Fredericksburg Parent

August 2019

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16 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • August 2019 Ask the Expert a sk t h e e x p e rt A beautiful smile and straight teeth can help children start a school year right. Therefore, we're excited to have Dr. Diana Almy of Fredericksburg Orthodontics and Invisalign Center as this month's Ask the Expert. Dr. Almy grew up in the Fredericksburg area and leads an all-woman staff in Spotsylvania County. The mother of three boys and a girl (with beautiful teeth!) Dr. Almy took the time to talk us through the latest changes in braces and orthodontic care. Q: When my children had braces back in the mid-2000s, Invisalign was not an option for everyone. How has Invisalign changed? Invisalign is a clear easily removable appliance. Each week, a new appliance is used to move the teeth gradually. Invisalign has been around about 20 years now. Their software and algorithms and technology have changed dramatically over time. About five years ago, they came out with their Smart Track material which is a little more flexible and designed to distribute the forces more evenly over the course of the week. Q: What are the greatest advantages of having Invisalign versus traditional braces? I think it's really revolutionizing what we're doing. It's helpful in kids with special needs, like sensory processing disorders or Autism spectrum disorders. They tend to struggle with oral hygiene because of all those sensory issues and so having Invisalign makes the oral hygiene challenges easier, since they come on and off easily. I've also used it in kids with Down syndrome. It also allows parents to have more control. We put compliance indicators into the Invisalign. It's a little dot of blue vegetable dye on them that fades out over the course of time if the appliances are being worn. So, if your child doesn't wear them, it'll stay blue and you can check on it weekly. Q: Does Invisalign take longer than traditional braces? I still estimate treatment time based on just traditional methods. And the time frame is similar [between traditional braces and Invisalign]. DR. DIANA ALMY, D.D.S., M.S. FREDERICKSBURG ORTHODONTICS INTERVIEWED BY EMILY FREEHLING DR. DIANA ALMY, D.D.S., M.S. COMPLIMENTARY ORTHODONTIC CONSULTATION 540-898-7211 www.fredericksburgorthodontics.com Dr. Diana Almy Board Orthodontist State-Of-The-Art Technology WINNER Thank you # 1 ORTHODONT

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