When is the right time to consider orthodontic treatment for your child?

The Canadian and American Associations of Orthodontists recommend all children have an orthodontic evaluation invisalign no more braces nanaimo by age 7. Treatment does not necessarily begin at that time, but knowing which specific problems a child may be developing can prompt early attention and correct the problem before it starts impacting the child or teen’s health.

The case of a Nanaimo teen treated by Dr. Mahara at Downtown Nanaimo Dental Group is a good example of early intervention heading off a host of serious consequences. The Nanaimo teen’s case started with his adult teeth coming in crooked and tilted and his lower jaw in a receded position. Since the adult teeth no longer formed a smooth chewing surface after the adult teeth came in, the child began to experience the early signs of TMD, a jaw disorder characterized by clicking of the jaw, soreness in the jaw from chewing, jaw tension and headaches. In this case, the child could not even chew gum without complaining of jaw soreness and headaches.

Teen orthodontic before and after photos :

“This was a more complicated case, “ says Dr. Mahara, “as the goal was to fix the jaw position, by moving the lower jaw forward, and straighten the crooked teeth.”

The teen recalls the time when his teeth needed straightening and his jaw was in pain. “I was very aware of my crooked teeth and tried to hide my smile or not smile at all,” he says. “I remember having a sore jaw and headaches almost everyday,” he adds.

Dr. Mahara began the teen’s orthodontic and TMD treatment by correcting the jaw position with a fixed appliance that almost immediately eliminated the jaw pain and tightness which were the early symptoms of TMD. Two years later the lower jaw had moved back into a normal position and then at age 15 the teen began the second phase of his TMD and orthodontic treatment using traditional braces to straighten his teeth.

By age 16, the Nanaimo teen had completed his TMD and orthodontic treatment and couldn’t be happier with his nearly perfect straight teeth and a normal, pain-free bite.

If your child has crooked adult teeth or complains of jaw soreness and discomfort from chewing, talk to your dentist. As with the Nanaimo teen treated at Downtown Nanaimo Dental Group, a positive ending to this story is possible with early intervention and a sound treatment plan.

Downtown Nanaimo Dental Group is proud to serve your complete dental health needs in Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. Our Nanaimo dentists and dental hygienists believe in continuous learning to bring you the latest technology in dental medicine and our team of dental professionals aspire to the highest level of patient care. At each visit to our office we treat you with the respect, honesty and dignity that you deserve.

April 1, 2019/by Downtown Nanaimo Dental Group

Cosmetic Dentistry, Invisalign, Orthodontics, Teen Orthodontics

How Invisalign Braces Help Promote Healthy Teeth

Would you trade the overall health of your teeth for a perfectly aligned, beautiful smile? Of course not! Luckily no more braces nanaimo invisalign these two goals are not mutually exclusive. Dental health is always the number one goal for our patients, so before we discuss the benefits of Invisalign, you need to know why having straight teeth is actually vital to creating a healthy vibrant mouth and smile.

Why straighten?

Are your teeth crowded or too widely spaced? Beware, as swollen, red gums prone to periodontal disease can often be the result. Crowded teeth can lead to plaque accumulation and tooth decay while spacing issues between teeth can lead to gum problems due to lack of protection by the teeth as well as periodontal pockets.

Properly aligned teeth allow the gums to fit more securely around the teeth, allowing for the strongest and healthiest defence against potential periodontal problems.

Do you have an overbite or underbite?

As with crowded or widely spaced teeth, these conditions not only affect your appearance but could be causing dental problems and leave you more prone to periodontal disease.

If you suffer from teeth crowding, spacing, overbite or underbite, you’ll be pleased to know that traditional metal braces are not the only option.

Invisalign, a clear, removable solution for orthodontics

Invisalign is a patent technology that uses a series of custom-made clear aligners that fit onto your teeth. Invisalign treatments last between 4 – 12 months for less complex cases and 18 – 30 months for more complex cases. The trays must be worn for 22 hours per day to be effective but may be removed for eating and regular cleaning.

There are many advantages to using Invisalign over traditional metal and wire braces. Since you can remove the aligners, it’s much easier to maintain good oral hygiene while straightening your teeth. There is little to no discomfort in terms of contact with soft tissues in your mouth and the aligners are virtually unnoticeable to those around you.

