Orthodontic Emergency Care with Dr. Underwood

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. Underwood.

You might be surprised to learn that you may be able to temporarily solve many problems yourself until you schedule an appointment with Underwood 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, headgear becomes more comfortable the more it's worn, 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. 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.

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 Underwood Orthodontics to support National Smile Month this June.

Here are a few simple steps you can take to improve your oral health so that you may celebrate National Smile Month for many, many years to come:

* Brush at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. Here's a helpful video showing you how to brush with your braces on.
* Floss every day to clean between your teeth.
* Reduce your intake of sugary foods and drinks during your orthodontic treatment with Dr. Underwood.
* Visit your dentist regularly (usually every six months apart).

If you have questions about any of these tips, we encourage you to give us a call.

Underwood Orthodontics participates in the Powell Memorial Day Parade

To honor and remember the men and women who have died serving our country, Dr. Underwood and our team participated in the Powell Memorial Day Parade. Our office had a great time walking with our community and giving away Underwood Orthodontics t-shirts during the event. Be sure to keep an eye out for us, possibly even giving away more t-shirts, at other community events in the upcoming months!

Why do you choose Underwood Orthodontics?

Underwood Orthodontics, serving Marysville, Powell and surrounding areas, strives to provide exceptional treatment in an informative and friendly environment. Have you had a great experience at our office?

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Thank you!

The team at Underwood Orthodontics

Foods to Avoid During Your Orthodontic Treatment

There are a variety of foods Dr. Underwood wants you to avoid while you're wearing braces. Some foods can occasionally damage braces, but certain foods can bend the wires or even break the brackets on your braces. If you’re wearing braces, you should avoid starch, sugar and gummy foods, as these foods can be difficult to remove during brushing. Foods that are high in sugar and starch tend to cause plaque, cavities and even tooth decay.

Avoid tough meats, hard breads and raw vegetables such as carrots and celery. Before long, you'll be able to bite a cucumber again. But you'll need to protect your orthodontic appliances when you eat for as long as you're wearing braces.

Foods you should avoid include:

• Chewy foods: bagels, hard rolls, licorice
• Crunchy foods: popcorn, ice, chips
• Sticky foods: caramels, gum
• Hard foods: nuts, candy
• Foods you have to bite into: corn on the cob, apples, carrots

Also, chewing on hard things (for example, pens, pencils or fingernails) can damage the braces. Damaged braces will cause treatment to take longer.

If you have any questions on which foods you should be avoiding and why, we invite you to give Underwood Orthodontics a call or ask our staff during your next visit.

Dr. Underwood at the 2011 AAO Annual Session in Chicago

To better serve our patients at Underwood Orthodontics with the highest quality orthodontic care available, Dr. Underwood and our entire team are committed to continuing education into the exciting world of orthodontics.

One of the ways we improve our service is by attending conferences, meetings and seminars, and this weekend, Dr. Underwood will be in Chicago attending the AAO Annual Session, an educational event that is one of the largest orthodontic conventions in the world – and one that allows us to consult with orthodontists from around the country and stay up-to-date on all the most cutting-edge technologies and orthodontic treatment options available. This, in turn, allows us to give you, our wonderful patients, the best treatment experience possible.

If you’ve got an appointment scheduled with us soon, we invite you to ask us about our Chicago trip, including what we learned and how continuing education and acquisition of new technology helps us serve you more effectively.

Dr. Underwood announces our New Discoveries in Paleontology Contest

It seems as though paleontologists are always announcing these groundbreaking discoveries that change the way we think about dinosaurs and prehistoric life. In fact, the first nearly complete juvenile Tyrannosaurus Rex was actually discovered right here in the United States! For our spring contest, Dr. Underwood would like to ask you, our amazing patients: what would THIS dinosaur look like when it was living? What would YOU name YOUR discovery? We encourage you to put on your thinking cap and share your creative ideas with our team!

Feel free to click the image blow to enlarge and print it at your convenience. You can use any materials or mediums to express your ideas, so have fun! Our only contest requirement is that we receive your entry by June 30, 2011. Contest entries may be submitted in person, by mail or by emailing morgan@underwoodorthodontics.com.