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Patients who want corrective braces but don’t like the look of traditional braces with the metal showing on the front have an alternative in lingual braces. As opposed to metal braces visible across the front of the teeth, lingual braces are placed on the rear of the teeth. Most of the metal in lingual braces is not visible to other people, unless you have widely-spaced teeth. For those who make good candidates for lingual braces, Dr. Andrew Nalin and our team at Nalin Orthodontics will tell you it is a great alternative with a significant cosmetic benefit.

Benefits of Lingual Braces

The primary benefit of lingual braces is that the metal is on the back of the teeth, which is very rarely seen by anyone. Patients can comfortably talk and smile, without the added worry of someone noticing the metal braces on their teeth. Another advantage of lingual braces is that they are just as effective as traditional braces and are worn for the same amount of time. They are also helpful for people who play contact sports or play wind instruments because lingual braces don’t get in the way. Finally, lingual braces are a great option for patients who have are sensitive to plastic and can’t wear other types of clear or invisible braces.

Who can get lingual braces?

While many patients qualify for lingual braces, not everyone who needs corrective orthodontic treatment will be a good candidate. The best candidates are teenagers and adults with normal-sized teeth. Children who get braces often have smaller teeth, so lingual braces may not be suitable. A patient’s bite also makes a difference, because a deep vertical overbite makes lingual braces difficult to place.

Talk to Dr. Andrew Nalin the possibility of lingual braces if you’re thinking about correcting your smile but don’t like the idea of metal braces worn on the front. Lingual braces have the same basic benefits of straightening teeth, correcting misalignments, and fixing overbites and underbites that regular braces offer, but are a great aesthetic alternative.

For more information about lingual braces, or to schedule an initial consultation with Dr. Andrew Nalin, please give us a call at our convenient Mount Vernon, WA office!

You want to straighten your teeth because you know it’ll make your smile more appealing, be more comfortable, and improve your dental health. However, eating can be a big barrier to getting braces because of all the foods you need to give up for the months or years that treatment lasts. ClearCorrect is an alternative tooth-straightening option that doesn’t make you dread your new diet while you straighten your teeth. Here’s what you need to know about eating and ClearCorrect.

Eat What You Want

All kinds of foods are forbidden when you have metal braces because they can get stuck in the wires or cause brackets to pop off. That’s not a problem with ClearCorrect because you remove your clear aligners whenever you eat a meal or snack. That way, you can eat anything you want. You don’t need to avoid the following foods the way you do when you have metal braces.

• Popcorn
• Peanuts, nuts, and seeds
• Meat on the bone, such as chicken wings and ribs
• Sticky foods, such as toffee and raisins
• Crunchy foods, such as apples and carrots
• Stringy foods, such as celery and pineapple

Since you can eat whatever you want, you don’t need to avoid your friends and coworkers because of your ClearCorrect aligners. You can hang out with friends and go to business lunches without worrying about embarrassment.

Maintain Healthy Eating Habits

You can eat whatever you want without fear of wrecking your ClearCorrect aligners, but that doesn’t mean you should toss out your healthy eating habits. Dr. Andrew Nalin and our team recommend that you:

• Eat high-calcium foods, such as low-fat yogurt and cheese, to support strong teeth.
• Rinse your mouth with water after eating to get rid of excess carbohydrates on your teeth.
• Limit consumption of sugary beverages and foods, such as candy, to keep sugar from settling on your teeth and feeding bacteria.

ClearCorrect treatment can straighten your teeth without making you give up your favorite foods or become a social outcast. Just take the aligners out of your mouth for meals and snacks and select healthy foods whenever possible, and you can enjoy yourself while your teeth get straighter.

The alarm sounds in the morning, you wake up and realize "I forgot to wear my retainer!"

If this only happened once, don't panic. Missing one night with a retainer is unlikely to cause significant teeth movement. However, if it has happened often, give our Mount Vernon, WA office a call to make sure your teeth haven’t shifted position.

Here are some tips from Dr. Andrew Nalin to help you remember your retainer:

1. Write down the instructions we give you for wearing the retainer, whether you should wear it all day or at night, or just a few times a week. Writing things out like this helps set the schedule in your memory.

2. Clean the retainer when you take it out each time. If you don’t you may not have time when you’re rushing to get to work or school to clean it properly and may be tempted not to wear it.

3. Put a note on your mirror or in your purse or wallet reminding you to wear your retainer.

4. Set an alarm on your mobile phone to remind you when it’s time to put the retainer in. If you have email with a calendar you can set up daily reminders, too.

5. Always put the retainer in its case when you take it out to eat or sleep. You’ll reduce your risk for losing it or accidentally throwing it away.

6. If you don’t have to wear the retainer every day, you can use some recurring events to help you remember. With this system for example, watching your favorite weekly TV show, laundry day, or family pizza night can all serve as reminders that you should put in your retainer.

7. Don’t be shy about asking for help if you’re forgetful. Assure your spouse, parents, siblings, or roommates that you won’t consider if nagging if they remind you to wear your retainer.

8. Surf online for examples of how teeth can shift when retainers are not properly used. Those stories can serve as timely warning not to let the same thing happen to you!

Remember, you can always call our Mount Vernon, WA office if you feel your retainer is uncomfortable or painful. We'll work with you to protect your smile!

Patients who want corrective braces but don’t like the look of traditional braces with the metal showing on the front have an alternative in lingual braces. As opposed to metal braces visible across the front of the teeth, lingual braces are placed on the rear of the teeth. Most of the metal in lingual braces is not visible to other people, unless you have widely-spaced teeth. For those who make good candidates for lingual braces, Dr. Andrew Nalin and our team at Nalin Orthodontics will tell you it is a great alternative with a significant cosmetic benefit.

Benefits of lingual braces

The primary benefit of lingual braces is that the metal is on the back of the teeth, which is very rarely seen by anyone. Patients can comfortably talk and smile, without the added worry of someone noticing the metal braces on their teeth. Another advantage of lingual braces is that they are just as effective as traditional braces and are worn for the same amount of time. They are also helpful for people who play contact sports or play wind instruments because lingual braces don’t get in the way. Finally, lingual braces are a great option for patients who have are sensitive to plastic and can’t wear other types of clear or invisible braces.

Who can get lingual braces?

While many patients qualify for lingual braces, not everyone who needs corrective orthodontic treatment will be a good candidate. The best candidates are teenagers and adults with normal-sized teeth. Children who get braces often have smaller teeth, so lingual braces may not be suitable. A patient’s bite also makes a difference, because a deep vertical overbite makes lingual braces difficult to place.

Talk to Dr. Andrew Nalin the possibility of lingual braces if you’re thinking about correcting your smile but don’t like the idea of metal braces worn on the front. Lingual braces have the same basic benefits of straightening teeth, correcting misalignments, and fixing overbites and underbites that regular braces offer, but are a great aesthetic alternative.

For more information about lingual braces, or to schedule an initial consultation with Dr. Andrew Nalin, please give us a call at our convenient Mount Vernon, WA office!