Invisalign in Toronto- Dr. Tam Discusses Invisalign G4

In early October 2011, your Toronto Invisalign Specialist followed a program in which Invisalign announced a series of features known as Invisalign G4.  They sought to address 3 major issues that some Invisalign doctors had been having issues with.  These include:

1.  Greater root tip control for canines and upper laterals

2.  Improved predictability for upper laterals

3.  Better clinical outcomes for open bite treatments

There was a theme that Invisalign is based upon the science of orthodontics.  Namely, we have to think of a desired movement, determine a force system, and then design an appliance.  At this point, all other aligners other than Invisalign skip the middle step of determining a force system.  This is asking for failure of treatment when the proper orthodontic forces are not applied.  Anyone can make an aligner or video look good from start to finish.  The key is whether the teeth will move that way also.  Can you move roots with Invisalign?  According to the new changes, they should allow for root movement using new attachments.

In order to achieve these difficult movements, one of the newest features is to apply to force systems to one tooth.  This is in the form of attachments or a pressure point, where one feature will counteract the negative forces caused by the first.  They are supposed to allow for simultaneous movements such as extrusion and rotation, as well as translations.  There is a claim that these new attachments are more aesthetic than previous attachments, with the more gingival attachment often covered by the lip.

It was also announced that optimized attachments with G3 can now be used with precision cuts on canines.  This was not previously possible.  The cuts are not yet tested with G4 attachments, and thus cannot be used simultaneously.

Also, an update on the iOC scanner was given.

Over 1000 scanned cases have been submitted, with greater accuracy in seating, less spring, improved retention, and proper contouring around the gingiva (according to these numbers, your MCO Markham orthodontist has submitted about 3-4% of world-wide scans).  Patients have reported less saliva trapped under the plastic, likely since the aligners comform better to the teeth.  Rejections of scans to date have been virtually non-existent, since any deficiencies in the scans can be corrected easily chair-side.  Clinchecks are also back in the doctor VIP page on an average of 2 days vs 10 days for PVS impressions.

Overall, Invisalign has been very dedicated to the science of tooth movement with aligners and listening to concerns of doctors and patients.  However, remember that the most important factor in treatment is going to be proper treatment planning by your orthodontist of choice.  It is his/her job to decide exactly how the teeth will move and when to use specific features to help aid in these movements.

Stouffville Orthodontist Hosts Local Dental Community and Mayor Emmerson

In our first year here in Stouffville, MCO Stouffville Orthodontics has been very active in the community.  We've been at the Strawberry Festival, on the ice at the arena, and fundraised for Markham Stouffville Hospital.  Last week, the office held a reception with Stouffville Mayor Wayne Emmerson and a number of members of the dental community in Stouffville and Uxbridge.  Overall, it was as great evening and fun was had by all!

Enjoy the pictures!

Mayor Emmerson in a ceremonial "ribbon cutting" outside MCO Stouffville.

Dr. Tam with Dr. Lin, Enza, and Dr. Bhalla from Markham Dentistry for Children.

MCO hygienist Aya, Dr. Charles Shin, Dr. Dimple Bhatia, and Dr. Tam

MCO Treatment Coordinator Mandy and Dr. Beth Williston's Dental Assistant Sabine from Park Drive Dentistry

Dr. Tam with Dr. Maneesh Gupta from Bur Oak Dentistry (also the Colgate Commercial Dentist!) 

 Dr. Hagi, Dr. Michael Banh, Dr. Fab Bianchi, Dr. Tam and Dr. Veisman

Dr. Tam with his wife Amelia and their parents.

Stouffville Orthodontist Defines Orthodontic Malocclusion

Your orthodontist in Markham and Stouffville, Ontario wants to keep you educated on all aspects of your orthodontic treatment.  The technical term for a “bad bite” is a malocclusion. There are many different types of malocclusions depending on what the exact nature of the problem.

Orthodontists use a 3 classification system to describe malocclusions:

1.  Class 1-  the back teeth fit together as they should, but there are other issues such as crowding, rotations, spacing, etc.

2.  Class 2-  the upper teeth are too far forward compared to the bottom teeth, along with issues described above (typically referred to as an "overbite", but the technical term is overjet)

3.  Class 3-  the lower teeth are too far forward compare to the upper ones, along with issues described above (often referred to as an underbite)

The problem with malocclusions is not only cosmetic.  They may cause teeth to be more easily traumatized, cause excessive wear of enamel, and contribute to issues such as TMJ disorder.  Fortunately, Dr. Tam and his team at MCO are specialists in correcting these kinds of issues so that you can have both a beautiful and healthy smile!  We have many different options including Invisalign, so don't be afraid to come in for a free consultation :).

