A Sour Smile Is Not A Happy Smile -- Brodsky Orthodontics

It’s no secret that sweet, sugary candies and drinks have an adverse effect of the health of your smile, but what about sour or tart candies? We at Brodsky Orthodontics thought you might want to know what kind of an effect does eating or drinking something sour have on my smile?

Recent research from the Minnesota Dental Association suggests that the amount of acid in sour candies is enough to eat away at tooth enamel and cause cavities. Here are a few souring facts about sour candies, and some helpful tips on how to protect your teeth from Brodsky Orthodontics(even if you cannot give up sour candies all together).

Facts

-Sour candies can be very acidic, and may actually burn the gums and cheeks, while weakening and wearing down the enamel on your teeth. (Check the acid levels in some of your favorite candies)

-It can take almost 20 minutes for the acid in sour candies to become neutral. Holding the acid in your mouth by sucking on sour hard candies or chewing sour gummies can keep the acid active for more than 20 minutes.

-The acid in sour candies can cause cavities and severe tooth decay.

Protect your teeth

-Limit the amount of sour candies that you eat on a daily basis, and if you do indulge, remember not to suck or chew on sour candies for long periods of time.

-After eating sour candies, rinse your mouth out with water, drink milk, or eat a couple slices of cheese. This will help neutralize the acid in your mouth (wait at least one hour before brushing your teeth with toothpaste, as this can actually increase the effects of acid on your teeth)

-If tooth erosion has already begun, ask your dentist about ways you can help reduce sensitivity and continue to protect your teeth.

Hope this helps! From Brodsky Orthodontics.

Second Time Around An Invisalign Success Story from Dr. Brodsky

Rachel Fales knows what it's like to wear braces – she went through treatment as a teenager. Like many people, at some point she stopped wearing her retainer. Without the support of her custom retainer, her teeth started to readjust as she aged.

"A couple of my teeth in particular had started to move," Rachel says. "Every time I looked in the mirror, I noticed these two teeth creeping forward. Some days, I would literally look at my reflection and say 'Whoa.'"

When Rachel found out about Invisalign, the tooth-straightening system that involves wearing clear plastic aligners, she was hooked. "All it took was a single visit to my doctor for them to make impressions of my teeth," says the 26-year-old sales rep. A sequence of thirteen custom plastic aligners are now bringing her teeth back into perfect position.

Currently on her third aligner, Rachel is delighted to report that Invisalign is working out even better than she expected. Prior to treatment, she had worried that she'd forget to wear the aligners, especially since she had trouble remembering to wear her retainer. "I have a tendency," she admits, "to not do things on a regular schedule – I'm terrible at taking my vitamins every morning!" She found wearing her aligners to be simple, and describes the experience as natural. "At this point, I feel weird if they're not in," she says. "And they don't interfere with eating, because I can just take them out at mealtime!"
Her aligners don't show: they are made of thin plastic and they snap tightly onto her teeth. Rachel chuckles as she recalls, "The only person who picked up on the difference was my boyfriend's mom, and she just thought my teeth were shinier!"

Rachel does like to point out her aligners to friends. "I want them to know that Invisalign is a cool way to have perfect teeth again – even if they were like me and stopped wearing their retainers after having braces as a kid."

If you have questions about Invisalign. Give us a call at Brodsky Orthodontics, maybe you are a candidate for the amazing invisible aligners.

Dr. Brodsky Uses His Cleft Palate Skills In Zambia

Dr. Brodsky was able to use his skills in Cleft Palate care while in Zambia. Dr B’s guide confided to him that his newborn baby daughter was born with a cleft lip and palate and it remained unrepaired. The guide brought his wife and 2 month old daughter to the hotel Dr. Brodsky was staying at in Livingstone, Zambia for an examination and consultation.

This beautiful little girl did indeed have a cleft lip and palate. Unfortunately, there was not a trained surgeon who could correct this problem there. Upon returning to the US, Dr. B networked with his colleagues and was able to arrange for a surgeon to go to Livingstone and operate on the child. This will occur at the beginning of June. Dr. Brodsky never thought his skills as an orthodontist would be required in Africa!

Dr. Brodsky Visits Africa!

Dr. Joel Brodsky and his wife recently returned from a 2 week visit to Africa. They visited three countries: South Africa, Zambia and Botswana. While there they saw many animals including Lions, Rhinos, Giraffes, Hippos, Elephants, Zebras, Monkeys, Baboons, etc. Dr B’s favorite animal was the wart hog which is featured in the movie Lion King.