Invisalign is often the treatment of choice for adults, but teens can also use Invisalign to straighten their teeth. In fact, Invisalign for teens provides for the free replacement of up to 6 aligner trays throughout the treatment plan.

In terms of cost, Invisalign treatment is comparable to traditional braces and many extended health insurance providers recognize Invisalign and provide benefits in the same way as any orthodontic procedure. To spread the cost out over a period of time, talk to our Downtown Nanaimo Dental Group receptionist about our no-fee dental financing program.

Invisalign is a great technology that may be able to help you improve the health and appearance of your smile while maintaining your comfort like never before possible. As a certified Invisalign provider, Dr. Mahara at Downtown Nanaimo Dental Group welcomes you to book a consultation to discuss whether Invisalign is a suitable option for you.

Please link to the following pages on our website to find out how Downtown Nanaimo Dental Group can make Invisalign work for you.

October 2, 2018/by Downtown Nanaimo Dental Group

Invisalign, News, Orthodontics, Teen Orthodontics

Invisalign Promotion | Save $500 + Free Whitening!

Between October 15th – December 1st 2015 receive $500 off your Invisalign treatment and get a free teeth whitening with Invisalign at Downtown Nanaimo Dental Group!

Call us today to book your free Invisalign consultation with Dr. Mahara: 250-754-4322!

Watch these videos to learn more about how Invisalign can straighten your teeth and greatly improve your oral health.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuEdiXmdkLc&height=80&width=180

October 31, 2015/by Downtown Nanaimo Dental Group

Family Dental Health, Invisalign, Orthodontics, Teen Orthodontics

The Surprising Age Your Child Can Begin Orthodontics

Are your child’s adult teeth coming in crooked or crowded? Are you wondering when is the right time to start looking at orthodontic solutions?

As a parent, of course you want the best for your child – including nice straight teeth and a healthy smile. Asking the above questions when a child is just starting to get their adult teeth is actually the right time to do so!

According to the American Association of Orthodontists, the ideal age for children to have an orthodontic assessment is around 7. In this post we’ll discuss why it’s important to start orthodontic discussions with your dentist at an early age.

While some of the discussion will be about planning for the future, there are early treatments that can be done to correct tooth and jaw problems in advance of orthodontics and give your child a head start.

What are some signs that your child my require braces?

Sometimes there are obvious signs that a child may need braces in the future. These included crowded adult teeth that overlap or cannot straighten out due to lack of space. Less obvious signs include difficulty chewing or biting food, a jaw that makes a sound when opening or closing, or a jaw or teeth that appear small relative to the rest of the face.

The best course of action is to discuss any concerns with your dentist at your child’s next dental exam.

At what age are braces needed?

Once all of the adult teeth have arrived, your child can begin orthodontic treatment. For most children this happens between ages 12 and 16. Although braces could be done later in life, there are several reasons to get it done during these formative teen years.

One reason to have your teen correct crooked or crowded teeth is based on general oral health. The fact is, it is more difficult to clean crooked teeth, which may contribute to cavities and the potential for gum disease.

Teeth that do not fit well together, also known as an improper bite, can also cause abnormal wear of tooth surfaces, difficulty in chewing, and stress on supporting bone and gum tissue. Orthodontic treatment early on may prove less costly than the additional dental care required to treat these same problems in later years.

Although it’s true that your teen will not likely enjoy having braces on, the emotional side of an unattractive smile that is not treated is also significant. Teenagers with orthodontic problems left untreated may go through life feeling self-conscious, hiding their teeth and their smile.

You can also ask your dentist about the possibility of using Invisalign for teens, an orthodontic solution that uses a series of clear, removable aligners to straighten teeth.

What can be done to minimize the need for braces?

Most children with crowded teeth and misaligned bites have underdeveloped lower jaws, which can be corrected with functional appliances. Functional appliances help expand the jaw and create more space for new adult teeth, while the teeth are straightened with orthodontic appliances later on.

The use of functional appliances can reduce the time the child needs to wear fixed braces and also can reduce the need for the extraction of permanent teeth. Functional appliances develop the dental arches so that all the permanent teeth can erupt, which helps create a broad smile and healthy jaw joints.

The ideal age for the use of functional appliances is between 7 and 11, however, in some cases can be utilized as early as age 4, if the upper jaw is too narrow and is having a negative effect on the child’s breathing and speech.

Getting Started

Contact Downtown Nanaimo Dental Group today to book an appointment and begin discussions about your child’s orthodontic needs.

