Invisalign for Active Adults and Teens

Invisalign: The Clearly Beautiful Way to Straighten Your Teeth—At Any Age

Do you look into the mirror each day and feel that your teeth are not as straight and healthy-looking as you wish they were? Maybe you wore braces as a teenager and stopped wearing your retainer at some point, and now your teeth have relapsed. Maybe they’re a little crooked, or your bite doesn't feel quite right. You’ve probably seen the ads for Invisalign aligners—the clear way to straighten teeth and create a healthier smile. They're safe, easy and  are virtually clear, so almost no one can tell you’re in treatment unless you tell them. Invisalign uses a series of clear, removable aligners, that straighten your teeth right before your eyes.  You change aligners every two weeks and your teeth will move toward the smile you’ve always dreamed of and will be proud to show off!

The Invisalign aligners are comfortable to wear, and are less noticeable than traditional braces, so you should be able maintain an active lifestyle with little interruption in your daily routine. You will visit our office every two months to check your progress and get new sets of aligners. Because the aligners are removable, you can continue to eat your favorite foods while brushing and flossing normally to keep your teeth and gums healthy.

Be one of the thousands of patients Dr. Eder has treated in South Florida who now have straight, healthy teeth. Call the our Boynton Beach office today to set up an appointment for a free consultation with Dr. Eder to discuss your Invisalign options and about taking the first steps towards getting that smile you've always dreamed of. If Dr. Eder feels Invisalign can help give you a healthier smile, your dental insurance may help offset a portion of your costs. Our office participates with numerous insurance companies and also offers a variety of financing plans to make investing in your smile easy to do. Our office will be happy to work with you on all of the insurance and financial details. 

Call us today at 561-737-8776 for a free consultation.  With Invisalign, there’s no reason to put straight, healthy, youthful teeth off another day.

Why You Should Choose an Orthodontist When Choosing Invisalign

With the growing popularity of Invisalign, many people are shopping around searching not only for the best price that they can find, but also the best doctor. Unfortunately, a lot of people are under the incorrect assumption that once the doctor takes the impression of the teeth and sends it off to the Invisalign lab, the lab will work it's magic and automatically make the correct number of aligners with the just the right twists and turns to straighten their teeth to perfection. However, this is not the case, Invisalign only does what the doctor tells it to do.

Invisalign Aligners can be offered by both Invisalign dentists and orthodontists. Invisalign allows either group to be certified. However, many people are unaware of the difference between the two.

General Dentists are providers who have a 4-year degree in dentistry. Some call themselves "cosmetic" dentists, implying that they focus on the esthetic appearance of people's teeth while also addressing dental health. Some cosmetic dentists may also have additional training or be a member of a cosmetic dentist association and this information may be provided in their offices or on their website, however, this is not always the case and should not be assumed. Being an Invisalign dentist means that they have completed an Invisalign training program.

Orthodontists have the same 4-year dental training as general dentists, plus have studied for an additional 2-3 years to specialize in orthodontics. By limiting our practice only to orthodontics, we become very proficient at moving teeth and solving difficult problems that arise during treatment.

When choosing Invisalign, make sure you are comfortable with your doctor's experience at moving teeth. Take into consideration the complexity of your treatment when deciding which doctor to choose. Problems that start out as very minor issues, often are more involved than they appear. If you have teeth that are twisted, crowded, spaced or you have bite issues, you will probably want to choose an orthodontist experienced in tooth movement to obtain maximum results.

Are You Tongue Tied? Would You Benefit From A Lingual Frenectomy?

TEST YOURSELF:   Open wide! Now while keeping your mouth wide open, see if you can touch the roof of your mouth with the tip of your tongue. If you can't, this variation of normal is referred to as "Ankyloglossia" or being "tongue-tied".


  If it is significant enough I sometimes recommended having a procedure called a lingual frenectomy done to improve the range of motion of the tongue to allow the teeth/jaws to spontaneously improve and resume more ideal normal growth. There is also a long-term benefit in promoting long term improved stability after braces.


  The tongue is one of the important muscles that influences the alignment of growing teeth. If it is restricted in its range of motion the upper jaw may develop narrower than the lower jaw causing the back teeth to bite incorrectly in what is called a "crossbite". It may also not push on the back of the bottom front teeth hard enough to balance the pressure from the lower lip, causing them to crowd and twist. 


  In significant cases, a lisp in speech may be audible which frequently improves the same day as the frenectomy is done to correct it.

Below are before and after pictures of Luke, a 7 year old boy who had a moderate case of ankyglossia (tongue-tie).



Moderate tongue-tie which was
 causing his lower teeth to lean inwards.

Because the patient's lower front teeth are tipped backward, the lingual frenectomy allowed the tongue the freedom to rest against them a little harder and push them outwards. The pressure that the tongue naturally places on the front teeth is minimal but constant,  which encourages the teeth to shift forward and improve their positions.
  



Actual picture of Luke 1/2 hour after 
having the procedure.



In this case, the lingual frenectomy was performed with a laser, which resulted in the patient leaving the office with little discomfort, no stitches and no bleeding. One half hour after the procedure, the patient was happily enjoying ice cream and then went to baseball practice.



36 hours post operative. Luke experienced
a slight itching sensation as the tongue healed.



The healing continued throughout the next week with no real discomfort and a minimal itching sensation for about two days. By the end of the second week, the area was completely healed and there was little noticeable evidence that the procedure had taken place. The cells of the mouth completely renew themselves every 2-3 weeks, so there is no scarring.

Insurance Coverage - Are You Getting What You Pay For?

