taking their appearance into consideration, we have to give Clark the Cub the award for Mascot with the Best Teeth in Chicago. They are the perfect size for his mouth and look strong and healthy.

Southpaw, when it comes to food, it sounds like you’re eating the right food for healthy teeth. We just hope that your teeth are large and strong enough to stay healthy for years to come!

Want to see how your teeth stack up to these iconic Chicago mascots? Schedule an appointment with Water Tower Dental Care today! We’ll help you get on the path to a healthy and beautiful smile.

Babies are incredibly cute - especially your own baby. But what happens when your baby’s teeth start coming through and you notice a big gap between their front teeth? You may start to wonder if there’s something wrong with your baby’s mouth, or if you did something wrong. Before you rush your baby to the dentist, read this article. It’s likely that your baby’s gaps are completely normal! In fact, they can actually be a good sign.

Why Baby Teeth Are Important

Why worry about your baby’s teeth when they are bound to fall out one day anyway? Baby teeth are actually very important, both for your child’s health right now and their future.
It goes without saying that baby teeth help your child chew food and speak. But a lesser known fact is that baby teeth actually create a path for your child’s adult teeth to grow in by holding a space for them, according to the American Dental Association (ADA). If your baby loses a tooth too early, then a permanent tooth may drift into the area, making less room for adult teeth to come in later. This can lead to a crooked or crowded smile.

What Causes Gaps Between Your Child’s Teeth?

Now that you know how important baby teeth are to your child’s future smile, we’re here to hopefully alleviate your worry It’s very normal for children to have gaps between their baby teeth. In fact, it’s typically a good thing! Many children have gaps between their teeth because of natural development, their teeth are small, or their frenulum. While the first two causes are relatively self-explanatory, let’s explain the third a little more.
Your frenulum is the piece of connective tissue that connects your gum between your two front teeth and upper lip. If you lift up your upper lip, you can probably feel it! This frenulum is thought to help position your baby’s teeth, according to Victoria State Government. When the frenulum is oversized, it can cause a gap between your front teeth. Typically, when your baby turns one, the frenulum will naturally shorten. More teeth will grow in to fill the gaps. If there’s still a gap in your baby’s front teeth, large molars may close it when they grow in.
Other causes of gaps, like small teeth, also typically resolve themselves when your child gets their adult teeth. Large gaps can actually be a good thing because they give your adult teeth more space to grow in. This could mean you don’t have to cough up the money for braces when your child grows up.

When Gaps Between Your Baby’s Front Teeth is a Bad Thing

If your child has excessive gaps in their teeth, which is uncommon, it may be a sign that something is wrong. Gaps in your baby’s teeth can also be caused by extra teeth that prevent other teeth from growing in, missing teeth, a large jaw compared to their teeth size, or an oversized frenulum. These causes may affect your baby’s adult teeth, leading to teeth misalignment or a permanent gap.

Treatments for a Gap Between Your Front Teeth

Like we said earlier, it’s likely that the gap in your baby’s front teeth will close naturally. However, there are some uncommon incidents in which the gap persists into your child’s adult teeth. If you think your child is experiencing a gap between his or her front teeth because of extra teeth, missing teeth, a large jaw, or an oversized frenulum, you should take your child do the dentist.
The ADA recommends visiting the dentist within 6 months after your baby’s first tooth comes in. This visit should help you to identify what’s really at the root of your baby’s front tooth gap.
If your baby’s front tooth gap isn’t normal and won’t naturally fix itself, you have several options. Remember, a tooth gap could just be a cosmetic issue. A tooth gap can affect your child’s self esteem, but it can also be a unique and loved feature in your child’s appearance. Make sure to think long and hard about getting your child’s gap closed if it’s purely cosmetic. Gapped teeth may also cause teeth misalignment. In this case, it will likely be best to fix the problem.
Here are some treatments your dentist may recommend to close a gap between your baby’s front teeth.

• Veneers can be placed on your child’s front teeth to close a small gap between the teeth. These veneers will be slightly wider than your child’s normal teeth to close up the gap.
• Frenectomy is a surgery that can remove the oversized frenulum that is causing a gap between your child’s front teeth. This will typically be done before the teeth are moved with the other treatments.
• Removable treatments, like a plate or Invisalign, can be used to move the teeth closer together.
• Fixed treatments, like braces, can be used with rubber bands and wires to move the teeth closer together.

