Life After Braces: Retention

Think you're all done with orthodontic care because you got your braces off? Not so fast, you're not done just yet. Once you completed the braces phase of your treatment you are ready to move to the phase, retention.

The retention phase focuses on holding your teeth in the position they have been moved to by braces treatment. The retention phase lasts for a minimum of 24 months.During this you only remove your retainer before brushing, and brush your retainer before placing it back in your mouth, if you have a removable retainer. 

There are two types of retainers removable and bonded.

Removable Retainers (Clear or Hawley): Your retainers should be worn at all times with the exception of eating and brushing your teeth. Your retainer should also be removed when participating in activities that require a mouth guard or while swimming. After 12 months of full-time wear, we may revise your retention treatment, allowing the retainer to strictly be worn at night.

Bonded Retainers (Fixed): Bonded lingual retainers are cemented directly to the inside surface of your lower canines (eye teeth). This is one of the best ways to prevent your lower teeth from shifting as it is permanently attached. Patients with bonded lingual retainers must be careful with their bite as the bonding material may break due to incorrect biting and cause teeth to shift quickly. As with removable retainers, it is important to keep them clean. This is done by making sure to carefully clean the inside of your lower teeth as well as the wire while brushing.

Once it's time for your braces to be removed we will discuss which option best suits your treatment plan.Here at Bailey Orthodontics we offer various treatment options you can take advantage of to get the smile you've always wanted.

The retainer plays a special part is achieving the smile you want so be sure to follow instructions given by Dr. Bailey when it comes to your retainer. If you have any questions regarding retainers give us a call today.

Creative Gift Wrapping DIY 101

It is the gift giving season again and many of you will be givers and receivers this holiday. Christmas is the time for family and friends to gather together and spread joy and love. Gifts are used to show love and appreciation during this holiday. Gifts are all different but have one thing in common; they are all wrapped up only to be revealed on Christmas day.

Wrapping gifts isn’t an easy task you have to know how to do it and do it right. It may seem trivial, but how a gift is wrapped shows the receiver that you care and put thought into your gift. If you never put thought into how you wrap your gifts now is the time to.

Here are 5 DIY (Do It Yourself) gift wrapping ideas.

Photo Gift Tags

Chalk Board Packaging 

Using Fabric

Newspaper Wrapping

Arts & Craft Gift Wrap

Put as much effort into wrapping your gifts as you did picking out the gift, your friends and family will appreciate it. Show us how creative you can get this holiday season on Facebook and Instagram (@BaileyOrthoAZ), tag us in photos showing off your DIY gift wrapping skills.

Play For Keeps

Being a patient a Bailey Orthodontics comes with many perks, a beautiful smile being one, but there is an extra benefit. Being a patient at Bailey Orthodontics makes you eligible for tons of cool rewards and prizes.

Patients Rewards Hub is a program that was made specifically for patients. You can access Rewards Hub easily through our website. Before you can get cool prizes you have a patient rewards card.Once
you have your card activated you can instantly began to earn points. You can earn points in fun way, like through contest and simple ways like staying on top of oral hygiene.

Here's the fun part, once you start to earn points you can cash in your points and redeem prizes such as gift cards from your favorite retail stores.

We want to provide our patients with the best possible experience. So log on and being to earn points today! If you don't have a Bailey Rewards Card let us know during your next visit.

Want to earn easy points right now? Follow us on Instagram @BaileyorthoAZ and earn points today!

If Pain is Your Worry, "Let it Go"

Is Orthodontic Treatment Painful?

When thinking about orthodontics treatment the first question people have is, "Will it hurt?". Whether it's the dentist or the orthodontist most have a common fear of what pain treatment might bring. Well Dr. Bailey has some good news for you, orthodontic treatment is not as bad as you think it is.

Orthodontic treatment has improved dramatically. As a rule, braces make your teeth tender and sore for a few days, but it is not painful. You feel soreness after the wire is place onto the brackets. This is because your teeth are beginning to move and your teeth are not use to the pressure the arch wire and elastic are causing. As time goes by your teeth will get use to the brace and your soreness will decrease.

Today’s braces are more comfortable and use technology that reduces the discomfort. We use the latest in biocompatible braces, the advanced technique with light force and the highest quality of orthodontic materials, in order to reduce discomfort and treatment time.

Here are a few tips to help:

• Take over the counter medicine like Advil
• Rinse your mouth with warm salt water
• Eat soft foods like yogurt and mash potatoes
• Place heating pad or warm was rag on jaw
• Avoid acidic drinks; those drinks with acid can irritate a sore mouth
• Use over the counter oral anesthetic like Orajel
• Apply wax to any bracket or wire bothering your cheek, tongue or lips

If you have any questions feel free to contact us by calling the office or leaving a question on our Facebook page!

