Why We Chose Orthodontics

MOST OF US aren’t born knowing what career we will choose when we grow up, and some of us still aren’t sure what we want to do as adults! When we do find the right career, we can usually look back and point at a particular source of inspiration that really started us down that path, so our practice is taking a moment to celebrate what led us to the field of orthodontics!

The Path To Orthodontics

(NOTE TO OUR CLIENTS: Please customize your blog post by providing your own content here. Anyone on your team who wants to contribute should answer these questions. What inspired you to go into orthodontics? Was there a particular person who first gave you the idea, or an experience? Has it been smooth going, or were there a lot of obstacles? Why are you grateful you chose this career path?)

Name of Participant #1 Here

[Individual responses to career questions.]

Name of Participant #2 Here

[Individual responses to career questions.]

Name of Participant #3 Here

[Individual responses to career questions.]

Are You Considering Orthodontics?

If our stories have inspired you, that’s great! Come talk to us if you want to know more about going into the field of orthodontics. If not, we hope you find the career you love, and make sure to keep following your braces rules so that you can get your perfect smile on schedule!

You’re part of the reason we love what we do!

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The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Why Choose An AAO Orthodontist?

YOU DESERVE A SMILE that reflects your best possible you, which is why you deserve an orthodontist who is a member of the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO), like (Dr. _____).

It takes three additional years of specialized study beyond dental school to become an orthodontist. Those extra years are what make us experts in straightening teeth and correcting bites to give our patients healthy, beautiful smiles, and only dentists who complete them are eligible to become members of the AAO.

(NOTE TO OUR CLIENTS: You may have one or several members of your team that are members of the AAO. If this is the case, we encourage you to address it accordingly throughout the post and make the necessary changes. You can customize the post further by using your AAO doctors’ names throughout. )

What Is The AAO?

Founded in 1900, the American Association of Orthodontists is the world’s oldest and largest dental specialty organization. The AAO’s purpose is to help prospective patients understand the value and benefits of properly aligned teeth, as well as to provide resources to its members so that they can give patients the best care possible. Because (the head of our team) is an AAO member, you can be sure that the orthodontic treatment you receive at our practice is held to the highest standards of ethics, quality, and appearance.

What’s In It For Our Patients?

(NOTE TO OUR CLIENTS: Customize your blog post by answering some questions here. What do you have to do to become a member of the AAO (continuing education, workshops, research, etc.)? Why is being a member of the AAO important to you? What additional resources does your membership give you access to, and how do they benefit your patients? Why does being an AAO member set you apart?)

It’s All For You

Our first priority is our patients’ health and ensuring good outcomes from orthodontic treatment. We’re always willing to go above and beyond to make sure we’re providing the very best care for every patient who comes through our practice!

As an AAO member, (Dr. ____) is constantly improving (his/her) skills and looking for ways to serve you better. Any extra effort is worth it, because you deserve to have the smile of your dreams.

Thank you for choosing our practice!

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Are Lingual Braces Right For You?

YOU’VE HEARD OF traditional braces. You’ve heard of invisible aligners. But have you heard of lingual braces? These are essentially the same as traditional metal braces, except that they’re on the tongue side of the teeth instead of the outside, which makes them the stealthiest orthodontic treatment yet!

What’s The Difference With Lingual Braces?

(NOTE TO OUR CLIENTS: Please customize your blog post by providing your own content here. How is the teeth-straightening process different with lingual braces compared to traditional braces or invisible aligners? Is the timeline different? Are there different issues with speech and comfort levels? Is there a difference in how the patient needs to care for them?)

The Benefits Of Lingual Braces

(NOTE TO OUR CLIENTS: Please customize your blog post by providing your own content here. What are the perks of choosing lingual braces? Who would benefit most from them? How will they improve your patients’ lives?)

Come Talk To Us!

If you’ve been putting off braces because you were worried about how you’d look in them, then lingual braces might be just what your teeth have been waiting for! Come see us and together we can find out if lingual braces are right for you!

We love changing our patients’ lives for the better!

