orthodontics Archives - Susan M. Dennis, D.D.S

Can a Teenager Get Invisalign?

Posted on September 14, 2025 by writeradmin.

I had a great experience with my Invisalign treatment. My daughter also needs to have her teeth straightened but she is not keen on the whole braces thing. Is it possible for teenagers to have Invisalign treatments to fix their teeth? She’s 15 and her her teeth are in good health, just a bit crooked.

Melissa

Dear Melissa,

I am glad that you enjoyed your Invisalign treatment. It has an extremely high patient satisfaction rate. As for your daughter, yes, it is possible for your daughter to also straighten her teeth with Invisalign. Before you decide, though, I want you to ask yourself a few questions. You know your daughter better than anyone, so you’ll know if this is a good option for her.

As you know, this treatment is heavily reliant on patient compliance. She will need to wear the aligners for the prescribed amount of time. This will mean leaving them in unless she is having her meals or brushing and flossing her teeth. If you think she is willing to do that, then that is a good sign that she would do well with the treatment. You would also want to make sure that she is not prone to losing things, as she will have to keep up with her aligners.

There is an Invisalign teen program that has additional aligners as part of the program in case they are lost, but it is more expensive, so if you can go with the adult program it will work in your favor.

I don’t know if you kept your last pair of aligners, but if you did, then you can use them as teeth whitening trays. This will allow you to get your teeth whitened at a fraction of the cost. All your dentist will need to do is provide you with the professional strength whitening gel.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Baby Tooth Won’t Come Out

Posted on April 22, 2025 by writeradmin.

I’m almost 15 years old and still have one baby tooth. The adult tooth is coming in and sort of pushing up behind it. Do I need to remove the baby tooth or will it come out on its own? If not, do I need to pull it? Will it hurt?

Katie

Dear Katie,

If the baby tooth won’t come out by itself, and it sounds like it is struggling with that, then you will need to have it removed. If you do not, then the adult tooth will come in crooked. It that happens, then you’ll need some orthodontics in order to straighten out your bite.

I’m wondering why your pediatric dentist has not taken steps to deal with this already. A good pediatric dentist would not allow the baby tooth to be deflected by the adult tooth.

We’re past that now, though. In this case, your baby tooth will need to be extracted. The good news is that a baby tooth does not have roots as deep and strong as adult teeth. That means it will be an easy extraction. You should be fine with a local anesthetic. However, if you are nervous about it, I recommend seeing a sedation dentist in order to have this removed.

A sedation dentist can provide you with a medication which will completely relax you and allow your numbing medication to be completely effective.

You are old enough to no longer need a children’s dentist, so I would start by looking for a dentist who can give you the sedation that you need and go from there. There are many general dentists, like Dr. Dennis, who treat children. You’re a teenager and will be fine even if they don’t.

If it turns out that you do need orthodontics, I want you to be aware that there is a procedure known as Invisalign that will allow you to straighten your teeth without anyone even knowing. They use clear aligners instead of metal wires and brackets.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Can I Switch Invisalign Dentists?

Posted on December 15, 2024 by writeradmin.

I’m about halfway done with my Invisalign treatment. While I am really loving the Invisalign, I really hate the dentist. I’ve tried to just ignore his crude comments and his political diatribes, I really did. I just have gotten to the point where I dread going. I need to finish this treatment. Is there a way to switch dentists within the Invisalign group or will they make me stay with this dentist?

Pamela

Dear Pamela,

I’m sorry that your dentist has been so repugnant. That type of behavior really has no place in a medical practice.

The good news is that you do not have to stay with this dentist. It is not up to the Invisalign company which dentist you use. You can easily switch dentists at any point during the treatment.

In fact, your dentist is under an ethical obligation to facilitate a smooth transfer to the next dentist. This includes providing all of his notes as well as diagnostics. When I say it is an ethical code, I mean by the American Dental Association, so if he doesn’t cooperate you could report him to the dental board.

It will be easy enough for you to pick up your Invisalign treatment with the next dentist. The treatment is already designed, it’s a matter of just continuing from where you left off. Just make sure you keep wearing your aligners until you’re settled with the new dentist.

I don’t know if your other dentist mentioned that you can whiten your teeth and straighten them at the same time. This is because your Invisalign aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. All you need is for your dentist to provide you with the whitening gel and you can wear that in your aligners at your convenience.

This will be a little way to treat yourself to a mini smile makeover.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Solving a Huge Tooth Gap

Posted on December 6, 2022 by Dr. Dennis.

