Dr. Carter Recognized as Super Elite Invisalign Provider
Dr. Carter – Super Elite Invisalign Provider
Congratulations to Dr. Carter on achieving the Invisalign Super Elite Premier Provider status for 2011. Because of his hard work and dedication to the Invisalign system, Dr. Carter has been recognized among the top 1% of Invisalign practitioners in North America. There are currently only about 20 doctors in North America that have this distinction. Dr. Carter lectures extensively for Invisalign and is currently working on new projections with the help of Align Technology.
This status means that Dr. Carter has treated more orthodontic cases with Invisalign than any other provider in the area. You may have been told you weren’t a candidate for Invisalign. Get a second “Certified” opinion. Schedule a Free Consultation with Dr. Carter to see if you could be a candidate for Invisalign. Many doctors offer Invisalign treatment. Why not have yours done by a certified expert?
3D Scans take the place of Impressions
One of the unpleasant parts of getting braces or starting the Invisalign treatment is the impression process. Read more about impressions and see photos here. Coming soon to Carter Orthodontics is a Digital Optical Scanner that will eliminate the need for impressions. Check out this video that shows how it’s done:
Invisalign on Vacation
Recently I went on vacation for a week to Jamaica. I asked Dr. Carter if there were any special instructions for taking my aligners on vacation. What if the Invisalign aligners broke while I was out of the country? What if the airline lost my luggage with my aligners stowed inside? Here are some tips from Carter Orthodontics for vacationing with Invisalign:
- Carter Orthodontics can order a new set of aligners and have them shipped to your hotel. However, it does take 2 weeks for the aligners to be delivered. So you’re out of luck if you’re only gone for a week. If you have time to wait for the aligners, call your orthodontist immediately to have them ordered. You will need to wear your previous set of aligners while you are waiting on your new set, so make sure to bring them along.
- If you’re going out of town or out of the country for a week or a short period, take your previous set of aligners, your current set, and your next set with you. If your current set breaks or gets lost, call your orthodontist immediately. Let them know how long you’ve been in your current set of aligners. This will help them determine if you should put your previous set of aligners in or your next set of aligners.
- If you’re flying, make sure to pack your Invisalign aligners in your carry on baggage, just in case your luggage is lost.
- Also, take along an extra case. I left mine in the airport restroom on the very first day. The rest of the week I was constantly trying to find a safe place to store them while I was eating.
- While staying at the resort I left my purse in the room in the safe. If I took my aligners out to eat, I would wrap them in a napkin or paper towel (since I lost my case) and immediately put them in my pocket or my husband’s pocket so they weren’t accidentally thrown away. Then there was the dilemma of not having a toothbrush or toothpaste handy. When you’re in a jam like this, the best thing to do is rinse your mouth out a few times with water and rinse your aligners off as well before you put them back in. As soon as you’re back in your hotel room, you can brush your teeth. It’s not ideal but it will do in a pinch.
I loved having my Invisalign aligners on vacation as opposed to metal braces. We were celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary and I wanted our photos of this special event to look good. I wouldn’t have felt confident about my smile when our photos were being taken if I had a “metal mouth”. I’m half-way through my treatment and my smile is looking so much better. I can’t wait to see the finished product!
If you have any tips for vacationing with Invisalign, please let us know. Have a great summer!
Invisalign Refinements
After finishing up 23 sets of Invisalign trays, I am now in the Invisalign refinement process. Dr. Carter had estimated 20-24 months for the whole process from the beginning. So it will probably be March/April 2012 before the Invisalign process is complete. At my last appointment they removed the attachments from my teeth as well as the rubber band attachment. That small taste of freedom was nice! They also took new impressions of my teeth. Below are photos of the impressions they took along with the “caulk gun” of the material they use for the impressions. I waited about 4 weeks to receive my new Invisalign trays. During that time I wore my last set of aligners. They did fit more loosely than before because the attachments were gone. I still had to wear them full time as well. When my new trays came in, I was fitted with more attachments. This process was much less nerve-wracking than the first time. I knew what to expect and my teeth are not as sensitive as they used to be. I attribute this to straighter teeth. The attachments are not on the same teeth as before. And no more rubber band!
Dr. Carter said he is moving my front teeth up into my gums which involves moving bone and tissue as well. This is one reason for the process taking a little longer for me. The clinic manager, Cheryl, showed me the computerized movement of my teeth from start to finish. I’ve come along way, baby! I have included photos from the very beginning that were taken in Dr. Carter’s office as well as the new ones that were taken when they did the impressions. I am really happy with the progress!
Have you gone through the Invisalign refinement process? I would love to hear from you!