As you can see, gaps between your child’s front teeth are typically not anything to be worried about. That being said, it’s important to bring your baby to the dentist regularly in case there is a more serious issue behind your baby’s gap. Make sure to bring your baby into the dentist if there are any issues after their first tooth grows in - and not later than their 3rd birthday. The ADA actually even recommends after their 1st birthday. This way, your dentist will be able to closely monitor your child’s baby teeth to see if any issues arise.
There’s no better place to bring your child in for a checkup than Water Tower Dental Care! We’re experts in baby teeth and will make sure to keep you and your child comfortable during your child’s first dentist appointment. Contact us to make an appointment today!

Open bites can be a real hassle. Not only can they make your smile look strange, but they can also lead to serious dental problems. Braces, bite blocks and headgear used to be your only option for treating dental open bites. But nowadays, we have a much more discreet and much less invasive way to fix open bites: Invisalign. Today, we’re going to discuss how Invisalign may be able to fix your open bite without braces or surgery.

What’s Wrong with Having an Open Bite?

If some of your teeth can’t make contact with the teeth directly below or above them, then you may have an open bite. Open bites can be caused by skeletal or dental issues. If you have a mild case of open bite, you might not need to make any changes to your mouth at all! But more serious open bites can cause long term issues.
Since open bites can create a gaping gap between your bottom and top teeth, it causes many people to be self-conscious of their smile. Open bites can also lead to dental issues down the line, including premature teeth wear, gum disease, speech problems, asymmetrical jaw development, and problems with chewing and biting. It can also lead to more severe issues, like TMJ, a painful jaw disorder.

Can Invisalign Correct an Open Bite?

Invisalign can help with certain cases of open bite. Since open bites are one of the most difficult dental issues to correct and they can vary drastically from person to person, you will need to visit a dentist to find out if Invisalign can help you. That being said, Invisalign has been used to effectively close open bites in many patients. You can see a few before and after pictures of patients who treated their open bite with Invisalign here.

How Exactly Does Invisalign Help?

The Invisalign treatment uses the latest technology to upgrade the open bite treatment. At Water Tower Dental Care, Dr. Aneszko and Dr. Stino first use a 3D scanner to outline the steps of your treatment from start to finish. They create a customized set of clear, acrylic and virtually invisible aligners based on your individual smile. You’ll wear these Invisalign aligners for 22 hours a day.
The Invisalign aligners will gently push your teeth into the correct position over time. If you have a more serious open bite case, you may need to use rubber bands in conjunction with your Invisalign aligners. We’ll check on your progress and replace your aligner with a new one to wear about every two weeks.

Benefits of Using Invisalign to Fix an Open Bite

You may be wondering why you should use Invisalign instead of traditional braces for correcting your open bite. Since Invisalign is a new treatment that uses advanced technology, there are a variety of benefits you will get from using Invisalign instead of braces.

• Invisalign clear aligners are virtually invisible.
• The aligners are comfortable and easy to wear.
• They are removable, allowing you to easily take them off and put them in whenever you want. This, and the fact that they are BPA-free, makes Invisalign aligners extremely easy to keep clean.
• You don’t have any food restrictions, since you can take the aligners out for a short period of time.
• Treatment time is on par with traditional, metal braces (about 12 months for most patients).

What better place to receive Invisalign treatment for your open bite than at Chicago’s number one dentistry? If you’re interested in learning more about whether Invisalign can help your specific open bite, don’t hesitate to contact us today!
 
 

Do you notice that your top teeth bite down on the inside of your bottom teeth? If so, you might have a crossbite. Though crossbites don’t necessary cause direct pain right off the bat, they can lead to serious issues in the future. The only way to treat crossbite back in the day was with braces or expanders. Thankfully, there are less invasive ways to get your crossbite corrected today. We’re going to discuss how Invisalign can help align your crossbite.

What’s Wrong with Having a Crossbite?

Since crossbites don’t cause any immediate pain, you might not even realize you have one. Crossbites occur when your jaw isn’t properly aligned. They can form in one of two ways. First, some of your top teeth may bite down on the inside of your bottom teeth, making your top teeth closer to your tongue than your bottom teeth. A crossbite can also involve your bottom teeth biting down on the inside of your top teeth, meaning your bottom teeth are closer to your cheek than your top teeth.
While this doesn’t necessarily look bad, it’s important to get a crossbite corrected. Why? Because it can lead to serious dental issues over time. Crossbites can result in the following problems:

• Worn down teeth at a faster pace than usual
• Gum disease that can lead to bone loss
• TMJ joint disorder
• Trouble with chewing
• Incorrect jaw development
• An odd-looking smile

Can Invisalign Fix a Crossbite?

