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Brush in the morning. Brush at night. Floss. Sleep. Repeat. Your daily dental care routine is probably pretty simple. In fact, the habits might be so ingrained, you don’t even think about them anymore. But what if there were some simple changes you could make to your daily routine that could greatly help your oral health? There are! Here are a few:

Brush Better

Brushing your teeth is essential for maintaining a healthy smile. However, it is possible to overdo it. Using too much force when you brush can actually cause damage, wearing off the tooth’s delicate enamel and causing gums to recede. The fix is easy; just be more gentle when brushing. Use what I call my ‘brushing rule of thumb’. Look at your thumbnail. It should appear slightly pink. Now, press your thumb firmly against a table–your thumbnail will start to turn white (instead of pink) as the pressure increases. When brushing, if your thumbnails are turning white from the pressure you are using on your brush, you are likely brushing too hard. If this is hard for you to do (or perhaps your nails are painted and you can’t tell), some of the fancier electric toothbrushes have pressure gauges to let you if you are too firm with your brushing.

Another culprit: Hard-bristled toothbrushes. Like forceful brushing, using a toothbrush with too-stiff bristles is hard on your teeth’s surfaces and gums. If this is you, replace your current brush with one that has soft bristles.

Floss Smarter

It’s great to be enthusiastic about flossing, but don’t overdo it! Just like over-vigorous brushing, flossing that’s too forceful can cause gums to bleed excessively and recede over time. (Note that a little bit of blood from the gums after not flossing for a while is considered normal, but healthy gums should not bleed. So, if you see bleeding you likely need to floss more.)

Also, do you use the same small part of floss to clean between many teeth? Bad idea. You may be transferring bacteria from one part of your mouth to the other. Instead of reusing floss, move to a new, clean section of floss after each tooth. The American Dental Association recommends using about 18 inches, so you’ll have plenty of clean floss to work with.

Don’t Forget Your Jaw

Oral health isn’t just about teeth, you know. A healthy jaw is fundamental to a good bite and beautiful smile.

Lots of people clench their jaw, which can be a sign, or even a cause, of temporomandibular disorder (TMD), a disorder of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). The trouble is, it can be tough to even realize you’re doing it. One trick is to put a little sticker up in a place you see often throughout the day, such as the corner of your computer screen or on the refrigerator door. [1] Whenever you see it, check in with your jaw to make sure you’re not clenching. Just remember “lips together, teeth apart.” That’s what you’re going for.

What about at nighttime, when you may clench your jaw and grind your teeth in your sleep without noticing? If you think you’re clenching or grinding, and/or you have unexplained headaches, speak with a professional (a dentist is good, an orthodontist is better!) about whether you have TMD. Together, you can discuss options for addressing it, such as night guards or orthodontia to fix your bite.

Care for Your Appliances

If you’ve got a retainer, night guard, or other removable dental appliance, you have extra to take care of. It’s imperative that you clean your appliances regularly and thoroughly. Uncleaned appliances can harbor harmful bacteria, yeast, and mold that can damage teeth, cause bad breath, or even make you sick.

Your orthodontist or dentist may suggest a weekly cleaning with a denture cleaning tablet or foam, but for daily care, brushing your appliance with toothbrush and toothpaste is a good start. Store your retainer or night guard in water when not in use to stop microbes growing. And don’t forget the container, too: make sure that’s squeaky clean before storing your appliance in it.

Stop These Bad Habits

These things can damage your teeth and put stress on your jaw. If you have any of these bad habits, kick them now!

• Biting your nails
• Chewing on ice
• Chewing on pens and pencils
• Using your teeth to open things

As you can see, it doesn’t take a lot of effort to up your daily dental care routine, it just takes consistency and mindfulness. We promise the results are well worth it!

DIY is great – for certain things. While do-it-yourself has a place in the home, it doesn’t have a place when it comes to orthodontic care. Unfortunately, DIY orthodontia is a growing trend that’s doing more harm than good. Here’s what you should know about DIY braces and why you should avoid them.

DIY Braces: A Destructive Trend

DIY orthodontia has been a growing trend over the last few years. More and more companies have sprung up online to sell cheap at-home teeth straightening kits and clear aligners. Teens have posted videos on YouTube, some gaining tens of thousands of views, demonstrating how to straighten teeth on your own.

What they don’t show is what can go wrong when you DIY without the help of a trained, licensed orthodontist. If you’re brave, Google “DIY braces fail” to see what can happen. This is no joke.

