invisible aligners

Invisalign Lisp: Does it Happen and Will it Go Away?

October 27th, 2016

Invisalign Lisp: Does it Happen and Will it Go Away?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.

Fixing Your Open Bite with Invisalign

July 14th, 2016

Fixing Your Open Bite with InvisalignOpen 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!
 
 

Invisalign for Crossbite: Does it Work?

June 16th, 2016

Invisalign for Crossbite: Does it Work?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.