Top image used under CC0 Public Domain license. Image cropped and modified from original.
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Don’t Let Those Insurance Benefits Expire!

2017 IS ALMOST OVER, and that means it’s time to talk about dental insurance benefits and insured orthodontic treatment. Most orthodontic treatment isn’t covered by dental insurance because it’s considered elective. Even when it is covered, benefits often don’t roll over into the next year.

If your dental insurance does cover orthodontic treatment and you haven’t taken advantage of all your benefits, then now is the time to do so!

Is Your Coverage Compatible?

(NOTE TO OUR CLIENTS: Please customize your blog post by providing your own content here. What are some of the insurance plans you accept? Who should patients talk to in your practice to coordinate their insurance coverage? What is the process of filing for coverage in your practice?)

Commonly Covered Treatment

(NOTE TO OUR CLIENTS: Please customize your blog post by providing your own content here. What orthodontic treatments are most commonly covered by dental plans? You could maybe even explain a few things you offer that aren’t typically covered so your patients will be aware of what they may have to pay for out of pocket.)

What To Do Before The Year Ends

(NOTE TO OUR CLIENTS: Please customize your blog post by providing your own content here. Give your patients a timeline of when they should have any treatments done before the year ends to make sure they’re taken care of with insurance benefits!)

We Can’t Wait To See You!

We’re always looking out for our patients and want to make sure you’re taking the fullest advantage of your benefits! If you have any questions regarding insurance that offers orthodontic coverage, stop by or call us today and we can help!

The greatest benefits are to your dental health!

Top image used under CC0 Public Domain license. Image cropped and modified from original.
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Start The School Year With A Healthy Smile!

DID YOU KNOW THAT TOOTH DECAY is the most common chronic disease in children? An estimated 42 percent of children between two and 11 get tooth decay in their baby teeth, and it doesn’t stop there, with 59 percent of kids between 12 and 19 getting at least one cavity.

As alarming as these statistics are, childhood tooth decay can be prevented with good oral health habits and regular dental appointments. This is even more crucial for children with braces because of all the food particles and plaque that can get trapped around the brackets.

Why Schedule A Back-To-School Dental Appointment?

When it comes to the health of your children’s teeth, an ounce of prevention is absolutely worth a pound of cure. If you wait until there’s an obvious problem, it’ll take more extensive (and expensive) treatment to fix. Teeth won’t start to hurt until decay has reached the dental pulp, so bring your children in for an appointment before it can get that far.

What To Expect At Your Dentist’s Office

(NOTE TO OUR CLIENTS: We recommend that you answer the following questions to personalize the post. What is included in a back-to-school checkup at a typical dental office? Is there a particular dentist you would recommend? What special qualifications or experience do they have working with children and teens?)

What You Can Do For Your Child’s Teeth At Home

(NOTE TO OUR CLIENTS: We recommend that you answer the following questions to personalize the post. What are some foods that are good for kids to avoid to keep their teeth healthy? How can parents encourage their kids to have good brushing and flossing habits? What reminders can you offer about braces care?)

Here’s a few tips to keep your child’s oral hygiene on track in between appointments:

We’ll See You Soon!

Make sure your kids start off their school year right: with healthy teeth and the confidence to share their smile with new friends and teachers.

Wishing your kids a mouth-healthy year at school!

Top image used under CC0 Public Domain license. Image cropped and modified from original.
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Overcoming Braces Anxiety

MANY OF US, even though we know how important it is to have straight teeth, don’t find it particularly fun to lie flat on our backs while someone attaches brackets and wires to them. For some, though, the very thought of visiting the dentist or the orthodontist fills them with anxiety, and it could even be a full-blown phobia. That’s why we’d like to put our focus on helping our patients overcome their dental anxieties and fears so that they don’t interfere with orthodontic treatment.

Dental Anxiety Stats

An estimated nine to 15 percent of Americans completely avoid visiting the dentist because of anxiety and fear. Dental anxieties and phobias can spill over to orthodontics too. Any fear that stands between a patient and the treatment they need is a serious concern, and we’re here to address that today.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Orthodontist

If you’re worried about going to the orthodontist, that might be because history and pop culture have given you the wrong idea of what to expect. Bulky headgear is a thing of the past, and new innovations are always making tooth-straightening more comfortable.

