The desire for straight, healthy teeth prompts patients of all ages to seek orthodontic treatment, usually in the form of traditional metal braces. Crooked teeth prove more difficult to clean because plaque builds up in areas where the teeth crowd together or overlap. Straightening your teeth makes for a more attractive smile, but it clearly offers oral health benefits, too. Fortunately, metal braces are not your only option for straightening teeth in Astoria, NY. Dr. Jeffrey Leibowitz now offers ClearCorrect, an alternative to metal braces that is as discrete as it is effective.
Risks Associated With Metal Braces
Although metal braces are effective, the extra hardware interferes with your ability to properly clean your teeth and gums. So while your teeth may be easier to clean after the braces have been removed, you must still make it through the average two-year treatment time. During this time, it isn’t uncommon for a patient who has never had cavities or gingivitis to develop these oral health problems. Brackets and bands may rub the inside of the lip and cheek, causing sores and small cuts, and errant wires poke and gouge. As a result, the patient becomes reluctant to apply enough force when brushing to completely remove all traces of plaque and leftover food. This explains why so many people who wear metal braces complain of bad breath and an unpleasant taste in the mouth. With ClearCorrect, this isn’t a problem.
Metal vs. ClearCorrect: How Does Each Affect Your Daily Life?
Let’s take a look at how each option affects your oral care regimen.
Flossing: Most patients use a floss threader to remove food from between teeth while wearing metal braces. This entails complicated maneuvering between each tooth and the main arch wire, and must be performed carefully to avoid pulling forcefully on the wire. Others use orthodontic tape, which must still be looped in and out of the metalwork. With ClearCorrect, you simply remove your aligner, then floss as you always have. It’s that simple. No threaders, no special floss.
Brushing your teeth: After brushing with a regular toothbrush, a patient who wears metal braces must then use a Proxabrush—some call it a Christmas tree brush—to clean between brackets. The patient inserts the Proxabrush downward between the brackets, removes the brush, then inserts the brush upward through the braces, repeating the process until all spaces have been cleaned. It’s time-consuming, and it’s one more good reason to consider ClearCorrect. You continue to brush at least twice daily, but you do not need to supplement your regular brushing habit with special brushes or equipment when you opt for invisible braces. Snap the aligners off of your teeth, and set them aside while you finish your brushing and flossing. You needn’t worry about messing with retainers or eating in public.
Nobody wants to undergo orthodontic treatment only to end up with perfectly straight, cavity-riddled teeth and gums that bleed when they brush. ClearCorrect clear braces offer comparable results, an impressive treatment time, and the ability to straighten your teeth discretely and without interference from brackets and wires.
Are you ready for straighter, healthier teeth? To learn more about treatment with ClearCorrect invisible braces, or to request an appointment with Dr. Jeffrey Leibowitz, contact our Astoria, NY office at 718-728-8320. We offer preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry to residents of New York City, upstate New York, New Jersey, and the neighboring areas.