How to Keep Your Selfies Healthy

People all over the world use the term “selfie” as they take their cameras and capture a personal self-portrait.

Selfies are taken and posted all over social media sites daily, but what’s the key to a great selfie? It’s a picture perfect smile. Yes, your smile is the key to selfie success. Everyone’s smile is unique and best smiles are healthy ones. Whether you’re currently under orthodontic treatment or considering treatment, we want you to know your appliance doesn't hinder your smile you should see it as an accessory.  Here are 4 things to make sure your smile stays in tip-top shape.

1.  Oral Hygiene: To keep your teeth clean you must brush, floss and rinse. To avoid the accumulation of food particles and plaque you should brush your teeth four times daily to in the morning after breakfast, after lunch or right after school, after dinner and at bedtime. For areas between the teeth that a toothbrush can’t reach, dental floss is used to remove food particles and plaque.

2. Eat right: Eat healthy foods, like fruits and vegetables, to protect your teeth. Minimize the sugary foods in your diet; they cause tooth decay and related problems.

3. Visit the Dentist: You must visit the Dentist twice a year to check up on the status of your oral health.You need to make sure you don’t have any cavities and your gums are in good shape, among other things.The dentist could find a problem early and fix it with a small filling before a major problem occurred.

4. Keep up with your Orthodontic appointments: Make all of your Orthodontic appointments is crucial when you are under orthodontic treatment. You must to follow through on scheduled
appointments in order to keep up with treatment timetable. All orthodontic treatments require scheduled appointments in order to ensure effective treatment and reduce treatment time for the patient.

Whether you are a child or an adult making sure your smile is healthy is important. Orthodontic treatment on unhealthy teeth is no good. At Bailey Orthodontics we pride ourselves on continuously providing some of the top patient care in Arizona. To schedule an appointment with us online today just simply click here.

The Invisible Choice

Making the decision to undergo orthodontic treatment is the first choice, choosing which appliance to use is the second. One of the most popular choices today is the clear choice, Invisalign.

Deciding to undergo orthodontic treatment to straighten your teeth not only affects your appearance, but your lifestyle as well. For adults undergoing treatment this is an important decision. People tend to associate traditional braces with children and young adults. This stigma deters many adults from seeking orthodontic treatment. Invisalign provides the most flexible option for adults. 

Invisalign are clear aligners that provide a high level of discretion. Invisalign alignment trays are created from molds of your teeth giving you custom aligners. Unlike other braces, Invisalign aligners are removable. You can take out the aligners when necessary, which makes Invisalign a flexible option.

Benefits of Invisalign:

• Easy removal
• Allows for easy brushing a flossing like normal
• No food restrictions (you can remove your aligners to eat)
• Can remove aligners for physical activity
• No brackets and wires to worry about
• Invisalign are practically invisible to the naked eye

There are many question patients have about Invisalign, here at the top 4 frequently asked question and we have the answers.

• How often must I wear my aligners?

You must wear your aligners for up to 22 hours daily. You may remove them for eating, drinking and regular oral hygiene.

• How long does Invisalign treatment take?

Treatment time varies depending on the severity of the misaligned teeth. Treatment time can be shorter than traditional braces, between six and 18 months.

• Is there any discomfort with Invisalign treatment?

There will be some pressure and minor discomfort for a day or two after each initial insertion. This is a sign that your teeth are moving sequentially into their final position.

• Does Invisalign work for kids?

Yes, if their teeth, including second molars, have grown in completely.

To ensure the best possible results, only an orthodontist who has been trained and certified by Align Technology can diagnose and treat using Invisalign. Dr. Bailey is trained and can determine if this treatment is an effective option for you. For more information or to find out if Invisalign is the treatment option for you schedule an appointment today!

Kids Guide to Preparing for Halloween

Halloween is only 2 days away. You've been waiting for this day all month now it’s finally your chance to dress up and have some fun here’s how to prepare for Halloween. This is the official kids guide to preparing for Halloween, so parents make sure the kiddies read this.

4 Tips For Preparing For Halloween

Costume Check: Make sure you have your costume together. You've tried it on a ton of times so you know it fits perfectly. Make sure you have all the accessories you need to complete your costume, but also make sure you have a flash light with working batteries to use while trick or treating.

Grab Bag: Whether it’s a bucket or nap sack have a big and strong enough bag to hold all of your sweet treats.

