19 Aug
2008

Posted in: Articles
By jennifer    1 Comment

Minneapolis Orthodontist Offers Next Generation of Lingual Braces

August 19, 2008- ST. PAUL AND MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – There is a new generation of lingual braces that boasts a sleeker, customized design and may shave months off of total treatment time.iBraces are lingual braces- those affixed behind the teeth instead of to the visible surfaces- that are uniquely designed for each individual patient “to hug the lingual surfaces of your teeth for optimal comfort, fit and performance,” according to Lingualcare, a 3M Unitek company that manufactures the braces (http://www.lingualcare.com/patient/about.php) .

Minneapolis orthodontist Dr. Jennifer Eisenhuth trained directly with Dr. Dirk Wiechmann, the German orthodontist who invented iBraces. Now she is the first in the Twin Cities area to offer iBraces to patients.
These lingual braces are the only 100 percent customized invisible fixed braces available on the market today, according to the Lingualcare Web site (http://www.lingualcare.com/patient/about.php). No two sets of braces are alike because each bracket is designed for each individual patient. It takes a great deal of technology to do so.

“In addition to being hidden from view, each bracket is customized and molded to the shape of each individual’s teeth to address their particular dental situation,” Eisenhuth said. “This, combined with customized archwires, makes it possible for orthodontists to move teeth in such a precise fashion that it often takes less time to achieve proper alignment than with traditional braces.”

The Process
Getting these technological marvels begins with an orthodontic consultation to determine whether the patient is a good candidate.

“Almost everyone is a candidate,” Eisenhuth said, adding that iBraces can be used on children and adults. “Usually if you’re a good candidate for traditional braces, you are a good candidate for iBraces, too.”
Once the determination has been made, the process begins with the orthodontist taking an impression of the patient’s teeth. That impression is taken to a computer, where it is scanned and developed into a 3-D model of the teeth.

From that model, a Lingualcare lab technician creates the customized brackets- along with archwires bent by a robot specifically for that patient- and sends the appliances back to the orthodontist. The archwires are heavier than an orthodontist can effectively bend manually. Using the robot to bend the wires mechanically is another reason the overall treatment tends to be quicker, Eisenhuth said.

The fabrication process takes about six weeks, but putting the braces on takes less than an hour.

Benefits
“The iBraces system allows us to straighten teeth without people seeing the appliances,” she said. “There are other systems out there that achieve similar results, and I use those systems on the right candidates, but certain corrections and results can’t always be achieved without the use of brackets and archwires.”

The iBraces system provides the best of both worlds- aesthetics and faster, effective results, Eisenhuth said. Their low-profile design and custom fit also increases patient comfort, minimizes speech interference, reduces tongue irritation and reduces chances of brackets becoming detached, provided hard and sticky foods are avoided. iBraces require fewer wire adjustments, which means fewer orthodontic visits and less discomfort throughout the process.

iBraces can be a good choice for adult professionals, adults and teens who participate in contact sports, people who want to avoid damaging the front surfaces of their teeth, musicians who play wind instruments and those who are self-conscious about wearing braces that others can see.

Learn More
If you would like to learn more about iBraces, orthodontics or would like to schedule a consultation with Dr. Jennifer Eisenhuth, please call: (651) 406-8100 or visit her Web site: www.doctorjennifer.com.

About Dr. Jennifer Eisenhuth
Dr. Jennifer Eisenhuth attended the University of Minnesota Dental School and graduated in the top of her class. She earned the Minnesota Association of Orthodontic Achievement Award and several academic achievement awards. She entered her orthodontic residency at the University of Minnesota and earned a certificate in orthodontics and a Master of Science degree.

Dr. Eisenhuth is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics.

She takes pride in caring for the orthodontic needs of residents in the Twin Cities- St. Paul and Minneapolis, and their surrounding regions, including Mendota Heights, Inver Grove Heights, Burnsville, Apple Valley and Eagan, Minnesota.
Her office is located at 3340 Sherman Court, Eagan, Minn., 55121.

© 2008 Sinai Marketing and Dr. Jennifer Eisenhuth. Authorization to post is granted, with the stipulation that Sinai Marketing is credited as sole source. Linking to other sites from this press release is strictly prohibited, with the exception of herein imbedded links.
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