I have a humongous tooth gap. It’s so large, you could likely fit another tooth in between the two spaces. My dentist is suggesting two things. I’m not sure I’m crazy about either of them. One is a snap-on smile. The other is Lumineers. I don’t like that the snap-on smile isn’t permanent. The Lumineers are, but cost a fortune. Because of that, I wanted to check if there are other options my dentist might be overlooking. I’m too old for braces which is why that’s not an option I’m considering.

Danny

Dear Danny,

I’m glad you wrote. Both of the things your dentist suggested would range from disappointing to disastrous. Not many patients are happy with snap-on smile for anything but a photo shoot. It’s a decent temporary solution. And I do mean decent. They will be no where near as stunning as a smile makeover with porcelain veneers. Plus, even with careful treatment, they only last a few years. That leads me to the Lumineers.

Even if you were willing to pay that much money to fix this gap, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend that brand of porcelain veneers. Their lab is not known for producing beautiful results. In addition, they are often marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists as being easy to place because they don’t “require” tooth preparation. Unfortunately, in most cases, those results end up bulky looking.

In your particular case, if you decided to go with porcelain veneers the size of your gap would require you hire one of the top cosmetic dentists in the country. That would likely be even more expensive than what your dentist quoted you.

The Affordable Tooth Gap Solution

When there is a small tooth gap, it is generally closed up using dental bonding. This is a composite resin that can be hand sculpted onto your teeth to fix chips and gaps. However, as mentioned above, the size of your gap complicates things.

You mentioned you are too old for braces. Is that something your dentist told you or are you feeling like you are too old to have a bunch of metal wires and brackets? Many adults feel that way. Plus, sometimes you have a professional position in which appearance is an important factor.

By any chance did your dentist mention Invisalign. This is a huge advancement in orthodontics. It allows you to straighten your teeth (or in your case close tooth gaps) invisibly. Instead of metal, it uses clear aligners to gently guide your teeth into a new position.

This is actually what I’d recommend to a patient in your position.

This blog is brought to you by Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis of Portage, MI.

Can Whitening Trays Replace a Retainer?

Posted on October 31, 2022 by Dr. Dennis.

I just finished my Invisalign treatment and my dentist wants me to wear a retainer for about a year. I’m not too keen on wearing something visible after having my teeth straightened invisibly, but didn’t see that I had much of a choice. Now, I’ve lost it. I’ve torn the house apart looking for it to no avail. I don’t know what to do. I don’t have a ton of money I’d like to wait until after the holidays to get a new one made. I happened to find my whitening trays while looking for my retainer. Can I wear those until I have money? They fit well.

Laura M.

Dear Laura,

Congratulations on finishing your Invisalign treatment. I bet you’re loving your new smile. I’m sure it feels conspicuous wearing a metal retainer after Invisalign. I’m surprised your orthodontist didn’t mention there are clear retainers available. When you talk to your dentist about replacing your retainer, be sure to ask him or her to list all the options available to you, even the ones they don’t do at their office.

Unfortunately, your teeth whitening trays won’t make a good substitute. Whitening trays are purposefully made soft and flexible. This makes them quite comfortable to wear, which is great if you’re whitening your teeth but no so great if you need something to hold them firmly in place. The longer it’s been since the completion of your treatment, the better. Your teeth will be more firmly in place.

Your teeth are always on the move in some fashion and will start to shift again. You’ll need that retainer to keep them in place. A retainer is designed to give your teeth time to get used to remaining in the correct position.

I realize you don’t have much money, but this is important. If you still have your Invisalign aligners, it might not be a bad idea to wear the final set while your dentist makes you a new retainer. Many dentists have options for paying out services. For instance, Dr. Dennis uses Care Credit, which allows patients to get interest-free payment plans. This gives patients time and helps to break up the financial burden without the penalty of interest you’d get with traditional credit cards.

I hope this helps.
This blog is brought to you by Holistic Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Fixing a Single Crooked Tooth

Posted on October 29, 2022 by Dr. Dennis.

I have one tooth which is crazy crooked. It’s also way behind the tooth next to it. That wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t one of my front teeth. I’ve seen several different dentists. The two most common solutions I’m getting is pulling the tooth and braces. I feel too old for braces, but the idea of pulling the tooth seems weird too. Which solution do you think is better?

Roy

Dear Roy,

I can understand why you feel too old for metal braces. No one wants a mouth full of uncomfortable metal wires and brackets. Nor do I think pulling the tooth is a solution. There probably isn’t enough room there for a good tooth replacement such as a dental implant. You wouldn’t want to have an uneven amount of teeth in your mouth. That would make your smile quite weird. In order to make room for an implant, you’d need some type of orthodontics to open up the space.

