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Posts for tag: Invisalign

By E. John Baron DDS
August 28, 2018
Category: Orthodontics
Tags: Invisalign   braces   Clear Braces  

Invisalign BracesIf you've had enough of your crooked teeth and want a healthier, more attractive smile, explore the innovative Invisalign system. Clear and discreet, these customized acrylic appliances shift teeth into better positions in about a year. Dr. John Baron in Santa Cruz, CA offers Invisalign to teens and adults who want great oral health and smile aesthetics without the hassles and discomforts of conventional braces.

Your crooked smile

You may be one of a large number of adults in the US who wish to straighten their teeth. In fact, the American Association of Orthodontists states that one in five orthodontic patients are neither children nor teens, but adults. If your teeth are healthy, there is no real barrier to wearing braces.

However, many "older" patients hesitate to get their teeth fixed. Maybe they had braces as a child, and their teeth shifted back to their previous positions. Or, perhaps they dislike the obvious appearance of metal and even ceramic braces. Maybe complex oral hygiene and restricted food choices dampen their enthusiasm, or they don't want treatment to last a long time.

These reasons and more make Invisalign clear aligner a super-attractive alternative. Smooth, thin and removable, the biocompatible aligner pairs move teeth into healthier positions quickly. Plus, there are no hard hygiene routines, dietary restrictions or torturous adjustments at the dental office.

How Invisalign works

Your dentist in Santa Cruz will help you determine if correction with Invisalign is right for you. Dr. Baron will do a comprehensive oral examination and special three-dimensional scan to create a detailed treatment plan. The Invisalign lab makes the 18 to 30 aligner pairs which you'll wear 20 to 22 hours a day.

Progress checks happen every four weeks, and you change the aligners every two weeks. After you complete your treatment plan, you'll wear a special retainer to keep your smile perfectly aligned.

Throughout your treatment, you'll enjoy the discreet appearance, removability, and smooth feel of your comfortable appliances. Really, no one but your dentist and you will know you're getting your teeth straightened!

What problems can Invisalign treat? Well, there are many including:

  • Orthodontic recession
  • Tooth tipping
  • Tooth rotation
  • Protruding front teeth
  • Overbite
  • Underbite
  • Openbite
  • Crossbite
  • Gaps
  • Overcrowding

A consultation

To find out if Invisalign could help you and your smile, contact Dr. John Baron's office in Santa Cruz, CA, at (831) 426-9200. You can trust Dr. Baron's experience, skill and patient-centered philosophy to guide you on your path to better oral health.

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By E. John Baron DDS
November 02, 2017
Category: Dentistry
Tags: Invisalign   braces   orthodontics  

There are plenty of things you'd like to share with the world, but your orthodontic treatment probably isn't one of them. Until recently, invisaligneveryone knew you were straightening your teeth the moment you opened your mouth and flashed your metal braces. Luckily, there's a more subtle option available today. Our Santa Cruz, CA, dentist, Dr. John Baron, explains how you improve your smile without wires and brackets, thanks to Invisalign.

What is Invisalign?

Invisalign is a completely wire-free orthodontic system. Gentle pressure exerted by removable aligner trays improve the position of your teeth. The trays are designed in our Santa Cruz office using CAD/CAM technology and digital images, impressions and X-rays. Each set of trays in the series is worn for two weeks before it's replaced with another set. Because the trays are made of clear plastic molded to fit your teeth, they're virtually invisible.

Can Invisalign handle an overbite?

Invisalign corrects the same orthodontic problems that ceramic or metal braces do, including overbites, underbites, open bites and crossbites. It also addresses crowding and spacing issues. Most people who need braces and have mild to moderate orthodontic issues can benefit from Invisalign.

How long must I wear the aligner trays?

You'll wear the trays 20 to 22 hours every day, although you can remove them for a few hours if you're attending a special event or participating in a sport. The trays are also removed when you brush and floss your teeth. If you're an adult, you may only need to wear your aligner trays for about a year to accomplish your treatment goals. Teenagers usually need to use the trays for about the same amount of time that they would wear metal braces.

Do I have to stop eating certain foods?

Food restrictions are a fact of life when you wear ceramic or metal braces. Gum and other sticky foods become hopelessly tangled in the wires, while hard foods can break the wires. Because you'll take out your trays before you eat, no food restrictions are necessary with Invisalign.

Are you ready to improve your smile with Invisalign? Call our Santa Cruz, CA, dentist, Dr. Baron, at (831) 426-9200 to schedule an appointment.

