Hygiene/Raffle prizes:
Our office promotes good hygiene by rewarding patients with Monthly Raffle Prizes. Each month one raffle winner will receive Jamba Juice Gift cards and an Electric Toothbrush.
Celebrate Events:
For the month February we celebrated Valentine's Day with Sweet Treats!
For March, April, May we celebrated Our Patients' Birthday and support the cause for Flouridated Water as part of the Santa Clara Dental Society Campaign for clean, safe and protected water in the community.
In May, we celebrated Mother Day with fresh flowers for moms!
We look forward to celebrate Father Day with our patients!
We update our bulletin board with summer tips and events. Bring in your pictures of your summer adventures to share with us!
Community Services:
We are proud to participate in the Give Kids a Smile Event, organized by the Santa Clara Dental Society. This is a charitable non-profit event that provides free dental screenings to elementary and graded-school students every year during month of February and provides free dental services to those in need. At Care Orthodontics, we provide charitable orthodontic services for selected individuals with financial challenges, special situations and dental needs nominated by the Santa Clara Dental Society Program.
Patient Education:
Why do I need to spend extra time brushing with braces? You need to brush your teeth frequently to prevent tooth decay, tooth decalcification (tooth scarring), tooth discoloration and gum disease.
How often do I need to brush with braces? You need to brush your teeth at least 3 times a day, following each meal. For each time, a two-minute brushing routine is recommended. In addition, don't forget to FLOSS! Good brushing without flossing can still lead to decay in between teeth and gum swelling in between teeth. A fluoride rinse is also recommended since it can strengthen enamel and reduce decay.
Can I use a waterpik in replacement for flossing? No. A waterpik can flush out plaque in hard to reach places but it does not break contacts of teeth to remove plaque completely. Use it as an adjunctive tool only.
Do wisdom teeth cause my teeth to move? Research do not prove that wisdom teeth cause other teeth to shift. However, many research studies do show that there are many problems associated with wisdom teeth such as swelling, cavities, gum inflammation and infection. Therefore, they should be removed to prevent future problems but not due to "orthodontic" reason. Your general dentist can give you recommendations as when to remove wisdom teeth.
Can I drink soda while wearing braces? Yes but ONLY with moderation! You should drink no more than 1 can of soda a day. Phosphoric and citric acid in soda can soften the bonding material and cause braces to break off easily. In addition, these acids can also cause decalcification and lead to scarring and damages to enamel. Try to drink more water, flavored water, milk and juice. Cut back on drinks with lot of sugar and use sugar-substituted drink as much as possible.
What's about popcorn? Yes, but avoid the kernel part. It's hard and can break off your brackets.
How bad do braces hurt? On the scale of 1-10 with 1 is very little and 10 is severe, braces rank about a score of 3-4 at its worst during the 2nd day.
How many days do braces hurt? Usually about 3-5 days after braces put on and after each monthly adjustment. Most often, discomfort lessens at the monthly adjustments since you are already familiar with the process and the expected soreness. At day 1 you will feel some tenderness about 6-8 hours after braces placed on. Day 2 is the most uncomfortable day when your teeth are a bit sensitive when you bite down and chew food. It 's good to eat soft food or cut food to small pieces so you don't have to chew so much. From day 3 on, the feeling of tenderness will go away and you will start to feel normal again.
Invisalign:
Is Invisalign good for me? Invisalign is a good way to straighten out teeth without braces. It is a good system to correct crooked teeth and improve bites without resorting to the use of metal brackets and wires. At Care Orthodontics, Dr. Phan is very experienced with both systems.
Invisalign vs Braces? Which one is better? Braces is the Gold standard in correcting and bite. Braces can provide precise movements and exact amount of force whenever needed. Invisalign can straighten out teeth but requires case selective. Sometimes it may not be strong enough to fix a large bite discrepancy and may need additional forces from appliances or braces.
Invisalign vs Braces? Which one is faster? As far as bone biology goes, teeth take about the same time to move whether through Invisalign or through Braces. In general, since Invisalign are not used to correct severe bite problems, they take shorter time due to less case complexity and simpler treatment goals. Since each individual has different bite and different needs, patient should be evaluated individually. If you are interested in Invisalign, make a consultation appointment with Dr. Phan and she will let you know if you are a good candidate for Invisalign treatment.