June is Men's Health Month

June isn't just about Father’s Day, June is also Men’s Health Month. In honor of these occasions we are going to give you some dental health facts about the men in your life. Under certain circumstances, these facts can be helpful. Mostly, they should be entertaining.

• Men have larger, longer tongues.
• Healthy teeth are more important when dating than rock-hard abs. This is because a man who takes care of his smile is probably a guy who takes care of his whole body.
• Beards may contain bacteria, but not to the extent that toothbrushes do. When the dentists recommends you change your brush out every three months, it’s a good idea. And storing your brush inside the medicine cabinet is also a good idea. Also, don’t use an old toothbrush to groom your mustache or beard. 
• Half of all men only brush their teeth once a day. Allowing sugars and acids to sit on your teeth overnight by skipping the nightly hygiene routine encourages the decaying process. Encourage the men in your life to brush.

Is Invisalign Teen Right For Your Teenager?

Invisalign Teen is one the newer styles of braces, and perfect for those who do not like the standard metal braces. They are available in a clear material that is practically invisible called aligners that are replaced every two weeks. The aligners are custom made for each patient and gradually straighten teeth without all of the metal and rubber bands that come with traditional braces.

Is Invisalign as effective?
If your child will wear them as directed to, then the answer is yes, they are as effective as traditional metal braces. However, to make sure the child is actually wearing them correctly you will notice a small blue spot on the back of each aligner. This is called an indicator and if worn correctly will fade over a period of two weeks. Dr. Spannhake will be able to tell if the patient is not wearing them correctly.

Can Invisalign be removed?
Parents should be aware that the Invisalign aligners can be removed for up to four hours per day to eat, brush teeth, play sports, or play musical instruments. With the option of removing them it actually makes brushing and flossing easier and helps oral hygiene. The recommended time to wear them is at least 20 hours per day.

Invisalign Teen has had remarkable success because patients are happy to have the option of having clear aligners for treatment. With the child more confident they are actually more prone to keep up with their treatment and many do complete their treatment sooner. You should speak with Dr. Spannhake as soon as possible to learn about the benefits of Invisalign Teen.

New Contest Alert: Where in the World is Your Spannhake Smile?

Don't forget to pick up your FREE Spannhake Orthodontics sunglasses at your next appointment! We are starting our new Summer patient contest, and the theme is "Where in the world is your Spannhake Smile?" 

Check out the details below!

www.facebook.com/SpannhakeOrthodontics

Orthodontic Stereotypes

The stereotypical braces wearer – in middle school, with a mouth full of metal brackets – has led to numerous myths about orthodontics that discourage many people from getting the dental care they need.

Myth 1) Orthodontic treatment is for kids. Although teenagers typically have braces, adults represent a growing proportion of orthodontic patients. No matter your age, a consultation with an orthodontist can identify problems with your teeth, jaws, or bite that can be corrected with orthodontics.

Myth 2) Traditional metal braces are my only option. Advances in orthodontic technology have rendered improved braces and other appliances that are much less noticeable than the braces of yesteryear. Ask Dr. Spannhake about which option is best for you.

Myth 3) Orthodontic treatment is only helpful for crooked teeth. Sure, a crooked smile is a common reason for patients to seek orthodontic car. However, orthodontic interventions help with a range of dental health problems. From missing teeth to overbite to jaw misalignment, your orthodontist can help with many problems associated with teeth, gums and jaws.

Myth 4) Orthodontic treatment is too expensive. As with any medical procedure, orthodontics can be pricey. However, we are happy to work with patients and insurance companies to come up with a payment plan that helps to reduce the financial burden. Many people are very surprised at how affordable treatment can be!

Prom-tastic Photo Contest

Be sure to enter our Prom Photo Contest At Spannhake Orthodontics!

Upload your photo to our Facebook wall now & the photo with the most LIKES will win a $50 iTunes gift card! Last day to enter is June 15th!

www.facebook.com/spannhakeorthodontics

Wearing & Caring For Your Retainer

So you recently got your braces off and have begun the retention phase at Spannhake Orthodontics. Congratulations on having a straight Spannhake smile! Now that you're in rentention, it's important for you to know some basic tips for caring and wearing your retainer. 

