Why Braces?

Your dentist may have discussed with you the benefits of having healthy teeth and proper jaw alignment. Crooked and crowded teeth are hard to clean and maintain. This can result in tooth decay, gum disease and lead to tooth loss. Other orthodontic problems can contribute to abnormal wear of tooth surfaces, inefficient chewing function, excessive stress on gum tissue and the bone that supports the teeth, or misalignment of the jaw joints. These can lead to chronic headaches and face or neck pain. Treatment by Dr. Brodsky can be less costly than the additional care required to treat dental problems arising as a result of orthodontic problems. For most people, a beautiful smile is the most obvious benefit of orthodontics. After your braces come off, you'll feel more self-confident.

Brodsky Imaging

We are pleased to announce the addition to our orthodontic office of a craniofacial imaging center called Brodsky Imaging. Our imaging center will provide low radiation three-dimensional Computerized Tomography (3-D CT) images to our orthodontic patients utilizing the overwhelmingly popular I-CAT Cone Beam CT scanner. This new and exciting technology will enable the doctors to obtain high definition, 3-D CT scans of our patients' maxilla and mandible. With one scan, lasting under 10 seconds, the doctor will be able to obtain all the necessary x-rays required for orthodontic treatment.

Because of the uniqueness of our I-CAT machine, we allow the surrounding dental and medical community to use our machine to create images for their patients. All scans are taken in a very patient-friendly atmosphere where the patient can be seated in an upright position similar to a standard panoramic procedure. We will provide the referring doctor with either a CD-ROM or printed copies of the data. This 3-D data can be utilized for:

• Dental implant planning
• Orthodontic/Surgical Studies
• Impacted teeth evaluations
• TMJ studies
• Bone grafting evaluations
• Sinus and Airway studies
• Oral path/reconstruction studies
• Endodontic studies

The level of radiation exposure with this technology (34-68 uSv) is much lower than your typical medical CT scan (1200-3300 uSv) or full mouth series x-rays (150 uSv).

For dentists interested in taking this technology a step further, Brodsky Imaging will help you navigate the world of computer-guided implant surgery. The CT scans we provide are easily imported into third party dental implant planning software such as: Nobel Guided Surgery™, Simplant™, and VIP/Implant Logic Systems™. The software listed allows you to precisely plan an implant case prior to surgery, avoiding regional anatomy, measuring bone width pre-operatively, order surgical drill guides and even generate a provisional or final prosthesis if desired.

Brodsky Imaging is excited and proud to provide the latest and most advanced craniofacial imaging for our patients as well as the local medical/dental community.

Everybody Benefits from Braces!

Braces aren’t just for pre-adolescents and teenagers anymore! Anyone, at any age, can benefit from orthodontic care; whether it is 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 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 adult orthodontics will transform your smile, and your life!

Are You Getting a Rebate Check from the IRS?

The Internal Revenue Service will begin sending more than 130 million economic stimulus payments starting May 2.

If anyone in your family or you have been considering orthodontic treatment this may be the time to visit our office and discuss how you can use your rebate for the down payment.

Below is some important information about "Stimulus" payments you might not know:

Payments will be made by direct deposit for individuals who have chosen to receive their 2007 income tax refunds through direct deposit. All others will receive their economic stimulus payments in the form of a check.

Stimulus payments will be sent out in the order of the last two digits of the Social Security number used on your tax return. Taxpayers may receive their checks at different times than their neighbors or other family members. On a jointly filed return, the first Social Security number listed will determine the mail-out date.

The IRS offers the availability of an on-line calculator on www.IRS.gov to help taxpayers determine if they are eligible to receive an economic stimulus payment and how much they can expect.

Welcome aboard - Dr. Van Allen

Dr. Miriam Van Allen was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychobiology from the University of California Los Angeles in 2000. After completing her undergraduate degree, Dr. Van Allen then attended the UCLA School of Dentistry, where she was president of the Alpha Omega dental organization, president of the student chapter of the American Association of Women Dentists, and vice-president of her dental school class. She received her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in 2005.



After dental school, Dr. Van Allen moved to Colorado to complete her orthodontic specialty residency at the University of Colorado, Denver. During her orthodontic residency training, she received an advanced certification in Invisalign clear braces treatment and attended numerous lectures on orthodontic miniscrew implants, along with completing a research project involving digital modeling for orthodontic treatment plans. Dr. Van Allen enjoys enhancing her orthodontic knowledge by pursuing the most advanced proven techniques the orthodontic profession has to offer. In return, Dr. Van Allen is able to provide her patients with only the best of care in a compassionate manner.

