At Brodsky Orthodontics, October is National Orthodontic Health Month!

Happy Friday! For our staff at Brodsky Orthodontics, October means National Orthodontic Health Month. Many treats can cause havoc for trick-or-treaters who are going through orthodontic treatment, and these treats may cause damage that could prolong your treatment time. Our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists have provided a helpful list of tips and recipes for the Halloween Season.

Here is a brief list of foods we'd like you to avoid:

• Caramel
• Nuts
• Popcorn (including un-popped kernels)
• Taffy
• Jelly beans
• Hard pretzels
• Licorice
• Bubblegum
• Taco chips
• Ice

Our staff at Brodsky Orthodontics encourage you to give us a call, ask us on Facebook or ask Drs. Joel or Charles or Dr. Van Allen during your next visit if you have any questions!

Some fun facts about braces, from Dr. Charles Brodsky

At Brodsky Orthodontics, we know everyone loves fun facts. Who doesn't? The American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO, have come up with some fun facts about orthodontics we know you'll get a kick out of.

• There are nearly 4 million people in orthodontic treatment throughout the United States. Three out of four are younger than 18.

• The first mechanical treatment for correcting irregular teeth was suggested by Gaius Plinius Secundus (A.D 23-79).The American Association of Orthodontists is comprised of more than 12,000 members in the United States, Canada and abroad.

• The time required to complete orthodontic treatment ranges from 12 to 36 months depending on the nature and severity of the problem.

• Of the 160,000 dentists in the United States and Canada, 8,000 are practicing orthodontists.

• The cement that attaches the braces to the teeth is now made with a special fluoride-releasing substance.

• Wires activated by body heat used in today's braces originally were developed by NASA for use in the space program.

• In addition to alleviating or preventing physical health problems, orthodontics can boost self-esteem as treatment aligns teeth, jaws and lips.

• Famous orthodontic patients include: Dr. Joyce Brothers, Hale Irwin, Cher, Diana Ross, Phyllis Diller, Chelsea Clinton, Whoopi Goldberg, Daisy Fuentes and Brandi.

Five reasons to visit Brodsky Orthodontics for a complimentary consultation this summer

With the country still in a recession, many folks in Lakewood, Long Beach and surrounding areas are putting off visiting the orthodontist for a consultation. At Brodsky Orthodontics, we hear all the reasons - vacations, chores, emergencies, etc. Today, Dr. Charles Brodsky and our staff thought we'd give you five reasons to visit our office this summer for an orthodontic consultation.

1. Kids do not need to miss school to get their braces on

2. It is easier for kids to adjust to their braces during the summertime while out of school

3. Fewer scheduling conflicts with homework or organized sports

4. Open enrollment (for Insurance and Flex Plans) usually occurs in the Fall

5. Summer Rewards for starting treament before the end of August

And here's another reason to visit: did you know the American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children receive an orthodontic consultation as early as age seven? Give us a call at (562) 496-2000 to schedule a complimentary consultation!

Brodsky Orthodontics at the AAO Annual Session!

To better serve Lakewood and surrounding communities -- Bellflower, Long Beach, Cerritos and others -- with highest quality orthodontic care available, Drs. Joel and Charles are committed to to staying at the forefront of the field of orthodontics and accomplish this by attending continuing education courses and conferences all over the country.

One of these conferences is the AAO Annual Session, and through Tuesday, Drs. Joel and Charles are in Washington D.C. attending the Annual Session, an always-educational event that happens to be one of the largest orthodontic conventions in the world. It's also a time for us to rub elbows and consult with orthodontists from around the country and stay up-to-date on all the latest technologies and orthodontic treatment options available. This, of course, allows Drs. Joel and Charles to give you, our great patients, the best treatment experience possible.

If you've got an appointment scheduled with us in the coming weeks, we invite you to ask us about our trip, including what we learned and how continuing education and acquisition of new technology helps us treat you more effectively!

For photos of our trip, head over to our Facebook fan page!

Dr. Joel at the Edward H. Angle Orthodontic Society meeting!

Dr. Joel Brodsky returned from his trip to Baltimore after attending the annual meeting of the Edward H. Angle Orthodontic Society. Dr Angle is considered the father of orthodontics having invented "braces" in the late 1800s. Dr. Brodsky is one of about 100 members of this very prestigious and elite organization made up of orthodontists from around the world who are researchers, academicians and/or clinicians.

Members are invited to join, and must present an original research project and show difficult cases that they have treated. The annual meeting is both a social and scientific event. Orthodontists from the US, Canada, Turkey, England, Australia, Italy, Germany and Japan were in attendance.

The most interesting paper was delivered by an orthodontist from Japan who uses orthognathic surgery first prior to treating his most difficult cases with orthodontics. This runs counter to the accepted thought that you prepare the patient first and set them up for the surgery before the surgery is done. The advantage to this technique is that patients' faces looked more normal near the onset of treatment, as opposed to waiting 18 months for the surgical phase.

Dr. Brodsky was asked to review a paper titled ”Vertical Control with the Herbst Appliance: Fact or Fiction?” presented by an internationally-known orthodontist from Australia. This Herbst appliance is used extensively at Brodsky Orthodontics to correct malocclusions that initially have large overbites. The paper was extremely well done and Dr. Brodsky led a discussion on its merits and posed some interesting questions to the author which led to some spirited discussions as well. We are happy to reaffirm that the manner in which we use this appliance is supported by the science that was presented in this paper.

Dr. Joel Brodsky will be traveling to Washington D.C. at the end of April to present a paper titled “Cone Beam CT in the Private Practice” at the annual meeting of the American Association of Orthodontists. More about that in weeks to come!

Happy Monday!