One of the main results of this type of DIY is ending up with a smile you don’t like. Teeth may end up in the wrong location, out of position with other teeth, and/or angled incorrectly. Instead of closing gaps between teeth, at-home braces could lead to even more gaps.

Here are some of the other potential health consequences that can occur if you undertake teeth straightening on your own:

• Worsening of existing dental problems like decaying teeth or diseased gums
• Tooth wear
• Tooth loss
• Irreparable damage to remaining teeth
• Damage to underlying bone
• Damage to gums
• Infection
• Emotional stress

Are You Really Saving Time and Money DIYing?

Why would people want to DIY in the first place? Two main reasons: Time and money. They want fast results, and they don’t want it to cost much.

Unfortunately, there’s no magic solution to achieving a straight smile quickly. To get the right bite and alignment, orthodontic treatment typically takes a minimum of eight months, depending on the issues. Any faster than that is not going to provide the desired long-term results.

As for money, while the initial costs of at-home kits are far less than traditional orthodontic care, it can end up costing much more money in the long run. That’s because treatment to fix the problems caused by DIY braces is likely to be more expensive than it would have been to fix the initial problem alone.

While orthodontia can be expensive, there are always options for people who need orthodontic care but don’t have the money to pay out-of-pocket.

Working with an Orthodontist Instead

From the outside, it may look like straightening teeth is a simple matter. Attach the braces and let them work their magic. However, this is not the case. It takes regular monitoring of treatment and a solid understanding of anatomy to create a beautiful, functional smile. It takes experience and knowledge to make appropriate corrections in treatment as it progresses.

That’s why it’s best to work with an orthodontist directly if your goal is straight teeth. Orthodontists are dentists who have spent two to three years after dental school learning about the anatomy and function of the mouth, neck, and head, and how to straighten teeth gently and reliably. Skilled and knowledgeable orthodontists know about the latest in orthodontic treatment options and can help find the right treatment for each patient’s needs. You can be sure you’ll end up with a smile that’s not just beautiful, but healthy.

For all these reasons, speak to an orthodontist first if you want straight teeth, and avoid DIY and at-home braces at all costs!

“How can I make treatment go faster?” This is a common question from people undergoing orthodontic treatment. After all, no one likes wearing braces. What they want is the result at the end. Is there any way to make that happen faster? Yes, there is! Accelerating orthodontic treatment can happen a few different ways, including mentally and mechanically.

Accelerating Treatment Mentally

To make treatment go faster, start by not going slower.

That may seem obvious, but it’s not always what happens in practice. Sometimes, the patient or provider is so eager to start treatment that they start it too early.

What’s too early? In most cases, too early means before all the baby teeth have fallen out. When orthodontic treatment starts before all the baby teeth have fallen out, treatment becomes more complicated and more lengthy.

In other words, don’t start treatment too soon. It not only can add extra months or even years to treatment, but an increase in risk of tooth decay.

(Note that there are some cases where it does make sense to start orthodontia before all the baby teeth have fallen out, for instance when there’s a problem with tooth or jaw development, blocked or impacted teeth, or significant overbite.)

Accelerating Treatment Mechanically

Technology for braces has come a long way in the past few decades. New advances mean that there are ways to speed up treatment depending on the type of braces used. Self-ligating braces are the solution here.

Let’s look at the basics of braces to understand how self-ligating braces are different from traditional braces.

Braces consist of both the individual braces that attach to each tooth and the wire that links them all together. In traditional braces, ligatures – small wires or elastic rubber bands – hold the wire to the brace. They provide the force that moves the teeth.

If force moves the teeth, then wouldn’t applying more force move the teeth more quickly? As it turns out, no. Push too hard, and the tooth resists moving, while at the same time leading to unwanted side effects like inflammation around the tooth, gum problems, and pain. Teeth move more slowly, leading to a longer treatment time.

In contrast to traditional braces, self-ligating braces don’t need the ligature because of the way they’re designed. Self-ligating braces don’t use as much force as traditional braces to move teeth, which means that teeth can move faster without the accompanying problems. This is what makes them preferred for patients looking to shorten their treatment time.

Plus, while around 35% of people going the route of traditional braces need to have at least one permanent tooth removed for orthodontia to work, people choosing self-ligating braces are much less likely to need teeth removed. Depending on the kind of self-ligating braces, it can be as low as 1 in 100 people. This is another big advantage of self-ligating braces over traditional.

