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You may have a talent for home repairs. You may be able to rebuild your computer. You may even be able to put together a whole room of furniture armed only with flat-box kits and an Allen wrench. But, please—don’t try do-it-yourself orthodontics!

Now that generic clear aligners are available, you might consider giving them a try to save some money. But is straightening your own teeth really a good idea? Before you are tempted, let’s look more closely at the products and the dental science involved.

Invisalign®

• Invisalign clear aligners are used by orthodontists and dentists with experience in custom treatment for your smile. A 3D image of your teeth will be captured by the iTero Element® scanner. Using special software, your doctor can map out each projected shift in your teeth, and even show you a projection of your finished smile!
• Your Invisalign aligners will be tailored to fit your teeth precisely using the 3D scan and 3D printing. They are made from SmartTrack® material, a product specifically engineered for a perfect, comfortable fit. Invisalign aligners are even trimmed to fit your individual gumline to prevent irritation.
• When your first sets of Invisalign aligners arrive at our Sandy, UT office, Dr. Tony Skanchy will check for fit, answer any questions you might have about use and care, and let you know what to look for and what to expect. Your progress will be monitored with visits every six to eight weeks. (And for parents of teens, Invisalign aligners can offer blue “compliance indicators” to let you know they are being worn the 20-22 hours a day necessary for the best and fastest results.)

Generic Aligners

• You might be required to make a putty mold of your own upper and lower teeth, which is not the easiest thing to do well, and to take selfies of your teeth.
• The aligners will be sent to you in the mail. They are generally made of hard plastic with generic gumlines. There will be no one to tell you if the aligners fit properly.
• They are sometimes less expensive because there is no in-person medical supervision. A dental professional working for the company will look at the model created from molds you submit, and recommend a series of aligners to correct the problems he detects by looking at the model and your selfies. This supervisor will not be able to assess the overall dental health of each patient to make sure teeth and gums are healthy and ready to start treatment, and will not be able to tell if the teeth are moving properly or improperly once the aligners are in use.

Finally, while generic aligners may potentially have some success in minor tooth straightening, they are not created to deal with complex bite issues or malocclusions.  In fact, using generic aligners with no supervision can cause more serious dental problems than a patient started with.

Sure, sometimes a do-it-yourself project turns out well. But your teeth and bones are too important for home improvement. When it comes to creating a beautiful, even smile and balanced, comfortable bite while making sure of your dental health, it’s always best to trust a professional like Dr. Tony Skanchy to provide you with gentle, tested, and successful care!

It’s peak cold and flu season, a time to be especially conscious about your health. We have some suggestions to help you navigate this contagious time of year, with bonus tips for a healthy smile.

• Wash Up! 

Bacteria and viruses can live for hours and even days on non-porous surfaces like doorknobs, phones, and keyboards. That’s why it’s so important to wash your hands before touching your mouth, nose, and eyes, before brushing and flossing, and before you cook or eat. Washing with plain soap and water will eliminate most germs.

Bonus Tip: Keeping your fingers away from your mouth does more than prevent the transmission of bacteria and viruses. Fingernail biting can damage brackets, wires, and even tooth enamel. Prolonged thumb or finger sucking can affect tooth and jaw alignment. Delicate gum tissue can be injured or infected by broken or dirty nails. If you’d like to break harmful oral habits, talk to Dr. Tony Skanchy for suggestions.

• Stay Hydrated

Hydration supports healthy skin, helps regulate blood pressure and body temperature, and is vital for digestion and other bodily functions. Proper hydration is also important for a healthy immune system and healthy mucous membranes, which will help you fight off colds and flu. Talk to your doctor about your ideal amount of daily hydration, whether from water, other fluids, or water-rich foods.

Bonus Tip: We also need to be hydrated to produce healthy levels of saliva. Saliva washes away food particles and bacteria from teeth and braces and helps neutralize enamel-eroding acidity in the mouth.

• Eat Healthy Foods

A healthy diet is crucial for a healthy immune system, with foods such as lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products.

Bonus Tip: A balanced diet is good for your oral health, too! We need vitamins A and C for healthy gums and oral tissues, minerals like calcium and phosphorus to keep tooth enamel strong, and dairy products enriched with vitamin D, which enables our bodies to absorb the calcium we get in our diet.

What happens if you become ill despite your precautions? 

• Reduce the Chance of Infecting Others

If you’re ill, you can help stop the spread of germs by limiting contact with other people, covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze, washing your hands frequently, and cleaning the common surfaces in your house which harbor germs. 

Bonus Tip: Sharing isn’t caring when it comes to colds and flu. No matter how close you are to your family members or roommates, your toothbrushes shouldn’t be close at all. Let your brush air-dry in an upright position away from other brushes to avoid contamination. 

• Be Choosy about OTC Medications 

If you take sugary cough or cold medications, brush or rinse afterward. Sugar-free cough drops are better for your teeth than sweet lozenges which bathe your enamel in sugar as you let them dissolve. 

Bonus Tip: Don’t bite into cough drops! You risk not only broken brackets and wires, but chipped and cracked teeth.

• Keep Up with Healthy Habits

Be sure to keep hydrated, especially if you’ve been suffering from vomiting or diarrhea. Get the sleep you need to recover. Eat a well-balanced diet.