The saddest part of the trip was visiting a village in Zambia where 30% of the children are orphans because both parents have died of AIDS. These three countries have the highest rate of AIDS infection in the world--affecting more than 10% of the population! Despite efforts to educate the people the rate of AIDS infection is not decreasing in Africa nor is the rate of death from the disease. In Zambia, a country of 10 million, almost 1 million have the disease. This year 89,000 people will die from it. The number of orphans in the country is already over 800,000!

Lower Radiation For Our Patients at Brodsky Orthodontics

Safety is always our concern for our staff and patients at Brodsky Orthodontics. 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. Come check us out at Brodsky Orthodontics for the latest technological advances in orthodontics.

Invisalign: The No-Braces Way to Straight Teeth -- Dr. Brodsky

You can have perfectly straight teeth without months of wearing metal brackets and wires. And Brodsky Orthodontics can walk you through it!

Invisalign can give you the beautiful straight teeth you've always wanted. It works through a series of invisible, removable, and comfortable aligners. No one can tell you're wearing them, so you can smile more during and after treatment.

Invisalign has been proven effective and is widely available. In fact, more than 70% of orthodontists in the U.S. and Canada are certified to treat with Invisalign.

How Does Invisalign Work?

* Each set of aligners is worn for about 2 weeks. These aligners are removed 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 position your orthodontist has prescribed.
* You'll visit our office about once every 6 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.

Call us at Brodsky Orthodontics to find out if you're a candidate for Invisalign.

Cardiodontics: The Heart Mouth Connection - Dr. Joel Brodsky

If you have been told you have periodontal disease (also known as gum disease or periodontitis), you're not alone. An estimated 80 percent of American adults currently have some form of the disease. Periodontal diseases range from simple gum inflammation to serious disease that results in major damage to the soft tissue and bone that support the teeth. In the worst cases, teeth are lost.

Gum disease is a threat to your oral health. Research is also pointing to health effects of periodontal diseases that go well beyond your mouth.

What is Periodontal Disease?

"Perio" means around, and "dontal" refers to teeth. Periodontal disease is an infection of the structures around the teeth, including the gums and the bones that hold the teeth. The earliest stage of periodontal disease is gingivitis – an infection of the gums. In more severe forms of the disease, all of the tissues are involved, including the bone. Bacteria that live and reproduce on the teeth and gums cause periodontal disease.

Symptoms of Periodontal Disease

Symptoms may include the following:

* redness or bleeding of gums while brushing teeth or using dental floss
* halitosis, or bad breath
* gum recession, resulting in apparent lengthening of teeth
* "pockets" between the teeth and gums indicating that the bone which holds the teeth in the mouth is dissolving
* loose teeth

Gum inflammation and bone destruction are largely painless. Hence, people may wrongly assume that painless bleeding after teeth cleaning is insignificant, although this may be a symptom of progressing periodontitis. If your hands bled when you washed them, you would be concerned. Yet, many people think it's normal if their gums bleed when they brush or floss.

Periodontal Disease Affects Your Health

Periodontal disease is a putrid, festering infection of the mouth. Bacteria and inflammatory particles can enter the bloodstream through ulcerated and bleeding gums and travel to the heart and other organs. In recent years, gum disease has been linked to a number of health problems. Researchers are studying possible connections between gum disease and:

* Heart disease: Gum disease may increase the risk of heart disease. Gum disease also is believed to worsen existing heart disease.
* Stroke: Gum disease may increase the risk of the type of stroke caused by blocked arteries
* Diabetes: People with diabetes and periodontal disease may be more likely to have trouble controlling their blood sugar than diabetics with healthy gums.
* Premature births: A woman who has gum diseases during pregnancy may be more likely deliver her baby too early and the infant may be more likely to be of low birth weight.

Combating Periodontal Disease

1. See your dentist! See your dentist every six months for a checkup! Regular professional cleanings and checkups make you feel good, look good, and could be a lifesaver!
2. Brush and floss daily. Take your time and do it right!
3. Use an anti-bacterial mouthwash. Daily use of an anti-bacterial mouthwash helps to disinfect the teeth and gums, and reduces the number of bacteria.
4. Straighten your teeth. Crowded teeth are nearly impossible to keep clean. Orthodontic treatment can greatly reduce inflammation and periodontal disease. Invisalign™ can eliminate crowding without metal brackets and wires.