Accelerating Treatment with a Skilled Orthodontist

This is not Orthodontics 101. Only orthodontists who are highly trained can safely and reliably accelerate orthodontic treatment. For that reason, it’s important to vet your orthodontist carefully and undergo treatment with one you believe has the education, experience, and knowledge to help you achieve your goals.

At the same time, it’s important to understand what’s realistic and what’s not. No matter how skilled or experienced your orthodontist is, expect treatment to take a minimum of eight months (and possibly much more, depending on your situation). If you see someone offering a product or service that promises a beautiful smile in less than that time, be very wary.

In the end, it’s important to communicate with your orthodontist about your expectations, and the two of you can come up with the right treatment plan for you together.

If you’re like most people, you made some New Year’s Resolutions for 2018. Was one of those resolutions to pay attention to your smile? Hope so! A healthy smile is not just about looking good, after all. Here’s why you should make maintaining a healthy smile a top priority this year.

A Beautiful Smile is Healthy

• Discolored teeth can be a sign that the enamel has worn off and exposed the dentin underneath. When it gets to this point, fillings are often not enough to fix the tooth, and crowns are the only solution.
• Teeth that are cracked, worn, or misaligned can indicated a bad bite while missing teeth can cause problems for surrounding teeth, leading to more decay.
• A bite that’s off can lead to TMD (temporomandibular disorder), which can cause clicking noises, pain in the jaw joint, and unexplained headaches.
• Receding gums can lead to damage of the underlying bone and loss of teeth.
• Gum disease is associated with heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

Paying attention to your oral health is not just good for your smile, but for your health overall. Plus, addressing problems as they arise means avoiding more expensive, more invasive fixes down the road.

A Beautiful Smile is Good for Self-Esteem

Feeling good about your smile is an important component of self-esteem. Too many people cover up their smile or stop themselves from smiling because of embarrassment over their teeth. What a shame!

A beautiful, healthy smile gives you the confidence to smile proudly and be yourself without hiding. It’s something everyone should have the privilege of experiencing. Working towards a beautiful smile isn’t just an investment in having nice teeth, but an investment in self-confidence and in your future.

A Beautiful Smile is Achievable!

Unlike going to the gym every day, this is a resolution that’s easy to keep. Simple habits (that you probably already have) like brushing regularly and flossing daily go a long way towards keeping that smile bright and healthy. Getting a cleaning from a dental hygienist and seeing the dentist once or twice a year is simple, too.

If you need more treatment to get the smile you want, such as crowns or braces, make this year the year you get it. Too expensive? Don’t assume that you can’t afford treatment. Health insurance, flexible spending and health savings accounts, and payment plans offered by your dentist or orthodontist are some of the options you have.

Remember that tooth, mouth, and bite problems don’t get better with time. In fact, they often get worse if left alone, meaning that what might have been a simple fix is now more invasive and more expensive. So take action now and make a resolution to take care of your smile in 2018!

Mouth pain isn’t just unpleasant, it’s a sign that something’s wrong. That’s why you should never ignore mouth pain, whether you feel it in the tooth, jaw joint, or surrounding muscle. Here are some common types of pain associated with the mouth – and what you can do about it.

Tooth Pain

One common cause of tooth pain is a bite that’s misaligned. A bite that’s off even by a millimeter can lead to tooth pain.

When undergoing orthodontia, this type of pain happens sometimes as the tooth moves from where it was to where it’s supposed to be, and isn’t a cause for concern. Other times, tooth pain from a “bad bite” may indicate that a tooth has moved out of position or that recent dental work has irritated a nerve.

Joint Pain

Joint pain, specifically pain in the jaw joint, or temporomandibular joint (TMJ), can be another indicator of a bad bite.

First, let’s understand what the jaw joint is in order to understand why it can cause pain.

The jaw is made up of two parts, the top part (the temporal bone in the skull) and the bottom part (the mandible). Between these two parts is a disk, made from fibrous connective tissue, which cushions the joint and keeps the bones from grinding together.

If the disk experiences trauma, it can become “wrinkled” and lead to cracking or popping sounds when the jaw opens and closes. For some people, these noises don’t indicate any problem. For others, the cracking and popping may be associated with pain, indicating underlying problems with the joint.

Problems with the jaw joint are called temporomandibular disorder (TMD). It can lead to pain in the joint itself, pain opening or closing the jaw, pain in the surrounding muscle, or a combination of the three.

Muscle Pain

The muscles responsible for chewing and opening and closing the mouth can become inflamed, causing pain. This pain may be short-lived, brought on by excessive chewing in a short period of time (for example, chewing gum for several hours). Or it can be longer-lasting, which is a sign of TMD.

