Refinements are a natural part of aligner therapy. I think that people often see the number of aligners and assume that they are done when they reach the last aligner. Orthodontist are well trained at assessing the types of movements that required to achieve your ideal results. When you are in a consultation, listen closely! They will often give you an estimated length of treatment. I find too often that... Read More

https://youtu.be/k5ZiogigyMQ Each aligner has a specific prescribed tooth movement for each individual tooth. To fully express the prescribed tooth movement, it is important that the teeth seat fully into the plastic aligners. Chewies can assist with this full expression and are fantastic for supplementing our desired tooth movements. In this video, Dr Wesley discusses Chewies and how to use them. Tips to remember: * Keep a Chewie in your aligner... Read More

https://youtu.be/m-KCyoN3V8Y Perhaps the most challenging part of wearing your aligners the minimum 22 hours each day is wearing them in a social setting. Very few engagements that you will attend are less than 30 minutes and I doubt that you are saving up your 2 hours allotted per day until your event. These are the adaptations that Dr Wesley has made. Check them out and perhaps you can mold this... Read More

This episode is a bit goofy yet fun! Dr Wesley takes you on a trip to the grocery store and discusses some foods to avoid while wearing your aligners. He also reveals one of the major overlooked benefits of aligner therapy. If you are having any challenges with your aligner routine and diet please reach out to discuss in the comments below or at info@lifetimeortho.com Here are some important points... Read More

Have you ever wondered what retainers think about when you lay them down to rest in their case at day? It is not pleasant! Think about the most chilling night terrors that you have ever had. Like the one where you were just laying there in your case. You hear the case pop open and think that its off to work I go! Until….”why is this tongue extra slobbery today?... Read More

The first week was undoubtedly the toughest! It was tough getting use to my new routine which consist of taking the aligners out for each meal and cleaning them before placing them back into my mouth. Instead of my phone, wallet, keys checklist it went phone, wallet, keys, aligner case. No big deal but I certainly did forget the case a few times in the first week. The other note... Read More

Yes! The answer is yes, they are dangerous to the health and well being of your teeth. DIY aligners have grown in popularity over the past several years and today we even see them popping up in malls and our local drugstores.  The allure is that you can have straight teeth in a lot less time, without leaving the comfort of your home, and for a significantly reduced cost. I... Read More

Attachments are a critical part of successful tooth movement with aligners. It it easy to imagine how the bracket from traditional braces serve as a "handle" to move a tooth in any desired direction. With aligners, the plastic alone is not able to facilitate every type of tooth movement. It is especially difficult to move smaller teeth like incisors unless they have attachments to assist the movement. Placement of the... Read More

Lifetime Orthodontics is about community! As part of our commitment to going "beyond the smile", we are continuously trying to find ways to support our schools, our educators, and our children that are the future of our communities. This was the inspiration for 'My Teacher Rocks!' My Teacher Rocks! is a contest that we held at our office. To enter, the patient's of our office nominated their favorite teacher by... Read More

When you submit your records into an aligner company such as align, a technician will help to set the case up according to your guidelines. They are NOT orthodontists and it is very rare that we can simply hit approve and expect a good result. It takes a lot of communication between the orthodontist and technician. On average, Dr Wesley will send the clin-check back for edits at least 3-4... Read More