Braces and expanders used to tell everyone that you had a dental problem. Thankfully, Invisalign was introduced to save the day. Invisalign can fix most crossbites pretty much invisibly, so that nobody has to know that your teeth are being worked on.
So how does it work? You will receive a customized set of aligners that are molded to fit your teeth exactly. Typically, these invisible aligners are worn with inconspicuous elastic ware to correct crossbites. These elastics are hidden in the back of your mouth so nobody will see them.
Over time, the Invisalign aligners and elastics will work to painlessly shift your jaw into the correct position. You’ll come in to see your dentist about every two months to check your progress. During this time, you just let the aligners and elastic work their magic! We’ll let you know if anything needs to be changed when you visit us.

Benefits of Invisalign

Invisalign has transformed the way crossbites are treated. Here are just a few reasons why Invisalign is a better option than traditional braces or expanders:

• They are virtually invisible thanks to the clear aligners
• They are also virtually painless, providing gentle pressure to move your teeth and jaw into their proper alignment
• You can take out your Invisalign aligners whenever you need to clean your teeth or eat food that typically doesn’t react well with dental devices

Interested in learning more about how Invisalign may be able to cure your crossbite problems? Contact Water Tower Dental Care today! We are Invisalign experts. Just look at our Before and After Invisalign Gallery.
 
 

The last thing you want is yellow teeth after years of wearing braces. But unfortunately, it’s a very common occurrence. If you don’t take care of your mouth while you’re wearing braces, you might be surprised to see white squares where your braces were on yellow-stained teeth after your dentist removes them. Thankfully, it’s easy to avoid this experience. Here are some reasons why people get yellow teeth after braces and how to prevent this from happening. We’ll also talk about how you can fix stained teeth after braces.

Brush Properly With A Toothbrush Made for Braces

With all the brackets and wires crowding your teeth, it’s easy for plaque to build up in hard-to-reach places. That’s why it’s especially important for you to brush properly when you have braces. When plaque is left to sit on your teeth, your teeth start to decay, causing them to turn yellow.
People with braces should ask their dentist about electric toothbrushes that are specifically designed for mouths with braces. These brushes will have bristles that are made to remove plaque around brackets and get through wires.

Floss Every Day, Getting Those Hard-to-Reach Spots

Having braces can feel like a great excuse to not floss, since it’s harder to reach the spaces between your teeth. But with more bacteria buildup, it’s extremely important to floss with braces. Just like with brushing, flossing every day will help keep your teeth from decaying and turning yellow.
Superfloss is the best type of floss for people with braces. It’s made up of three types of floss: soft spongy floss, a stiffened-end threader, and regular floss. The stiffened-end threader makes it easier to get between your braces, and the large spongy floss helps you clean around your brackets and wires.

Avoid Tooth-Staining Food

Some food and drinks contain colored properties that can stick to your teeth’s enamel and change their beautiful white color to yellow. These include soda and “sports drinks”, hard and gummy candy, red wine, and coffee. It’s best to avoid these teeth-staining foods and drinks as often as possible, or slowly consume them with glass of water. When you do eat or drink them, wash out your mouth and brush afterwards to keep them from staining your teeth.

Don’t Smoke

Smoking is a big culprit of yellowing teeth, along with other horrible diseases and issues. There’s really no good reason to continue smoking. One of the many effects of smoking is yellowing teeth, caused by the nicotine and tar in tobacco. This can occur not just from smoking, but also from chewing tobacco. Tobacco use is one thing you should quit for good - not just when you have braces.

Use Invisalign Instead of Traditional Braces

If you haven’t had braces yet, you should consider using Invisalign instead of traditional braces. Since Invisalign braces are removable, it’s much easier to keep your braces and teeth clean, reducing the chance that your teeth will turn yellow. Brushing and flossing will be exactly the same as when you didn’t have braces!

Receive Teeth Whitening Treatment After Braces

If your teeth begin yellowing while you have braces, you don’t have to say goodbye to your pearly whites for good. Ask your dentist about teeth whitening after braces! At Water Tower Dental Care, we use Zoom! Teeth Whitening to change the color of your teeth dramatically after just one visit. This leading teeth whitening system brightens up your smile up to 8 shades in about an hour. It’s as easy as that.
Don’t settle for a yellow smile. Contact us to learn more about whitening your teeth after braces! There’s no better place to bring back your beautiful smile than at Chicago’s top cosmetic dentistry.

