What's the point of these rubber bands? Do I really have to wear them all the time? What if I double up at night?

Many people who go through orthodontic treatment are required to wear elastics or rubber bands toward the end of their braces.  Elastics are used to help correct a patient's bite into an ideal position.  Whether you are in braces or Invisalign, the importance of elastics is essential. 

At our Akron orthodontic office, Dr. Barnett and Team work tirelessly on patient education to make this point about cooperation clear.  Without a patient doing the work, the end will never be in sight. 

There are different circumstances that could require the use of elastics; such as, an overbite, an underbite, or a crossbite.  Elastics are connected directly onto the brackets on a specialized hook designed to secure the rubber band in place.  They connect from top to bottom.  The pull of the rubber bands helps to move the teeth into the correct positions by stimulating the cells in the bone surrounding the teeth; therefore, the teeth then shift into the new correct position.  This is only successful when the elastics are worn full time, about 21-22 hours a day.  Part time cooperation will never make progress. As the bone begins the process of changing but when not worn consistently, it always has to “begin again.”  Thus no progress is made.

In today’s busy times, we find more and more people struggling with cooperation.  Whether it is forgetting after a meal to replace them, sports or activities that interfere, or just the "annoyance" of wearing rubber bands in general, some people just can't seem to commit.  Patients think that "doubling-up" on elastics will suffice; some will wear two elastics on each side at bed time and wear nothing during the day.  As brilliant as this seems, it does not work.  The teeth need constant light pressure in order to move.     

          Commonly we hear kids say they forget to put them in after lunch.  If you struggle with this, try setting an alarm/reminder on your cell phone to go off after lunch. Another idea is to keep a bag of elastics as a bookmark in your textbook for the first class after lunch. You can also try placing the rubber bands on a finger while snacking.

          If you really cannot commit to the cooperation, talk with your orthodontist about a non-compliant approach to bite correction.  We use a lot of “fixed” appliances to correct bites.  Ultimately though, each individual patient is in charge of his or her future.  Take some ownership to the process and achieve that awesome result!

---->CHECK OUT THIS FUNNY CLIP WE HAD ONE OF PATIENTS MAKE<---- br="">

 

7 year-olds and EXTRA teeth; how seeing your orthodontist early can save the day! Or at least, save the smile.

If you haven't done it yet, and your child is at least 7, take them to the orthodontist.  Do it today.  You don't need to wait until the dentist says it's time.  Go now and rule out any unforeseen issues.  Chances are good that your child won't be ready for braces until age 12, but going to the orthodontist early, just might make a big difference in their dental future.

Recently we had a patient come in for a complimentary new patient exam. Her family had no issues with esthetics and her dentist didn't have any concerns.  Her parents were aware of some crowding and a slight overbite but they made the appointment because they had read somewhere that the American Association of Orthodontists recommends a child's first exam at age 7. Thank goodness they came.

Upon taking a set of photos and xrays, we identified a large growth between the roots of her upper front teeth.  It was an amorphous extra tooth, which if given enough time could have continued to grow and damage her front teeth potentially ruining her smile.  This would have never been caught had the family not come in early.

Over 80% of kids visiting the orthodontist at age 7 do not need any early orthodontic treatment. Those kids go into a complimentary observation program called our "Kids Cub Club" where they return annually for quick checks to make sure the teeth are erupting properly and jaws are growing appropriately. 

The other 20% of kids who could benefit from early intervention, usually require limited treatment (at a fraction of the cost) with long term benefits that lessen the complexity and cost of treatment later. Often through the use of expanders, retainers or temporary front braces, problems can be corrected early (usually in 6-12 months).

  

Take your kid to the orthodontist. It might make a big difference in their dental future and you have nothing to lose.

From Both Sides of the Orthodontic Chair

A writing by Taylor, first a patient and now an assistant at Barnett Orthodontics:

Throughout middle school and the beginning of high school I had begged my parents for braces. I saw all of my friends with them and for some reason was just fascinated with the whole process. I was always so happy and excited for anyone who finally got their braces off and had that PERFECT smile-- I was even a little jealous. Although my smile wasn't horrendous, I still wanted the perfection that came with braces.

My family and I had gone for a consultation with an orthodontist (not Barnett Ortho) who wanted to treat me for 4-5 years.  My parents and I could not see any reasoning behind all this extensive work, time and money.  My teeth were not all that bad!  

We then decided to get a second opinion and came to Barnett Orthodontics. From the moment I walked in the office, we simply loved it! Everyone was so friendly and welcoming and I felt a lot more comfortable than in the previous office. Dr. Barnett had a different idea about my treatment and my parents were a lot more excited about choosing this office for me. 

I was always so excited about my appointments and seeing the improvements that came with them! Loving my braces so much actually inspired me to go to a school for a degree in dental assisting. Dr. Barnett was so supportive and allowed me to come to his office to observe and even complete my externship hours for school! He and the team are so helpful, great teachers, and just as friendly as I had thought with my first impression of the office! I loved the job the assistants had and felt like I really fit in well with the team. Dr. Barnett and the team thought the same thing and after completing school and interviewing, Dr. Barnett offered me a position to be a permanent member of his team. I was so excited! 

