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06 May 2012 No Comments

Three (More) Ways Tobacco Is Ruining Your Health

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA-If the long-term consequences of tobacco use on overall health haven’t convinced you to quit, consider the imminent dangers tobacco causes your pearly whites and how it could jeopardize the investment you made in orthodontics.

Dr. David Alpan, who provides Las Vegas invisible braces, is joining with the World Health Organization’s Tobacco Free Initiative and drawing attention to the oral and orthodontic side effects of tobacco use.

“There’s no denying that tobacco products are deadly, but many people don’t realize how much they impact oral health and the effectiveness of orthodontics,” he says.

World No Tobacco Day is an annual event held on May 31 with the mission to raise awareness and reduce the number of tobacco-related diseases and deaths around the world, which is the leading preventable cause of death. More than 5 million people died last year from some sort of tobacco-related illness, such as heart attack, stroke, cancer or lung ailment, among many others. More →

by admin in Orthodontics News Tags: , , , , , ,

18 Apr 2012 No Comments

Protect Your Orthodontic Investment With Vivera Retainers

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – Some people have nightmares that their teeth have shifted and gotten out of alignment after orthodontic treatment.

Those nightmares could easily become reality if patients do not cooperate with the retention phase of orthodontics.

That usually means wearing a retainer, which depending on the case, means wearing one full time and eventually tapering down to wearing the retainer at night or several times a week. Dr. David Alpan offers his patients a variety of retainer options at Aesthetic Orthodontics, but Vivera Retainers are becoming more popular than ever.

“Retainers are an essential part of the treatment because periodontal ligaments take almost a year to solidify into their new positions after your braces are removed,” says Dr. Alpan, who is a Las Vegas pediatric orthodontics provider.

Align Technology, the makers of the Invisalign system, designed Vivera, a clear thermoplastic retainer designed to be used after completing orthodontic treatment. Vivera uses the same advanced fabrication technology used for the Invisalign system aligners to give patients an exact, seamless and comfortable fit. According to Align Technology, lab tests show that many leading clear thermoplastic materials from which retainers are made begin to deform in as little as two months of simulated wear. That is why Vivera is actually a series of four sets of retainers mailed to the patient’s home throughout the year to keep teeth in the final aligned position. More →

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03 Apr 2012 No Comments

Get All The Benefits of Invisible Braces Even Faster With Invisalign Express

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – Aesthetic Orthodontics is offering a new line of invisible braces from Align Technology that treats patients with minor orthodontic problems even faster than before: Invisalign Express 5.

“This new, faster, less expensive orthodontic treatment method lets people who have very minor orthodontic imperfections straighten their teeth in three months or less,” said Dr. Alpan, a Las Vegas orthodontist.

Aesthetic Orthodontics was among the first orthodontic practices to add the product, which Align Technology released on Jan. 30 to Invisalign doctors in North America. Dr. Alpan has offered the original Invisalign since 1999.

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14 Mar 2012 No Comments

More Than Just Straight Teeth

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – A better looking smile might be the motivation for some people to get orthodontic treatment, but Dr. David Alpan, a Las Vegas braces provider, says the benefits of braces extend much further than that.

“Misaligned teeth and an incorrect bite are often to blame for a variety of physical conditions,” says Dr. Alpan. “It can also be the source of ridicule, stress or poor self-confidence.”

Malocclusion, which means a bad bite, can cause speech impediments, jaw or TMJ pain, difficulty chewing and eating, sleep apnea caused by mouth breathing and snoring, grinding or clenching of the teeth, gum disease and tooth decay.

Because of the far-reaching effects of a malocclusion, the American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children should be seen for their first orthodontic consultation no later than age seven. This is about the time when children’s permanent teeth usually start to erupt and orthodontic problems become more obvious.

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10 Mar 2012 No Comments

What’s Keeping You Up At Night?

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – Dr. David Alpan and Aesthetic Orthodontics used National Sleep Awareness Week to shed light on a common orthodontic problem that often leads to sleep disturbances.

