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!

Summer heat safety tips with Brodsky Orthodontics

Let's face it, it gets pretty darn hot in California during the summer, and with the heat wave sweeping through the country recently, we want you to be extra careful when you’re out and about. A few weeks ago, Good Morning America ran a segment on the many ways you can protect yourself from heat exhaustion, heat stroke and other heat-related conditions this summer.

We encourage you to watch this short clip and remember to always have a bottle of water handy when heading out! Lastly, here are a few summer safety tips from our friends at WebMD. We hope you’re having a GREAT summer!

Brodsky Orthodontics, supporting National Smile Month

Now that we’re in June, Drs. Charles and Joel Brodsky and team thought we’d tell you June is National Smile Month, and a good time to remind all our patients to practice good oral hygiene between your visits to our office.

Below are a few simple steps you can take to improve your oral health so that you may celebrate National Smile Month for many, many years to come:

* Brush at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. Here's a helpful video showing you how to brush with your braces on.
* Floss everyday to clean between your teeth.
* Reduce your intake of sugary foods and drinks during your orthodontic treatment with Drs. Charles and Joel Brodsky.
* Visit your dentist regularly (usually every six months apart).

If you have questions about any of these tips, we encourage you to give us a call at (562) 496-2000. We hope you enjoyed the long holiday weekend!

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!