Use of Retainers

Do you have misaligned teeth that are making you self-conscious? Is it hard to floss because a few teeth are out of place? If so, you may be a good candidate for ClearCorrect orthodontic therapy. At All Coast Dental in Pacific Beach, we use this brand of aligners to help patients achieve perfect smiles. But to get the full benefit of orthodontic therapy, patients need to ensure their teeth stay in place.

One of the most common questions orthodontic patients have is how long they will need to wear their retainer for. The answer is usually going to be for life. Typically, an orthodontic patient would wear their retainer at day and night for a period of time as long as they were undergoing the active part of the therapy. After that, they would transition to only wearing the retainer at night. If they stop wearing it, their teeth may start migrating again. Many people who wear ClearCorrect or other invisible aligners had orthodontic braces as children, but their teeth have since shifted enough to be noticeable. What’s especially convenient about ClearCorrect is that the final aligner doubles as the retainer, so patients will be used to cleaning it and still won’t have any metal in their mouths. As always, the aligner should only be put in after the patient has brushed and flossed, and should be replaced by a dental professional if it breaks or melts.

Drs. Julie and Joseph Boulos operate All Coast Dental at 2180 Garnet Ave, Suite 1-K, Pacific Beach, California, 92109. To schedule an appointment, call 858-270-4904 or visit All Coast Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Reasons for Dental Extractions

We understand that tooth extractions are a source of anxiety for many people. But at All Coast Dental, Dr. Julie Boulos and Dr. Joseph Boulos make this procedure as safe and comfortable as possible. Dental extractions are only recommended when absolutely necessary, but there are several situations in which they might be recommended.

Many problems with misaligned bites are ultimately due to overcrowding. We offer ClearCorrect orthodontic treatment to realign patients’ teeth, but for major corrections, an orthodontist may request that a dentist remove some teeth to make room for others. This is most commonly done with wisdom teeth, which are the largest and last to erupt, but it is also sometimes done with one of the sets of premolars or with other redundant teeth that have gotten stuck.

Sometimes, teeth need to be removed because they are badly damaged. Skilled dentists can repair cracks and chips, but when a tooth is fractured all the way through the crown and root, it must be replaced. If a tooth’s pulp is infected, it can be saved by means of a root canal, but sometimes root canals fail to remove all the infected material. When teeth do need to be extracted, we can replace them with implant-supported crowns that are identical to natural teeth.

Drs. Julie and Joseph Boulos operate All Coast Dental at 2180 Garnet Ave, Suite 1-K, Pacific Beach, California, 92109. To schedule an appointment, call 858-270-4904 or visit All Coast Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Caring for Clear Aligners

All Coast Dental offers ClearCorrect, the clear aligner system that straightens teeth without the metallic look of braces. Another perk of ClearCorrect clear aligners is that they require less maintenance and won’t prevent you from eating certain foods.  Although you won’t have to make too many changes, there are still guidelines you should follow to wear and care for your aligners!

You should remove the aligners each time you eat, but if you do eat anything while wearing the aligners make sure to clean them thoroughly afterwards. It is also best to brush and floss your teeth before putting the aligners back in.  Ideally when wearing clear aligners, you would only drink water. Colorful drinks can stain the aligners and too many hot drinks can eventually warp the plastic.  If you do drink anything other than water while wearing the aligners you should rinse them with warm water afterwards. 

Cleaning the clear aligners regularly is important for your teeth and straightening treatment.  Clear aligners can become discolored over time without losing their effectiveness, but the color can show on your own teeth and continue to darken.  There are several soaking solutions available over the counter, but brushing the aligners is also a sufficient cleaning option.  Do not use toothpaste to brush the aligners because subtle abrasive properties of toothpaste could harm the aligner.  It is best to use mild dish soap and a soft bristle brush to clean the aligners each time you brush your teeth.

To learn more about ClearCorrect and all the services we provide at our practice, visit www.allcoastdental.net for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at All Coast Dental in Pacific Beach, CA, call 858-270-4904.  

Orthodontics before Implants

At All Coast Dental, we’re proud to be able to offer patients a number of services for their dental needs, including implants and the ClearCorrect invisible aligners. However, when patients have multiple dental problems, they may not know which to address first. In most cases, orthodontic corrections should be made prior to placement of implants.

In the first place, until tooth alignment is corrected, there may not even be room for an implant, let alone another crown. But even when there is, it is important that the teeth be in as good alignment as possible before the implant is placed, because once it’s in, it’s (hopefully) not going to move. An implant is a titanium screw which the jaw bone tissue has fused with. It’s not going to be pushed around like natural teeth, and ClearCorrect is for mild cases of misalignment.

None of this is to say that a person who already has an implant has no hope of receiving orthodontics. It will depend on the position of the teeth and whether the implant-supported crown is in the front or back of the mouth. Sometimes implants can even be useful anchors for corrected dental arches.

Drs. Julie and Joseph Boulos operate All Coast Dental at 2180 Garnet Ave, Suite 1-K, Pacific Beach, California, 92109. To schedule an appointment, call 858-270-4904 or visit AllCoastDental.net and fill out a contact sheet.

 

ClearCorrect for Discreet Teeth Straightening

Many patients desire a straightened smile but do not want to wear traditional metal braces. For our patients in our Pacific Beach, CA office, we offer ClearCorrect to straighten their smile. A smile you are proud of often goes hand-in-hand with self-confidence!

ClearCorrect is the discreet and more comfortable way of straightening teeth. The straightening process consists of removable, clear plastic aligner trays that gradually move your teeth into the right direction. The plastic is smooth, so it does not bother cheeks and gums like traditional metal braces do. They are also removable, so you can brush and floss your teeth regularly, and continue to eat whatever food you like. You take the aligners out to brush, floss, and eat, but wear them the rest of the day and night. It is recommended you wear them for at least twenty-two hours per day.

The aligners are switched out with new slightly different aligners every couple of weeks. These aligners are created from molds of your teeth to create a gradual shifting plan. Depending on the complexity of your case, ClearCorrect may be worn for as short of a time period of a few months or up to a few years.

If you are interested in a beautifully straightened smile but do not want to wear irritating and unsightly metal braces, fear no more! ClearCorrect may be the solution. To schedule a consultation with All Coast Dental of Pacific Beach, CA, call our office at (858) 270-4904 or visit our website, www.allcoastdental.net.