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3465 E Meridian Park Loop Ste C
Wasilla, AK 99654
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Leave Behind these 5 Worries with ClearCorrect Aligners

Woman holds up ClearCorrect aligners for top and bottom teethThe path to straightening teeth is often a crooked one. But it doesn’t have to be! ClearCorrect treatment makes aligning teeth a simpler process, with less hassle and pain for the patient.

ClearCorrect providers, like those at Meridian Dental, offer their patients this orthodontic treatment that uses transparent, plastic aligners to move teeth into proper alignment over several months. The length of the treatment will vary depending on the patient’s malocclusion. Around every 2-3 weeks, the patient will receive a new set of custom ClearCorrect aligners. Each set moves teeth into straighter alignment than before.

We want patients to be excited about receiving this teeth aligning treatment, not anxious. You should have a smile you aren’t afraid to hide and ClearCorrect can make that possible! Here are 5 worries you can leave at the door when you step into Meridian Dental for your ClearCorrect aligners. We serve patients in Wasilla, Palmer, and surrounding areas in Alaska’s Mat-Su Valley.

Worry #1: Getting Food Stuck Between Teeth

Braces may be the most common orthodontic treatment, but its metal brackets or wires can’t be removed, except by your orthodontist or dentist. ClearCorrect aligners, however, are an alternative and removable orthodontic treatment!

This means that you won’t have to trouble with food getting lodged between teeth or around brackets. Plastic aligners can and should be removed during meals, giving you a lot more freedom to continue eating what you would like.

Worry #2: Difficulty to Maintain

Because a patient is unable to remove braces, building up food and plaque, this treatment also makes it hard to keep teeth clean. Many patients even floss less frequently (or not at all) because flossing under the metal wires is such an ordeal.

Patients with ClearCorrect should remove their aligners when brushing as well. With no brackets or wires to get in the way, teeth can be cleaned thoroughly without any obstructions for better dental health. Keeping the aligners clean doesn’t require much maintenance either.

Worry #3: Discomfort During Treatment

Many patients hear disheartening stories about friends experiencing extreme discomfort from tightened braces, or when a wire pops out and forms sores on the walls of their mouth. But not with ClearCorrect!

The pressure you’ll feel with each new set of ClearCorrect aligners is not nearly as painful as tightening braces. Furthermore, the edges and surface of aligners are smooth and won’t cause extra pain from sores in your mouth.

Worry #4: People Noticing Aligners

ClearCorrect’s clear aligners are nearly invisible when a patient is wearing them. This is especially important for adults who want to correct teeth alignment, but don’t want braces or aligners to affect how they look. While braces can be an eyesore, ClearCorrect is a convenient treatment for patients by not drawing any unwanted attention to your mouth.

Worry #5: The ResultsMan with straight teeth after using ClearCorrect aligners shows off his smile

We understand that the final results of ClearCorrect treatment is a big concern for patients. Results will vary from person to person and effectiveness depends a lot on the severity of misalignment. That being said, ClearCorrect often aligns teeth quicker than braces can with the same beautiful outcome.

One key to getting the best results from your ClearCorrect aligners is to wear them as much as you can. The preferable amount of time is 20-22 hours per day. Keep them in except to eat and brush teeth! More responsibility is on you to make ClearCorrect treatment work well. However, when you do keep aligners in, the results are remarkable.

Schedule a ClearCorrect Consultation Appointment

ClearCorrect teeth alignment is a great solution for adults and teenagers alike who want to straighten teeth, without the hassle of braces. A less painful, quicker, and more convenient treatment, ClearCorrect is helping millions of patients get the smiles they’ve been wanting.

Talk with Meridian Dental’s dentist today to see if ClearCorrect is the best orthodontic option for straightening your crooked teeth, closing teeth gaps, or fixing other alignment issues.

What to Know Before Getting a Tooth Crown

Has your dentist recommended a crown for one or more of your teeth? Dental crowns are a common form of restorative dentistry that can protect and strengthen teeth in the hopes that teeth extraction can be avoided. But there’s a lot more to dental crowns than you may realize.