Watch the video below to learn more about how we’re uniquely qualified to give you the smile you’ve always wanted:

Advice For Overcoming Braces Anxiety

(NOTE TO OUR CLIENTS: Use this section to offer tips and suggestions to your patients to help reduce their dental anxiety. What do you and your team do to help patients feel at ease? What can patients do before they arrive? Are there informative pamphlets or other materials they could access? Do you have examples of patients you’ve successfully helped to overcome their dental/braces anxiety? What was most helpful for those patients?)

We Will Work With You!

Your care and comfort are our top priorities. If you or someone in your family struggles with dental anxiety and it’s interfering with getting orthodontic treatment, we’d love to schedule a time for you to come to our practice so that you can get used to the facility and get to know our team. We can answer any questions you may have.

We hope to see you soon!

Top image by Flickr user Lachlan Hardy used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Goodbye Headgear, Hello Forsus™!

FOR MANY PEOPLE, orthodontics are necessary to get beautiful, properly aligned smiles, but for those who need headgear, treatment can be cumbersome and inconvenient. If you or your children are going to need braces soon, however, you’re in luck, because days of headgear could be at an end thanks to Forsus™.

Bite Correction Made Simple

Forsus is an orthodontic appliance that can be attached to the upper and lower braces to correct either an overbite or an underbite. Unlike headgear, a Forsus spring is comfortable, convenient, and out of sight. Unlike rubber bands, the patient doesn’t have to diligently attach new ones after every meal. We install it during a single appointment, and then it’s good to go until the next one.

Why Is Bite Correction Necessary?

Overbites don’t always cause problems, particularly when they’re very minor. The reason it’s important to correct more serious overbites (medically described as Class I and II Malocclusions) and underbites (Class III Malocclusions) is that they can lead to the following complications:

• Jaw pain
• Wear and tear on enamel, leading to higher risk of tooth decay
• Higher risk of gum disease
• Speech impediments
• Altered structure of the face
• Low self-esteem

What You Need To Know

(NOTE TO OUR CLIENTS: Please customize your blog post by providing your own content here. What comments have you heard from patients about their Forsus appliances? What’s the comparative cost and treatment time of Forcus versus headgear or rubber bands? Do you offer free consultations to new patients? Is there anything you would like to add about the advantages of Forsus?)

Ask Us About Forsus

We want your orthodontic treatment to be as comfortable and low-key as possible. Call us today to discuss any questions you might have about Forsus or any of the other treatments we provide at our office!

Thank you for choosing our practice. We love our patients!

Top image by Flickr user Nan Palmero used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Our Team’s Favorite Braces-Friendly Snacks

EVERYONE KNOWS that snack time is one of the best times of the day! Getting a tasty treat in the middle of the workday or grabbing a snack after school can be just the pick-me-up you need to tackle the rest of your day with a smile.

But before you reach for the chips or chocolates, we have a few braces-friendly suggestions! Today we want to share our team’s favorite snacks that benefit your smile and keep your orthodontic treatment on track.

Our Braces-Friendly Snack Picks

(NOTE TO OUR CLIENTS: Customize your post by inviting team members to answer the following question: What is your favorite braces-friendly snack? This can be anything from a simple snack item like yogurt, cheese, or celery to a full-blown healthy snack recipe that you enjoy! And remember, the more of your favorites you list, the more healthy options your patients will have to choose from when making their snacking decisions!)

From (team member’s name here):
From (team member’s name here):
From (team member’s name here):
etc.

In addition to trying out our favorite snacks, keep these tips in mind when planning snacks that benefit your oral health:

Eat More Of These

Leafy Greens: Dark, leafy greens like kale, spinach, and collard greens have calcium, Vitamin A, Vitamin B2, and magnesium; all essential for healthy teeth and gums.
Cheese, Milk, and Yogurt: Dairy is a delicious source of calcium, which supports strong bones and teeth.
Kiwi, Oranges, And Other Vitamin-C-Rich Foods: Vitamin C boosts your body’s ability to fight infection that causes gum disease.