Having an underbite is no fun. Not only does can it look strange, but it may also cause serious health issues. Back in the day, the only way to fix underbites was with surgery, braces or expanders. Thankfully, there are less invasive and revealing ways to deal with underbites nowadays. We’re here to tell you how Invisalign can help fix your underbite without braces and surgery.

What’s Wrong With Having an Underbite?

If you have an underbite, you may be wondering why you should spend the time and effort to correct it. An underbite, which is a condition that involves your bottom teeth overlapping your  top teeth, can cause your mouth to look strange or convey an expression that you don’t really mean. Since it affects your appearance, it can cause social issues.
But even if your underbite doesn’t change the way you look, underbites can cause severe dental issues. Underbites can make your teeth harder to clean and can affect chewing, causing your enamel to wear unevenly and promoting tooth decay. Severe cases of underbites can also cause TMJ, a painful jaw joint disorder.

Can Invisalign Fix an Underbite?

The answer comes down to what’s causing your underbite. In certain cases, Invisalign can completely fix your underbite without the help of any other treatment! Underbites are typically caused by two things: a bad jaw position or irregular teeth position. If your underbite is caused by your teeth, then Invisalign will be able to effectively fix your problem. Your bottom or top teeth can cause an underbite by being tilted too far forward or backward. Tooth crowding can also cause an underbite. You’ll want to speak to your dentist to find out exactly why you have an underbite.
[caption id="attachment_2163" align="aligncenter" width="386"] An example of an underbite that can be treated with Invisalign.[/caption]

How Exactly Does Invisalign Help?

The Invisalign treatment relies on technology, really proving how far we’ve come in the world of dentistry. At Water Tower Dental Care, Dr. Aneszko and Dr. Stino use a 3D scanner to plan your entire treatment, from the first day you put your clear braces on until the day you take them off for good. Then, we create custom aligners for you to wear 22 hours a day. These are clear braces, so they are virtually invisible. While you wear them, they will gently push your teeth into their correct position. We’ll check up on your teeth and give you a new aligner to wear about every two weeks.

Benefits of Using Invisalign to Correct Your Underbite

Invisalign has many advantages over traditional metal braces. Here are a handful of benefits of using Invisalign to correct your underbite.

• On average, treatment time is shorter than traditional metal braces (about 12 months).
• The clear braces are virtually invisible.
• Invisalign is comfortable and easy to wear.
• It’s also removable and BPA-free. You can pop the clear braces off your teeth and pop them back on whenever you want. This makes it extremely easy to clean your braces and your teeth.
• They cause no food restrictions! You can take out your aligner for short periods of time and chew all the gum you want.

At Water Tower Dental Care, we offer comprehensive Invisalign treatments for underbites along with a level of service that’s anything but ordinary. If you’re interested in learning more about Invisalign and if it can help with your underbite, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Nobody likes having crooked teeth. They don’t give you the most beautiful smile in the world and they’re hard to take care of. Ironically, nobody really likes wearing braces to straighten their crooked teeth either, for pretty much the same reasons. At Water Tower Dental Care, we have a better solution to straighten your smile: Invisalign. Invisalign clear braces are easy to clean, effective and pretty much invisible to the eye.

How Invisalign Works

Invisalign was designed to be as easy as possible. The invisible aligners, which look like teeth-whitening trays, are custom made for your teeth. As a result, they fit comfortably in your mouth. You’re given a series of these aligners throughout the treatment process - typically one every two weeks. Each aligner will gently reposition your teeth into their proper place. Your doctor controls the timing in which each tooth is moved and maps out exactly where your teeth should be.
Treatment time varies from patient to patient, but the average timeline to correct your teeth alignment with Invisalign is only about 12 months. During this time, you’ll want to wear the aligners for about 20 to 22 hours every day.

Benefits of Invisalign Compared to Braces for Fixing Crooked Teeth

At Water Tower Dental Care, we’re big advocates of Invisalign. Here are just a few reasons why you might like Invisalign more than traditional braces.