What is the Purpose of a Crown?Illustration of dental crown being placed on a damaged tooth

A tooth crown is used to guard and support a tooth when it is severely cracked, weakened, or broken. It can be made with several different materials including porcelain, ceramic, or resin. The crown, sometimes referred to as a cap, is fitted over the remaining tooth after the area has been cleaned and prepared for the crown. Dental crowns resemble other teeth in both color and shape.

Learn more about this procedure and what you can expect after getting your crown below, and talk with our dentist at Meridian Dental for more information. Schedule a free crown consultation at our dental office in Wasilla, AK!

    1. Not all tooth decay will require a tooth crown.

      Small cracks in teeth usually don’t require a crown. In these cases, another form of restorative dentistry, fillings, are used. In other cases, decay or a fracture may have made its way down into a tooth’s roots. Before a tooth crown is placed to support the vulnerable tooth in such a situation, root canal treatment may be performed. A good judge for whether or not a tooth crown is needed is its structural soundness. Infected roots and large cracks can deteriorate a tooth’s structure much quicker and more severely than a small cavity and will most likely need a dental crown. For lighter cases of tooth decay, often fillings will suffice.

    2. Getting a filling now doesn’t mean that you won’t need a tooth crown later.

      In cases when a filling would be the best solution, just be aware that the filling will not eliminate future need for a tooth crown. Other cavities or fractures could compromise dental structure even after a filling was placed. Patients who grind teeth or bite forcibly also can weaken their teeth and wear down previous fillings until a tooth crown is required.

    3. Tooth decay isn’t the only reason to get a same-day crown. 

      Extreme fractures and decay are only a few causes for a dentist to suggest tooth crowns. Other reasons for recommending a tooth crown can include:Digital rendering of tooth bridge being placed on anchoring dental implants

      • Cosmetic purposes: Your dentist may place dental crowns over discolored or stained teeth to blend better with surrounding teeth.
      • Dental implants: Tooth crowns can act as covers for dental implants as well.
      • Tooth bridges or dentures: To anchor down prosthetic teeth in a tooth bridge or dentures, a dental crown may be used, either with a dental implant or cemented onto an existing tooth.
    4. Waiting for a tooth crown sometimes can worsen the problem.

      Every case is different. Not everyone will experience complications by waiting to receive crowns when they are needed. But for some patients, postponing a crown appointment can cause decay or fractures to worsen. This may lead to the patient needing a root canal or even extracting the tooth altogether.

    5. Even permanent crowns won’t last forever.

      Like other teeth, a longer lifespan for your crown will depend on how well you take care of it. Wear protective teeth splints if you grind teeth, and avoid eating sticky or hard foods. Brush and floss every day, especially where the crown meets the tooth. If you neglect good dental hygiene habits such as these, bacteria buildup can form under the crown, weakening and deteriorating the tooth all over again. But if you take good care of your tooth crown, it will last generally 10 or so years.

    6. Patients can get crowns in a single visit. In the past, patients had to schedule two appointments to get a permanent crown. During the first appointment, a mold would be made for the final crown and the patient would leave with a temporary crown. The mold would be sent to a dental laboratory where the permanent crown was sculpted. Once completed, the individual could come in for their second appointment when the new permanent crown was fitted and cemented onto the tooth. While the two appointment approach is still an option for patients, now you can opt for same-day crowns instead. As the name implies, same-day dental crowns are molded, milled, and bonded onto the remaining tooth in a single appointment. This is a great alternative for patients with busy schedules or individuals who want a permanent crown sooner! Patients get the same, finely crafted dental crown they would before only now in less time.

Dentist color-matches dental implant crown with existing teeth

Come Get Same-Day Tooth Crowns at Meridian Dental

Meridian Dental is one such dental office providing same-day crowns to patients in Wasilla, Palmer, and Alaska’s Mat-Su Valley. We are proud to offer our patients this advanced care and other technologies to help improve their dental health.

