Jacqui eating oysters with her Incognito braces

There are a number of places on the internet to get information directly from patient about what it is like to wear Incognito braces.  I am going to try and begin listing these resources.  I will start with Jacqui who is a 3M Unitek employee and is writing a blog documenting her experience with her orthodontic treatment using the Incognito system.

She is 30 years old and although she had traditional braces when she was a kid, her teeth moved over the years and she decided to straighten her teeth with Incognito Hidden Braces!

Jacqui is tracking her progress and experiences on her blog so that others can decide if getting Incognito Hidden Braces is an appropriate choice for them.  If you’re looking into for hidden braces for yourself,  more information is available at HiddenBraces.com If you want to learn more about Jacqui and what her life’s been like since she became Incognito Jacqui, follow along at IncognitoJacqui.3m.ca Jacqui is happy to answer questions about her experiences , you can email her via  this link.

Incognito Certified Provider

Braces? What Braces?

In 2011 we received a lot of attention regarding our Incognito braces.  Seattle Met Magazine wrote:

Gone are the days of “brace face” and “metal mouth.” Incognito braces are the hot new way to straighten teeth. More discreet than traditional braces and able to correct misaligned teeth to a greater extent than Invisalign’s clear, removable aligners, Incognito braces are cast in gold in Germany, custom made, and fitted to the tongue side of your teeth—making them undetectable to anyone but the wearer. Dr. Christopher Riolo, who tested out the braces on his own teeth for two years, is the only orthodontist in Seattle to offer them, and reports they are “more accurate and efficient than traditional braces.” Dr. Christopher Riolo at Riolo Orthodontics, 509 Olive Way, Ste 824, 206-467-4441; http://www.seattleorthodontist.com

You can find the article here at,  http://www.seattlemet.com/health-and-fitness/articles/seattle-dentists-top-dental-treatments-0211/ ]]> http://seattleorthodontist.com/2011/12/31/seattlemet-article-referring-to-incognito-braces-at-riolo-orthodontics/feed/ 0 http://seattleorthodontist.com/2011/12/22/have-a-great-new-year-from-riolo-orthodontics-www-seattleorthodontist-com/ http://seattleorthodontist.com/2011/12/22/have-a-great-new-year-from-riolo-orthodontics-www-seattleorthodontist-com/#comments Fri, 23 Dec 2011 07:16:32 +0000 Dr Chris Riolo http://seattleorthodontist.com/?p=2060 We here at Riolo Orthodontics wish you a happy and successful 2012.  We will be working hard to provide excellent orthodontic care to all of our patients in 2012.  We are proud to be the leading provider of the Incognito system in the state of Washington.

Read more on Have a Great New Year From Riolo Orthodontics, www.SeattleOrthodontist.com…

2011 Incognito users meeting

Dr Riolo is traveling to the 2011 Incognito Appliance System users meeting along with orthodontic professionals from around the world at the Atlantis Resort, Bahamas. This meeting offers unique learning opportunity for orthodontists interested in the incognito custom lingual bracket system.

The Incognito™ Appliance System enables clinicians to provide invisible orthodontic treatment with remarkable quality and speed, even in the most complex malocclusions.

We will be paying special attention to the use of 3D technology and the integration of our new Kodak 9000C 3D focused field imaging system in order to maximize the effectiveness of the incognito CAD/CAM appliances in order to enhance the orthodontic results in our office. We are looking to integrate Clinical patient data with with 3D research data to prevent problems during treatment and maximize the benefit of this appliance system for our patients.

Harmony's self ligating lingual bracket

The Harmony bracket System uses PVS impressions sent to their laboratory facilities where they create a highly accurate 3D scan of the patient's teeth, which are then moved to their ideal position following the orthodontist's recommended treatment plan. The brackets are then manufactured with a custom prescription dictated by the orthodontist.