Currently, Dr. Van Allen enjoys being back in Southern California, taking full advantage of both the sun and surf. She is a member of the American Association of Orthodontics, the Los Angeles Dental Society, the California Dental Association, and the American Dental Association. In addition to her involvment in both the local and dental communities, she loves the theater, dancing, traveling, and spending time with her family and friends.

We are proud to have her as a part of our team.

New Technology in Our Office - Cone Beam 3-D Imaging

We are proud to announce that we are the only orthodontic office in Southern California with an iCAT2 Imaging machine. This state-of-the-art unit provides us with a 3-D x-ray scan of the head and has revolutionized the way we evaluate our orthodontic patients.


The 3-D x-ray scan allows us to look at any part of the skull in various aspects. The typical scan time is only 8.5 seconds and allows us to visualize the jaw joints, the dental arches and the face.

Certainly the iCAT system sets us apart and gives us a huge competitive edge. We are proud of the outstanding services and the quality of care we can provide to our patients.

One iCATscan can improve our diagnosis and treatment planning by providing us with multiple analyses that were not available to us before. It allows us to accurately assess tooth relationships from an amazing three dimensional image. We can use this information to plan treatment of impacted teeth , evaluate true root position and root length, diagnose TMJ problems, analyze arch length precisely, and fabricate virtual study models.

Using Cone Beam 3-D imaging in our office, unquestionably eliminates the quesswork inherent to our profession and results in better diagnosis and treatment planning.

Safety is always our concern for our staff and patients. With a low exposure rate a Cone Beam 3-D x-ray is comparable to three traditional panoramic x-rays. But the diagnostic images created from just one iCAT scan produces a panorex x-ray, lateral ceph, frontal ceph, TMJ series, numerous slices, anatomical structure information and interactive 3D volumetric renderings.

This is wonderful news! Cone Beam Imaging technology is reducing the amount of radiation to our patients and produces many more images from the one scan.

Types of Orthodontic Appliances in Lakewood, CA - Pt. 1

Types of Appliances

There are many types of orthodontic appliances available when choosing the best treatment to straighten your teeth. At Brodsky Orthodontics, we take your smile personally and work hard to ensure that you receive only the best orthodontic treatment available. As an orthodontist in Lakewood, California (CA), I understand the needs of my patients and their families. It is important to learn about all of the options available to you. As such, this is part one in a series of posts related to types of orthodontic appliances available at my Lakewood, CA orthodontic practice.

To successfully complete your orthodontic treatment plan, patients must work together with the orthodontist. The teeth and jaws can only move toward their corrected positions if the patient consistently wears the elastics (rubber bands), headgear or other appliances as prescribed. The following paragraphs describe the types of appliances that may be used during your treatment.

Separators (Spacers)

Separators are little rubber rings that may be placed between your teeth to push them apart so that orthodontic bands may be placed during your next appointment. The separators will be removed before we place the bands. To prevent separators from being removed prematurely, please avoid eating sticky foods and do not try to floss around them.

Palatal Expander

The palatal expander (widens) the upper jaw by putting gentle pressure on the upper molars each time an adjustment is made. Dr. Brodsky and his staff will instruct their patients how to adjust the expander.

Orthodontics & Braces for Children in Lakewood, California (CA)

Orthodontics for Children in Lakewood, California - Your Top Invisalign Orthodontist

It is best for Dr. Brodsky to see children around age 7 to advise if early interceptive orthodontic treatment is required. The first permanent molars and incisors have usually come in by this time and crossbites, crowding and other problems can be evaluated. When treatment is begun early, the orthodontist can guide the growth of the jaw and guide incoming permanent teeth. Early treatment can also regulate the width of the upper and lower dental arches, gain space for permanent teeth, avoid the need for permanent tooth extractions, reduce the likelihood of impacted permanent teeth, correct thumb-sucking, and eliminate abnormal swallowing or speech problems. In other words, early treatment can have significant importance in treating some malocclusions.