Bonus Tip: Stay on top of your dental hygiene and brush and floss as usual, with one caution. Vomiting brings up harsh stomach acids which weaken the mineral bonds keeping tooth enamel strong, so brushing right away can be abrasive. If you throw up, rinse your mouth with water and wait 30 minutes before brushing to allow your enamel to come back to full strength.

• Stay Home When You’re Sick

You’ll get better faster with proper care, which includes getting the rest you need to recover. And you won’t be sharing germs with the people around you.

Bonus Tip: If you have an appointment scheduled with your orthodontist, reschedule if necessary. Your orthodontic team at Alta View Orthodontics will be happy to accommodate you to prevent the spread of germs and to make any procedure a more comfortable one.

It’s the height of cold and flu season in Sandy, UT, but you’re not alone! Talk to your doctor about immunizations and other preventative measures. If you do become ill, follow your physician’s recommendations. And if you have any orthodontic concerns, your orthodontic team is prepared with timely advice—at any time of year.

If the scariest part of Halloween in Sandy, UT is trying to figure out which treats are braces-friendly and which treats are braces-frightful, we have a fiendishly simple suggestion to help keep your brackets and wires safe from harm: ghost any treats which are chewy, crunchy, hard, or sticky!

It’s no mystery how certain candies and treats can cause trouble for your braces. The pulling effect of chewy candies like caramels can pull a bracket right off your tooth. Biting into a hard candy can break a wire. Crunchy treats can get stuck under wires and damage braces. Sticky foods pull on your wires and brackets.

Broken braces are no fun. Loose or detached brackets can be uncomfortable. Bent or broken wires can cause sores and cuts inside your mouth. Damaged braces mean extra trips to Alta View Orthodontics for repairs, and can even delay your treatment if the damage is significant or you can’t see Dr. Tony Skanchy right away. 

And chewy, crunchy, hard, and sticky treats have a haunting effect on your dental health as well. These foods stick to brackets and wires and can be difficult to brush or floss away. Cavity-causing bacteria feast on the sugars and food particles left behind, putting you at greater risk for cavities.

So, what specific treats should *vanish* from your candy collection this Halloween? Here are some of the most damaging to braces: 

• Chewy caramels, taffy, fruit chews, gum, and licorice
• Crunchy candied apples, caramel popcorn, peanut brittle, nuts, and popcorn balls 
• Hard and hard-shelled candies, lollipops (especially with gum centers), and jawbreakers
• Sticky gummies, jellybeans, and candy corn

But it’s not all frightful news! There are many spook-tacularly good treats which you can enjoy without putting your braces in jeopardy:

• Peanut butter cups
• Soft chocolate bars (with no nuts or caramel hiding inside!)
• Soft cupcakes
• Pudding cups
• Mint patties
• Ice cream
• Sugar-free gum (if it’s okay with your orthodontist)

And here are a few good tricks for keeping your teeth and gums healthy, whether or not you wear braces:

• Brush and floss after treats. 
• Enjoy sweets in moderation. 
• Skip the sour candies. Acidic foods can damage tooth enamel.
• Eat treats with a meal. Eating increases saliva production, which helps neutralize acids and wash away food particles.

Don’t let a damaged bracket or wire spoil your Halloween fun. Talk to Dr. Tony Skanchy to learn which candies are a treat for both you and your braces and you’ll stay on the fast track to a boo-tiful, healthy smile!

One problem with trying to answer the question as to who benefits from Invisalign is that the simple answer is “almost everyone.” The see-through, almost invisible aligners for straightening teeth are specifically molded to fit each individual’s mouth. Unlike conventional braces, they can be removed when eating and when cleaning the teeth. Because they use less force in straightening teeth than metal braces, the risk of harm to teeth is lessened.

Benefits to adults

Traditional braces are associated with children and teenagers. Many adults want to have their teeth straightened but cannot decide which is worse: having crooked teeth or wearing metal braces. They also worry about having to change their diet by not being able to eat the foods they normally enjoy.

If you are an adult considering braces, our team at Alta View Orthodontics will tell you Invisalign aligners will give you the best of all worlds. Your teeth will be straightened with virtually invisible braces. You can remove your aligners when you eat so you can enjoy any food you normally would consume. You do not have to worry about embarrassing yourself by getting food stuck in your braces. You simply clean your teeth normally after eating and replace your aligners. If there is a special occasion during which you do not want to have any braces at all, you can remove the aligners for a few hours without causing any damage.

Benefits to teenagers

Dr. Tony Skanchy and our team know that teenagers are often involved in contact sports or gymnastics. Others find that having metal in their mouth interferes with their ability to play a musical instrument. Traditional metal braces contain wires and brackets that can cause damage to the mouth and gums; this is not a risk with Invisalign aligners.

For sports that require players to wear mouthguards, the expense of specially constructed mouthguards to fit over braces is avoided. The aligners can be removed during sports activity, and a normal mouthguard is worn. Teenagers who play musical instruments simply remove the aligners when practicing or playing in the band or orchestra.

Teenagers often feel they are too busy to spend time and trouble flossing teeth between the wires and brackets of traditional braces. Since the Invisalign aligners are removable, brushing and flossing are simpler and more likely to be performed.

For more information about Invisalign or Invisalign Teen, or to schedule an initial consultation with Dr. Tony Skanchy, please give us a call at our convenient Sandy, UT office!