The HARMONY System was developed in 2007 by Dr. Patrick Curiel, an orthodontist with a practice in Paris, France. After four years in development and with over 1,000 successfully treated cases they have partnered with American orthodontics to supply Harmony brackets to North American orthodontists.  With extensive lingual treatment experience using the Incognito system we are now also a certified provider of the harmony bracket system.  Contact us on our web site www.SeattleOrthodontist.com at the Contact Us page or directly through email at info@SeattleOrthodontist.com for more information regarding your treatment options with either Incognito or the new Harmony bracket system.

A special fluoride-releasing sealant is applied to the tooth surface at the time of appliance placement. This sealant is a light-cured agent that will completely set without an oxygen-inhibited layer. This creates a smooth, hard surface that prevents leakage, helps in the protection of the enamel by aiding in the prevention of decalcification. When indicated, we also periodically place a fluoride varnish to inhibit bacterial growth and decalcification.

Of course, good oral hygiene is required to maintain oral health. We give our patients instructions in tooth brushing, flossing and the need for a proper diet. When appropriate we also employ a prescription Fluoridex toothpaste, initially used three times a day for the first 3 months, then used at least once per day throughout their active treatment and for the first year in retainers. We feel this one-step prescription-strength fluoride application/toothpaste product is an excellent adjunct to the patient oral hygiene protocol. In addition, we also encourage the use of other auxiliary oral hygiene tools such as Waterpiks and electric toothbrushes.

We continue to assess our child and adolescent patient’s oral hygiene at each appointment on an ongoing basis. If a patient presents with good oral care, healthy gums free of gingivitis and no visible plaque or debris, they are rewarded with wooden nickels to use toward the “purchase” of raffle tickets for entry in our bi-monthly drawing for prizes. We feel that this positive reward system serves as a reminder to the patient of the importance of proper oral hygiene.

Our patients continue to see their general dentist on a routine basis throughout their orthodontic treatment. Should their oral hygiene become a challenge, we encourage them to increase their recall intervals to a three or four month rotation. Decalcification "white spot" lesions are the single most common negative side effect of orthodontic treatment in our younger patients and we continue to take this problem very seriously.

Click on the arrow below and they will begin automatically. After the first video starts, move your mouse to lower portion of the box to select videos individually. Feel free to contact our office or email info@seattleorthodontist.com to schedule a free new patient exam or ask questions.

Incognito Braces

Q: Would that treatment plan be as effective using braces behind the teeth as conventional braces?

A: Custom made brackets are more efficient than standard stock brackets that are mass produced for the "average" person.  The standard prescription in the stock bracket is not ideal for any individual.  It is produced to be as close to the correct prescription for the greatest number of patients and thereby is correct for no single individual. Theoretically, custom lingual is more efficient especially in terms of treatment time and precision. The literature show this and I have noticed a difference clinically; that being said it is possible to get an excellent result with either product.

Q: If we chose incognito braces for the top teeth, and braces on the front of the teeth for the bottom teeth, would the treatment time be longer than
lingual braces top and bottom.?

A: I am not sure there would be a significant clinical difference between 1 arch and 2 in terms of treatment time. You should think in terms of aesthetics versus cost.

Q: Does building up the molars with composite help his front teeth avoid hitting both lingual & frontal braces?

A: Yes the buildups on the back teeth keep from biting lower brackets on the outside and the upper brackets on the inside, so you need them with both systems.  With the Incognito system you can modify the bracket design to avoid biting on the brackets in the opposing arch therefore composite buildups are not usually needed.

Q: Is it best to get your teeth cleaned before you get braces?

A:  It is important to have the teeth free of plaque and calculus anytime you delivering braces but it is especially important when fabricating and delivering a custom bracket system such as Incognito.  We want the teeth free of both plaque and calculus before both the impression appointment and the bracket delivery appointment so that we can minimize the chances for distortion in the fabrication of the brackets and contamination during the cementation of the brackets.  It is also important not get have had a fluoride treatment in the last couple of weeks before bonding the brackets, as fluoride can decrease the bond strength and lead to increase chance of bracket failure.  The efficiency of the custom bracket system is predicated in part on the ability to keep the brackets on.  Excessive bond failure can result in increased treatment time as well as reduce precision in the finished result.