In addition to pain in the muscles themselves, headaches are a common result of inflamed jaw muscles.

What To Do

The tooth pain, joint pain, and muscle pain described above have one thing in common: Bite. By addressing the bite, the underlying problem is fixed and the pain goes away. A bite can be off for years before any pain manifests, but when it does, it needs correction or the problem will only get worse.

Talking to an orthodontist is the best thing to do if you experience mouth pain. It’s also a good idea to talk to an orthodontist if you suffer from unexplained headaches and have already seen your family physician and/or specialists without any relief. Ask to be evaluated for TMD. If you are experiencing TMD, your orthodontist can talk to you about treatment options, which may include anything from massage of the jaw muscles to relieve pain to orthodontia to fix the bite.

Remember that when you feel pain, your body is alerting you that something’s wrong. The good news is that the sooner you know what the underlying problem is, the sooner you can fix it.

Accelerated orthodontic treatment is one topic I have been very interested in throughout my career. Speeding up orthodontic treatment safely and reliably is very complicated, but it is powerful to know these four accelerators.

1. It’s all about the timing.

The most common and easiest way to faster treatment is to avoid making treatment go unnecessarily slow. This sounds simple and intuitive, because it is. Selecting the proper starting time minimizes the amount of time you spend in braces and maximizes the amount of productive work the doctor can do at each adjustment visit. For example, if treatment is started before all the baby teeth have fallen out (or at another premature time), treatment will be unnecessarily delayed and unnecessary time will be spent in braces. Starting too early could unnecessarily prolong treatment and lead to months or years of extra braces, increased risk of tooth decay, and many unneeded trips to the orthodontist.

2. Move the teeth faster (with self-ligating braces).

People often ask me if there are risks with “moving the teeth too fast.” The answer, surprisingly, is no. But, there are increased risks from pushing too hard on a tooth. Orthodontists used to think that, to move the teeth faster and better, we should push harder. As it turns out, the harder you push on a tooth, the more the tooth resists movement. The increased pressure causes increased inflammation around the tooth, which can lead to lots of unwanted side effects: increased gum problems, increased risk of root shortening, increased pain associated with tooth movement, and markedly slower tooth movement.

A self-ligating brace has a small built-in door that does not apply much pressure to the wire. The wire can slide through the braces much more easily, and the entire system has exponentially less friction (increased resistance to sliding) involved.

Because of the decreased friction and force necessary to move teeth, orthodontists are now able to move teeth in a healthier and safer way that is more comfortable for the patient. In addition, the bone that houses the teeth reacts much more favorably to lighter forces, allowing faster tooth movement.

3. Use digital orthodontics.

The role computers play in orthodontics is ever increasing. Exciting new technology allows us to individually customize each brace for each person based on the sizes and shapes of his or her teeth, as well as calculate the math required to move each individual tooth ideally.

Most digital products are enhanced by the addition of digital intraoral scanners. The basic general function of scanners is to take three-dimensional pictures of your teeth and upload them to the computer. The computer can then use these images to build really cool 3-D stuff.

Technology has made those yucky, bad-tasting impressions obsolete as digital scanners take the place of dental molds. An up-to-date office should be able to offer you impressionless orthodontic treatment.

4. Alter the local physiology.

The area of orthodontics garnering a ton of current attention is physiologic orthodontic acceleration. Altering the local physiology allows faster tooth movement – like using rocket fuel in place of regular fuel in your car. Over the past few years, new products for this have emerged, and now there are several different ways to make teeth move faster. The following are some of the most popular accelerated modalities available today:

Mechanical pulsation: Mechanical pulsation works by applying a light vibrational force to your teeth and jaws that makes the cells around the teeth work at a higher rate. Mechanical pulsation devices appear to work particularly well with aligners. Another interesting side benefit of mechanical pulsation is a dramatic reduction in tooth soreness. According to current research, mechanical pulsation can speed treatment by as much as 30 percent.

Photobiomodulation: Photobiomodulation, or PBM, delivers a series of LED light pulses to the area around the gums, increasing blood flow locally. It is thought that the increased blood flow will allow teeth to move faster. Using this product is completely painless; however, it does not seem to have the advantage of decreasing tooth pain. With research available today, it appears that PBM is capable of 30 to 40 percent reduction in treatment time; however, more research is needed.