Eat Less Of These

Soda And Energy Drinks: These acidic, sugary drinks attack and gradually deteriorate your protective tooth enamel.
Sticky Candy, Gummies, And Dried Fruit: These foods stick in your teeth and continue to bathe your teeth in sugar for hours after eating.
Highly Processed Carbs: This includes crackers, white bread, and pastries, which feed decay-causing bacteria in your mouth.

Keep In Touch To Learn More!

Now that we’ve shared our favorite healthy snacks, we want to hear from YOU! If you have any healthy recipes you make make at home, share them in the comments below or on our Facebook page! We’d love to see what kinds of creative snack ideas you’ve come up with.

Thank you for CHEW-sing our practice!

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Have You Considered Invisalign®?

IF YOU WANTED TO STRAIGHTEN your teeth back in the day, you really only had one option–traditional metal braces. The science of orthodontics has evolved significantly in recent years, allowing our patients to have a variety of different options when it comes to how they would like to have their teeth straightened and what is most convenient for them. Today, we want to talk about Invisalign®!

Invisalign Treatment Provides Many Benefits

Not everyone is a good candidate for Invisalign, but if you are, it may be a great option to achieve your dream smile!

As the name implies, Invisalign trays are nearly invisible, allowing you to go throughout your daily activities with most people being unaware that you are undergoing orthodontic treatment! The aligners are custom-made for you, ensuring a perfect, comfortable fit.

Of course one of the best perks of choosing Invisalign is being able to eat whatever you want! Because you can take your aligners off while eating and drinking, you don’t have to worry about staying away from the foods that you love. Invisalign trays also don’t affect your oral hygiene routine like traditional braces do. You can brush and floss as you normally would!

You also won’t have to worry about getting used to metal brackets that may cut into your cheeks and lips at the beginning of treatment or during sporting events. With Invisalign, you don’t have to sacrifice comfort to get the smile you’ve always wanted.

And even though we love to see you, patients with Invisalign generally need to come in less frequently than our other orthodontic patients. If you have a busy schedule but still want to improve your smile, Invisalign might be just the thing for you!

(NOTE TO OUR CLIENTS: Please customize your blog post by providing your own content here. What comments have you heard from patients about their Invisalign treatment? What’s the comparative cost and treatment time of braces versus Invisalign? Do you offer free consultations to new patients? Is there anything you would like to add about the advantages of Invisalign treatment?)

Talk To Us About Invisalign

We want your orthodontic treatment to reflect your unique smile, lifestyle and personality. Call us today to discuss any questions you might have about Invisalign or any of the other treatments we provide at our office!

Thank you for choosing our practice. We absolutely love our patients!

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Say Hello To Our Awesome Orthodontic Assistant, (name here)!

SOMETIMES, WE’RE  GUILTY OF ASSUMING TOO MUCH, RIGHT? We recently realized that we’ve probably wrongly assumed that ALL of you—our valued patients—know (name here) as well as we do! That’s probably not the case.

So, We Asked (name here) A Few Questions

We asked (name here) a few questions to help you get to know (him/her) a little better. Those questions are found below—along with (his/her) candid answers! Enjoy!

Where are you originally from?

“……………answer here……………”

What made you decide that you wanted to become an orthodontic assistant?

“……………answer here……………”

When you started as an orthodontic assistant was there something funny that happened? Do you dare tell us that story?

“……………answer here……………”

What’s your favorite thing to do when you’re not at work?

“……………answer here……………”

What do you enjoy most about being an orthodontic assistant?

“……………answer here……………”

We hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know (name here) a little better. Here at our practice we feel really fortunate to have her as a member of our awesome team.

Do YOU Have A Question For (name here)?

If so, please enter it in the comments section below and we’ll be sure to pass it along to (name here) for an answer! Also, as you know, you can always send us private questions or comments on our Facebook page.

Thanks for the trust you place in us!

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.