Monday, March 28, 2011

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.

Monday, March 21, 2011

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.)