Corticotomy: Corticotomy is the process of making small, minimally invasive cuts in the bone around the teeth. They cause the bone there to think it is injured, so the body sends a series of healing cells to the area. These cells, in combination with orthodontic pressure on the teeth, create the fastest tooth-moving environment we have found in orthodontics to date.

Accelerated orthodontics is not a simple topic and this post is not meant to be a complete guide. Please ask your orthodontist about these techniques if you are interested in them.

In this day and age, consumers are provided with more choices than ever. From which travel website to use to which toothpaste is best, the options seem limitless. On the surface, this seems like a good thing, and in many ways it is, but the sheer volume of choices makes it that much harder to choose an orthodontist.

Give that, no one could blame customers for shopping around, for being diligent in researching the best choice for them and their families. In fact, it should be expected—the best practice of any consumer.

The same is true not just for consumer goods, but also expert services like orthodontics. The tricky part here is that landing on the best choice for you and your family might not be as straightforward as booking a hotel room that’s the perfect balance of quality and affordability. Put simply, most customers lack the detailed information necessary to make the right decision on specialty services like the ideal orthodontist.

As an orthodontist who has provided care for many years, I have identified three factors to consider before choosing the orthodontist who is right for you.

1. Make sure your provider is a specialist in orthodontics. Though they are skilled and excellent at their trade, a general (or cosmetic) dentist is similar to a family doctor who provides excellent care for your well-being and aids in disease prevention and treatment. Dentists are great for checkups, preventive care, fillings, and cosmetic procedures, but only about six percent of dentists are orthodontists.

So, what’s the difference? Orthodontists are dentists who completed dental school and then attended a two- or three-year residency focused solely on orthodontics. They are specialists who focus their practice on improving tooth alignment, correcting bite problems, managing TMJ (temporomandibular joint) issues, and designing smiles by gently straightening teeth.

Orthodontists also limit their practices to orthodontics. They do not offer other dental services in their offices (such as fillings, cleanings, deep cleanings, root canals, tooth extractions, and so on). If you notice braces (also called brackets) or Invisalign are offered alongside cleanings and fillings, that doctor is not an orthodontist.

2. Make sure their office is efficient, pleasant, and trustworthy. Your orthodontist should value your time and be prompt in both welcoming you to the visit and getting you out within your scheduled time. The office itself should be run efficiently by an office manager, other office staff, and the provider(s). It is also worth considering how easy or difficult it is to get someone from their office on the phone when you call and how long it takes to hear back after leaving a message.

Here’s something you might not have considered: orthodontic treatment does not have to be a scary or unpleasant experience. In fact, it can be fun! Advances in orthodontics make transforming your smile more comfortable than ever. Look for personal touches, fun contests, and rewards programs. These are good indicators that the provider truly cares about making the patient experience special. Each visit should be something to smile about!

There are a few ways to ensure that an orthodontist is trustworthy. First, do they support the community? The office should be committed to supporting local communities in a meaningful way, set an example for giving back to the children they treat, and provide treatment for underprivileged children in the area. Investing in the community shows an extra level of care for and commitment to others. It also shows you that their motivations are well-intentioned and that they are in practice for the right reasons.

Second, are they sharing all the facts? Some offices have hidden fees that pop up during treatment. Broken braces, extra visits, treatment that extends past the estimated treatment time, canceled appointments, Invisalign refinements, retainers, and more. All of these issues can trigger hidden fees at many offices, raising the costs to much more than you bargained for. Be sure to read the fine print and don’t be fooled by low treatment fees when the actual total out-the-door cost is much higher. If the office does not openly share this information, they are not trustworthy.

3. Make sure the orthodontist has a good reputation. Do your research! Check social media sites like Google Plus and Facebook to see what others are saying about the office you’re considering.

On Yelp, make sure to look at the filtered reviews. Yelp has historically prioritized certain reviews for pay, so use caution when evaluating the validity of Yelp reviews. Facebook and Google Plus tend to be more reliable: they allow all reviews to be posted visibly, and they are not influenced by payment.

Be sure to ask your friends and neighbors what they have heard about local orthodontists. It is also a good idea to ask colleagues and the Human Resources department at work, as they may provide personal recommendations for orthodontists who are covered by your insurance plan. It is worth your while to do the research and ask the right questions.

Choosing the right office and right treatment for you or your loved ones is a difficult decision, and the ever-growing number of options does not make choosing any easier. When in doubt, get a second opinion. If you get a few opinions that are consistent, chances are that the treatment and the provider are in your best interest. If you’re looking for a more directed experience to help you make the best choice for you and your family, take my Smile Shopping quiz to narrow down what provider is right for you.