However, I have two possible solutions for you, neither of which requires yanking your front tooth or a mouth full of metal.

Solution One: Invisalign

These are orthodontics which use clear aligners instead of metal wires and brackets. Some people call them invisible braces. That is because they are truly invisible while you’re wearing them, even at a conversational distance. This will straighten your crooked tooth.

It has an additional benefit. The aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. This will allow you to straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time.

This is actually the way I’d go unless there are other things you want to fix about your teeth. If there are other things that bother you, there is another option.

Solution Two: Porcelain Veneers

With porcelain veneers, you get a total smile makeover and the go-to procedure for celebrities. Using tiny wafers of porcelain, a skilled cosmetic dentist can remake the shape, size, and color of your teeth all in one go. It will not straighten your crooked tooth, but it will make it look straight.

This blog is brought to you by Michigan Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Baby and Adult Teeth Simultaneously

Posted on August 22, 2022 by Dr. Dennis.

My daughter has four baby teeth that have erupted behind her adult teeth. I’m not sure what to do about it. Do I pull the baby teeth? Will her adult teeth still need braces? I’m surprised this happened. I’ve been deployed for the last year and my husband has been taking her to the dentist (I assume). When I asked him about it he got defensive. Do you have any advice for something like this?

Kelly.

Dear Kelly,

First, I want to thank you for your service. It is greatly appreciated. I know it is a sacrifice. As to the situation you are in, if your husband did take your daughter to the pediatric dentist then they should have addressed this. Since they haven’t, I think you would be better served by a different pediatric dentist or even a family dentist, which is a general dentist who enjoys treating children as well.

You didn’t mention the age of your daughter, so I’ll give a variety of advice for her. First, the baby teeth need to be extracted. Ideally, that would have happened as soon as the adult teeth began to erupt in order to prevent them from deflecting the permanent teeth, but that is water under the bridge.

It is possible she will need some orthodontics. If that happens, both traditional braces or Invisalign for teens will be an option depending on her age and level of personal responsibility.

Congenitally Missing Adult Teeth

Sometimes children have the opposite problem where they have an adult tooth that never forms. When that happens it is best to just leave it there for as long as it is healthy, viable, and aligns with her bite. If any of those change or it falls out, then it will be time for stage 2.

The ideal tooth replacement is a dental implant. However, she’ll need to be of an age where her jaw is fully developed. If she isn’t, then I would use a temporary tooth replacement, such as a dental flipper, which you can get fairly cheaply. Then, when she is old enough, get the dental implant. These are like having a healthy, natural tooth there and are permanently placed. She’ll be able to eat anything and brush and floss as she normally would.

This blog is brought to you by Dental Implant Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Can Invisalign Repair Spacing Post Braces?

Posted on August 13, 2022 by Dr. Dennis.

When I was a teenager, I wore braces for years. I was so sick of metal that I wasn’t the best at wearing my retainer. I think that’s why I’ve always had minor spacing issues on my teeth. I’m 30 now and don’t want another mouth full of metal. Truthfully, I’m dreading another few years of any ortho but the spacing bothers me. Would Invisalign be an option for this?

Carolyn

Dear Carolyn,

Two images of a woman smile inserting her Invisalign aligners

The Invisalign Option

You weren’t the only teenager to neglect their retainers. It’s a common problem facing parents and orthodontists treating young people. Sometimes it’s the retainer issue that causes the spacing problems. Sometimes it’s just the natural shifting our teeth do throughout our lives.

Either way, Invisalign is a great solution for you. Even better, it won’t require a few years as you feared. In fact, it will likely only take Invisalign a few months which not only cuts your expected treatment time but your cost as well.

Another Benefit of Using Invisalign

In addition to being invisible even at a conversational distance, and very comfortable, your Invisalign aligners can also double as teeth whitening trays. This gives you a sort of mini smile makeover; just the thing to build your confidence and you’ll smile more.

Studies have shown that those are the people whom we perceive as leaders. That kind of confidence is good for both your personal and professional life.

One thing to be aware of is, like your old retainer from high school, if you don’t wear your aligners for the prescribed amount of time it won’t be effective. So, keep those aligners in, except when you’re eating or brushing, and you will be just fine.

When you’re finished, you’ll have a gorgeous new smile you’ll be proud to share with everyone around you.

Be Careful with SmileDirectClub

Some patients who are interested in Invisalign see the ads for SmileDirectClub and think this is a great way to save money. However, I would check online for SmileDirectClub horror stories for the full story. There are things that could go wrong, and we believe it’s important to have a dentist directly supervising your care.

This blog is brought to you by Portage, MI cosmetic dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.