I cannot be more thankful my family had made the decision to originally come to Barnett Orthodontics; my smile looks amazing and I know it will for years to come.  Some of my friends who had gone to other offices have good, but not-great smiles.  I love connecting with patients and seeing their excitement as their smile changes- just as I had been during my treatment. 
 
Knowing that I am helping patients build their confidence by acquiring great smiles is a wonderful feeling and I have Dr. Barnett and the team members of Barnett Orthodontics to thank for the great experiences and opportunities to come!  We're proud to me the premier provider of orthodontic services to Akron and it's surrounding communities.  

Come check out for yourself!

2nd Opinions Are Our Favorite Opinions--A Means of Comparison

We received a compliment the other day that really was impactful.  We regularly do post-treatment surveys, and while it's always nice to get positive feedback from our patients, this compliment summed up the goal of what we strive for with our orthodontic practice--a unique experience, excellent results with ideal customer service.  The main idea of the compliment was that our orthodontic office was truly DIFFERENT from others in the Akron area--and this family had a true means of comparison.

The compliment came from a parent who has four children; 3 of whom had completed braces and the two eldest went to two different orthodontists. For their oldest child, they chose an office that had a good reputation, a high price tag (which they thought meant they were the best) and four doctors.  They were happy with the result but the family's experience was not ideal.  They were bothered by the fact that a different doctor saw their child every visit, appointments were not on-time and the front desk was rude. Thankfully, their child got a nice smile.  For their second child, they figured that if the expensive practice had poor customer service, they might as well pay less for the same result.  They went with a chain orthodontic practice that had a low price.   They were disappointed with the result and once again, felt the customer service was poor.

Under the strong word of mouth referral from a neighbor, they came to our practice for the treatment of their third child.   They knew that orthodontics was an investment and to some degree, you pay for what you get--they learned this lesson the hard way.  Besides the cost game though, they were also a bit jaded with the fact that with both kids, they had NEVER had a good customer service experience.  We had an uphill battle in front of us but we were confident in the Barnett Orthodontics experience!

As we learned from them in our post treatment survey, getting both a fair price and excellent customer service was a reality for every family.  The biggest point they made, was that orthodontics is NOT a commodity which you can buy at any store and get the same result/experience no matter where you buy it. We couldn't agree more.

In the Akron Ohio area, there are at least 10 different choices for an orthodontist.  Put on top of that, the fact that some general dentists do limited orthodontic work and there are possibly 20 choices for you or your child to seek braces or Invisalign services--but as evidenced here, not all offices are created equal.

This family was excited to start their fourth child with us!  Give us a call to experience our experience.

Barnett Orthodontics: 330-745-4497
Located in Barberton but serving all neighboring Akron, Ohio communities.

What's the difference? Dentist vs. orthodontist?

Click here for an article posted on globalnews.com-see Dr. Barnett's Blog below:

We get questions a lot from patients about the difference between an orthodontist and a dentist.  Well, to put it simply, most dentists are not orthodontists but all orthodontists are dentists.  There are almost 200,000 dental graduates practicing some form of dentistry in the United States and only about 10,000 of them are orthodontists.  While dentists can do orthodontic work, they cannot call themselves "orthodontists" as they have not completed a 2-3 year residency beyond dental school. This specialized training teaches an orthodontist the art and science of tooth movement beyond what they learn in a basic 4-year dental school. 

While some dentists may perform adequate orthodontic work, there is no doubt that in the medical/dental world, specialized training is highly valued.  Dr. Barnett completed his residency at Boston Univeristy from 2003-2005.  He trained under world renowned orthodontists as he developed his skills before returning to the Akron, Ohio area to a limited practice of Orthodontics.  We treat both adults and children and are proud of our work and exceptional customer service. 

Unfortunately, the linked article shows an extreme example of someone who did not understand the person doing her braces was not an orthodontist and had a bad experience.  Make sure you do your research on the person potentially doing your orthodontic treatment. 

Have a little "Faith", you won't be the only adult in braces

If you're an adult considering orthodontic treatment, you're not alone. From superstar Faith Hill to the everyday super-moms and super-dads, adults make up 25% of today's orthodontic population.

At the 2013 Grammys this year, Faith Hill proudly displayed her dental accessories and created quite a buzz with the mainstream media. The Today Show on NBC ran a segment this week discussing the growing popularity and social acceptability of adult orthodontic treatment. At Barnett orthodontics, we're proud to provide Akron's adult population with numerous esthetic treatment options from clear braces to Invisalign removable clear aligners. Often the objectives of adult orthodontic treatment are different from adolescent treatment and the overall amount of time one needs to spend in braces can be less. 



Our team at Barnett Ortho would be happy to discuss if orthodontics could be beneficial for you. Call our Barberton office today at 330-745-4497. We proudly serve numerous Akron OH communities, are conveniently located, and provide complimentary consultations. 

Here's a link to a blog post we wrote in 2009 about celebrities and braces.