Winter Doldrums or Holiday Cheer?

December brings early sunsets and holiday decorations. We could get depressed by the dark and dreary view outside our windows during the after- school hours… With the early winter sunsets we are no longer getting the strong afternoon sun streaming in our office windows. Or we could be happy with the holiday decor in the shopping plaza around us. Either way shopping seems to lift the spirits. We’ve done our holiday shopping by adding new braces colors. To match the seasonal boughs of holly we have true red and bright red along with true green, jade, pastel green, neon green and teal. For our Chanukah spirit we have blue (glow, pastel, true or metallic) and white. Our latest color additions are the glow blue, bright red, and jade which we received today, and the neon orange, neon green, and neon pink which we added this Fall. We hope our new braces color choices help brighten your holiday spirit.

Zygge Handyman

Somehow having a game cube for entertainment in the office waiting room invites footprints on the wall. Recently I was discussing with the father of several of my patients how upsetting it was that I could not scrub the footprints off the wall. He responded with “I can fix that.” As he described the solution his child immediately dragged him to another of my needed repairs: the arm on my dental chair (which requires frequent repair because patients push it out of the way without pushing the release button). The child said with pride, “My father can fix this too.”

So this weekend Zygge the handyman came to paint my reception area as well as the wall behind my new x-ray machine. He attached plexi-glass to the walls surrounding the game-cube, repaired the arm of the dental chair, and he even repaired the window screens. I was impressed that the office did not smell from fresh paint just hours after painting, and that there was absolutely no construction mess after the job. Zygge paid attention to every detail!

Zygge Handyman also does roof repairs, tiles, kitchen and bathroom remodeling, flooring, painting, door locks, and replacing windows, doors and faucets. He does all the work himself; he does not hire day laborers. Zygge can be reached at (914) 438-7533. He and I agree on his motto: “The best advertisement is word of mouth and doing a good job.”

Smiling in Italy

It always feels good when someone appreciates something you've done, but it is even more rewarding when you can change someone's whole self image.

Today I was speaking to the father of one of my teen patients. He said "Oh my god Dr. Okun, I have to tell you. I have to tell you that my daughter's smile is so gorgeous. We went to Italy this summer, I'm an Italian American, but anyway, she knocked them dead over there. The men and the boys. You did it. It was entirely you."

When you feel good about your smile, you smile more often. And when you're smiling, people smile back at you. Being surrounded by those return- smiles makes you feel more confident, and then you change your posture, and how you present yourself. This is how I was able to change this young lady's life. With braces and dentofacial orthopedics, I changed the balance of her face, and how her teeth supported her lips, which changed her smile and her entire self image. This new self-confidence also changed her whole experience in Italy!

The "Magic Wand"

Today I was browsing the internet for images to use in a power point presentation which would explain how the electro-accuscope-myopulse system helps to relieve TMJ pain as well as the discomfort associated with orthodontic tooth movement. I was pleased to find not only images, but also the web site of another orthodontic practice who uses this form of micro-current therapy to help their patients the same way that we do. Thank you to Drs. Sellke and Reily in Illinois for their excellent explanation:

The "Magic Wand," technically called the Electro-Acuscope and Myopulse machine, was originally developed in a hospital environment for patients suffering from burns and serious injuries. Today this technology is used to treat athletic injuries and victims of accidents. Professional sports teams like the Chicago Bears and Bulls use this technology routinely so that players can get "back in the game" more quickly.
The "Magic Wand" accelerates healing and repair of injured tissues of the body while relieving pain and discomfort. It works by using a computer to first evaluate a tissue's ability to conduct electricity (injured or painful tissues conduct more poorly than healthy, comfortable tissues). The "Magic Wand" then electronically stimulates the tissues to a more normal conduction rate. The "Magic Wand" results in incredibly rapid tissue repair, which means less pain.
We have found that the "Magic Wand" can be used in our office in two ways:
TMD Patients (Electro- Acuscope)
Orthodontics Patients (Myopulse)
Patients suffering from jaw and neck muscle pain related to Temporomandibular Disorders get remarkable relief and improved jaw function after only a few treatments with the Electro-Acuscope/Myopulse.
Orthodontic patients can use the "Magic Wand" to relieve the occasional soreness that may follow adjustments. The "Magic Wand" is available to all our orthodontic patients after every appointment. We encourage you to ask for it any time you want!!!

Happy Mother's Day

For Mother's Day I slept late, had brunch with extended family, helped my son pick his courses for spring semester, went for a long walk with my husband, and shopped on the internet for baby presents for my new niece and nephew. Yes, my sister-in-law is a new mom and had twins! What did you do for Mother's Day?
In the past few weeks I've done consultations for several mothers who told me that they brought their children to the orthodontist for braces, and now that their children are grown it is their turn to get those straight teeth they've always wanted. I don't think it is a coincidence that these consultations were within weeks of Mother's Day. There is no need for you to wait for Mother's Day to be on your way to a beautiful smile.

How Can You Have Fun If You’re Embarrassed To Smile?

Last night Okun Orthodontics was a sponsor for the WFAS “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” event at the Riverview in Hastings-on-Hudson. Our presentation was based on the fact that its hard to have fun if you’re embarrassed to smile (because your teeth don’t look nice) or if you’re in too much pain to smile (from jaw-joint or face pain either due to an accident or from clenching/grinding your teeth.) One of the ladies said to Dr. Okun, “It’s so true” and started relating to me the story of how she used to have horrible self esteem because she was embarrassed to smile. After a lot of dental work- which she had in her twenties- she loved her smile, and smiled all the time, and developed a great self-image. Recently, however, she has not been able to afford to go to the dentist to maintain her dental work and she said that she is now emotionally back to where she was before her dental work was done. Dr. Judith Okun is the one to see if you need to “get your smile back”. She can create the beautiful smile you’ve always wanted with straight teeth and no TMJ pain.

