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Damon® Smile Braces

August 4th, 2021

Until recently, the only option for people who need braces was the traditional type in which a wire threads through a bracket that attaches to each tooth. Both the wires and the brackets extend across the breadth of the mouth. Pressure from the wires moves the teeth into the proper position.

For most patients, traditional braces are far from ideal. They are often very uncomfortable for the patient because the ties that connect wires to the teeth prevent them from moving. Ties are used to create heavy force, but the force cuts off the blood supply between the root of the tooth and the bone surrounding it. Teeth can’t move until the blood flow is restored.

Damon Smile aims to guide teeth gently and continuously, and reduce the use of force. Patients have reported that the entire experience of wearing braces is a lot more comfortable. Proud to offer Damon Smile to patients, Christopher Cosse can help you better understand if it’s right for you.

How Damon Smile Works

Unlike traditional treatment with braces, Damon Smile doesn’t require the removal of teeth or the use of palatal expanders. The system uses unique self-ligating braces, in which a specialized clip with a “door” replaces elastics or other ties. The “door” guides the archwire, and allows the teeth to move gently into the proper position. Because of the increased flexibility of the self-ligating brace, it exerts less pressure on individual teeth, and this means you won’t have to get adjustments as frequently.

Another advantage is the fact that the gentler, low-friction force means you won’t experience the long-term discomfort from intense pressure on your teeth, or the tight wires that are so common with traditional braces. Because there are no ties, Damon braces are also much easier to clean.

Three Components of Damon Smile

There are three components of Damon Smile that create faster results, require fewer appointments, and cause less discomfort for patients.

  1. Because Damon Smile doesn’t use metal or plastic ties, there is no need to tighten the wire on the braces.
  2. Lightweight shape-memory wires allow teeth the freedom to move faster, without the need for as many adjustments as occur with traditional braces.
  3. Damon Smile realigns teeth and enhances facial appearance without extracting teeth or using rapid palatal expanders. The slide mechanism of Damon braces facilitates faster, more comfortable repositioning of your teeth.

Damon Smile technology can offer you the option of braces that require fewer adjustments, with less pressure on the teeth and the entire mouth. A discussion with Christopher Cosse will help you determine whether Damon Smile is the best option for you or your child.

Is Damon® Smile right for you?

July 28th, 2021

Christopher Cosse and our team at Cosse & Silmon Orthodontics are pleased to offer Damon Smile to our patients. This treatment is a faster and more comfortable way to straighten teeth and can improve your smile at any age, often without tooth extractions. Damon Smile braces not only help straighten your teeth, but their use can also lead to greater confidence, a better self-image, as well as personal and professional advancement.

Traditional orthodontic treatment often requires the removal of healthy teeth and/or the use of palatal expanders to make space for braces, which usually means treatment takes longer, is more uncomfortable for the patient and can leave a narrower arch and a flat profile.

When using Damon Smile, however, straight teeth are achieved with light, biologically-sensible forces, and are specifically designed to improve each patient’s overall facial result. The system uses unique self-ligating braces, in which a specialized clip with a “door” replaces elastics or other ties. The “door” guides the archwire and allows the teeth to move gently into the proper position. Because of the increased flexibility of the self-ligating brace, it exerts less pressure on the individual tooth; this means you won’t have to get adjustments as frequently.

Another advantage is the gentler, low-friction force means you won’t experience the long-term discomfort from intense pressure on your teeth, or the tight wires that are so common with traditional braces.

If you have been thinking about an orthodontic procedure, come see us at Cosse & Silmon Orthodontics for an assessment to see if Damon Smile is right for you! Give us a call today at our convenient Shreveport, Louisiana office!

Caring for Your Smile While Wearing Clear Aligners

July 21st, 2021

caring for your smile while wearing clear aligners

Getting your braces off is exciting. You’ve been working on your new smile for months or years, and it’s time for the trips to our Shreveport, Louisiana office to pay off. Can you imagine how bad it would be to discover that your teeth are straight, but that there’s decay?

Caring for your smile while wearing Clear Aligners goes beyond just waiting for your teeth to get straighter. It involves cleaning your teeth regularly and thoroughly to prevent tooth decay. That way, your smile will be more beautiful than ever when you’re done with your Clear Aligners treatment.

Take Your Trays Out

The first difference you may notice between Clear Aligners and traditional metal braces is that Clear Aligners are invisible, but there’s another important distinction as well. Clear Aligners braces are removable. You can take the trays out, and you should. Remove the trays while you’re eating so you don’t get food stuck in them. Also, remove them while you’re cleaning your teeth so that you can have full access to all the nooks and crannies in your mouth.

Brush Normally

The guidelines for brushing your teeth with Clear Aligners don’t change compared to braces. Brush your teeth at least twice a day using a soft toothbrush and a fluoride toothpaste, being sure to get all surfaces of your teeth. If possible, brush after each meal.

If you can’t, be sure to drink some water and swish it around in your mouth when you’re done eating to get rid of the extra food on your teeth. Leaving carbohydrates, such as sugar and starch, on your teeth opens the door to tooth decay.

Floss and Wash

Flossing your teeth gets out the bits and pieces stuck between them. It’s a time-consuming task when you need to navigate the wires of traditional metal braces, but thanks to Clear Aligners removable design, flossing is no problem. Rinsing your mouth with a fluoride antibacterial mouthwash also helps clean your teeth because it gets into all of the spaces. Floss and rinse one or two times daily.

Cleaning Your Trays

Cleaning your Clear Aligners trays keeps them from getting riddled with bacteria, and it helps keep your teeth free from excess food. You can use the Clear Aligners cleaning system, which involves placing the trays in a tub with cleaning crystals. The plastic trays are clean after 15 minutes. You can also ask Christopher Cosse for other ways to clean your trays.

Damon® Smile Self-Ligating Braces

July 14th, 2021

Damon® Smile is a state-of-the-art braces treatment that enables you to get a healthy, straight smile more quickly and comfortably than traditional braces. Studies show Damon Smile requires up to six months less time to complete successful treatment.

However, a question many patients have is…

Why should I get braces?

Apart from the boost in self-esteem that straight teeth can give a person, some people wonder whether braces like Damon Smile are necessary. As Christopher Cosse will tell you, braces offer many health benefits as well as aesthetic ones.

When you have evenly spaced teeth and correct bite:

  • It’s easier to brush and floss
  • There is less tension on the supporting bones and muscles of the mouth and jaw, which reduces stress and headaches
  • Chewing is more efficient (which can help your digestion)
  • There is less likelihood of tooth decay caused by inadequate oral hygiene since teeth are easier to clean — so this helps to prevent gum disease.

You can see the benefits of getting braces, but why Damon Smile instead of traditional braces or clear aligners? Damon Smile offers patients a highly customizable and discreet way of straightening their teeth. And it’s suitable for almost all patients, unlike clear aligners, which can be used only in certain situations.

Since Damon Smile isn’t removable, the braces work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to correct your smile and bite. That means faster results with less chance of relapse!

Damon Smile doesn’t use elastics like traditional brackets, which means you experience less bacterial buildup and faster, more comfortable movement of your teeth. Did we mention Damon Smile also comes in a clear version? Damon® Clear™ lets patients move teeth discreetly as well as effectively. There is also a nickel-free option for patients who are sensitive to nickel.

These are just some of the many benefits of braces with Damon Smile. The next time you visit our Shreveport, Louisiana office, ask Christopher Cosse if you’re a good candidate for Damon Smile so you can experience the benefits yourself!