Photo Provided by ilovebrightonford.com

Plan Out The Night: If you plan on going trick or treating creating a map of the locations you plan to visit. This will come in handy Halloween night, this will help you save time and grab the most treats you can get.

Movie Night: Watch your favorite Halloween movie to get you in the ghoulish mood of Halloween. There are plenty of family friendly classics for you to check out, such as “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” or “Casper”.

Now get your rest because you are going to be very busy Halloween day. Be sure to take tons of pictures for memories. You have to remember to put your safety first, only eat candy after an adult has inspected your grab bag. Also remember if you are currently under orthodontic treatment there are foods you have to avoid and oral hygiene guidelines to follow. 

Watch What You Eat

Photo Provided by Oralb.com

Braces are used as a treatment to bring out your best smile and with that come a lot of changes. One of the biggest change could be what now can and cannot eat.

You hear it constantly, “brush twice a day, floss daily, visit your dentist twice a year and be sure to make all of your orthodontic appointments”, and this is all said to ensure you maintain good oral health. Besides oral maintenance, what effects the progress of your treatment is what you eat. While you have braces you want to avoid certain types of foods, basically anything sticky, chewy, hard and crunchy. 

Here’s a list of treats you will have to avoid during your braces treatment.

Examples of Sticky Foods to Avoid:

• Gum (sugar-free or regular)
• Licorice
• Sugar Daddies
• Toffee
• Tootsie Rolls
• Caramels



Photo Provided by kilwins.com 

• Starburst

Examples of Hard Foods to Avoid:

• Ice
• Nuts
• Hard taco shells
• French bread crust/rolls
• Corn on the cob
• Apples and carrots (unless cut)
• Bagels
• Chips
• Jolly Ranchers
• Pizza crust
• Uncooked carrots (unless cut)

It is important to not consume these foods. By eating the foods above you can damage your braces which could make your treatment longer than expected and we want you to have the best experience during your time of treatment.

In the meantime you here’s a list of great foods you can enjoy with braces.

• Dairy - pudding, soft cheeses
• Breads – sliced lunch bread, soft tortillas, pancakes, muffins w/o nuts, biscuits
• Grains – noodles, pasta, soft-cooked rice
• Meats/poultry - soft-cooked chicken, meatballs, lunch meats
• Seafood - fish w/o bones, tuna, salmon, crab and crab cakes
• Vegetables - mashed potatoes, peas, yams, steamed spinach, beans
• Fruits - applesauce, bananas, fruit juice
• Treats - ice cream w/o nuts, milkshakes, smoothies, Jell-O, cake
• Other – eggs, hot dogs, hamburgers, chili, beans and much more

We aware that Halloween is approaching soon and we want you to enjoy yourself, but we also want you to remember it is Orthodontic Health Month. With braces always be mindful of what you are eating, the wrong food can lead to a sooner than expected visit with Dr. Bailey.

Stay Safe and Have Fun This Halloween

Photo provided by Sheknows.com

Halloween is just two weeks away and we want all of patients to go out and have a great time with their friends and families but, we also want to make sure you are all safe. Here at Bailey Orthodontics we don’t only care about your teeth, we care about you entire well-being. Dressing up and going from door to door seems harmless, on a night where some many people are out and about on the streets anything can happen. So we are going to provide you with safety tips to make sure you Halloween is safe and fun.

Here’s safety tips provided by CDC.gov

For more tips visit this link HALLOWEEN SAFETY 

If you are under orthodontic treatment be sure to check out our list of foods to avoid by clicking here. You’re working hard on getting the wonderful smile you want don’t like candy hinder your progress.

Your Look, Your Choice

Making the choice to receive orthodontic treatment is the first step to achieving a beautiful smile. But, did you know there are several options? Bailey Orthodontics offers you many different solutions for braces treatment. As a patient you will which option is best for your aesthetic and lifestyle needs.

Options for patients needing braces treatment has expanded throughout the years. The days of just traditional metal braces are long over.

Metal braces

Metal braces are the most commonly used orthodontic appliance. Metal braces consist of brackets cemented to the front surfaces the teeth, along with a metal wire to help guise the teeth in the proper position. There are many good reasons why traditional metal braces remain popular, because they offer a reliable, effective and economical treatment option.

Gold braces

Similar to metal braces, gold braces are stainless-steal braces. Unlike traditional metal braces, gold braces are coated in 24 karat gold. The gold coating adds more of a cosmetic flare than traditional metal braces.

Clarity

Clarity braces feature a comfortable design with a translucent appearance. Made from a hard ceramic material, these braces won’t stain or discolor. The ceramic material also makes these braces less visible. Patients concerned with aesthetics of braces are choosing this option because they get the same performance as metal braces, but in a clear form.