• Invisalign is virtually invisible, with no unsightly brackets or wires
• It’s incredibly easy to clean. All you have to do is pop off your aligners and clean them with the Invisalign Cleaning system, which you can purchase at our office, or with lukewarm water and a brush.
• Invisalign isn’t painful. Instead, it fits comfortably over your teeth and gently repositions them over time.
• You’ll have no food restrictions. You can take off your Invisalign braces and chew all the gum you want!
• Your teeth are easy to clean. It can be tough to clean all of your teeth with wires and brackets in the way. With Invisalign, you can remove the aligners in the morning and evening for easy access to your teeth.
• Pop them off for big events. It’s best to wear your aligners as much as possible. But if you have a big event, you can always take off your aligners and put them back on later.
• They work as fast as traditional braces. On average, treatment time for patients wearing Invisalign is only 12 months.

Health Problems Caused by Crooked Teeth

Crooked teeth don’t only look bad. They also hurt your oral health, which Invisalign can help with. Here are a handful of problems caused by crooked teeth that you may not know about.

• Gum Disease. When your teeth aren’t aligned well, your gums aren’t supporting them as securely as if they were straight. This means your gums are less healthy and strong, and more likely to develop periodontal disease.
• Tooth Decay. Plaque can build up in spots that you can’t see when you have severely crooked teeth. Untouched plaque will lead to bacteria eating away at your teeth over time.
• Harder to clean. It’s hard to properly floss and brush when you have crooked teeth. If you can’t reach your gums or specific places on your teeth while cleaning, you’re more likely to develop cavities, gum disease and other oral health problems.
• Worse Health Overall. Keeping your teeth and gums healthy means keeping the rest of your body healthy as well. Oral infection and bad oral health may lead or contribute to cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, endocarditis, and more, according to Mayo Clinic.

Interested in learning more about Invisalign? We here at Water Tower Dental Care are Invisalign experts. Feel free to contact us to learn more about this amazing treatment. We will be more than happy to help put you on a path to the straight smile of your dreams, without the hassle of traditional braces.

Many people who wear braces are worried about keeping their teeth white. After all, cleaning your teeth is much more difficult with braces, and you can’t really use teeth-whitening products on the part of your teeth that’s covered up. What you can do, though, is prevent your teeth from discoloring. Find out how to do this with these 11 easy tips from our dental experts.

1. Follow Proper Oral Hygiene Practices: It’s even more important to take care of your teeth when you wear braces. If you wear braces, we typically recommend brushing your teeth three times a day, using mouthwash when you wake up and before you go to bed, and flossing with Superfloss once a day. Getting into a routine like this should remove daily stains and keep your smile sparkling white.

2. Brush One Tooth at a Time: It’s easy to miss spots on your teeth when there are braces in the way, so try to spend at least 10 seconds brushing each tooth. Move your toothbrush in a circular motion, making sure to brush between the archwires of your braces, and brush at different angles to ensure you’re sufficiently cleaning every part of your tooth.

3. Use an Electronic Toothbrush: Ultrasonic Electric toothbrushes make it easier and more effective for people with braces to clean around wires and brackets. But even if you don't wear braces, Ultrasonic Electric toothbrushes clean much more efficiently than traditional toothbrushes because of their ultrasonic action, breaking up plaque, tartar and stain-causing particles.

4. Brush or Rinse After Every Meal: After you eat, it’s important to get all of the food out from between your teeth and braces. Brushing after every meal will help you take care of any leftover food that can potentially cause discoloring. If you can’t brush your teeth throughout the day, try rinsing your mouth out with water or mouthwash instead.

5. Be Mindful of Teeth-Staining Food and Drinks: Common items that can stain your teeth include red wine, dark juice, sports drinks, black tea, dark soda, coffee, blueberries, blackberries, and beats. Avoid consuming unhealthy types of food and beverages that can stain your teeth. If you do eat or drink things that can cause discoloration, make sure to brush your teeth and rinse out your mouth soon afterwards to keep your teeth white.

6. Eat Food That Cleans Your Teeth: Toothbrushes aren’t the only things that clean your teeth. Firm and crisp food, like apples, celery, raw carrots, and popcorn, can help make your smile shine as well! Try to eat these types of food right before you brush at night.

7. Take Off Removable Dental Appliances: Before you clean your teeth, take off any removable dental appliances, like bands or headgear. This will give you better access to your teeth.

8. Avoid Eating Unhealthy Sugar: Sugary foods, like candy, can cause tooth decay and lead to discoloration. Eating candy can be especially problematic when you have braces, as sticky candy can get stuck in them. Try eating fruits and veggies instead. If you do eat sugary food or drink soda, make sure to thoroughly brush, floss and rinse out your mouth afterwards.

