Straightening Your Smile in Secret | Huntington Beach Dentist

If you have a crooked smile, there are lots of options you can try. But a newer option that has been available for a while now is invisible braces. There are a couple of options on the market, but in our office, we use the Invisalign system. Braces may be something you need, but if you’re an adult, it can be something that can cause you to feel self-conscious with traditional braces.

The Invisalign system straightens your teeth using clear plastic trays known as aligners to move teeth to their ideal places. The aligners are custom-made according to the shape of your teeth, similar to a traditional retainer. The trays or aligners are different in that they’re not perfect molds of the teeth to prevent them from moving but differ slightly from your teeth, so they move and shift to fit the tray.

When you have traditional braces, you will need to make a few lifestyle changes. Things like eating, dental hygiene and speaking will take a but of adjusting as you get used to them. If you don’t look after them, you will pop wires and brackets, which means an additional visit to the orthodontist. With Invisalign patients can remove them whenever necessary. Though, it is recommended that patients remove the aligners when eating or drinking, as well as when they brush their teeth after every meal. The patient should also have to clean the aligners to prevent staining resulting from the exposure to the remaining food particles in the mouth.

But the main reason why you should consider this type of orthodontic treatment is the discretion, making it ideal for those who don’t want to anyone to know that they are improving their smile.

If you would like to find out more about Invisalign, contact Dr. Gamarnik at 714-842-5626 to schedule a consultation or visit www.hbadvanceddentalspecialists.com for additional information.

Dr. Rudy Gamarnik proudly serves Huntington Beach and all surrounding areas.

Choosing the Right Type of Braces | Huntington Beach Dentist

In a world full of perfect smiles, those of us that don’t fall in line have a reason to feel like they aren’t up to snuff. If you happen to decide that straightening your teeth is the way to go, you have a decision ahead of you – the type of braces you will be using to improve your smile.

Now, not everyone qualifies for every type, so you may not have much of a choice. A consultation with your orthodontist is required, but here is a quick rundown of the types of braces available:

Traditional. Stainless steel braces are the most inexpensive types of braces. The main drawback to metal braces is that they’re very visible. They’re also known to cause irritation in the gums and cheeks while you adjust.

Ceramic. Ceramic braces are made to blend in with your teeth, but at a much higher cost. They’re built to withstand stain, but the ties can easily stain. Unfortunately, ceramic braces are much more sensitive and are prone to breaking or chipping.

Lingual. Even more inconspicuous than ceramic, lingual braces are tucked behind the teeth. The main problem with lingual braces, aside from the cost, is that they’re not ideal for most cases. These braces can also get in the way of the tongue, causing speech problems and/or injuries.

Invisible. Invisible braces are not like your conventional braces wherein you have brackets mounted to your teeth. Instead, you wear custom-fitted aligners or rubber trays for 20 hours a day, removing them only when you’re eating or brushing your teeth. The main advantage of these braces is that they require less frequent dental visits. The biggest drawback is losing the trays – replacing them can be quite costly.

If you would like to find out more about braces, contact Dr. Gamarnik at 714-842-5626 to schedule a consultation or visit www.hbadvanceddentalspecialists.com for additional information.

Dr. Rudy Gamarnik proudly serves Huntington Beach and all surrounding areas.

Straightening Things Out with Invisalign | Huntington Beach Dentist

When it is best to get those crooked teeth fixed with braces, you have a couple of options these days, both traditional and invisible. It may seem like getting invisible braces is the obvious choice, but unfortunately, not everyone qualifies. While it depends on your particular case, invisible braces are a discreet way to straighten your teeth.

Invisalign aligners gradually move your teeth into position. Patients prefer Invisalign over braces because they are clear, unlike traditional braces which require metal wire and metal brackets. Patients with braces frequently have to visit their local orthodontist for checkups, while Invisalign users do not have to undergo the time-consuming appointments as often. With Invisalign, there are fewer food restrictions because the aligners can be taken off for eating. Patients with braces not only have trouble eating with braces, but constantly have to deal with food particles getting trapped in between their brackets.

Because flossing and brushing with braces can be a hassle to many individuals, patients run the risk of not properly cleaning their teeth. The lack of thoroughly maintaining good oral hygiene can lead to plaque buildup, which can eventually cause tooth decay. If left untreated, tooth decay can result in a large amount of painful side effect such as gum bleeding and tooth loss. For this reason, Invisalign is more favorable because it allows patients to achieve maximum oral hygiene by easily flossing and brushing teeth.

If you would like to find out more about Invisalign, contact Dr. Rudy Gamarnik at 714-842-5626 to schedule a consultation or visit www.hbadvanceddentalspecialists.com for additional information.

Dr. Gamarnik proudly serves Huntington Beach and all surrounding areas.

To See or Not to See: Orthodontics Edition | Huntington Beach Dentist

We all want a perfect smile, but it doesn’t come naturally to most of us. We need the help of our dentist or orthodontist to look after our smile and make the necessary changes in order to create that smile for us. For some it’s just a good cleaning/whitening session, others need dental implants to improve their grin. But if your dental flaw is crooked teeth, you have braces to think about – but which version is best for you? While your specific case may dictate which version will work best, let’s take a minute break all of the options down:

Traditional. Stainless steel braces are the most inexpensive types of braces. The main drawback to metal braces is that they’re very visible. They’re also known to cause irritation in the gums and cheeks while you adjust.

Ceramic. Ceramic braces are made to blend in with your teeth, but at a much higher cost. They’re built to withstand stain, but the ties can easily stain, if you drink coffee or tea. Unfortunately, ceramic braces are much more sensitive and are prone to breaking or chipping.

Lingual. Even more inconspicuous than ceramic, lingual braces are tucked behind the teeth. The main problem with lingual braces is that they’re not ideal for most cases. These braces can also get in the way of the tongue, causing speech problems and/or injuries.

Invisible. Invisible braces are not like your conventional braces wherein you have brackets mounted to your teeth. Instead, you’re wear custom-fitted aligners or rubber trays for 20 hours a day, removing them only when you’re eating or brushing your teeth.

If you would like to find out more about braces, contact Dr. Gamarnik at 714-842-5626 to schedule a consultation or visit www.hbadvanceddentalspecialists.com for additional information.

Dr. Gamarnik proudly serves Huntington Beach and all surrounding areas.