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By E. John Baron DDS
April 21, 2016
Category: Dentistry
Tags: Invisalign  

How Invisalign orthodontic treatment can help your smile

You want a straighter smile, but you don’t want anyone to know. You don’t like the look of metal brackets and wires. You want another invisalignoption to achieve a straight smile. Well, now it’s here; it’s called Invisalign, and it is the modern, virtually invisible way to a straighter smile. Dr. John Baron, in Santa Cruz, California wants you to know how Invisalign can improve your smile discreetly.

Dr. Baron wants you to know Invisalign is a truly state-of-the-art method of orthodontic treatment. Besides being discreet, Invisalign has many other advantages when compared to conventional orthodontic treatments. According to the makers of Invisalign, you will experience:

  • Increased comfort, because Invisalign is smooth plastic, not metal
  • Increased confidence, because Invisalign is virtually invisible
  • Increased satisfaction, because you can eat the foods you love
  • Increased convenience, because you can remove the appliance if you want
  • Increased oral health, because you can brush and floss normally

Your Invisalign treatment begins with Dr. Baron creating your first set of appliances, called aligners. You wear these for two weeks and then move on to another set of aligners. Every two weeks you change to a new set of aligners, as your teeth gradually move into correct position. The entire process takes between nine and fifteen months. That’s all there is to it! There are no metal wires or brackets to injure your cheeks or gums. The best part is only you and Dr. Baron will know you are straightening your teeth!

Just like conventional orthodontic treatment, Invisalign can correct major functional and cosmetic issues with your smile including closing gaps, crowding, and overlapped teeth. Major bite issues such as overbite, underbite, crossbite and open bite can also be remedied with Invisalign treatment.

Invisalign offers the most discreet, comfortable teeth straightening available. When it comes to your smile, why wait? A straight smile is just a phone call away. Dr. John Baron, in Santa Cruz, California can help you achieve the smile you’ve always wanted. It’s time to try Invisalign and improve your smile discreetly. Call today!

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By E.John Baron DDS INC.
September 09, 2014
Category: Dentistry

Keep decay away with these healthy tips.

When it comes to taking care of our smiles, prevention is key. Luckily, we have a host of different ways to protect our teeth from decay and infection. Whether you’re teaching your child to adopt hygienic habits or you’re looking to find the best ways to keep your smile cavity-free, you’ve come to the right place. Here are the tried and true ways to maintain a healthy smile.Local Dental Treatment
 

Your Diet Effects Your Teeth Too

Diet isn’t just important for maintaining healthy body weight. Obviously, what you put in your mouth affects your smile, too. Teeth can take quite a beating from sugar, starchy products and stain-producing drinks like dark sodas and tea. Limit these and load up on crunchy fruits and vegetables instead. Also, be sure to add fluoridated water, cheese, lean meats, nuts and milk to your diet. The calcium in milk helps to remineralize teeth.
 

Oral Care Instructions

While I’m sure you are an avid teeth brusher and flosser, you must keep up the hard work to maintain good oral health. This means brushing at least twice a day and flossing once a day. When you floss, make sure to gently guide the floss between your teeth. When the floss is at the gum line, make sure to curve it around one tooth and carefully slide it in the space between your gums and your tooth. This will guarantee that you get the most out of each daily flossing.
 
One rule patients tend to forget is that they should be brushing for at least 2 minutes. The best option is to divide your mouth into four different parts and spend about 30 seconds brushing each section.
 
Gentle reminder: When your bristles begin to fray, it’s time to throw your toothbrush away.
 

Protect Your Smile

Did you know that over 5 million teeth are partially dislodged each year? About 13 to 39 percent of those injuries are sports-related. If you play on a sports team it’s important to wear the proper gear. This means wearing helmets, facemasks and even mouthguards whenever you are on the field. If you’re having problems finding a guard that fits your teeth properly, talk to us about custom mouthguards.
 

Schedule Routine Checkups

You should be coming into the dentist’s office every six months for a cleaning and exam. If you already do, that’s great! If you haven’t been as good about keeping up with that, it’s OK. It’s never too late to start.
 
However, there are times that no matter how much effort we put into our smiles, decay still finds its way in. We understand that it can be defeating, but know that some of your dental problems could be genetic. If you’re dealing with an infection or widespread decay, we’ll most likely recommend getting root canal therapy in Santa Cruz. The name might sound intense, but it’s really not more invasive then getting a tooth filled.
 
Don’t shy away! If you need to setup your next dental visit or your root canal therapy in Santa Cruz, call our dental office today and take charge of your oral health!
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E. John Baron DDS, INC.
550 Water Street, Suite L-1
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
(831) 426-9200

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