Q&A WITH ORTHODONTIST l Dr. Bailey

Dr. Bailey, orthodontist, answers some of the most commonly asked questions.
👩🏻‍⚕️Dr. Bailey is a board certified orthodontist and co-founder of TrayMinder®.
TrayMinder® is an app that helps busy aligner users to remember to wear their trays so that they can achieve their best possible smile.
📱Download the free TrayMinder® app today to help you get better results from your clear aligner therapy: app.trayminder.com.
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💡Disclaimer: This video is not intended to provide diagnosis, treatment, or medical/dental advice. Content provided on this KZbin channel is for informational purposes only. Please consult with an orthodontist or dentist regarding any dental related diagnosis or treatment options. Information on this KZbin channel should not be considered as a substitute for advice from a healthcare professional. The statements made about specific products throughout this video are not to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease.

[@dkabramson]

SO much great information here, explanations that we aren’t given elsewhere. Thank you so much.

[@TrayMinder]

Glad to hear that it was helpful. Thanks for watching.

[@roseobrian2586]

I love this type of video. Please do more of these in the future. I’m also sharing it on my fb Invisalign group page I’m a part of.

[@TrayMinder]

Thanks for the feedback and the support!

[@nucknick]

thanks so much for the information and detailed answers! I am so happy to hear my question back in the video (about the slit hurting the inside of my mouth and the silver hook causing blisters). Thanks so much, I also love using your app! It is so helpful (also addicted to the app, lol). All the best from the Netherlands!

[@TrayMinder]

Thanks for your support. And yes, I included your question :)

[@nani7040]

Hi dr bailey..thank you for all your informative videos...i have a question..attachments are compulsory for evey patient who are using clear aligner?...thank you.

[@TrayMinder]

Attachments are very helpful to achieve predictable and efficient tooth movement. I use it on every single patient case on my Invisalign patients.

[@Zejety]

On letting teeth remineralize after eating: Do you have any advise on how to align (no pun intended) that with Invisalign therapy? Should you leave out your aligners for 30 minutes after a meal until you could brush? And this may sound silly, but is there a "threshold" for how acidic a food needs to be for it to matter? Do I need to wait 30 minutes after a cup of coffee or are we talking orange juice-levels of acid? How about sugars that have to be converted into acid first? Started treatment today and I appreciate the FAQ!

[@TrayMinder]

Usually a vigorous rinse with water is fine after eating or drinking mildly acidic foods like coffee. Ask your dentist what they advise because each provider has slightly differing opinions.

[@seydapheach4246]

Hello Dr. Bailey, I hope all is well. I need some advice if you may. I just switched to my tray 9 and my invisalign tray (bottom) where the attachment is cracked. When I put it on, the fit was off so I examined it and saw that the attachment was chipped off a bit. It still fits, but half the tooth area is gone. Not sure to jus keep wearing it or go back to my tray 8?

[@mersome4630]

Can you do the aligners backwards even if you had attachments and power ridges? My orthodontist told me to do this but I question it

[@TrayMinder]

Orthodontist do sometimes ask patients to go backwards in sequence. This is mainly due to teeth not tracking properly.

[@nonshatter7]

I bet you my question is a first - With the exception of my very first aligners (for 1 or 2 days), I have not experienced any pain or aches at all with subsequent aligners. I am now on my fourth, with buttons added before my third set. I do feel a tightness when I switch to a new set but no pain. FYI, I use chewies every time I put them in for about 30 seconds to a minute; I don't take any drug for the pain. Since pain is associated with teeth movement and therefore progress, should I actually be concerned at the lack of pain?

[@TrayMinder]

As long as your teeth are moving and tracking along, you’re fine. Everyone has different pain thresholds and that’s part of the human biodiversity.

