Making Your Next Visit The Best It Can Be

After a relaxing Victoria Day, we wanted to check in with our patients and get some ideas about what you need to make your next orthodontic appointment the best its ever been. We understand not everyone enjoys visiting their orthodontist. But we strive to bring you the best and most comforting experience at each visit. We’d like to know: What is it about our practice that makes you comfortable or puts you at ease?

Is it something about our pleasant office environment? Our friendly staff ?
Let us know by posting here or by giving us a call!

When Was Your Last Dental Cleaning?

You water the garden three times a week, you change your car's oil every three months, and you replace the batteries in your smoke detectors once a year. Your teeth need to see your dentist on a regular schedule, too.
While daily oral hygiene habits are essential to good oral health, professional dental cleanings at our office ensure your teeth are treated to a deeper level of cleaning. We recommend for most of our patients to have a checkup at least every six months. In addition to a thorough cleaning and polishing of your teeth, these regular visits help us detect and prevent the onset of tooth decay and periodontal (gum) disease. During your visit, we’ll check the health of your mouth, teeth, gums, cheeks, and tongue. We’ll also check old fillings and restorations, as these can wear away over time from constant chewing, grinding, or clenching.
If you are predisposed to oral diseases, you may need to visit our office more often than every six months. Factors at play in these diseases include age, pregnancy, tobacco use, medical conditions (such as diabetes, dry mouth, or HIV infection), along with how well you take care of your teeth on a daily basis.
Make sure your teeth get the professional attention they deserve – If you’re overdue for your next cleaning, check with our office to schedule an appointment!

Patient question: “What should I expect during my first visit?”

 Thanks for the question. Your first visit typically includes an x-ray that allows us to view the structure of the jaw, the position of any teeth that have not yet erupted, malformed roots, and tooth decay.

The initial visit also involves getting your medical history. When you share your medical history with us, be sure to provide complete, up-to-date information on your health. Please let us know if you have experienced recent hospitalization or surgery, or if you have recently been ill. Also tell us the names, doses, and frequency of any medications you are taking — whether prescription or over-the-counter products — and the name of your physician. Please also let us know about any changes in your health or medications. This information will us select the most safe and effective method of treatment path for you.

Have any more questions about your first visit? Please give us a call!

May is “Get Caught Reading Month”! What’s on your reading list?

With the school year close to winding down for a lot of our patients at The Smile Zone, we wanted to remind all our patients about the importance of reading. Sure it’s easy to keep putting off reading this time of year, but reading is a vital step in brain development and literacy. And if you needed any more reason to read, May marks “Get Caught Reading Month.” Today, we thought we’d ask:

What's on YOUR reading list? What are some of your all-time favorites? Out of ideas for great reads? Ask us for suggestions, and our team would be happy to provide a few. You may also ask a local librarian for some ideas on what to read next! Happy reading!

Be sure to share with us your book picks or your all-time favorite novels or literature on our Facebook page!

Celebrating Earth Day by Doing Our Part to Help the Planet!

We are living in an age with a renewed commitment to conservation, and are frequently reminded to recycle, reduce and reuse. Last Sunday marked Earth Day, so today we thought we would discuss some of the things we do to conserve our natural resources and the environment.

Our office is digitalized, which means we can operate without the use of large amounts of paper and printing materials. The information in our office can be sent and processed digitally, which is also more efficient. We take all of the steps possible to be a 'green' office, making us better for the planet and more convenient for our patients.

We would love to hear how you minimize your impact on the environment. Leave us a comment below or post on our Facebook page!

If I use fluoride toothpaste and the water in my area is fluoridated, do I still need additional fluoride?

Cities have been adjusting the fluoride levels in water since 1964. Since that time, fluoridation has dramatically improved the oral health of tens of millions of Americans. Community water fluoridation is the single most effective public health measure to prevent tooth decay, but you may not be drinking as much fluoridated water as you may think. If bottled or home-purified water is your main source for drinking water, you may be missing out on this extremely safe and effective mineral that prevents tooth decay.

Of course, using toothpaste with the ADA Seal of Approval is a good source of fluoride, but optimal levels of absorption can only be achieved if you use it as directed: brushing twice a day for two to three minutes each time.

At our office, you can receive professionally applied topical fluoride during your next dental checkup. This is extremely important for people who are at high risk for tooth decay, including children, people with less than perfect oral hygiene, people undergoing orthodontic treatment, and people with weakened enamel due to lifestyle choices or genetic factors. If you have any questions regarding fluoride, please feel free to ask us at the office. We want you to have the healthiest smile possible.

Spring is here! Do we have your current contact info?

Spring is in the air! As you probably know, you can always connect with us on our Facebook page, but we invite you to please contact our office with any updates to phone numbers and addresses, so that we may be able to reach you.

We also encourage you to call us and let us know if you have any new phone numbers or if your contact information has changed!

Thank you! Have a great week!