9. Use Superfloss: Superfloss makes flossing much easier for people with braces and other dental appliances. It’s made up of three different parts: a stiffened-end threader (for flossing between wires), soft spongey floss (for cleaning around appliances), and regular floss (for removing plaque normally between your teeth).

10. Ditch the Cigarettes: Smoking decreases the amount of saliva in your mouth, which means the lines of your teeth are not getting cleaned out as much and your teeth aren’t as protected from decay. All of these changes can very likely lead to discoloration in your teeth.

11. Come See The Experts: Other than taking proper daily care of your teeth, the best thing you can do to keep your teeth white and healthy is visit your dentist regularly. We’ll give your teeth a deep clean and let you know how healthy they are and what you can do to improve them.

Feel free to contact Chicago’s Number One Rated Dentistry to see how your teeth are doing. We’re experts at teeth whitening, and we would love to use our skills help keep your smile white and sparkling.

Many people are reluctant to floss, for one reason or another. However one convinces themselves, the reasons one avoids flossing is probably wrong. There are many myths about flossing that can easily be busted with a simple explanation. These are nine myths that tend to keep people from flossing, but should stop no one.

1. If My Gums Bleed I Should Stop Flossing

This is a big myth that can keep many people from flossing everyday. They think that they are hurting themselves by flossing, causing their gums to bleed. In fact, it’s the opposite. Your gums bleed because the bacteria growing between your teeth have inflamed your gums. If you floss daily and visit a dentist for cleanings, your gums will bleed less and less until the bacteria is cleared out and they stop bleeding altogether.

2. Flossing Will Loosen Fillings

Flossing is necessary with any kind of dental work, including fillings, crowns, veneers, bridges, and more. Dental work becomes necessary when one doesn’t floss enough. Any kind of dental work needs extra care. Flossing everyday is absolutely necessary.

3. I Cannot Floss With Braces

Though it may be harder to floss with braces, it is necessary. With braces, gums are more likely to become inflamed and infected.

4. I Cannot Floss Because My Teeth are Too Close Together

At Water Tower Dental Care, we can attest that we have never had a patient that has had teeth too close together to floss. Of course some teeth are closer than others and it can be difficult to floss. There is specific thinner floss that one can purchase to solve this issue, but from our experience, this is an excuse more than an actual problem.

5. Flossing Takes Too Much Time

Though some people may have busier mornings than others, there is always time to floss. You can floss in the morning, afternoon, or night—any time of the day. Proper flossing should take no more than two to three minutes. If someone doesn’t have two to three minutes to spare in their day, they may have bigger problems to deal with, though we doubt anyone is that busy.

6. A Waterpik Does the Same Job

Many think that a waterpik can take the place of flossing. Though a waterpik is a very useful tool, it cannot do as good of a job as floss. A waterpik should be used in conjunction with flossing, not as a replacement.

7. I Use Mouthwash Instead of Floss

Just like a waterpik, while mouthwash definitely helps, it is adjunct to floss. Mouthwash is better for loosening plaque, killing bacteria, and freshening breath, but it cannot take the place of floss.

8. There’s No Food In My Teeth, So I Don’t Need to Floss

First, food can be hard to detect in the far reaches of your teeth. Unless you have advanced mirror and lighting technologies to see far into the back reaches of your teeth, it is impossible to say if there’s food between your teeth. More importantly, floss does not just remove food from your teeth, it also helps remove plaque that is built up between them. This plaque is what can cause gum disease and cavities. It is the main reason you floss.

9. Flossing Is Not Fun

Though you may not find it fun at first, flossing will become a rewarding and pleasurable experience the more you do it. You will become more used to the process, and it will feel good to make the space between your teeth clean and smooth.

Invisalign is one of the best dental advancements in the recent decades. By using a silicone-based mold to shape a person’s teeth, the use of traditional metal braces is no longer needed. This helps reduce unsightly and embarrassing moments with wire braces along with painful side effects. The aspects of Invisalign are quite simple, and with just a few visits to your dentist, you can start the process to a straighter smile.