Ask your Markham Orthodontist... do I need to extract teeth when I get braces?

Whenever possible, your Stouffville Orthodontist will avoid extractions for orthodontic treatment.  If there is any possibility that treatment can proceed without tooth removal, Dr. Tam will delay extraction as long as possible.  Generally, braces are placed on the teeth before any teeth are taken out.

 There are a few ways to avoid extractions in treatment:

1.        Start off with adequate space to align teeth.

2.        Expand the jaws in children before puberty.

3.        Procline the teeth to increase arch perimeter.

4.        Distalize teeth, pushing them back along the ridge of bone in the jaw.

5.        Judicious IPR, slenderization, or selective grinding of the teeth to create space.

However, there are times when extractions should cannot always be avoided:

1.        Excessive crowding.

2.        Protrusive profile (too many teeth for the mouth, causing an overly full profile or open mouth, even when relaxed)

3.        Existing bone loss or thin bone that would be compromised by excessive expansion of the jaws.

4.        Correction of excessively non-coincident midlines.

5.        Removal of wisdom teeth

Dr. Tam customizes your orthodontic care to deliver the best orthodontic treatment possible for each patient.  Contact us at if you would like to come in for a free orthodontic consult!

MCO Stouffville Orthodontist Office Offerring Braces and Invisalign!

MCO Stouffville Orthodontics  is now open and fully running, servicing Stouffville, Uxbridge, Newmarket, and surrounding communities.  Dr. Tam and his team have years of experience in providing excellent orthodontic care and the best customer service possible, with one of the most popular offices in Markham.  We have a proven track record and have treated many dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants in North America.

We are proud to support the community and have participated at the Strawberry Festival, supported local sports teams, and Markham Stouffville Hospital.  We look forward to showing you the MCO difference and becoming Stouffville's choice for orthodontic care :).  Click here to book your  free orthodontic consultation with us today!

Stouffville Orthodontist Discusses: What Can I Eat with Braces?

Your Stouffville Orthodontist fields a lot of questions about braces.  Many of our patients are concerned with what they can eat while braces are on the teeth.

Here are a couple of quick tips:

-  Do not tear food or chew with your anterior teeth as braces can come off easily this way.

-  Cut food up into smaller pieces and chew food with your molars in the back of your mouth.

-  Avoid foods that are too sticky as they may make your braces more difficult to clean.

-  Take care and get used to your braces on your teeth, so that you give yourself some time to become more aware of the braces on your teeth, and gain more understanding of how to chew to avoid breakage.

There is a common misconception that you cannot eat certain foods during orthodontic treatment.  We advise our patients that this is not true, but that foods may have to be consumed in a different manner.  The reason for this is to avoid breakage of the appliances or getting food lodged into areas that may make it difficult to clean.  For example, if you like ice cubes, you may want to consider sucking on them and allowing them to melt, rather than breaking them with your teeth.  Instead of biting into an apple, cut it into pieces and chew at the back of your mouth.

A couple of years ago we had two patients who were at a birthday party and Child A saw Child B pick up a carrot stick and bite on it with his front teeth.  Child B mentioned to Child A that he didn't think he was allowed to eat carrots like that.  Child A shrugged his shoulders and continued eating.  Child B decided to try, bit into the carrot, and broke off a brace :).

The moral of the story here is that different people may have varying experiences with eating and breakage.  However, in order to make sure treatment stays on time and to avoid the hassle of having to replace brackets, each person must learn how to eat to take care their braces, as it will vary from person to person.

Toronto Invisalign Orthodontist First to Scan Teeth for Invisalign Patients

Invisalign dental scanner

Being the best Invisalign doctor in Toronto is our goal at your Markham Orthodontist.  That's why we are the first orthodontic office in the GTA to acquire the iOC Invisalign intraoral scanner.  The scanner will allow us to do away with PVS Invisalign impressions that are normally used to created 3-D models of the teeth.  While each one of these machines costs as much as a nice car, MCO Orthodontics decided to purchase two of these to service the more than 100 Invisalign patients that begin treatment with us every year!

The benefits of a 3-D dental scanner:

-no need to have impressions taken, leading to a more comfortable experience and no gagging

-increased accuracy of capture of the teeth

-ability to see the 3-D image of your teeth immediately following the scan

-decreased time required to receive first ClinCheck since models do not need to be created.

The scans generally take between 8-20 minutes, which is comparable to the time required for a full set of impressions.  This is a laser and optic scanner, so there is also no concern about any radiation.  Unlike other scanning systems, no dust is required to coat the teeth.

Our office has 3 days of hand-on training and will begin using the scanner for all Invisalign and Invisalign Teen patients shortly.  We think this is going to really improve the overall Invisalign experience and look forward to helping you smile without braces!