We also believe that patients shouldn’t be pushed into getting a tooth crown when a filling or another restorative dental treatment could work just as well if not better. Our dentist is esteemed in the Mat-Su for his honest assessments about what will be best for the patient. With Dr. Kris Gurr, DDS, you will never be pushed into undergoing unnecessary procedures. Come get the care you deserve by a respected and trusted dentist.

Meet with our dentist today to talk about getting a dental crown for your cracked or weakened teeth! Call our dental office with any questions you have about same-day crowns.

Why Invisalign? 6 Pros to the Popular Teeth Alignment Treatment

Woman removes clear Invisalign aligner for correcting and straightening teethAre you embarrassed to show your smile in pictures? Do you cover up your teeth when in conversation? Misaligned or crooked teeth often makes patients feel embarrassed about how their smiles look. Don’t hide your smile anymore! For patients in Wasilla, AK and surrounding areas in the Mat-Su, Meridian Dental has got just the ticket with Invisalign.

What is Invisalign? How Does it Work?

Invisalign is a teeth alignment treatment that uses a series of clear, plastic orthodontic retainers to gradually straighten teeth and properly align smiles. That includes resolving problems such as overbites and underbites, gap teeth, misaligned teeth that are causing jaw pain, or crooked teeth.

Each Invisalign retainer or clear aligner is custom created and molded for your teeth using a 3D scanner in our dental office. You will receive a new set of aligners about every 2 weeks, each one closer to a straight, well-aligned smile.

Once teeth are where you want them to be, you will receive a pair of retainers to keep the teeth in place after treatment. Wear these retainers just at night, not around the clock like you will with the clear aligners during treatment.

Why Should I Align my Teeth with Invisalign?

What are some of the advantages to Invisalign, especially compared to other orthodontic treatments such as traditional, metal braces? Here are just a few pros to consider:

Woman holds Invisalign aligner and prosthetic teeth with metal braces to show the differences between the two

  1. Invisalign aligners are removable! This may be one of the biggest benefits that patients love about this treatment. Unlike metal braces, aligners can pop in and out of your mouth. Our dentist will ask that you remove aligners when eating and brushing teeth. Be aware, though, that just because you can remove aligners, doesn’t mean that you should remove them more than is necessary. For treatment to work quicker and more effectively, wear aligners at least 20-22 hours each day.
  2. The clear aligners are nearly invisible. Another huge pro for patients is how the aligners are hardly noticeable. They don’t stand out like metal braces do. A majority of people won’t even be able to tell that you have aligners in!
  3. They are smooth and less likely to cause sores. Invisalign patients don’t have to deal with the hassle of metal brackets on their teeth. Brackets and wires can irritate a patient’s mouth, resulting in painful sores and discomfort. Not with Invisalign! Patients experience some discomfort as teeth align, but the fitted, clear aligners lie flat along the surface of your teeth.
  4. Removable aligners make it easier to prevent plaque buildup. Keeping teeth clean by maneuvering around braces’ brackets is another hassle. Food catches in the brackets themselves and patients thread dental floss around wires. As such, plaque buildup is hard to avoid with braces. Nothing like that gets in the way of cleaning your teeth with Invisalign, though. Simply remove the aligners when it’s time to eat and brush. Keeping the aligners clean isn’t too difficult either with a specific Invisalign cleaner or denture cleaner.
  5. No change to diet is required. Certain foods that stick to metal braces aren’t restricted for Invisalign users. Free free to chew gum or eat other sticky foods, just so long as you remove your aligners!
  6. Treatment is often completed in less time. For patients with less malocclusion, and who wear their aligners as often as they should, treatment is not as long as other orthodontic care. It’s a way to straighten and align teeth without too much disruption to your way of living.

Get Your Invisalign Aligners at Meridian Dental!

Each treatment will come with its own pros and cons. But the pros for Invisalign are difficult to pass up! Meridian Dental is proud to provide Invisalign to our patients in and around Wasilla and Palmer, AK. We’ve seen just how beneficial and reliable this cosmetic dentistry treatment is for straightening teeth. The results are beautiful!

Schedule a consultation appointment with our Wasilla dentist to discuss if Invisalign is the right teeth alignment treatment for you. Let’s help you love your smile.

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