Wigal Orthodontics' Blog

The air is getting cooler and the days are getting shorter, which means it’s almost every parent’s favorite season: back to school! However, you might be a little bit more weary than usual if your little one is a teenager with Invisalign. How can you make sure they don’t fall behind on their treatment when you’re not watching them? Here are a few practical ways you can help make sure your teen with Invisalign stays on track during the school day.

Whether you had traditional braces or Invisalign, few days are as joyous as when you complete your treatment! However, before you leave to celebrate, your orthodontist will provide you with a retainer. After all, the last thing you want is to lose all of your hard-earned results! To keep you motivated to wear yours throughout the years, keep reading for three reasons why they are so important.

Crooked, spaced-out, and otherwise misaligned teeth are not a new concern. In fact, Christophe-Francois Delabarre is credited with using braces back in 1819! Over the years, advancements in technology and the field of dentistry have perfected the treatment, ensuring patients can safely, effectively, and quickly achieve their smile goals. If you’re considering orthodontic treatment, then you may be wondering about the benefits of metal braces compared to discreet alternatives, like Invisalign. Here’s the answer!

Your family’s been waiting all year for summer to roll around. You have so many fun activities planned! Whether you are visiting some friends and family, heading to the beach, or just spending some quality time by the pool you’re in for a treat! However, if you aren’t taking care of your smile, you could end up with a dental emergency. Extra time in the dental chair could definitely put a damper on your vacation. Here are some summer oral health tips to help.

You might be considering Invisalign if you want a discreet solution to straighten your teeth. However, are you worried their impact on your speech will be a dead giveaway that you’re wearing clear braces? It’s a valid concern to have when it comes to orthodontic treatment. But truth be told, any dental or orthodontic appliance in your mouth has the potential to affect the way you speak. Luckily, any issues experienced with Invisalign are usually minimal and can easily fixable! Read along to find out what you can expect from this treatment and how you can reduce any potential speech impediments.

When you think of brackets and wires on teeth, you probably think of kids or teenagers—not a grown adult like you. You’ve always wanted to correct your misaligned smile, but other things have continually gotten in the way. Now you’re over 40 years old and wondering if it’s even worth the trouble! Are you too old for adult braces? Here are three good reasons why you should consider orthodontic treatment at your stage of life.

You discover you need rubber bands on your braces to help guide your smile closer to its desired location. While this information may cause some uncertainty, the truth is that these tiny elastics are ideal for patients whose teeth or jaw just aren’t moving as quickly as they should. If you are preparing to add rubber bands to your orthodontic treatment, let us help you better understand their purpose and what you can do to make the process of wearing them easier than ever before.

Traditional metal braces are a reliable way to achieve a straighter, healthier smile, but they require a bit of extra care. Whether you have food stuck in your braces after dinner with a friend or you’re dealing with a poking wire while at the office, you need to be prepared to handle a variety of situations on the go. Make sure you have everything you need at a moment’s notice by making your own orthodontic kit with all the right supplies! Here are 10 essential tools that need to be in your braces survival kit.

From eating to flossing, it’s no secret that braces come with a lot of changes to your day-to-day life. However, one change you may not be expecting is the health of your gums. Swollen, puffy gums often develop during orthodontic treatment. While somewhat irritating and uncomfortable, this side effect isn’t usually anything to panic about. However, ignoring your gum health could slow down your orthodontic treatment and cause serious oral health problems in the future! Here’s what you need to know about swollen gums with braces and what you should do to keep your smile healthy, comfortable, and on track.