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- Invisalign Impressions – Flexitime material
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- Invisalign Impressions
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- Invisalign Impressions
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- Invisalign Before
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- Invisalign after 23 trays
What CAN Invisalign treat?
This is a GREAT question I’m often asked. And it’s an important one. Teeth do not know what is ‘pushing’ on them. A fine example is the effect a child’s THUMB can do to teeth. Teeth simply respond to constant pressure over a period of time. So Invisalign aligners (clear plastic trays that are worn) have the same effect wires and braces have on teeth. If someone tells you otherwise, it’s simply untrue. At Carter Orthodontics, we treat spaced teeth, crowded teeth, overbites, underbites, open bites (where the front teeth don’t touch), and even surgical cases! And I will be posting these treated cases on my blog and on our Facebook fan page over the coming year. You will see for yourself that just because someone who is not comfortable treating with Invisalign says “It can’t be done with Invisalignâ€, doesn’t mean it can’t be done. Experience matters!
Invisalign Treats Open Bites
Invisalign Treats Overbites
Invisalign Treats Underbites
Invisalign Teen Benefits
Invisalign Teen was created for a teenager
whose active lifestyle doesn’t work well with traditional braces. But even more than that, Invisalign had PARENTS in mind! That’s right. As a parent myself, I always had two concerns with teenagers wearing Invisalign: 1) They may lose or break them; 2) They’re so clear, how do I know they have them in? The answer to question #1 is that Invisalign Teen allows each patient to LOSE or BREAK up to 6 aligners (clear plastic trays that are worn), and there is NO CHARGE to replace them! And the answer to question #2 is that each aligner has a little blue dot that covers the last tooth (molar). This blue dot is actually a “wear indicator†that gradually turns clear over the course of two weeks (which is how long each aligner is worn in the series of aligners). So each week, have your Teen show you their aligner before they go to the next one. If there is still a blue dot, they haven’t worn it!!!
How Much Does Invisalign Teen Cost?
At Carter Orthodontics, we offer Invisalign and Invisalign Teen for the same fee as our braces! As a cost-conscious parent myself, I want the best for my kids as much as anyone. If I can get the highest quality and technology too, that’s a HUGE BONUS! So, we offer the choice of Invisalign and Invisalign Teen at the same fee as our Damon System braces (which are also super high tech). That way, the only REAL decision a parent or patient has to make is “Will my Teen wear the aligners for the entire treatment?†I can tell you from being one of the leading providers in the country, that most Teens who REALLY want them REALLY wear them! If you’d like to hear more about how Invisalign Teen could benefit your Teen, call us (706.650.0468) for a FREE consultation. See you soon!
What Exactly IS Invisalign Teen?
When Invisalign was first introduced, it was created with only adults in mind. That was because teens and pre-teens were still growing, and there were concerns the aligners (clear plastic trays that are worn) would not keep up with the final growing stages of childhood. After many years of orthodontists telling teens they “weren’t candidates†for treatment with Invisalign, the company made tremendous efforts to allow for teeth that were not fully erupted (grown into place), as well as allowing for slight underbite or overbite corrections. That’s how Invisalign Teen came into being almost two years ago. It allows for 12 year old molars to be aligned, eye-teeth to drop into place, and overbites and underbites to be corrected. So if you were told you “weren’t a candidate†for Invisalign because you were a Teen, come see us! We have a wonderful treatment option for you!!! View our commercial below to learn more:
Jaw Surgery? Head gear? Appliances?
Watch this video to see why even though you may have been told that you need jaw surgery, head gear, or appliances, there is another way. Carter Orthodontics offers a FREE Consultation! So call us for an appointment to get a second opinion: 706.650.0468.
How DOES Invisalign Work?
By Dr. David Carter
The Invisalign and Invisalign Teen process is possibly the highest form of orthodontic technology I have seen. The first step is we take a very EXACT model (impression) of your teeth. We then send these models to Invisalign, and they create a 3-D model that is then sent back to me over secure internet. I then take the 3-D model and actually TREAT the teeth in VIRTUAL REALITY (so to speak). Once I’ve completed the treatment, I send the treated 3-D models (called a “ClinCheckâ€) back to Invisalign. They have a patented process that creates a series of clear plastic trays (called “alignersâ€), that moves the teeth over a two week period of time. Each aligner slowly and comfortably moves the teeth just like braces. The obvious difference is that they are REMOVABLE so you can take them out to eat whatever you want! And they can be removed for easy brushing and flossing. And all YOU have to do is wear each aligner about 20 hours per day. They’re so comfortable you really won’t even notice that they are IN!