A. If your tooth is knocked out, you should carefully rinse the tooth with water and attempt to place the tooth back in its socket and secure it with a wet wrap. If you cannot place the tooth back in its socket, put it in a glass filled with either saliva or milk. You should then contact your dentist immediately.

A. Extruded teeth are teeth that are forced out of position. This can cause serious tooth pain.

A. If your tooth is pushed out of place, you should reposition it to its normal alignment using very light finger pressure. You should hold the tooth in place with a moist gauze or tissue. Make sure that a dentist sees you within a half hour.

A. When you have a toothache, you should clean your mouth by rinsing with warm water and remove any food that is trapped between teeth by flossing. Do not apply aspirin on the aching tooth or gum tissues. See your dentist as soon as possible.

A. If you have an object caught between your teeth, you should try to gently remove it with dental floss. Sometimes it helps to double up the floss. Do not attempt to remove the object with a sharp or pointed device. If you can not still cannot remove the object, see your dentist.

A. To treat a bitten tongue or lip, you should gently clean the area with a cloth and apply a cold compress to reduce swelling. If the bleeding continues, go to the hospital emergency room.

A. We brush our teeth to remove bacteria and left over food particles from the mouth.

A. You should brush your teeth twice a day for at least two to three minutes using a soft brush.

A. If you can't brush your teeth, you can rinse your mouth with water after a meal or snack to reduce acid reproduction by 30%. Wiping your teeth with a napkin is also a temporary measure until you can brush your teeth. Chewing sugar free gum helps as well, by cleaning and increasing saliva.

A. Tooth bleaching or whitening is the process of lightening stains or discoloration of your teeth.

A. Dentists can determine which bleaching method is right for you. We recommend at home, supervised bleaching. This method involves a custom-made mouth guard and bleaching materials. You will be given instructions on how to wear the mouth guard. This kind of treatment generally requires 10 to 14 days to complete.

A. Tooth bleaching whitens the teeth when the active whitening agent, carbamide peroxide, contacts water and hydrogen peroxide is released.

A. Studies have proven bleaching to be safe and effective. Bleaching does not soften, demineralize, or weaken the teeth. The bleaching material is, however, toxic and so a mouthguard is essential to minimise swallowing the material.

A. With Intraveneous Sedation (I.V.) you cannot drive for 24 hours. With Relative Anaelgesia (R.A.), also known as nitrous oxide/oxygen, you should wait at least 30 minutes after sedation before driving.

A. A digital x-ray is a computerized technology that allows a small sensor placed inside the patient's mouth to take the x-ray and instantly display it on a computer screen for dentists to review.

A. Yes. In both clinical research and in dental practices around the world, Invisalign has been proven effective at straightening teeth. Over a million patients have either been treated or are in treatment, and over 44,000 dental professionals have been trained on how to use Invisalign.

A. Aligners are made of clear, strong, medical grade, non-toxic plastic that is virtually invisible when worn.

A. Aligners are nearly invisible and look similar to clear, tooth-whitening trays, but are custom made for a better fit to move teeth. Some dentists have referred to them as “contact lenses for teeth.”

A. The length of treatment is dependent on the severity of the individual case. Treatment may vary from anywhere between 6 months to 2 years, with an average treatment taking around 12 to 14 months.

A. Like brackets and arch wires, the Invisalign aligner moves teeth through the appropriate placement of controlled force on the teeth. The principal difference is that Invisalign not only controls forces, but also controls the timing of the force application. At each stage, only certain teeth are allowed to move, and these movements are determined by the orthodontic treatment plan for that particular stage. This results in an efficient force delivery system.

A. As is typical of medical product introductions, Invisalign conducted extensive testing prior to commercially releasing the product. Various U.S. universities have conducted clinical studies and numerous clinical articles have been published by U.S. and Australian dentists.

A. Most likely. There is a government rebate that is available to a taxpayer whose eligible net medical expenses in the year of income exceed $1,500. The amount of the rebate is 20% of the excess over $1,500 but cannot exceed the amount of the tax otherwise paid. The rebate is claimed when patients lodge their annual income tax return. Invisalign may also be claimable through your private health insurance fund. It is best to seek advice from your accountant to check if you are eligible.

A. Patients that are difficult or unsuitable for Invisalign may include those who are looking to up-right severely tipped teeth, have missing teeth, have teeth that have not erupted, have poor periodontal conditions, or who want to change their facial profile.

A. After or during the initial consultation, the staff at Lynn Wood Dental will need to take x-rays, photos, and moulds of your teeth. These records will be sent to the United States to be used to manufacture your custom made aligners. This process will take approximately six weeks (from the time the moulds are taken of your teeth).

A. It has been reported that the pain is nothing like the pain experienced in normal fixed braces. Most people experience temporary, minor discomfort for a few days at the beginning of each new stage of treatment. This is normal and typically described as the feeling of pressure. It is a sign that the aligners are working and sequentially moving your teeth to their final destination. This discomfort typically goes away a couple of days after you insert the new aligner in the series.

A. Like all orthodontic appliances, aligners may temporarily affect the speech of some people, and you may have a slight lisp for a day or two. However, as your tongue gets used to having the aligners in your mouth, any lisp or minor speech impediment caused by the aligners should disappear.