Our Blog

"Alta View Orthodontics is a 5-star experience all around. Super friendly staff, wonderful service, and very helpful. Dr. Tony Skanchy provided top end treatment and is a true professional in his field! The overall experience was fantastic!"

-Daniel Miller

The start of the new year is an opportunity to start fresh for everyone. That includes those looking to prioritize their oral health. Having good oral health is a multi-step process that involves extra attention and care. Let’s talk about it!

Good oral health is defined by the absence of disease like tooth decay, gum disease, and oral cancer. It also involves maintaining clean teeth, healthy gums and fresh breath.  To maintain a healthy smile, it’s important to follow a great oral health routine. This includes brushing and flossing twice daily, having regular dental check-ups, eating a balanced diet, and avoiding tobacco products.

If you find yourself struggling to keep on top of your oral health, don't give up! It's easy to improve your oral hygiene with a few changes.

If you’re struggling trying to figure out where to start, we suggest beginning with getting yourself a good toothbrush. Multiple studies have found and provided evidence that powered toothbrushes seem to have a slight edge over manual ones when it comes to plaque removal. Researchers also found that oscillating powered toothbrushes (which have a small round head that rotates quickly in one direction and then the other) were slightly better at reducing plaque than sonic electric toothbrushes (which have an oval head that moves or vibrates rapidly from side to side).

Your next step should be adding in a flossing routine. Your floss options include regular floss, a floss pick, or a Waterpik. Remember, flossing after every meal will help keep your teeth clean and gums healthy.  

If you have braces, use a floss threader or special orthodontic floss to thread the floss behind each wire. Wrap the ends of the floss around your pointer fingers of both hands, leaving a few inches of taut floss between them. Gently slide the floss between each set of teeth using a back-and-forth motion. Floss the sides of each tooth beneath the gum line to remove plaque and food particles. Repeat this process until you’ve flossed all your teeth.

If you find that your floss is not removing all the food particles between your teeth and around your braces, a Waterpik is a great tool to help with those tricky areas.

Maintaining good oral health is crucial as it affects your overall health. Brushing your teeth for two minutes twice a day is the most effective step you can take. This routine helps eliminate bacteria that cause plaque, a sticky, germy film that adheres to teeth, which can lead to tooth decay and gum disease if not removed.

If you’re ready to get started on your orthodontic journey, give us a call! For this month only, we are offering a special promotion of $750 off Invisalign. This is a great opportunity to improve your smile. Call us to schedule a complimentary consultation today!

A popular option for straightening teeth at Alta View Orthodontics, Invisalign can be a great method for improving your smile, and can help patients with crowded teeth, crossbites, overbites, underbites, and more.

Invisalign, which is different from traditional braces, works by applying a series of clear, retainer-like aligners in order to eventually move your teeth into their ideal positions. Patients typically swap aligners approximately every couple of weeks.

At Alta View Orthodontics, we have lots of experience using this technology to give our patients the beautiful and healthy smile they’ve always wanted. During your initial visit at our Sandy, UT office, the first thing we do is take an impression of your teeth as they are now and digitize it. Using special software, we look at the current positioning of your teeth and compare it to the way your teeth should look.

Not only are the aligners invisible, they are also removable, so you can eat and drink what you want, and brushing and flossing are easier. Invisalign’s aligners are also comfortable, with no metal to cause mouth abrasions during your treatment. And, no metal and wires usually means you spend less time at our office getting adjustments. With Invisalign, you can view your own virtual treatment plan when you start, so you can see how your straight teeth will look when your treatment is complete!

Depending on the severity of the problem, Invisalign treatment may take anywhere from three to 18 months to complete. You should be aware that Invisalign is not as effective as traditional braces in treating bite problems, teeth that are lower or higher than others, or severely overcrowded teeth. Both teens and adults are now great candidates for Invisalign, so we invite you to contact our Sandy, UT office to set up an initial consultation and learn more on how Invisalign can give you the smile you’ve always wanted!

Invisalign is gaining traction as a sought-after solution for orthodontic problems. Unlike traditional braces, which require the placement of brackets on teeth and the connection of unsightly wires, Invisalign works nearly invisibly (as its name suggests). Particularly for those who do not wish to draw attention to their orthodontic work, Invisalign provides an attractive solution.

Consultation with a Treatment Provider

Our practice has received specialized training to work with Invisalign. During your consultation appointment, Dr. Tony Skanchy will assess your smile needs. In some cases, the type of problem may not lend itself to correction through Invisalign, and we may offer an alternative solution.

Creation of a Custom Treatment Plan

Invisalign works using a series of customized clear trays that fit almost perfectly over the teeth. To create these trays, Dr. Tony Skanchy will take X-rays and impressions of your teeth. These are submitted to a specialized laboratory that makes a 3D image of your smile. This is used to create a specialized treatment plan that provides an estimate of how long treatment will take.

Arrival of Custom Trays

Once your customized trays have arrived, the treatment begins. For Invisalign to work properly, you must wear the aligners 20 to 22 hours per day, removing them only to eat, drink, and brush your teeth. The trays gently draw your teeth into proper alignment, correcting your orthodontic problems as you go about your everyday life.

In general, you will replace your aligners with a new set every two weeks. This is to encourage your teeth to continue moving throughout the treatment process. You’ll need to check in with our Sandy, UT office every six weeks or so to ensure treatment progresses smoothly.

Beautiful Smile: Complete!

Once you complete your individualized treatment plan, you’ll have the smile you’ve always dreamed of. Like with traditional braces, Dr. Tony Skanchy may recommend that you wear a retainer to ensure that your teeth remain in their new positions.

These days, fewer and fewer braces show up in school yearbook photos. Invisalign clear aligners have become a popular choice for our adolescent patients because it enables them to display metal-free smiles while straightening their teeth!  

Dr. Tony Skanchy can help you determine whether Invisalign treatment is right for you, but below are a few reasons why so many teens are choosing it today.

More Free Time

Invisalign Teen aligners require fewer appointments, which is pretty important to teens who value their free time. Invisalign treatment gives you straight teeth without having to miss activities or skip hanging out with your friends. It’s a win-win!

Eat, Brush, and Floss Easily

Traditional braces can make eating, brushing, and flossing both difficult and tedious. Invisalign aligners are easily removable for all these important activities, and give you freedom to live your life as usual.

Metal-Free Braces

Possibly the best perk of Invisalign aligners is that you can’t see them! The Invisalign system uses a clear plastic device that fits directly over the teeth. This means no metal parts to mar the appearance of your smile, so your Invisalign aligners will straighten while allowing your pearly whites to shine through. People don’t even have to know you’re straightening your teeth with Invisalign aligners.

To learn more about Invisalign Teen treatment, feel free to reach out to our Sandy, UT office!