Tips to remember during retention:

• Wear your retainer at all times, until the doctor instructs otherwise.
• Take your retainer out when eating, and always put it back in its case! (Most appliances are lost in school lunchrooms or restaurants.)
• Clean the retainer thoroughly once a day with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Use warm but not hot water. Brushing retainers removes the plaque, and eliminates odors. Efferdent® or other orthodontic appliance cleaners can be used but do not take the place of brushing.
• When your retainer is not in your mouth, it should ALWAYS be in its case. Pets love to chew on them!
• Initially, you may find it difficult to speak. Practice speaking, reading, or singing out loud to get used to it faster.
• Retainers are breakable, so treat yours with care. If your retainer gets lost or broken, call us immediately.
• If you have any questions or concerns about your retainer, or you believe it needs adjusting, call us. Do not try to adjust it yourself.
• Always bring your retainer to your appointments.
• Retainer replacements are expensive, but with proper care they will last for years!
• Remove your retainer when you go swimming.
• Keep retainers away from hot water, hot car dashboards, pockets, the washing machine, and napkins.

If you have any questions about your retention phase, please call the office you are seen at office. 

Wearing Elastics

Braces are often the main line of treatment for most orthodontic problems and nearly always need to be augmented by elastic bands to help achieve perfect results. Elastics helps move your teeth so as to minimize the teeth gaps and cure the 'over-biting' complain.

At Spannhake Orthodontics we advise wearing the elastic bands in the following way:

From upper right canine to lower right first molar and from upper left canine to first lower left molar. You might face problems in placing these correctly initially, but don’t worry we will teach and help you accordingly.

You can follow this guide unless you are personally instructed to do yours a little differently by Dr. Spannhake.  The next time you visit Spannhake Orthodontics for the setting of your elastic bands, make sure you asks any questions that come to mind, and pick up a few extra bands to play it safe.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Every year on April 22nd, we recognize Mother Nature by celebrating National Earth Day. National Earth Day is held to demonstrate support for our environment and raise awareness about protecting it. Thousands of people organize and promote going “Green” to save the Earth. 

Keep reading to see how you can recycle to celebrate Earth Day this year, and do your part to protect our Earth.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Currently less than 35% of households and less than 10% of businesses in the U.S. recycle. If the US recycling levels can reach 75% it will be the environmental benefit of removing 50 million cars from the road each year and it will generate 1.5 million new jobs. Improving and increasing recycling is one of the greatest opportunities for our environment, our natural resources, and our economy! 

Start separating plastics, cans, paper, glass, cardboard, food waste, composts, and e-waste.

Learn more about the basics of recycling and start now.

Visit: www.epa.gov/recycle/recycling-basics

There are so many wonderful opportunities for people of all ages and all backgrounds to participate in saving the Earth. This year on Earth Day, Spannhake Orthodonitcs encourages you to do something that makes a difference and go Green! If we all take a little time out of our day to do something small, it could make a big difference.

Checkout the Invisalign Cleaning System

It’s extremely important to keep your aligners odor-free, hygienic and clear. If you’re not aware of the Invisalign Aligner Cleaning System, we want to introduce you to it. This system makes it easy to care and clean your aligners to ensure optimal results of treatment. Special Cleaning Crystals remove plaque from your Invisalign aligners within about 15 minutes.

The Cleaning System Contains:

Cleaning Tub + 50 pack of Cleaning Crystals.

This cleaning system can be purchased for $75, and is highly recommended. Available on Invisalignstore.com, as well as the refill 50 pack of cleaning crystals for $50.

For more information about this, or to schedule a consultation contact Spannhake Orthodontics.

April is National Facial Protection Month - Let's talk about concussions

April is National Facial Protection Month, so Dr. Spannhake wants to give you a heads up on concussions in youth sports. As your orthodontic provider, we understand that head concussions are a little out of our area of expertise. However, we feel it is our duty to provide you with as much information for your overall health as we can, when we see fit. That being said, let’s talk about concussions.

Did you know…

· Most concussions occur without loss of consciousness.

· Athletes who have, at any point in their lives, had a concussion have an increased risk for another concussion.

· Young children and teens are more likely to get a concussion and take longer to recover than adults.

