Invisalign® Tips, from Dr. O'Leary

Many people know that Invisalign is a great solution to braces if you don't want to experience the look and feel of traditional metal braces. What few people know, though, is that just like traditional braces, Invisalign requires proper care to work effectively. Good oral hygiene is highly important, even when you are wearing something in your mouth that you can take out to eat with. It's still likely that your aligners can build up plaque if not treated properly. When wearing your Invisalign aligners, we want you to ask yourself the following questions:

1. Am I eating with my aligners on? - These aligners are removable and should be taken out when you eat.
2. Am I drinking anything other than water with my aligners on? - Though it's not a necessity for you to take out your aligners while you drink, think about how sticky a soda is. If you take out your aligners when drinking a soda, you have a better chance of keeping your aligners clean.
3. Am I brushing before putting the trays on? - The aligners have both an inside and outside. Keeping the outside clean is easy. Keeping the inside clean is also easy: just make sure you've brushed your teeth before putting the trays on.

These are all very simple steps, and ultimately, they help to keep you building good oral habits. If you have any questions about Invisalign or your treatment here at O'Leary Orthodontics, give us a call!

Meet Our Orthodontist

Dr. O'Leary is a specialist in orthodontics and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Creighton University School of Dentistry in Omaha Nebraska. She completed her specialty training in orthodontics during her residency at University of Florida in Gainesville where she continues to hold the position of clinical instructor. In addition to her training as a specialist, she has completed the rigorous further study and examinations required to become Board Certified by the American Board of Orthodontics. She is among the small percentage of orthodontists in the United States to earn this degree of recognized excellence in her specialty.

In dental school, Dr. O'Leary was elected to the scholastic honor society for her outstanding academic performance. She was the first female class president in the history of Creighton's School of Dentistry. Dr. O'Leary's involvement in the dental profession, dental education and the community has been extensive since she began to practice in Charlotte County in 1990. She is active in numerous community activities and supports many patients' school and extracurricular functions.

She is active with the Charlotte County Dental Society and has served as its president. She is also involved with Jr. Leadership Charlotte and is a Leadership Charlotte alumnus. At the state level, she has served on the Florida Dental Association Council for dental education and worked as a Chairperson on "Project Select" to help bring talented young people into the fields of dentistry, dental hygiene and dental assisting.

In attempting to bring educational opportunity to South West Florida, Dr. O'Leary chaired a task force to develop a school of dental hygiene at Edison College in Ft. Myers and served as first president of its advisory board.

Dr. O'Leary has two children, Lisamarie, who is an orthodontist practicing in Wenatchee, Washington and Jerry, a graduate of the University of Kansas who works for Turner Broadcasting in Atlanta, Georgia. Lisamarie graduated from the same dental school and orthodontic program as her mom, making them the first mother and daughter orthodontic team to graduate from each of these schools. Twice Dr. O'Leary has gone to the Dominican Republic with health care teams to bring care to the rural poor who have no dental care.

Dr. O'Leary enjoys golfing, boating and family activities. Much of her time is devoted to attending continuing education meetings and learning the most "state of the art" advances in orthodontics.