Everybody Benefits from Braces - Kirkpatrick & Lai Orthodontics

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!

Holiday Greetings from Kirkpatrick & Lai Orthodontics!

Everybody at Kirkpatrick and Lai Orthodontics would like to wish all of our patients and their families a happy holiday, and a wonderful New Year!

Our office will be closed starting December 25th through January 1st. A member of our staff will be answering calls during this time in case you have an orthodontic emergency, need to reschedule an appointment, or would like to schedule a new patient consultation. Our office will resume regular business hours on January 2nd.

Drs. Tom, Doug, and Joe will be on-call throughout the holidays for after-hours, emergency calls only.

If you have an orthodontic emergency, please call 918-948-7627.

Thank you for a great 2008; we will see you in 2009 for another full year of smiles!

A Great Holiday Gift Idea

We would like to send the warmest holiday wishes to all of our patients at Lai and Kirkpatrick Orthodontics!

We would also like to remind our patients that it is still smart to avoid hard and sticky holiday candies like peanut brittle, nuts, toffee, etc. As always, it’s still important to brush and floss after every meal!

This year ask Santa for something really great! Drs. Tom, Doug, and Joe recommend asking for an electric toothbrush. The Oral-B Pulsonic is a great choice. This toothbrush has an oscillating head and is the best toothbrush for patients with braces.

If you have any questions about brushing and flossing this holiday season or need to schedule your next appointment please call us at 918747-1346 and let us know!

Have any special holiday plans? We’d love to hear what you and your family are doing this holiday season! Leave a comment to let us know what you’ve got planned and what special gifts you’re asking for from Santa.

Hunting Season!

Hunting season has begun - and as you all know, this is our favorite time of year!

We would love to hear about all of your great adventures! If you have any special hunting stories you would like to share, we’d love to hear from you. Leave us a comment about a great hunting adventure you’ve had this season or in seasons past; and feel free to post any pictures you wish to share as well.

Next time you come in for an appointment, be sure to ask Dr. Doug about his first deer hunt with his son and hear all about Dr. Tom’s “near misses!”

Happy Hunting!

Toothbrush Trivia!

People have been brushing their teeth for thousands of years. In fact, the first “toothbrush” was created around 3000BC! Ancient civilizations used a thin twig with a frayed edge to rub against their teeth for cleaning.

The first toothbrush with bristles – similar to today’s toothbrushes – was invented in 1498 in China. Brushes were made out of bone or bamboo with bristles made from the hairs on the back of a hog’s neck.

It wasn’t until 1938 that the first nylon bristle toothbrush was introduced and people quickly became aware of practicing good oral hygiene.

Here are some other interesting facts about your toothbrush (and toothpaste):

• Most people are said to use blue toothbrushes over any other color
• The first toothpaste was used in 500 BC in China and India
• On average, children smile about 400 times per day
• Your toothbrush should be replaced every two months
• The first known toothpaste was used in 1780, Crest was introduced in the US in 1955 and Colgate in 1873

Why Is It So Important to Have Straight Teeth?

Some people wonder why we work so hard to give our patients straight teeth. Of course it’s nice to have a smile full of evenly aligned teeth, but did you know that straightening your teeth can keep them healthier? Straight teeth lead to better oral hygiene, increasing your chances of keeping your own natural teeth for a lifetime.

Straight teeth are less prone to decay, because they collect less plaque – the sticky colorless substance that forms on our teeth and leads to tooth decay; and they are easier to keep clean!

If you’re wondering whether your teeth might cause problems because they are out of alignment, give us a call at 918-948-7627 to set up a consultation. Drs. Kirkpatrick & Lai can help you decide whether or not you will benefit from orthodontic treatment.

When Are Two Phases of Treatment Necessary?

Usually patients in orthodontic treatment already have their permanent teeth – but in some cases we have to start treatment earlier, even before the patient’s permanent teeth come in. We call this “two-phase treatment.”

When we have patients with clear developmental problems at an early age, it’s best to start work when they are young, before the problems get bigger and more difficult to treat. Examples include an upper or lower jaw that is not growing correctly, or a mouth growing in a way that doesn’t leave enough room for all the permanent teeth to come in.

In these cases we will start early and do one round of treatment – phase one – while the patient still has “baby teeth.” Phase one usually does not involve braces, but can include a different type of appliance that helps the jaw grow into place properly, such as a retainer. We’ll follow up with phase two usually a few years later, when permanent the patient’s permanent teeth have come in. Phase two often does involve braces and sometimes headgear.

In order to catch early problems, we recommend that children have an orthodontic check-up no later than age seven (and so does the American Association of Orthodontics). However, if your dentist or pediatrician sees any sign that early treatment might be necessary, he or she may recommend your child visit an orthodontist even sooner. For more information about two-phase orthodontics, or to schedule a consultation with Drs. Kirkpatrick & Lai please call 918-948-7627 and visit our web site www.klortho.com.

Meet Our Amazing Team!

Kirkpatrick and Lai Orthodontics pride themselves in their excellent staff. Our staff is a very talented group of intelligent, highly skilled, knowledgeable, dedicated people who strive to make your treatment an enjoyable process. Each staff member is OSHA certified and all staff members are continually taking classes to further their knowledge and to improve your experience. Our staff is made of a tight-knit community of friends based on many years of working together. The majority of our staff has been working at our office for over ten years.

During your treatment we hope that you feel the comfort of our friendly office and staff.

Stop by and say Hi! Let us make you smile!