Braces Friendly... and Not So Friendly

Foods You Can Eat After a Bit of Effort
Apples if you cut them into thin wedges
Carrots if you cook them instead of eating raw
Chicken wings and ribs if you cut the meat off the
Pickles if you cut them into small piecesbone
Corn on the cob if you remove the kernels from the cob
Hard cookies if you soften them in milk first
Ice cubes if you suck them only (no biting!)

Foods You Shouldn’t EatBagels or hard rolls because the outer edges are chewy and toughBagel chips or other, thicker chips
Beef jerky
Chewing gum
Cold candy (for example, M&Ms in ice cream)
Hard candy you bite into (candy canes, peanut brittle, jaw breakers, Skittles and similar candies)
Hard pretzelsNuts
Pizza crust
Popcorn or caramel corn (because of the kernels and their shells)
Suckers (too many people bite suckers rather than lick)
Taffy, Tootsie Rolls, Fruit Roll-Ups & Gummi bears (anything that you normally have to pick out of your teeth will break your braces)

Even the Stars want a beautful smile!

Any day is a great day to flash a beautiful smile. You don't have to be a movie star to have your teeth straightened before a special occasion. Everyone wants to look good for their prom, senior pictures, graduation, applying for a job or like Kathryn Heigl… getting married.

Kathryn Heigl never worried about her teeth not being straight until she decided to get married. What was the easiest and least emotionally traumatic solution for someone who is in the spotlight and can't be seen wearing braces… Invisalign!
If you have been thinking about straightening your teeth, contact our office for an appointment to find out how easy it is to accomplish this with Invisalign. We see every patient in our office as a celebrity and look forward to discussing orthodontic treatment options with you.
See what Kathryn Heigl has to say about Invisalign on YouTube… Leave a comment below and tell us what impact you think a smile has on our day to day lives.

Nail Biting!

We’ve all heard that biting your nails is an awful habit, but you many wonder- really- what’s so bad about it?
Nail biting, also known as Onychophagia, is a common habit among various age groups, including primarily children, teens and young adults. Nail biting is generally triggered by stress and most often decreases with age. That being said, nail biting is unsanitary, unattractive, as well as unhealthy for your teeth!
Here’s why:
• It’s unsanitary. Your nails are dirty, almost twice as dirty as your fingers! Hence, biting your nails is just asking for germs and bacteria.
• No good things come to your teeth. Nail biting causes your teeth to constantly be chewing, which is not good for them. This excessive motion wears your teeth down faster than a non-nail biter’s and puts a large amount of stress on your front teeth- contributing to teeth misalignment.
• Braces don’t love it either. Braces already put pressure on teeth, nail biting ads unnecessary pressure, further stressing your teeth and weakening their roots.
• It can be costly. Nail biting can result in up to $4,000 in additional dental bills over one lifetime, according to the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD). Yikes!

What can you do about it?
Now that you know how harmful nail biting can be, it’s time to take action to break your nail biting habit. Try to be conscious of your fingernails and to keep them looking good- this will help you resist the temptation.

What are you dreaming about?

Teeth provide an invaluable service; they are the start of the digestive cycle, and directly influence the efficiency of the body's absorption of nutrients. They can also make a smile more attractive, and they help us with communication! Try to make the "s" sound without your teeth! But most people take their teeth for granted. As long as they are clean and sparkling, can chew food and are pain free, teeth rarely get a second thought.
 But imagine that you are chewing something, and bits of your teeth start falling out. Or that you are choking, and cough up some of your teeth. This rarely happens in real life, but it is actually a very common theme among dreams.
Teeth are symbolic of the ability to make decisions, and problems with teeth can be related to indecisiveness.
If you are dreaming about losing your teeth, you may have "bitten off more than you can chew" in a particular situation, or relationship. Dreams of losing teeth could mean that you feel you have lost the ability to make decisions, and you may feel that some situation is out of your control, or you are headed in a direction you don't want to go in.
Dreaming that your teeth are falling out is one of the many common anxiety dreams. You may dream that your teeth are crumbling in your hands or that your teeth are falling out one by one with just a light tap. Such dreams are horrifying and shocking. So what does it mean?
One theory is that dreams about your teeth reflect your anxiety about your appearance and how others perceive you. Sadly, we live in a world where good looks are valued highly and your teeth are important in conveying that image. Teeth are used in the game of flirtations, whether it is a dazzling smile or affectionate necking. These dreams may be a fear of powerlessness or even getting old. Teeth are an important feature of our attractiveness and presentation to others. Everybody worries about how they appear to others. Caring about our appearance is natural and healthy.
Alternatively, you may fear being embarrassed in some specific situation. These dreams are an over-exaggeration of your worries and anxiety. Teeth are used to bite, tear, chew and gnaw. Symbolically, teeth therefore represent power. And losing your teeth may indicate that you are feeling disempowered. Are you lacking power in some current situation? Perhaps you are having difficulties expressing yourself or getting your point across. You feel frustrated that your voice is not being heard. You may be experiencing feelings of inferiority and have low self-confidence. This dream is an indication that you need to be more assertive and believe in the value of your own opinion.

