Happy Social Media Day, from Family Orthodontics!

It seems like in today’s world, every day feels like social media day. However, June 30th is officially Social Media Day, “a day to celebrate the revolution of media becoming social.” Much like the use of cell phones, checking and updating social media has become a daily routine for many people. We here at Family Orthodontics are particularly grateful for social media because we are able to interact with patients like you.

Recently we found a very interesting study about social media that was presented on May 25, 2011 by Edison Research and Arbitron that presents some very interesting statistics about social media use in America today. One fascinating highlight is that approximately 46 million Americans who are the age of 12 or older check their social media sites and services several times a day. Check out the full study for more interesting information about social media and social networking.

As you might have noticed, we love engaging in conversation with our patients online. It’s a great way to connect with our patients. It also helps us share news, photos, ideas, and upcoming events at the office. We have found that our Facebook fan page and blog are great tools for making this connection.

Drs. Jung, Pachter and our team want to continue to improve our social networking presence. Let us know how you would like us to be using are social media or what you would like to see posted on the blog.

Happy Social Media Day!

Stay Cool with a Braces-Friendly Summer Treat!

Summer is here! Kids and adults alike will now be spending more time outside being active and enjoying the hotter temperatures. And what’s better on a hot summer day than a delicious treat that will cool you down after doing something active in the summer sun? Luckily, our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) have just the thing, Watermelon Sorbet! You can find the complete recipe below:

Watermelon Sorbet

Ingredients

• ¾ cup water
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 2 to 3 cups watermelon, diced, no seeds or rind

Directions

In a small saucepan, heat the water, sugar, and lime juice on medium high for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Chill this “syrup” at least 20 minutes. In the meantime, place the watermelon chunks in a food processor or blender and liquefy them. Add the chilled syrup to the watermelon puree and blend. Freeze sorbet in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions. Serve immediately.

Happy Summer!

-Drs. Jung, Pachter, and team

"Braces Rock" Contest at Family Orthodontics!

If you have any questions about the contest, please give Family Orthodontics a call.

June is National Smile Month!

According to the American Dental Association, a person's smile outranked eyes, hair and body as the most important physical feature, which is why it's important for our team at Family Orthodontics to support National Smile Month this June.

Show off your pearly whites by posting your favorite smile photos on the wall of our Facebook page. We look forward to seeing what you share!

Orthodontic Emergency Care with Family Orthodontics

True orthodontic emergencies are very rare, but when they do occur we are available to you. As a general rule, you should call the office when you experience severe pain or when you have a painful appliance problem that you can't take care of yourself. We’ll be able to schedule an appointment with Dr. Haesin Jung or Dr. Oran Pachter.

You might be surprised to learn that you may be able to temporarily solve many problems yourself until you schedule an appointment with Family Orthodontics.

The following solutions may help you relieve your discomfort:

Poking Wire: Using a pencil eraser, push the poking wire down or place wax on it to alleviate the discomfort.

Loose Bracket or Band: If your bracket or band is still attached to the wire, you should leave it in place and put wax on it. If the wire comes out entirely, wrap the bracket with a tissue.

Loose Wire: Using a tweezers, try to place your wire back into place. If doing this and using wax does not help, as a last resort use a small fingernail clipper to clip the wire behind the last tooth to which it is securely fastened. If your discomfort continues, place wax on it.

Loose Appliance: If your appliance is poking you, place wax on the offending part of your appliance.

Headgear Does Not Fit: Sometimes headgear discomfort is caused by not wearing the headgear as instructed by your orthodontist. Please refer to the instructions provided by your orthodontist. If the facebow is bent, please call our office for assistance. Surprisingly, the headgear may hurt less if it’s worn more, so be sure you’re getting in the prescribed hours.

General Soreness: When you get your braces on, you may feel general soreness in your mouth and teeth may be tender to biting pressures for three to five days. This can be relieved by rinsing your mouth with a warm salt water mouthwash. Dissolve one teaspoonful of salt in 8 ounces of warm water, and rinse your mouth vigorously. Placing Orabase on the affected area may help; this can be found in your local pharmacy. If the tenderness is severe, take aspirin or whatever you normally take for headache or similar pain.

Remember, after alleviating your discomfort, it is still very important that you call our office as soon as possible to schedule a time to repair the problem.