Invisalign

Invisalign braces are basically invisible. Invisalign alignment trays are created from molds of your teeth to giving you custom aligners. Unlike the other braces Invisalign braces are removable. You can take out the aligners to do things like eat or brush your teeth, making this the most flexible option. This treatment plan requires you to get new aligners ever two weeks to move teeth into proper corrective position. Invisalign are the top of the line and most expensive treatment option for obvious reasons.

Damon

Damon braces were invented by Dr. Dwight Damon. The Damon bracket utilizes (sliding-door) technology known as "self-ligation" that allows the wire to slide back and forth within the bracket. No elastic or steel ties are used with Damon brackets. This technology creates less friction and results in greater comfort for the patient. In addition, Damon braces often reduce both treatment time and the number of adjustments that are usually performed.

You will have the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Bailey and discuss your options. The braces that are best for you depend on your orthodontic problems. For more information on the different type of braces and what is best you schedule anappointment today!

Keep Calm & Enjoy Your Visit

Photo provided by /healthsciencedegree.info

Is your child anxious about their orthodontic visit? 

About 15% of the U.S population is nervous about visiting dental offices. Nerves come at all ages. From kids to adults, and the main reason for the nerves are usually a fear of pain and the unknown. However, parents are responsible for making their children feel comfortable. Here are a few tips for parents when visiting the orthodontic office with your child for a fear-free visit.

4 Tips for a Fear-Free Orthodontics Visit:

• Don’t go over details: Going too much into detail could scare your child even more. If your child has to have orthodontic treatment done try not to go into detail. Going into detail can lead to questions like, “Will it hurt?”, “How bad will the pain be?” Just leave the explaining to the doctor, they’re trained to handle your child nerves and give them the best response.

• Let your child ask the questions:  During the visit orthodontics have you child make a list of questions to ask the doctor. Having your child ask questions get the answers they want and will make them feel more comfortable with the doctor.

• Bring a distraction to the office:  Make sure your child brings something to keep their mind off of the fact that they are at the orthodontist office. For example, an iPad or mobile gaming device. They can spend time while waiting playing games or listening to music.

• DON’T pass on your fears: There are plenty of adults who have their fears about visiting the dentist. If you a dentist or orthodontist phobia make sure your children don’t pick on it. If your senses mom or dad is scared they will be too. Also don’t share your bad experiences, as a parent you are there to comfort not cause worry.

So remember to ensure your child that we are here to help keep their smiles safe.  If your have any questions don’t hesitate to call our office or visit our website to learn more about our procedures. 

A Beauitful Smile Has No Age Limit

When people think of braces the assumption is that treatment is specifically for children and young adults. However, you can perfect your smile at any age.

Photo provided by Dailymail.uk

As you get older your teeth age as well. Between the foods you eat and the natural aging process your teeth are bound the change over time. Crooked teeth and a bad bite ca contribute to gum and bone loss, tooth decay, abnormal wear of the tooth enamel and surfaces, headaches and jaw joint (TMJ/TMD) pain. Just because you aren't in high school anymore doesn't mean you can't have a youthful smile.

Orthodontic treatment during the later stages in life helps not only to improve your smile, but your self-esteem as well. The techniques and appliance used by Bailey Orthodontics can result in a significant reduce in discomfort, number of visits, and treatment time overall. Your options for braces treatment may include metal braces, translucent braces and transparent aligners.

Some of your favorite celebrities have even decided to undergo braces treatment in their adult age. Country singer Faith Hill rocked her braces to the Grammy Awards. At age 45 Faith decided to give her smile a TLC (tender love and care).

It’s never too late to get the smile you have always dreamed of, don’t let preconceived notions about braces stop you. Schedule your initial consultation with us today and let us find the best solution for you!

Welcome To Our Blog

We would like to welcome everyone to our new blog! We are excited to finally have an outlet to keep our patients, their families and their friends up to date on all of the new and amazing things happening at Bailey Orthodontics!

Here, within this blog, we will do our best to keep you posted on office news, contests and events, education information…and all of the fun things that happen along the way. So be sure to check back often.

If you haven’t noticed yet…we have changed the look of our website. We hope you find it user friendly as well as informative. New features have been added to the site like patient reviews and online appointment request forms. So if you haven’t been to our website in a while…check it out and let us know what you think.

Also, we have added some great Social Media tools to the mix. FaceBook, and Google+ can now all be accessed through our website.

We hope you enjoy getting to know Bailey Orthodontics. Please feel free to leave comments here or on our FaceBook Page…we would love to hear from you!