[@panidamakaphol7265]

Just start invisalign & a bit concerned if my bones can rebuild properly and timely as I'm aged 48. Pls advise if there are any specific foods or vitamins I should have or not have to help rebuild my bone (not sure right words - I mean to fill the space when teeth move) Ps. Love all your videos! Very informative with cute face and friendly voice of yours. 🥰

[@TrayMinder]

Thank you for your kind words. The foods that are good for your bone health are rich in calcium, potassium, magnesium and vitamins C and D. Dairy products and leafy green vegetables like kale and bok choy are good sources of calcium. Sweet potatoes, figs and salmon are good foods to consider. Of course, consult with your medical doctor for any health related questions as these are general recommendations and may not be suitable for everyone.

[@panidamakaphol7265]

@@TrayMinder Thanks a lot for the prompt and detailed reply. Do appreciated!

[@seydapheach4246]

Good afternoon, Dr. Bailey. I have been watching and enjoying your videos very much. I was wondering what is your intake on invisalign and the in-house alingers that some orthodontists office are using? I've been searching for reviews on the in-house aliners but not very much on it as it is fairly new. I know those are tools for orthodontis to use to get results but not quite sure if the results are as good as the invisalign as its been around for quite some times. Thank you so much for your time.

[@TrayMinder]

Thanks for watching! You asked a great question about aligners that are made at the orthodontic office. The best way to find out if they're a good fit is to talk to someone who already used them with that orthodontist or look at pictures of how their teeth looked before and after. The same goes for Invisalign from different orthodontist and/general dentist. Good luck!

[@seydapheach4246]

Yes, that's a great way to go about it! Thank you so much for your quick response, I really appreciate your input Dr. Bailey. Have a wonderful day. 😊

[@user72974]

I see a lot of people talk about "chewies" a lot online. I was never given anything like these when I started. I'm almost two months into treatment and so far the only thing similar to this my dentist has told me was to bite down on a hard pencil if the trays aren't snapping in. Is it normal to not need these chewies?

[@TrayMinder]

Using Chewies is helpful but not mandatory. Some doctors recommend using it more than others.

[@TampaAries]

I have an open bite, I just started my invisalign treatment in February. So far I dont need elastics but I do have attachments on all my teeth. From your experience of treating patients with an open bite, Do they always need elastics to fix an open bite? Im thinking it would be pretty hard for invisalign to pull top and bottom teeth together without elastics.

[@TrayMinder]

Clear aligner therapy (i.e with Invisalign) often use attachments to push front teeth toward each other rather than pulling with elastics. Elastics are more commonly used with braces for anterior open bites.

[@5xy]

I feel like i need a filling in my molar, will i need a rescan/impressions?

[@TrayMinder]

It depends on the extent of your filling. Usually small fillings should not be problematic. New crowns, however, may need new impressions/scan.

[@kaylee7468]

i haven’t watched the video completely through yet so i don’t know if you answered this… i’m getting invisalign molds done tomorrow and i want to know how long they take to come in?

[@TrayMinder]

Depending on the office, usually 4-6 weeks.

[@TheFola]

Is there any evidence on acceledent or propel procedure?! Do you recommend any of them?!

[@TrayMinder]

The vibrational devices have been shown to decrease the discomfort associated with tooth movement. As far as whether they help to move teeth faster, we need more evidenced based research. Some research do show good results, but these publications are associated with the Acceledent and/or Propel. If I recommend Acceledent, it is with the intention of helping the patient to reduce discomfort rather than to increase tooth movement.

[@rebeccafossmusic]

Hi, thank you for all your informative videos! I have a question: is it possible to use chewies TOO much? I chew on mine for a total of two or more hours per day when I pop in a new tray. Am I making my teeth move too fast by trying to chew my teeth into place quicker (therefore stopping the pain quicker)? Thank you!

[@TrayMinder]

You’re welcome. Glad you found them to be informative. Many people enjoy doing the chewing exercises. It’s a stress reliever and pain reducer for some people. It can be too much of a good thing if you have deep bite and the treatment involves bite opening. Chewing intrudes molars, increasing the deep bite.

[@rebeccafossmusic]

@@TrayMinder my biggest issue that I'm tackling is my deep bite. Thank you! I'll try not to use the chewies on my molars

[@amudhaarun8556]

Is it really necessary to go for the aligners for the lower portion... if at all I go for it will there be any alignment problem on future...

