“Motherhood: All love begins and ends there.” – Robert Browning

We would like to take this moment to thank all the great moms out there for being so great during their child’s visits to Arch Orthodontics. Whether it’s driving their kids to regularly scheduled appointments or for “being there” while their child is treatment, the moms who come to our office are all stellar individuals, so Dr. Chavez, Dr. Chase, Dr. Hughes, Dr. Barone, Dr. Taylor, Dr. Cohen, Dr. Woland, Dr. Alexander, Dr. Best and our entire staff would like you to know that we appreciate you all!

Happy Mother’s Day and enjoy your special day!

The month of May has the unique distinction of being National Teen Self-Esteem Month. What does that mean?

National Teen Self-Esteem Month was created to raise public awareness about how low self-esteem can negatively affect teens. Especially during May, parents and guardians of teens are asked to be positive role models. If teens can receive positive re-enforcement and their negative images of themselves are improved, then their self-esteem has a better chance of developing in a positive direction.

Dr. Chavez, Dr. Chase, Dr. Hughes, Dr. Barone, Dr. Taylor, Dr. Cohen, Dr. Woland, Dr. Alexander, Dr. Best and our team at Arch Orthodontics know there are a lot of young adults living in America are struggling with depressed self-images. These can affect all aspects of their everyday lives. Some evidence shows learning abilities and increased risk of eating disorders can originate in a teen’s low self-esteem. It can also lead to abuse of drugs and thoughts of suicide. Dating violence among high school teens is now more common than previously thought.

What can be done to help?

So what can adults do specifically to help their teens? The National Teen Self-Esteem Facebook page offers a variety of suggestions and positive messages for teens and parents alike. Of all the pages your teen “likes” on social media, perhaps he or she should include this page. Some of the tips offered include:

1. When you stumble, get right back up.
2. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else.
3. Do things that make you feel good about yourself.
4. Open yourself up to compliments.

Another great way to build self-esteem is to have a beautiful, health smile, and that’s where our team at Arch Orthodontics come in! Whether your teen is due for a simple cleaning, could benefit from cosmetic treatments, or needs orthodontic care, we can help bestow a confident smile he or she will be proud to show off.

Overall, a more positive approach to life will help us all. It is a very important trait to instill in our teens. As parents, a big part of our responsibility is to show our children there is always another day and bumps in the road are just that. We need to help guide their self-esteem and reinforce their positive traits. We can help them recognize the value of who they are.

We should make our children’s self esteem a priority — not just in May, but throughout the year. Let National Teen Self-Esteem Month serve as the impetus for new levels of self-esteem.

For more information on this topic, or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Chavez, Dr. Chase, Dr. Hughes, Dr. Barone, Dr. Taylor, Dr. Cohen, Dr. Woland, Dr. Alexander, Dr. Best, please give us a call at our convenient Bridgewater, Brockton, Canton, Hyannis, Hyde Park, Orleans, and Randolph office!

Patients at Arch Orthodontics often wonder if lingual braces require the same amount of care as regular braces. The only real difference between lingual braces and traditional braces is the location of the brackets: lingual brackets are mounted on the back of your teeth. This mounting technique means that your braces completely hidden! However, you need to take special care of your lingual braces to prevent damage to the brackets and wires.

General care

Wearing lingual braces requires more caution when you eat hard or crunchy foods, which should be avoided whenever necessary. Applying excess pressure when you chew can cause brackets to break loose. This is more likely to happen if your upper front teeth overhang your lower teeth. You should also avoid foods that become caught in the brackets.

Brushing and flossing

Flossing can be done with a combination of regular dental floss and an inter-dental or wire brush. Floss threaders can also be used to get floss under the wires of your braces; ask our team for one at your next appointment with Dr. Chavez, Dr. Chase, Dr. Hughes, Dr. Barone, Dr. Taylor, Dr. Cohen, Dr. Woland, Dr. Alexander, Dr. Best. You should always brush and floss after every meal, because there is a greater chance of food particles becoming stuck in your braces. You can also use a mouthwash to reduce bacteria and fight plaque. As always, keep your regular dental hygiene appointments at our convenient Bridgewater, Brockton, Canton, Hyannis, Hyde Park, Orleans, and Randolph office to make sure that no problems develop while you’re undergoing orthodontic treatment.

Many individuals have a natural habit of rubbing their tongue along the inside of their teeth, especially when a change has occurred in their mouth. This can cause soreness or small abrasions on your tongue. While they should subside within a few weeks, the use of dental wax can be helpful.

Please ask Dr. Chavez, Dr. Chase, Dr. Hughes, Dr. Barone, Dr. Taylor, Dr. Cohen, Dr. Woland, Dr. Alexander, Dr. Best and our team any questions you may have about your new braces and how to care for them and your teeth. The better care you take of your teeth and braces now, the better your outcome will be when your orthodontic work is complete!

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month

Know a teen with an overbite, underbite, crossbite, gaps, or misaligned or crowded teeth? He or she may be a candidate for braces. Since February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, it’s an ideal time to think about kids and braces.

The teen years can be tough. It’s often a pivotal time when children go from being sweet and lovable to moody and difficult. Everything embarrasses them, no one understands them, and parents want to find the balance between giving them more independence while still protecting them.

Dr. Andrew Chase of ARCH Orthodontics has treated thousands of teens since he joined the practice in 1989. Over the years, Invisalign aligners have become almost as common as conventional ceramic or metal braces for adults, but now they offer an aligners series designed for teens. Known as Invisalign Teen, this option has been shown to be just as effective as braces in many case types. He says, “Having straight teeth can improve a teen’s self-confidence and ultimately their quality of life. Patients always wear retainers to maintain the new alignment, at first full time, then night time only.”

Dr. Chase describes the simple Invisalign process. Your impressions are used to create digital 3-D images of your teeth. Based on those, the Orthodontist maps out a custom treatment plan showing how the teeth will move and how often new aligners will be used – usually every two weeks. Patients wear their aligners 22 hours per day, taking them out only to eat, brush and floss. Dr. Chase tells teens, “They’re nearly invisible so most people won’t notice you’re wearing them. After about a year, the new smile will be complete.” Sometimes a patient needs to continue wearing retainers to keep teeth in their new position.

The cost of Invisalign treatment is similar to traditional braces, and many dental insurance plans cover Invisalign as they would other Orthodontic treatments. ARCH offers flexible and affordable monthly payment plans.  Some families can apply their Flexible Spending Account toward Invisalign treatment. ARCH Orthodontics is a Certified Invisalign Premier Preferred Provider.

ARCH, Official Orthodontist of Miss Massachusetts, has seven offices south of Boston and two on Cape Cod.  The practice offers free initial consultation and interest-free financing.

For more info contact:  smilemaker@archorthodontics.com  / 1-800-28-SMILE.  Visit  www.archorthodontics.com. Interest-free financing is available.                                    

–  By Stanley Hurwitz /   508-269-0570  /  stanhurwitz@gmail.com