Early treatment does not benefit all children. If early treatment is not needed, orthodontic treatment may not need to begin until the age of 10 or 12. At this age, most children are about to lose their last couple “baby” teeth. This is the most ideal time to start treatment. Once children lose their last “baby” tooth, orthodontic treatment can become more challenging. It is recommended that all children be seen by Dr. Brodsky by age 15. At age 15 certain bones in the face permanently fuse together, which may make orthodontics more difficult and less predictable in certain cases.

Getting Braces in Lakewood, California - Your Invisalign Orthodontists

Serving Lakewood, Northern Orange County, and Long Beach California (CA) for years, we at Brodsky Orthodontics work hard to give our patients only the best state-of-the-art orthodontic appliances available. This is why we became Invisalign Certified orthodontists early on - to stay on the cutting edge of orthodontics and better serve our California patients. Part of our service includes educating each patient on their options to help them make an empowered decision. This blog is used to provide further information for current and prospective patients. For today's post, we are going to discuss the different types of braces available at our Lakewood, California (CA) orthodontic practice.

Traditional Metal Braces
Orthodontists in Lakewood, Northern Orange County, and Long Beach California (CA)

Traditional metal braces are the most common type of braces and are more comfortable today than ever before. Made of high-grade stainless steel, metal braces straighten your teeth using metal brackets and archwires. With metal braces, you have the option of adding colored elastics (rubber bands) for a more unique and colorful smile.

Ceramic Braces
Braces and More in Lakewood, Northern Orange County, and Long Beach California (CA)

Ceramic braces are made of clear materials and are therefor less visible on your teeth than metal braces. For this reason, they are very popular with adults and teenagers. Ceramic braces are somewhat smoother than metal braces, and we have found them to be equal to metal braces in performance and durability. Clear ceramic braces also will not stain during treatment.

Invisible Braces (Invisalign)
Invisalign in Lakewood, Northern Orange County, and Long Beach California (CA)

Clear appliances (such as Invisalign) use a series of invisible, removable, and comfortable aligners to straighten your teeth. And, no one can tell you are wearing those aligners because they are invisible! Not only are the aligners invisible, they are removable, so you can eat and drink what you want while in treatment, plus brushing and flossing are less of a hassle. The aligners are comfortable and have no metal to cause mouth abrasions during treatment.

Lingual Braces
iBraces and More in Lakewood, Northern Orange County, and Long Beach California (CA)

Lingual braces are hidden behind the teeth and are therefore "invisible" when you smile. Lingual braces are 100% customized to match the shape of your teeth, and therefore the metal appliances are created uniquely for you. Lingual braces are a very reasonable option for athletes, models, actors/actresses, musicians who play wind instruments, and adult professionals.

For more information about getting orthodontic treatment in Northern Orange County, Long Beach, or Lakewood California (CA) contact the Invisalign orthodontists at Brodsky Orthodontics!

Learn About Invisalign

Invisalign®

Both Dr. Joel and Charles Brodsky are

ELITE Premier Invisalign® Providers

Consider Invisalign® to get the beautiful straight teeth you've always wanted – without braces. A complimentary consultation with the doctors can determine if Invisalign is right for you.
Because both doctors have treated well over 300 cases, they have been given a special ELITE designation by Invisalign, indicating their special experience which most other orthodontists in the area do not have.

What is it?

Invisalign uses a series of invisible, removable, and comfortable aligners that no one can tell you're wearing. So you can smile more during treatment as well as after. Invisalign is made with 3-D computer imaging technology, and has been proven effective. More than 70% of orthodontists in the US and Canada are certified to treat with Invisalign.

Why would I want it?

Not only are the aligners invisible, they are removable, so you can eat and drink what you want while in treatment, plus brushing and flossing are no problem. They are also comfortable, with no metal to cause mouth abrasions during treatment. And no metal and wires usually means you spend less time in the office getting adjustments. Invisalign also allows you to view your own virtual treatment plan when you start, so you can see how your straight teeth will look when your treatment is complete.

How does it work?

You wear each set of aligners for about 2 weeks, removing them only to eat, drink, brush, and floss. As you replace each aligner with the next in the series, your teeth will move – little by little, week by week – until they have straightened to the final position Dr. Brodsky has prescribed. You'll visit Dr. Brodsky about once every 6-8 weeks to ensure that your treatment is progressing as planned. Total treatment time averages 9-15 months and the average number of aligners worn during treatment is between 18 and 30, but both will vary from case to case.



Learn more about Invisalign on their web site at www.invisalign.com.