[@TrayMinder]

One arch treatment treats alignment issues only. The bite can become problematic with one arch treatment.

[@tammyashmore9674]

Does your app you talk of cost money ?

[@TrayMinder]

You can download it for free on Apple store or Google play.

[@anh-tuando4010]

Hi, I would like to ask, Do the Essix retainers trim at the gum line and Essix retainers with 2 mm trim above the gum line make any difference? I was told that on the first week of brace if wearing Essix retainers trim at the gum it will not hold the teeth instead the teeth will look longer or start to form a dark triangle, if a dark triangle already exists it will become more visible as in the dark triangle get bigger.

[@TrayMinder]

It depends on whether you have gingival hypertrophy post orthodontic treatment. This is more of an issue for patients finishing braces, not clear aligners. Once the gums become less swollen, your teeth will appear longer. The fit of essix is dependent on how swollen the gums are.

[@anh-tuando4010]

@@TrayMinder That meant the retainers 2mm trim at the gum line or above the gum line does not make any difference at all?

[@TrayMinder]

It does make some difference, depending on your unique situation. Your orthodontist will determine which is a better match for your needs.

[@anh-tuando4010]

@@TrayMinder it is okay if you able to let me know what is the "some difference? will the teeth shift toward is one of the difference? or the reason that makes the teeth look shift downward or long is because of gingival gum receded.?

[@humbleguy2010]

I just had a recent appointment. My orthodontist told me to reduce my time in the aligners to 11 hours and when my new aligners arrive we're going back to 22 hours. It feels weird but I'm trusting the process knowing that I'm normally doing 22 hours. Is this something you normally do with your clients?

[@TrayMinder]

Your orthodontist probably told you to do this to preserve your current aligners by reducing wear time while waiting for the new ones to arrive. We sometimes do this, but try not to because it breaks the habit of full time wear and sometimes it is hard for patients to get back to full time wear again. Both methods are valid.

[@humbleguy2010]

Ok Thank You for the response!!! Your channel and app is great and very informative. Do you think I will lose progress? I'm on month number 4 tray number 25. Thanks again

[@TrayMinder]

You’re welcome, glad to hear that the videos have been informative. You won’t lose your progress as long as you’re wearing your aligners minimally at night. This also helps your teeth to settle somewhat while waiting for the aligners to arrive. Good luck.

[@amudhaarun8556]

Mam I'm 45 yrs old using aligners for the past two months... due to discomfort in my upper portions can I stop using it... when asked my doctor she says due to IPR in the lower part you have to use the aligners for the lower one for atleast 5 to 6months... plz advice.. waiting for your immediate response... thanks in advance..

[@TrayMinder]

Because your question is very specific, your treating doctor is the best person to offer advice.

[@varadaharidas5177]

Is it ok to have no attachments on your teeth at all? My doctor said the attachments are incorporated in the tray. Is that fine? I've 24 trays in total and I'm on my 5th now. I only have an anterior cross-bite. Please reply mam

[@TrayMinder]

To be honest, I’m not sure because I don’t know the specifics of your treatment. Attachments are bonded on the teeth.

[@varadaharidas5177]

@@TrayMinder I am not doing invisalign. I have chosen clear aligner of another brand. I can see a good difference on my lawer jaw though.

[@galaxysamsung5439]

Thank you,doctor,super useful information ; I got a little uncomfortable question too- should I remove the aligners while performing oral sex on my partner(all the hygiene standarts from his side are very good,but still wonder) ?

[@TrayMinder]

It’s a valid question that others may also have but too embarrassed to ask. Off is probably better.

[@thomascurran9562]

If you go to a bar is it fine to leave your aligners at home instead of drinking with them in? It seems like a long time to not wear them unless this is fine just once a month

[@TrayMinder]

Once in a while for special occasion is fine. There is no absolute rule and it’s best to follow the advice of your treating orthodontist. If you go out a lot and do not get enough wear time, your teeth may stop tracking and that would be a problem. Use your best judgment. Good luck.