Tag Archives: Salem MA Invisalign

Straightening Teeth with a Missing Teeth

I never had braces as a child. It’s always bothered me. I want to do something about it now that I’m an adult. I keep hearing about invisible braces, which sounds much better to me than those silver ones all my friends in middle-school wore. The one thing that worries me is I have two congenitally missing mandibular bicuspids. Do I need to get dental implants for those spots?


Dear Katherine,

A woman putting in her Invisalign aligners in two stacked images

Invisible braces could refer to one of three things. First, they could be referring to the clear braces you can get these days. They still go on your teeth like the traditional metal wire and bracket braces, but it uses a less visible material.

A second possibility is lingual braces. These are also the traditional type of braces bonded to your teeth, but they are placed behind your teeth where no one can see them. Many child stars have worn these when they’re in the middle of filming a series where they didn’t (or couldn’t in the case of a historical series) want the character to have braces. They’re useful for straightening in secret, but they have a couple of drawbacks.

They can be uncomfortable on your tongue which will bump up against them quite a bit. Braces make oral hygiene trickier because of all the materials you have to get around and the food that continually gets trapped in them. Lingual braces are even harder to keep clean because of their location. You could end up with a lot of unnecessary decay if you don’t stay on top of your tooth care.

Invisalign — Your Best Invisible Braces Option

While both of the above options could be considered “invisible braces”, there’s a much better option. Invisalign, though not technically braces, is an orthodontic system which straightens your teeth in significantly less time than traditional braces. These use clear aligners (think teeth whitening trays) instead of wires and brackets. Even at a conversational distance, people will not be able to tell you’re wearing them.

Because you’re talking about your lower bicuspids, it’s not necessary to get dental implants. Invisalign will close the spaces in your lower arch. Though, if you wanted to, you certainly could get implants placed where you’re missing teeth are. To do that, however, you’d need to work with an experienced implant dentist who also understands orthodontics. This way your work can be done in such a way as to preserve the needed space for the implant.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Randall Burba. Check out his smile gallery.

Invisalign or Porcelain Veneers

I went to my dentist to discuss a potential cosmetic change. I want to whiten and brighten my teeth and I have mildly crooked front tooth. I thought I’d get porcelain veneers, but my dentist is suggesting invisalign first and then porcelain veneers. Porcelain veneers are so expensive, I was hoping not to have to add any additional expense.  Is it normal to do invisalign and porcelain veneers?

Paige W. – New Mexico


Hmmm…this is answer can only be considered in light of the fact that I haven’t actually seen your case.

What I can tell you is that, generally speaking, dentists either do invisalign or porcelain veneers.  My recommendation would be to get a second opinion from an expert cosmetic dentist.

See if there’s anyone in your area (it’s worth a drive too) that is accredited from the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. You can also check the mynewsmile.com website. They have recommendation for artistic cosmetic dentists.

You have a few options. First, is porcelain veneers. When done properly, veneers can make crooked teeth appear straight. They’re a good options, especially if you want to change anything else about your teeth, such as their shape.

But, if you are happy with the shape of your teeth and just want to brighten and straighten them, then you might just want invisalign with teeth whitening, instead of porcelain veneers.

This blog is brought to you by Randall Burba.

Can You Eat With Invisalign?

I’ve been considering getting invisalign, but had a quick question. Can you eat with invisalign? I mean obviously you eat during treatment or you would starve to death, but do you eat with the clear things in? Is it weird?

Anna S. – San Bernadino, CA


With Invisalign, while you want to keep the aligners in for most of the day and night, you would take them out while eating. You don’t have to worry about eating with the aligners in.

However, you just want to eat three meals a day…not a lot more than that, because you want the treatment to be effective.

It’s a fantastic orthodontic option, with a high patient satisfaction rate. Feel free to ask any other questions before making your decision.


Straightening your teeth secretly?

I’ve wanted to get my teeth straightened since I was a pre-teen. My parents couldn’t afford braces, then after I grew up, I couldn’t afford them. I’m finally in a place where I can get braces, but don’t fancy a metal mouth at my age. A friend mentioned there is a secret way to straighten your teeth where there’s no metal. Is that true?