When a parent realizes that their child needs braces, they are usually very happy to find out that they have orthodontic coverage that will pay a portion of the costs. Unfortunately, more parents are now finding out that the rules are changing and if insurance paid a portion of orthodontic treatment for a Phase 1, they will not cover any of Phase 2, which is often more expensive for the parent and the insurance company. Depending on the insurance company and the patient's treatment plan, a 1st Phase of orthodontic treatment may only beneift the patient a few hundred dollars, while a Phase 2 payout by the insurance company may cost the insurance company a couple of thousand dollars.

I was recently speaking to a customer service representative at one of the nation's largest insurance company's, trying to get information on a patient's orthodontic coverage, when I was informed that insurance will no longer cover both phases of orthodontic treatment. I was told that if a patient has Phase 1 or braces on the primary teeth, then insurance won't cover a Phase 2 or braces on the permanent teeth later on if needed.

While on the surface, this may not seem like a big deal to a lot of people and the reasoning behind it is being touted as a way for employees to save money on their dental  premiums, most people who have had a 1st Phase of orthodontic treatment, don't realize that they often continue to pay for benefits that they will not be able to benefit from at a later date.  To compound the problem, the majority of patients that need a Phase 1, need a Phase 2 when the permanent teeth come in. Phase 1 is usually required when there is a potentially destructive dental issue at hand. An example would be a cross bite that can damage the teeth when they hit each other each time the child closes their mouth to chew their food. In this case, without a Phase 1 of orthodontic treatment, there is a possibility that the teeth will chip and/or break.

Lesson learned? If your child had a 1st Phase of orthodontic treatment, verify with your insurance comapny that if your child needs additional orthodontic treatment at a later date, he or she will be covered. If you won't be covered for a second phase, you need to make sure you are not paying for orthodontic coverage that you will not benefit from and you may want to shop around for another dental plan that will help you cover the expense at a later date.

Ever Wonder What Your Smile Would Look Like After Braces?

If you are anything like a lot of other people with crooked or imperfect teeth, you have probably wondered what you would look like if you had braces. Well now is your chance to find out. The American Association of Orthodontists are running a promotion where people can send in a photo of themselves smiling and they will edit the photo to show what you would look like after orthodontic treatment. The promotion is called Virtual Smiles and you can click on the link below to check it out for yourself. It's fun, fast and best of all FREE!

Virtual Smiles Promotion

Special Patients with Special Needs

At Eder Orthodontics, Dr. Eder and his team, work with patients of all ages and needs. These patients often include patients with special needs and disabilities. Dr. Eder is experienced working with these patients, and he and his team work hard to help create a comfortable & relaxing environment for them and their families.

Whether the patient is wheelchair bound due to an illness or accident, or suffers from Down’s Syndrome or other developmental disability, Dr. Eder and his team work hard to accommodate all the needs of all the patients entrusted to his care. It is not unusual for Dr. Eder to set aside extra time to work with some of his special needs patients at the parent’s request, so as to not overwhelm a patient that might not feel comfortable in a waiting room filled with patients.

Dr. Eder’s compassion and experience in working with patients with and without special needs is unsurpassed. He and his staff at Eder Orthodontics treat all of their patients special, regardless of their needs.

Play It Safe and Gear Up with a Sport Mouthguard

At Eder Orthodontics, we know how important it is to protect your teeth and your face while playing sports. With the arrival of spring and summer there is an increase in outdoor activities and a greater chance of damaging your mouth and teeth. Dr. Eder knows that sports-related injuries are very common among children and teenagers alike and is happy to be a part of the AAO "Play it Safe" campaign. The American Association of Orthodontists is promoting their campaign to encourage youth of all ages to gear up and play it safe by wearing mouthguards when participating in any sporting activity.  

The following are some interesting statistics that the AAO has listed on their website and should be considered when deciding if your child needs a mouthguard when participating in their sport of choice.

Injuries can happen at any age or skill level – More than half of the seven million sports and recreation-related injuries that occur each year are sustained by youth between ages 5 and 24. *

• Collision and contact sports have higher injury rates. Baseball, soccer, basketball and football account for about 80% of all sports-related emergency room visits for children between 5 and 14 years of age.*
• Mouth guard use is very low – 67% of parents say their child does not wear a mouth guard – yet, 70% say their biggest fear when their child plays is that they will get hurt.**
• One out of every four (27%) parents say their child has sustained an injury during an organized sport resulting in a trip to the emergency room.**
• Most coaches and leagues are not advising the use of mouth guards – Of the parents whose children do not wear a mouth guard, 84% say it's because the league or coach does not require it.**
• Hard hits occur no matter what the sport – The average high school baseball pitcher can throw a fast ball between 75-85 miles per hour. This compares to being hit in the mouth by a speeding car.***
• Cheerleading is one of the most dangerous sports, accounting for 65% of all injuries in high school girls' athletics.****
• Children with braces need to wear mouth guards – One out of every three (31%) parents say their child has orthodontic treatment or braces while playing an organized sport.*
• Lacerations can occur if an orthodontic patient´s mouth is not properly protected.

* Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
** American Association of Orthodontists
*** eFastball.com
**** MSNBC.com

These are just a few reasons that Dr. Eder and the Eder Orthodontics team are doing our part to spread the word that facial sports injuries can be avoided simply by reminding your kids to wear mouth guards. At our office we have a variety of mouthguards available for patients of all ages. We even has an in-house Jawzz Professional Mouthguard maker that specializes in  mouthguards for professional and amateur athletes of all ages.

                  Click Here to Check Out Some Really Cool Jawzz Mouthguards!