A concussion is a form of a traumatic brain injury that changes the way the brain normally works. Typically, a concussion is caused by a blow, bump, or jolt to the head or body that causes the brain to move rapidly back and forth. Even minor blows or bumps to the head can be serious. Be sure to seek medical attention if you think you or someone you know is suffering from a concussion.

Do You Know What Is In Your Mouth?

With so many new patients starting orthodontic treatment at Spannhake Orthodontics, we thought we would give a little refresher course on the parts that make up braces. Do you know what is in your mouth? With so many different parts that make up braces, it can get a little confusing for most patients to know the different parts and their functions.

Keep reading to learn about 5 orthodontic appliances and how they help you achieve that picture perfect smile.

Elastics 

Elastics or rubber bands help move the upper and lower teeth relative to each other, ultimately achieving a better bite. These orthodontic rubber bands are typically effective for correcting overbites, underbites, or other types of alignments of the jaw. They are also useful for moving a tooth out of alignment or to close a space in the mouth.

Fixed Retainers

Fixed retainers consist of a metal wire bonded to the back of the teeth. Fixed retainers can stay in place indefinitely.
Forsus

A forsus appliance is used to correct a class II bite by pushing the lower teeth forward and the upper teeth backward. Unlike rubber bands, this appliance is not removable.
Headgear

A removable appliance worn to restrict growth of the upper jaw and improve overjet problems. It normally consists of a facebow that attaches to the teeth and a strap that fits around the neck or head.
Mara

Dr. Spannhake wants to make sure you are completely aware of the appliances we use in order to give you a straight smile. We hope you have a good understanding of what is in your mouth, but should you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask us at your next appointment. 

What is Interceptive Orthodontic Care?

Interceptive orthodontic care is one of the most rewarding treatment options that we offer to our patients. Interceptive care is exactly that, intercepting a problem before it gets out of hand. Treatment occurs at a younger age than conventional orthodontic care and is not typically as long either.

The idea is to shift teeth, manipulate growth, create space for unerupted teeth, break habits and prevent trauma before it is too late. Children between the ages of 7 and 10 are best suited for this sort of treatment. Treatment usually lasts 6 to 15 months after which the child is monitored and the decision as to the need for a second phase is made. Most children will require a second, more comprehensive, phase of treatment in order to create a completely stable, functional and esthetic occlusion.

The primary reasons for considering interceptive care are as follows:

• To prevent improper growth of the jaws that may be causing an underbite, an overbite, crossbite or shifting bite.
• To eliminate a destructive habit such as thumb/finger sucking or tongue thrusting.
• To reposition one or more teeth that are occluding in such a way that they are damaging the enamel of other teeth.
• To prevent trauma to teeth that are too far forward. This is especially true of the athletically inclined.
• To reposition teeth that are cosmetically poor and the risk of peer ridicule and low self-esteem.
• Interceptive care allows us to treat the patient most successfully: the best smile, facial profile and the most stable final result.

For more information on Interceptive Orthodontic Care, or to schedule a consultation, please contact us at Spannhake Orthodontics  located in Westminster and Towson for your convenience. 

Braces do more than just straighten your teeth

Speech is one of the most important communication tools we have and is often the first thing someone notices about you. Most people don’t know, but misaligned teeth can actually affect your speech and create pronunciation problems. Fortunately, with proper diagnosis, a couple of common speech problems can be helped by Spannhake Orthodontics.

Lisps

A lisp is a speech disorder in which a person is unable to make specific sounds. As it is usually a normal occurrence to children under the age of 5, it is not considered normal if the child does not grow out of it by the elementary school age. After seeking diagnosis from a speech pathologist, some individuals find that their lisp is a development from an open bite.

Word Slurring
Word slurring can be cause if the structure of the jaw or placement of teeth restricts movement. In most cases, braces can align teeth and open room for the tongue.

Mispronunciation
When we speak, we move our mouths and tongues in order to form words and sentences for communication. If teeth are misaligned, often patients will experience difficulty pronouncing certain words or sounds, leading them to the common problem of mispronunciation. This is normally overlooked as no big deal by some, but for those suffering with this speech problem, it is actually a bigger deal than recognized and unfortunately can lead to other self-confidence issues later down the line.

Don’t let orthodontic related speech problems kill your confidence, let Spannhake Orthodontics help you get this corrected. If you know someone suffering from this problem, please share this blog with them.