NSAW is an annual public education and awareness campaign, taking place this year on March 5-11, to promote the importance of sleep. Temporomandibular joint and muscle disorders, a group of conditions that cause pain and dysfunction in the jaw joint and muscles that control jaw movement, are major contributors to sleep loss.

“As anyone who has ever experienced temporary or prolonged sleep loss can attest, not getting sufficient or quality rest can impact every aspect of life,” says Dr. Alpan, who is an orthodontic treatment and braces provider in Las Vegas, Beverly Hills and Los Angeles.

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15 Feb 2012 No Comments

How Can An Oral Piercing Affect Your Teeth?

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA—People get an oral piercing as a conscious decision to change their aesthetics, but many of them are unconscious of how that decision could change their aesthetics in addition to the new jewelry.

“Oral piercings can greatly affect oral and orthodontic health,” says Dr. David Alpan, a Los Angeles orthodontic specialist.

Tongue piercings and some other types of oral piercings typically interfere with speech, chewing or swallowing at least temporarily, which are inconveniences the person often is aware of. But many side effects of piercings can be serious and long-term or permanent problems that require expensive treatment or repair.

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13 Feb 2012 No Comments

The Benefits of Invisalign

Dr. Alpan Discusses the Benefits of Invisalign

Patients who come into my practice with crooked teeth or too much space between their teeth, overbite or underbite issues, other alignment issues that are causing them to smile less, have prematurely worn teeth,  or even severe jaw pain, are often searching for a way to get a beautiful, healthy smile without the hassles of wearing braces and other orthodontic appliances.

Invisalign is a clear system that gives patients the ability wear aligners without anyone noticing them. Patients change their aligners gradually over time, which shifts their teeth into the desired position.  It’s unnoticeable, and patients can remove the aligners when they eat, brush, and floss, so they can keep everything nice and clean.

Invisalign is a little more flexible than the braces option, and the transformation that we find with patients’ smiles is incredible. There is an increase in their level of self-confidence and self-esteem.  The results are very rewarding.

If you’d like to learn more, please don’t hesitate to click through our website.  When you are ready, give us a call, schedule a consultation, or feel free to submit a request form online, and a member of our team will be sure to contact you.

 

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13 Feb 2012 No Comments

Get Straighter Teeth By Prom With Invisalign Teen

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA-Dr. David Alpan, a Las Vegas orthodontist at Aesthetic Orthodontics, says that teens who are interested in straightening their teeth can get results before the big events near the end of the school year, such as prom or graduation.

“Invisalign Teen is a treatment method that is ideal for patients who want the beautiful smile without the traditional metal brackets and wires,” says Dr. Alpan, who has offered this treatment since 2008.

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08 Feb 2012 No Comments

Orthognathic Surgery and Orthodontics

 

 

Aesthetic Orthodontics Orthognathic Surgery Patient Testimonial

In my practice, I try to avoid recommending surgery to my patients as much as possible, but there are situations in which corrective jaw surgery, known as orthognathic surgery, is the best solution to creating the most ideal smile. Orthognathic surgery is performed by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon to correct functional, health, or cosmetic problems of the mouth and jaw.

According to the AAOMS (American Association for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons), some of the reasons that may cause a need for corrective jaw surgery include:

  • difficulty chewing, or biting food
  • difficulty swallowing
  • chronic jaw or jaw joint (TMJ) pain and headache
  • excessive wear of the teeth
  • open bite (space between the upper and lower teeth when the mouth is closed)
  • unbalanced facial appearance from the front, or side
  • facial injury or birth defects
  • receding chin
  • protruding jaw
  • inability to make the lips meet without straining
  • chronic mouth breathing and dry mouth
  • sleep apnea (breathing problems when sleeping, including snoring

Many of these same problems are treated in my office without the need for surgery, but in special cases where the jaw is misaligned, it is necessary for the patient to undergo surgery to achieve the desired results.  The practice of orthodontics is meant specifically to correct occlusions (bite) problems when the teeth are misaligned, but when the jaws are misaligned, surgery is sometimes necessary to correct that misalignment.

