World Smile Day: Your Chance to Share a Smile & Be Kind

World Smile Day, celebrated every year on the first Friday of October, is a day dedicated to spreading joy and kindness—one smile at a time. This fun holiday inspired by Harvey Ball, the commercial artist from Worcester who created the iconic smile face in 1963, is a reminder that something as simple as a smile can instantly brighten someone else’s day and make the world a much better place. Here’s more about the importance of keeping your smile healthy, along with a few ways you can help others this World Smile Day to grin as brightly as you!

Orthodontic treatment is capable of doing quite a lot for your pearly whites: if they’re crooked or misaligned, they can be straightened. If there are gaps between them, they can be closed. And if you have an overbite or another type of bite issue, it can be resolved. That said, even though a small amount of overbite is natural, did you know that a serious overbite can spell bad news for your oral health? Here are a few reasons why you shouldn’t think twice about visiting your trusted orthodontist if you have a prominent overbite.

Even if you’ve been researching the ins and outs of orthodontic treatment, you may have a hard time finding some answers. For example, how much will my braces cost? How long will it take to complete my treatment? Am I a candidate? The good news is that a portion of your initial appointment is dedicated to answering important questions like these. To be as prepared as possible, here are five questions you should ask at your orthodontic consultation.

If you’ve just started wearing braces, you’re probably looking forward to having a straighter and more uniform smile in the future; however, you have to ensure that your teeth are healthy when you reach the finish line! The bottom line is that braces straighten your teeth—they don’t protect them from cavities, decay, or other types of issues. This means that brushing and flossing the correct way while you have braces is in your best interest. Here are some tips to help you out!

If you’ve recently broken one of your brackets, suffered a snapped wire, or your braces have become compromised in some other way, you might be wondering what you need to do to quickly correct the issue. But before you start to panic, you should know that these things happen and they certainly don’t mean that your treatment is ruined; a little knowledge and quick thinking can ensure that your smile isn’t in any long-term danger! Here are three easy-to-follow steps from your orthodontist.  

After getting your braces removed, the last thing you want is another orthodontic appliance. As a result, you might feel less motivated to follow your orthodontist’s instructions to consistently wear them each night. While it might not seem like it at first, this best practice benefits you in the short and long term! With this in mind, keep reading to learn three reasons why you should wear your retainer.

Since everything from candy canes to peppermint bark is a no-no during orthodontic treatment, you might feel a bit lost when it comes to your child’s stocking. After all, they shouldn’t have to miss out on some of the holiday magic simply because they are in the process of straightening their teeth! Good news: there are lots of braces-friendly stocking stuffers that are fun and helpful.

Does your child love playing soccer with their friends on the weekends? Maybe they are a part of their school’s football, basketball, cheer, or dance team. Whatever the case may be, it’s natural to wonder if orthodontic treatment will get in the way, especially if sports are a big part of your child’s life. To learn the answer, keep reading!

Around the age of seven, you should schedule an appointment for your little one to visit an orthodontist. At this appointment, their orthodontic team will take a look at their teeth, check the development of their jaw, and assess their bite to determine if braces are needed. But what happens if you postpone this treatment? Here’s the answer.

If you have an overbite, you may be wondering if braces are really necessary. After all, isn’t orthodontic treatment designed to straighten teeth? In reality, uneven bites are like trying to drive a car when the axles aren’t aligned – it just doesn’t work as efficiently! If you’re on the fence about whether braces are worth it or not, then keep reading to learn five important reasons to correct your overbite.