Invisalign uses a series of clear, removable teeth aligners that slowly realign your teeth for a better, healthier smile. Crooked teeth are not only an aesthetic issue. Slanted teeth can promote bacteria buildup as it provides unique pockets within the gums. Straighter teeth help reduce the risk of periodontal disease and gingivitis. So choosing to straighten your teeth is a terrific idea, and with the help of Invisalign you’ll find it to be a simple process.
Invisalign works by first having your dentist take an Itero Digital 3D Scan of your teeth. Along with the scan, your doctor will take a series of photos and radiographs (x-rays). Both the photos and scan are emailed to an Invisalign manufacturing facility to be designed. Your dentist will communicate with an Invisalign technician to create a customized course of action. No two aligners are alike, and your aligners are for you and you alone. Because of this, your dentist will take careful measures to create aligners that will help shape a new smile you will love.
Once the aligners are designed, the Invisalign manufacturer creates a 3D ClinCheck video and sends it to your dentist. At this point, your dentist is able to guide you through the proposed plan for prospective results. Using 3D imaging, you’ll be able to see the aligners being used and how they will move your teeth for their optimal shape. Once all is approved, you are given your first set of aligners.
Invisalign aligners are replaced every two weeks for approximately six months to a year. The aligners are recommended to be worn for 20 to 22 hours a day and should only be removed for eating meals and when drinking any liquid that is not water.
Some patient’s teeth can require additional straightening depending on the severity of their teeth. For some cases, the lower premolars, with a rounded shape, can be difficult for the Invisalign mold to grasp. A bonded attachment made from a composite material can sometimes be required. Other patients may find that many of their teeth require a vertical movement. Invisalign works by applying pressure that moves teeth slowly throughout the six to twelve month period. However, some teeth may require a pulling or pushing technique to properly align. In these cases, different styles of composite attachments called buttons are used to help certain teeth.
As said before, all Invisalign aligners are unique to the patient. With that in mind, some patients might find traditional braces actually more efficient due to their specific issues. When preparing for Invisalign, this is something that both you and your doctor will discuss.
Invisalign is a simple and effective way to change a crooked smile into a straight and healthy one. If you or someone you know is interested in the Invisalign treatment, don’t hesitate to contact Water Tower Dental. We can help you get on the right track to a better smile.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0GuXsQEwv0

While braces are fine for children, they are often tough for an adult to commit to. Over a year of metal, cement and wires on your teeth is not the most attractive look, and with beauty playing a major role in one's social life and career, many cannot risk the commitment to braces.

However, many people don't realize the risk they take by not straightening their teeth. Misaligned teeth provide better areas for food particles, bacteria, and plaque to hide and grow. With that the risk of gum disease greatly increases. Even with proper brushing and flossing everyday, your risk of serious infection is much higher than someone with aligned teeth.
Furthermore, misaligned teeth can wear away at the tooth's structure causing even more trouble. A deep bite (or malocclusion), crossbite, edge-to-edge bite and excessive overjet can all leave you at risk of wearing away, chipping and flattening your teeth. These are problems that cannot be easily fixed once the damage is done.

Why Invisalign Braces?

Water Tower Dental Care recommends Invisalign for adults with crooked teeth. Unlike regular, metal braces, Invisalign are practically invisible to the human eye. These clear braces are made through a 3D modeling process that fits specifically to your teeth, each set slightly straighter than the previous ones.

The patient receives a set of customized, clear, acrylic Invisalign aligners that are molded to slowly straighten your teeth to a perfect position. Each set of aligners are worn for about two weeks, at which point, the patient switches to the next set of aligners. Slowly, the teeth are moved from their crooked position to a straight and healthy smile. There is minimal discomfort and the treatment takes about one year to completely straighten the teeth. The same amount of time metal and wire braces would take.

The Invisalign Method

The Invisalign method works by applying gentle pressure to your teeth, slowly realigning them throughout a span of time. As your teeth conform to a set of aligners, the patient switches to the next set. This happens usually within a two-week period, however it can take longer depending on the severity of your teeth. We ask that our patients visit the office every two months to check that the treatment is working according to plan and if adjustments need to be made.

Invisalign Before & After

Invisalign Food Restrictions

A patient doesn't have to worry about food restrictions because Invisalign aligners can be removed at any time. This allows you to eat whatever you like. Since the aligners can be removed, it's much easier to clean your teeth and the aligners.
Most importantly, if you have a meeting or a social affair you'd like to look your best at, you can remove your aligners and smile with confidence.
If you'd like to finally stop thinking about your misaligned teeth and start smiling with confidence, call Water Tower Dental Care today to set up an appointment for a set of Invisalign aligners just for you.