If you are a candidate for orthognathic surgery, your treatment will most likely include orthodontics before and after the surgery. Braces are used to align the teeth in preparation of the repositioning of the jaws. Post-surgery they are used to continue straightening the teeth and fine-tuning the bite. It can be a long process, but in the end, you will not only achieve the functionality in your mouth that you had been missing, but you will have better aesthetic results as well.  When I have an orthognathic surgery patient, I work very closely with that patient’s dentist and surgeon so that we can serve the patient’s needs as a team.

For more information about orthodontic treatment, please give Aesthetic Orthodontics a call and I will be happy to discuss treatment with you further at no cost to you.  If you are considering orthognathic surgery as an option, there are a number of resources available to you to make you more informed of the process.  Go to the AAOMS website, view other patient experiences on YouTube, and use a search engine to find out more info.  This doctor from Brighton, Michigan also has a great video about patients’ experiences.

Electing to have surgery is a big deal. When you are ready to make that decision, make sure you have a good team behind you and that you feel comfortable with the course of action.

 

 

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31 Jan 2012 No Comments

Smiles of the Rich and Famous

I saw this article online at www.zeel.com and thought it really hit home for adults considering orthodontics, especially those living amongst the stars here in Los Angeles.  

 

Posted on: June 21, 2011
By: StacyAtZeel

http://www.zeel.com/g/smiles-of-the-rich-famous-celebrity-braces/2011/06/21

Longing for a Hollywood smile? Eva Longoria did too. In the July issue of InStyle magazine, the Cristiada leading lady reveals that she is currently sporting, yes, braces to realign her bottom teeth.

Let’s get one thing straight. The 36-year-old actress isn’t the only celebrity to seek an improved smile through orthodontics. For many adults, the only thing more embarrassing than a dreaded tin grin is a mouthful of crooked teeth, so it’s no wonder that one in every five orthodontic patients has long since graduated from wearing a training bra.

The beauty of present day orthodontics is that there are many ways to straighten your smile. Crowded, gapped and overlapping teeth can be perfected with traditional metal braces or with less noticeable clear brackets. For adults who prefer a more concealed style, lingual braces can be fastened to the backs of the teeth. And for those who want to avoid tooth attachments altogether, Invisalign—removable bite trays that shift the teeth into place—can be a practical solution.

Which treatment is right for you? Take a cue from these beaming celebrities who turned to adult orthodontia to enhance their headshots.

Tom Cruise, Age 39

While taking his kids to the orthodontist, silver screen icon Tom Cruise decided to fix his already dashing smile after discovering that his front teeth were not perfectly centered. Cruise opted for invisible braces, though he removed the orthodontia while filming.

Zeel Expert and New York City orthodontist Elisa Mello appeared on Inside Edition to discuss the actor’s dental treatment (you can watch the video here). Mello estimated that Cruise would need to wear the studs for 12 to 18 months.

Katherine Heigl, Age 28

Katherine Heigl never really wanted to fix her “wonky” teeth, that is, until she got engaged. “I want my teeth straight for my wedding photos,” the blonde beauty said in an interview with E! Online. Heigl chose to wear an Invisalign retainer, which she dubbed “Netflix for your teeth.”

Gwen Stefani, Age 30

Fashion icon and former rock-star Gwen Stefani donned full-blown metal braces on both her top and bottom rows of teeth. No doubt, they were as quirky an accessory as her magenta locks and too-short bangs. Still, she managed to nab herself a husband at the time.

Holly Willoughby, Age 30

A growing baby bump isn’t the only physical change this British anchorwoman and model is publicizing these days. “Brace yourselves, I’ve got braces…eek!” Willoughby tweeted earlier this month. The This Morningtelevision presenter chose barely-there clear brackets connected with a thin white wire.

Cher, Age 30s

Ok, so it was a long time ago. But music legend Cher did in fact wear braces as an adult. Cher observed her teeth shifting while at the dentist for a routine cleaning, and had the braces applied soon after. (Too bad Invisalign wasn’t invented yet.)

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