August 25, 2015/by Downtown Nanaimo Dental Group

Cosmetic Dentistry, Invisalign, Orthodontics, Smile Makeover, Teen Orthodontics

Chipped Front Teeth

At the age of 16 one of our patients was involved in a biking accident and the front teeth were broken and part of the teeth lost. Now 18 years old, the patient came to Downtown Nanaimo Dental Group to repair his chipped front teeth and restore his smile.

Besides the chipping of the front teeth, the patient also has some crowding which has left some teeth crooked. Invisalign treatment is recommended as the ideal option to straighten the teeth. Invisalign is an orthodontic treatment method which uses a series of removable invisible aligners to move the teeth back into a correct and straight position.

In the meantime, the patient was given a couple of options for repairing the chipped front teeth. The ideal treatment recommended was porcelain veneers to correct the problem and create the most natural looking and long lasting solution possible. Modern porcelain veneers are durable and have physical properties which match very closely with natural teeth. This is due to the translucency of porcelain which reflects light in a similar way to natural teeth.

A second, short term option presented to the patient was to restore the shape of the front teeth using a bonding technique with composite materials. Bonding produces a very nice result, but on the downside has a tendency to show discolouration over time. It is a great short term solution however.

The patient, in this case, decided to go with the bonding with composite material option and is very happy with the result.

The patient is now considering Invisalign treatment and will consider porcelain veneers as a more permanent solution to his smile makeover once his teeth have been straightened.

Dr. Mahara at Downtown Nanaimo Dental Group specializes in cosmetic dentistry and Invisalign treatments to help you achieve both a healthy mouth and a smile that you are proud to let shine. Read more about having a smile make over or Invisalign treatment at our Nanaimo dental clinic and contact us today to book a consultation. We look forward to serving you.

October 6, 2012/by Downtown Nanaimo Dental Group

Dental Technology, Invisalign, News, Orthodontics, Teen Orthodontics

Invisible Braces? Introducing Invisalign

If you’d like straight teeth without braces or any visible sign that you are doing an orthodontic treatment, Invisalgn is a dental technology that you need to know about. Instead of bulky metal braces, Invisalign uses a series of see-through aligners that click into place in your mouth to progressively shift teeth into their proper position. Not only does Invisalign act as clear and invisible braces, they’re removable!

How does Invisalign work?

A series of custom-made, clear aligners are created specifically for you by our Nanaimo Invisalign dentists and are to be worn throughout the day. Each set of aligners is worn for about 2 weeks, so the changes made to your teeth are progressive and you can literally see the change happening each time you move to the next set of aligners.

Is Invisalign comfortable?

Since the aligners are made of a smooth, comfortable BPA-free plastic, they are specifically designed not to irritate your cheeks and gums. The aligners can be removed when you eat or to brush and floss your teeth, so keeping your mouth clean is a breeze.

Some patients do report to our Nanaimo dental team that the aligners can feel tight, especially when starting a new set. If the new aligners are really uncomfortable, they can be adjusted. However, in most cases, this is the natural feeling of tension created to shift the teeth to the next stage in the straightening process, and you will get used to it in no time.

Is Invisalign convenient?

Although you will typically begin a new set of aligners every two weeks, this does not mean you must visit our Nanaimo Invisalign dentists that frequently. In fact, normally you will only need to check in with your dentist every 6 weeks.

Although being removable makes Invisalign very convenient, it’s important to remember that in order to work properly, the Invisalign aligners must be worn for 20 – 22 hours per day. That means that although the aligners can be removed for eating and brushing and flossing, they should not be removed for any length of time. Teen Invisalign users will be happy to know that a large part of their Invisalign wearing time occurs while they’re sleeping, leaving a few hours during the day for removal.

How long does Invisalign take?

While every case is unique for each patient, treatment typically takes approximately a year for adults. For teens, the length of treatment is comparable to that of braces. Don’t forget however, that for teens, the combination of not having those awkward metal braces and seeing regular progress happening every two weeks makes the time fly by.

How to get started using Invisalign to straighten your teeth?

Get started by contacting us for an appointment at Downtown Nanaimo Dental Group today. We are Certified Invisalign providers and offer financing plans to help make your perfect smile a reality today. We also recommend that you read more about the Invisalign treatment process on our website and contact us if you have any questions. We look forward to helping you create the smile you’ve dreamed about soon.