Ask Dr. Brogan: Who benefits from braces?

Braces aren’t just for pre-adolescents and teenagers anymore! Dr. Brogan will tell you that anyone, at any age, can benefit from orthodontic treatment, whether it’s correcting a problem not treated in your younger years, or catching a problem early.

To ensure the best overall treatment, the American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO, recommends that children receive an orthodontic consultation as early as age seven. If a problem is evident, taking action early can spare a lot of treatment and expense down the road.

If you never received orthodontic treatment when you were young, don’t worry! You’re never too old for a beautiful smile. Set up an appointment for a consultation and find out how orthodontics will transform your smile, as well as your life!

Halloween safety tips, from Brogan Orthodontics

Trick-or-treat! In the spirit of October’s sweet and spooky holiday, Halloween, Dr. Brogan reminds all of our patients to be safe while celebrating. The American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO, has provided trick-or-treaters with some tips for a ghoulishly good time.

A few Halloween safety guidelines:
• Young children should always be accompanied by an adult
• Carry a flashlight
• Wear a light-colored or reflective costume
• Choose face paint over masks for young ghosts and goblins
• Have an adult inspect all treats before the children dig in

Many treats can cause havoc for trick-or-treaters who are going through orthodontic treatment. If you happen to damage your braces, please give Dr. Brogan and our staff a call immediately. Typically, small problems can be solved over the phone.

Invisalign® tips, from Brogan Orthodontics

Many people know that Invisalign is a great solution to braces if you don't want to experience the look and feel of traditional metal braces. What few people know, though, is that just like traditional braces, Invisalign requires proper care to work effectively. Good oral hygiene is highly important, even when you are wearing something in your mouth that you can take out to eat with. It's still likely that your aligners can build up plaque if not treated properly.

When wearing your Invisalign aligners, Dr. Brogan wants you to ask yourself the following questions:


1. Am I eating with my aligners on? - These aligners are removable and should be taken out when you eat.

2. Am I drinking anything other than water with my aligners on? - Though it's not necessary for you to take out your aligners while you drink, think about how sticky soda is. If you take out your aligners when drinking a soda, you have a better chance of keeping your aligners clean.

3. Am I brushing before putting the trays on? - The aligners have both an inside and outside. Keeping the outside clean is easy. Keeping the inside clean is also simple: just make sure you've brushed your teeth before putting the trays on.

These are all very simple steps, and ultimately, they help to keep you building good oral habits. If you have any questions about Invisalign or your treatment here at Brogan Orthodontics, give us a call!

A braces-friendly recipe, in celebration of National Orthodontic Health Month!

Did you know that October is National Orthodontic Health Month? Dr. Brogan and our team know how tempting this time of the year can be for your sweet tooth. With all of the hard, sticky, crunchy, and chewy candy that is often passed around to trick-or-treaters, we know that it can sometimes be hard to find orthodontic-friendly options.

However, there is good news! Today, we would like to share a great braces-friendly Halloween recipe with all of our patients, courtesy of the American Association of Orthodontics, or AAO. This Spooktacular Pumpkin Cake is delicious, and provided that you remember to brush and floss after indulging, this treat will not cause damage to your beautiful smile.

Spooktacular Pumpkin Cake

Ingredients:

1 pkg. yellow or white cake mix
½ cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
¾ cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg
¼ cup water (add 2 tbl. of water if eggs are small)

Directions:

Put cake mix in a large bowl. Make an indentation in the center and pour in the oil and one egg. Mix using mixer, then add the rest of the eggs one at a time, beating after each one.

Add pumpkin, sugar, spices, and then water.

Bake in greased and floured tube pan in 350 degree oven for 60-70 minutes (depending on oven calibration). Cool before removing from pan.

Dr. Brogan announces the Brogan Orthodontics Fall Pumpkin Contest!

Dr. Brogan and our team at Brogan Orthodontics are excited to announce our Fall Pumpkin Contest. Our Philadelphia, Erdenheim, and Skippack, PA offices will each have a pumpkin for the contest. Patients will be able to take their guess at how many seeds they think are inside the pumpkin. The closest guess from each office will receive prizes! We look forward to receiving all of your guesses!

As always, feel free to give us a call if you have any questions about our Fall contest, or if you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Brogan.

Ask Dr. Brogan: Am I too old for braces?

Who’s afraid of “metal mouth” and the appearance of braces? Not adults, apparently. Recently, our staff at Brogan Orthodontics read a fascinating statistic: the number of adults getting braces has actually climbed 24 percent since 1996! Yes, braces help make your pearly whites strong, healthy and perfectly-aligned, but perhaps another reason for the spike in adult braces is this: people want to look and feel great. In an age—and society—where looks matter as much as anything, and at a time when evenly-aligned and sparkling teeth might be the difference between getting a job or a promotion, adults are choosing—wisely, we might add—to invest in orthodontics. Orthodontic treatment with Dr. Brogan can be successful at any age, and adults especially appreciate the benefits of a beautiful smile.

If you’ve been thinking about getting that perfect smile, Dr. Brogan would love to have you visit for a consultation. Please give us a call to set one up!

Age 7 is the magic number for an orthodontic check-up

Many parents assume they must wait until their child has all of his or her permanent teeth to see Dr. Brogan for a consultation, only to discover treatment would have been much easier if started earlier. Did you know the American Association of Orthodontists recommends that every child have an orthodontic check-up no later than age seven?

That’s right—seven.

Ok, so what’s so great about age seven, you ask? Enough permanent teeth have arrived for Dr. Brogan to make a determination about whether any problems are present. The first molars have come in, providing an opportunity to check for malocclusion, or “bad bite.” Also, the incisors have begun to come in, and problems such as crowding, deep bites and open bites can be detected.

Orthodontic evaluation at an early age provides one of two positive outcomes: For some, early identification or problems will lead to easier or shorter orthodontic treatment in the future. For others, a healthy prognosis will provide immediate peace of mind.

Early evaluation, of course, may signal a need for early treatment. For some children, early treatment can prevent physical and emotional trauma. Aside from spurring on years of harmful teasing, misaligned teeth are also prone to injury and are detrimental to good oral hygiene. So, if your child is nearing his or her seventh birthday, give us a call at Brogan Orthodontics to schedule an appointment.