Georgia L. – Illinois


Your friend is right. Adults (and even teenagers) no longer have to wear metal braces. You can straighten your smile with invisible aligners using the Invisalign system.

These are clear aligners that can’t be seen on your teeth, even at a conversational distance. You can get them from an orthodontist, or even a general dentist.

Invisalign has a high patient satisfaction rate because of the comfort and speed of the treatment.



Whitening my teeth during invisalign

I have invisalign and I’m happy with the treatments. One thing I’m worrying about is whether or not I can whiten my teeth while getting my invisalign treatment or if I have to wait until I’m done. I was hoping to do zoom whitening.

Genevieve M. – Louisiana


Zoom whitening can take around two hours.  That is about the amount of time that you’re allowed to have the aligners out, but it doesn’t leave you any time for eating.

You ahve a couple of options for teeth whitening with Invisalign. First,  you could do zoom, but it does make your teeth more sensitive. If you combine that with straightening your teeth, that may be more discomfort than you’re ready to deal with.

The second option is to use your invisalign aligners as teeth whitneing trays.  Your dentist will probably be willing to give you the whitening gel at a nominal fee and you can place that in your aligners while you sleep.

You’ll probably end up saving money on the deal.


I like my invisalign, but not my dentist

I’m in the middle of my invisalign treatments. They’re great, but my dentist is driving me nuts. We had a difference of agreement about something that had nothing to do with my treatment and now he’s being a jerk at appointments.  Do I have to stay with the same dentist for the entire treatment or can I switch dentists?

Brooke- Virginia


You can switch dentists during your Invisalign treatment. In fact, your dentist is under an ethical obligation to make the transition as smooth as possible, providing your dentist with all necessary information to continue.

I’m sorry you’re having a bad experience with your dentist. However, I’m glad you’re enjoying Invisalign. It has a very high patient satisfaction rate so, with another dentist, you should enjoy the rest of your treatment.


Kissing with Invisalign

Is it possible to kiss with your invisalign aligners in?

Name withheld.

Whether a person is able to kiss while wearing Invisalign aligers, is most definitely a yes. There is nothing about the treatment that will prevent you from kissing.

That being said, not every patient is comfortable kissing in their Invisalign. Each person is different. My suggestion is you give it a try. If it doesn’t work, you can always take them out.


Getting rid of my “British teeth”

I am going to be living in the United States for at least six years on a job contract. I overheard someone saying, “Brits really do have bad teeth.” after they met me.  It was humiliating. They didn’t say it to me, which was thoughtful, but I heard it and it was humiliating. I’d like to fix my teeth without being obvious about it. My teeth are crooked and (compared to American teeth) stained.  Tell me there is some kind of American miracle tooth cure.

Nigel- San Diego, CA


I’m sorry for your experience. Sometimes the insensitivity of people is absolutely astounding.  There isn’t an American miracle cure, but I do have some suggestions.

If your concerned about straightening your teeth, without drawing attention to the fact, then I would see if you’re a candidate for Invisalign.

The next step would be to whiten your teeth. It is possible to do that simultaneously, using your invisalign aligners as whitening trays.


Can you drink coffee with invisalign?

I am thinking about getting Invisalign treatments, but wondered if I would have to give up coffee? I’d rather give up an arm.

Hannah S. – Porthmouth


I know many people who feel simarly to you regarding coffee. The good news is you will not have to give up coffee altogether.  However, you won’t want to drink it while you have your aligners in. My suggestion is that you limit your coffee intake to when you have your aligners out.  That will be during meals. So you could have your morning coffee with breakfast, but you wouldn’t get to drink coffee again until your next meal.

There is a great reason not to drink while your Invisalign aligners are in. The heat  will warp your aligners. Plus, there is a a very good chance you will have coffee trapped in your aligners. It will sit on  your teeth all day. Because coffee is so acidic it will be eating away at your teeth that whole time. If you use sugar in your coffee that will add to the decay.