Beware, not all tooth dreams are symbolic. Once in a while a tooth dream is telling you to get yourself to the dentist's chair.
Most of the research we have done tells us that to really get to the root (pun intended) of the dream you just need to pay attention to your feelings and ask yourself a few questions.
Are you happy? Are you losing teeth and then getting new ones? It may mean that you are growing and moving forward.
Are you embarrassed about losing teeth?This may indicate a fear of failure, or you are worried about making a bad choice.
Do you feel you need to keep your mouth closed so no one can see that you've lost teeth? It may be time to sit back and listen rather than always being the one to do the talking.
Are you anxious about losing the teeth? Any anxiety in dreams generally means there is something in real life that's also causing anxiety. Do you have anxiety about any changes coming up? Are you fearful about making a wrong decision?
Are you having teeth problems in real life? The dream could then be an indicator that it's time to get yourself to the dentist!
Every night our subconscious mind reaches out to us through dreams. Sometimes we don't heed the messages when they are pleasant, so it sends us a dream that really gets our attention. Just remember, the subconscious is sending us these messages with the intention that if we pay attention, we'll receive a healing benefit.
According to the Chinese, there is a saying that your teeth will fall out if your are telling lies. It has also been said that if you dream of your teeth falling out, then it symbolizes money. This is based on the old tooth fairy story. If you lose a tooth and leave it under the pillow, a tooth fairy would bring you money.
For more information on your dreams, this site was a great resource and has a lot of information on common dreams and their meanings.  Another site that gives some more possible meaning behind your tooth filled, or toothless dreams can be found here.

Wash'em!

Fairbanks orthodontist Dr.Henry wants all of her patients and their families to stay healthy this winter—and throughout the year. So he encourages all parents to be sure their children understand how important handwashing is to their health, as well as when (frequently!) and how to wash hands.
Amazing as it may seem, it’s been estimated that routine handwashing by people worldwide could prevent one million deaths a year. Keeping hands clean using soap and running water is one of the most important ways to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others.
If soap and water are unavailable, the next best thing is to clean hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. But alcohol-based hand sanitizers don’t eliminate all types of germs, so they shouldn’t be used routinely in place of washing with soap and water.
It’s important to wash hands:

Before, during and after preparing food
Before eating food
Before and after caring for someone who is sick
Before and after treating a cut or wound
After using the toilet
After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
After blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing
After touching an animal or animal waste
After touching garbage

Dr. Henry believes that teaching kids about handwashing—and reminding kids about frequent, proper handwashing at the start of every winter season—is one of the most important things parents can do for their kids’ long-term health. So he encourages all parents to set aside time soon for this important lesson (or refresher course), before cold and flu season.

Why an Orthodontist?

 Why would you select an Orthodontist to straighten your teeth?  Because they trained specifically for that purpose.

You can’t get a healthy, beautiful smile from just anyone. You need an expert. You need an orthodontist.
Orthodontists are highly trained specialists whose expertise is tooth alignment for children, teens and adults. But what exactly makes them the experts? Only orthodontists receive an extra 2-3 years of specialized education beyond dental school to learn the proper way to align and straighten teeth.
That means to become an orthodontist, qualified dentists need even more training after graduating dental school. In fact, they need an additional full-time education at an accredited orthodontic residency program supervised by orthodontists. This education lasts at least two years, often more.
During this time, orthodontists learn about tooth movement (orthodontics) and the guidance of facial development (dentofacial orthopedics). It’s this education and training in straightening teeth and aligning jaws that make orthodontists the straight-smile experts.
By selecting a member of the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO), you can feel confident knowing you’ve chosen an orthodontic specialist that is an expert in orthodontics, dentofacial orthopedics and the treatment of improperly aligned teeth and jaws. It’s why only orthodontists can become members of the AAO. It’s also why our expertise will make you smile.

Types of orthodontic treatment

-Braces: Metal or ceramic brackets are bonded to the front of teeth. Wires and elastics are attached to the brackets to straighten teeth.

- Invisalign®: Advanced 3D computer images of the patients’ mouth are used to create clear, custom aligners that slowly move teeth. They are nearly invisible and are more comfortable than traditional braces. They are also removable, which makes it possible to continue with normal brushing and flossing.

- Retainers: A retainer is a removable piece worn inside the mouth that uses pressure to force teeth to move into proper alignment. They are used after braces are removed.

Length of orthodontic treatment:
Treatment typically ranges from 12 – 36 months. Factors include the age, cooperation level, and growth occurrence of the patient. The complexity of the case also impacts the treatment time.