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!

I love to smile

I love to smile!!! Today I heard once again "the most common phrase" that I hear from my "retention patients (when they have completed orthodontic treatment) "they look so good I love to smile now." Samara even said that I could show her smile pictures to you on my blog.

(The before picture is on the right side. The after picture is on the left side.)

Mouthguards for Sports Decrease Dental Injuries

"Dental injuries are the most common type of orofacial injury sustained during participation in sports." They include chipped and fractured teeth, loosened teeth, and teeth that are knocked out totally from the mouth. Most of the time the injured teeth are the top front teeth. This is why many states are requiring all students participating in school related sports to wear mouth guards on their upper teeth. A mouthguard reduces the injuries to teeth and supporting structures, as well as decreases the incidences of lip lacerations. At Okun Orthodontics we now fabricate pressure- formed mouthguards, which are the gold standard of mouthguards today.

There are three types of mouthguards. Type 1: Stock mouthguards: These are inexpensive and fit well over braces. Unfortunately they offer only a low level of protection since they often fall out at impact, or are removed by the athlete because they interfere with speech. Type 2: "Boil and Bite": These are also inexpensive, and bulky. The "customizing procedure" of heating and biting into the guard tends to leave thin spots that are not very protective. Type 3: Customized: these require a trip to the dentist. Most customized guards are still the older vaccum-formed type that distort over time, and have manufacturing limitations to the thickness of the material. The newest technique pressure forms 2 layers of material with precise adaptation for maximum protection. These guards have excellent retention and interfere much less with speech. If you wear braces and participate in a high impact sport, consider making a customized sportsguard for each season (every 3 months) to not interfere with tooth movement. If you are still losing baby teeth you will also need to replace your guard frequently.

At Okun Orthodontics, we have recently purchased a Drufomat positive-pressure thermoforming machine to fabricate custom mouthguards in our office. We are the first dental office in Westchester to have its own machine! Currently we have blue, black, neon green, and red/white/blue material in stock, and can order new colors as requested. Sign up your whole team to make mouthguards at the same time and we'll give you a volume discount!

Even Rabbits Need Braces

Yesterday my patients were out dressed like cartoon characters and animals (for Halloween). Just last week my patient's stuffed rabbit was in my office dressed like a patient. This tender touch was just what was needed to alleviate her fear of getting braces.

Happy Halloween

Halloween is nearing the end, and all our children will be enjoying their candy tonight. Here are some hints to preserve their teeth:

- Sticky candy will break braces and aggravate TMJ problems. If you are wearing braces or have TMJ/facial pain DO NOT EAT chewing gum, gummy bears, taffy, jelly beans, and other sticky candies. If the candy is hard to bite through, break it into very small pieces before eating it.

- Avoid eating candy that sits on your teeth a long time. A Kit Kat Bar or a Hershey's Kiss will do less damage than a lolly pop or sucking candy.

- Rinsing your mouth with water after eating candy will decrease the risk of white spots and cavities.

- Rinsing with fluoride rinse before bed daily (especially important if candy was eaten that day) will help reverse the damage that candy does to your teeth.

I hate paying for parking

Today I drove past a church in White Plains which was adjacent to a municipal parking lot. The sign on the entrance to the parking lot said that fees were applicable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In other words, if you come to church on Sunday morning you need to pay to park your car.
Last week I went to Rye to make a bank deposit. The muni-meter's minimum time allotment was one hour. I needed to pay for one hour of parking to run in and out of the bank in less than 10 minutes.
Have you ever noticed how many municipalities now charge for parking? You need to pay for parking to go to the library or the doctor's office in White Plains, and to go window shopping in Mamaroneck or Rye. Some stores like Walmart or Whole Foods in White Plains offer you free parking if you make a minimum purchase. In other words it's not really free.
In Rye Ridge Plaza (in Rye Brook, NY) the parking really is free to the customers. You can go to the doctors' office, make a bank deposit, eat at a restaurant, or go shopping- and really not pay for parking- even if you purchase nothing.
This is one reason why I chose to locate my office in Rye Ridge Plaza. At Okun Orthodontics you will always find a free parking spot in close proximity to the office, and also be walking distance from the bank, supermarket, hardware store, numerous clothing stores, pharmacy, jewelry store, and several restaurants. Okun Orthodontics is also easily accessible to Route 287 (Cross Westchester Expressway exit 10) and the Hutchinson River Parkway (Ridge Street, exit 29 in NY). Come visit me in Rye Ridge Plaza to see for yourself.