A beautiful smile can change your self image.

A beautiful smile can change your self image. It’s never too late to wear braces. Although orthodontic need can be evaluated in children as young as age 7 (to guide growth and create the proper balance for teeth to erupt), adults often wear braces to help them achieve that winning smile they never had, or to help them look young again. Dr. Judith A. Okun is a board certified orthodontist committed to providing her patients with comprehensive orthodontic care and TMJ treatment. When she eliminates jaw-joint and face pain in patients who grind their teeth or have sustained a trauma to the jaw, she helps “TMJ patients” to smile too. Dr. Okun incorporates the latest technology, including the Electro-Acuscope/Myopulse System for pain management; metal, clear, lingual and removable braces, aligner treatment (Clear Correct/ Invisalign), temporary anchorage devices, dental- guards for TMJ, and custom athletic mouth-guards. Our technological advancements include digital x-rays, photos and study models, as well as 24/7 patient access web services. You too can have a beautiful smile.

Keeping Smiles Brighter

Last week was the annual “Keeping Smiles Brighter” Poster Contest for Children’s Dental Health Month at the Ninth District Dental Association. As part of the Poster Contest Committee I have been one of the judges for many years.

While judging the posters we saw the usual themes: “brush your teeth to make them shiny and bright”, “brush away the germs so they don’t attack your teeth”, and “eat healthy foods to keep your mouth healthy.” There were a few drawings of trips to the dentist, kids with braces, and athletes wearing protective mouth guards. We also saw a few with super hero themes: the floss or toothbrush was the hero who saved the day. In addition to many entries in magic marker, crayons, colored pencils, and collage, we saw many more computer generated entries, particularly from technical high schools. The poster that made the biggest impression on me this year was one that looked like it had been part of a science presentation. It had accurate labeled drawings of the teeth in the mouth as well as a drawing of the anatomy of a tooth in cross-section. To the side of the detailed drawings was a paragraph including the statement “You should take care of your teeth because they are a gift from God.” Now that is a great message to think about.

(Just a note: The image above was not one of the posters.)

Filming for Top Doc 2/27/11

Top Doc sent a photographer and sound person to my office today to film our video clip to be shown on the Dr. Oz show, and on Top Doc's web site. I got to be the writer, director, set and costume coordinator, and main character. It was a little too much for one person. We'll see how I did when it airs; I don't get to do the editing. Thank you to all the people who helped today: Mark, Fran, Andrea, Shmuel, Natalie, Rachel, John, Paola, William, Peter, Marilyn as well as the parents who participated- Amy, Rich, Paula, John Sr., Marlene, Colleen, and Susan.

Dr. Okun Honored by TopDoc New York

Dr. Judith Okun has been honored by Topdoc New York who will be filming a video about her practice this month. As of 2011 TopDoc USA has started their NY campaign. It is honoring "Doctors and Dentists who have been chosen because of their professional qualification, recommendation by peers or because of popular ranking by patients on review websites such as : Web MD, Yelp, Rate MD, Health Grades, Physician Reports, Dr. Oogle and other leading independent healthcare rating companies... Starting in 2011, Top Doc will run a sement on Fox titled 'Meet the 2011 Top Doctors and Dentists.'" The Segment will air weekly inside the Dr. Oz show and will feature award-winning Doctors and Dentists considered to be in the top 10% of the region's medical professionals.' -info on Top Doc quoted from hubpages.com
Top Doc will also host a website for Dr. Okun which will include the following information:
Hello, and thank you for taking the time to get acquainted with me and learn about my practice. My name is Dr. Judith Okun, and I have been providing comprehensive orthodontic and TMJ care in Rye Brook, NY for over 20 years. I take pride in the fact that my patients regularly refer friends and family, and that I often treat multiple generations in the same family.
I look forward to your first visit to my office, when we can become acquainted with each other and you can experience our warm and caring atmosphere. At this visit I will do a preliminary evaluation of your facial development and alignment of your teeth in order to determine whether you might benefit from orthodontic or TMJ treatment, or from a custom athletic mouth guard, and determine the ideal time to start treatment. Full diagnostic records will be taken at your second visit.
We are proud of the technology we use in our practice such as:
Digital radiography, charting and scheduling. Orthocad Digital study models.
Biomedical Technology’s Electro-Accuscope/Myopulse system for pain management. Drufomat scan pressure formed athletic mouth guards and clear retainers.TAD’s (temporary orthodontic anchorage devices). We have an interactive website (www.okunortho.com) where patients can sign in and view their own digital images, appointment schedule, and financial information. Our patients can also sign up for e-mail and text appointment-reminders.

Emmitt Smith promotes sportsguards

" Mouth guards are one of the least expensive pieces of sports protective equipment available. Over-the-counter versions may cost as little as five dollars, although custom-fit mouth guards offer greater protection. Not only do mouth guards save teeth, they may protect jaws." This statement was all over the media in 2010 as part of a campaign by Emmitt Smith, the American Association of Orthodontists and the National Alliance of Youth Sports to raise awareness and increase the use of facial protection in youth sports. Now some states are mandating the use of sportsguards for all school teams.

Dr. Judith Okun is the only dentist in all of Westchester with the equipment on-site to fabricate custom mouth guards. She also can supply you with the less expensive over-the-counter version. Don't wait until your child has a dental or mouth injury from a ball or on-field collision; prevent the damage by providing your child with a mouth guard today!