If you have been, or are preparing to go, to the orthodontist, it can be overwhelming to see and hear all of the treatment options available. Just google, “orthodontic appliances” and you will see countless metal and plastic pieces that can go in your mouth. To make your life a bit easier, here is your go-to glossary of a selection of the most common orthodontic appliances:

Upper expander: The most common facial growth issue is that the upper jaw is not wide enough. Typically, issues with upper-jaw width are treated with a rapid palatal expander, or RPE. This device works because the upper jaw is actually two halves—right and left—separated by a growth plate. The expander stretches the growth plate, which permanently widens the upper jaw, creating more room for the teeth and helping breathing-related issues that may be a factor in pediatric sleep apnea.

Lower expander: Some orthodontists recommend a lower expander to help with crowding of the lower teeth. This is effective at creating room but is a bit of a misnomer, as the lower jaw is made up of only one bone. An expander only tips teeth wider; it does not actually cause the lower jaw to grow wider. Also, lower expanders are quite a mouthful and interfere with speech and chewing. Think hockey puck. I rarely, if ever, recommend them.

Headgear: The bane of many a person born in the sixties and seventies. Headgear is an appliance designed to correct overbite (buck teeth) by pulling the upper teeth and jaw back. Even though headgear can be effective in correcting an overbite, it is rarely the right choice anymore, as developing the lower jaw is more important than restricting the growth of the upper jaw. Plus, headgear looks like an eighteenth-century torture device, and today’s teen is not likely to wear it, no matter how effective it may be. There are much better options to correct overbite today other than the traditional headgear.

Face mask: The protraction face mask is designed to do the opposite of traditionalo headgear (it is often called “reverse headgear”) and is aimed at correcting underbites by helping the upper jaw grow forward. Face masks should not be confused with regular headgear. Face-mask treatment is also very effective and can often help patients avoid future surgical procedures. The best time to use a face mask is before age ten; effectiveness of treatment falls off significantly after that because the upper jaw stops growing earlier than other parts of the face/jaws.

Functional appliance: The functional appliance is a newer appliance designed to replace traditional headgear. Its goal is to encourage growth of the lower jaw to correct overbites. Deficient lower-jaw growth is the underlying reason in almost all cases of medium or large overbite. Functional appliances come in an almost limitless number of shapes, sizes, and names.

Functional appliances are of two main types: removable and fixed. Removable appliances are removed for cleaning, eating, and the like (and are often removed when the patient doesn’t feel like wearing them). Fixed appliances are secured in the mouth and not removed until treatment ends.

Personally, I prefer the fixed variety. Removable ones automatically lower the success rate of treatment because not everyone is consistent in wearing their appliances. I like to get the best outcomes as often as possible, and I find that appliances the patient cannot remove dramatically increase the quality of the results. Plus, once patient’s get used to wearing fixed appliances, they become no big deal and patients easily continue with their normal routines without having to remember to keep up with wearing their removable appliance.

Invisalign: Invisalign is a series of clear, retainer-like trays called aligners. Aligners are typically worn one to two weeks at a time before the patient switches to a new aligner that is slightly different. After a series of these aligners, the teeth gradually become straight. Many treatments are completed in under a year, but more difficult cases can take two years or more, and that requires discipline to continue wearing the aligners. Of all the clear options to move teeth, Invisalign is the most aesthetic.

Clear braces: Clear braces are like traditional braces but–wait for it–are clear. They are virtually unnoticeable in photos. Although Invisalign is the most aesthetic option, it has its limitations, and clear braces can treat more difficult problems. Most clear braces require clear elastic bands to hold the wire and brace together, and this band can discolor from strong-colored food and drink (spaghetti, coffee, wine) and collect bacteria. Another negative about clear braces is they are prone to the same problems that conventional braces have, such as poking wires and breakage. The Damon Clear braces, are the most esthetic as they don’t require the clear bands which can discolor. They are very esthetic and are my clear brace of choice.

Lingual braces: Lingual braces go on the inside of your teeth. While lingual braces do work, they are technically challenging for even the most gifted orthodontist, so it may be difficult to find a practitioner who offers them. Lingual braces are also much more expensive than traditional braces or Invisalign. While braces on the inside of your teeth might have the advantage of great aesthetics and can be used for more difficult cases, most patients agree that the disadvantages of slurred speech and sores on the tongue far outweigh their good looks.