Friday, June 24, 2011

What do you love about summer?

Summer is finally here, and the team at Bishop Orthodontics thought we’d ask: What’s your favorite part about summer? Is it the warm weather? The free time you get? Spending quality time with friends and family? Grilling barbecue in the backyard? What makes your summer truly special?

Let us know by posting on our Facebook page or by giving us a call!

Friday, June 17, 2011

June is National Smile Month!

According to the American Dental Association, a person's smile outranked eyes, hair and body as the most important physical feature, which is why it's important for our team at Bishop Orthodontics to support National Smile Month this June.

Show off your pearly whites by posting your favorite smile photos on the wall of our Facebook page. We look forward to seeing what you share!

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Orthodontic Emergency Care with Bishop Orthodontics

True orthodontic emergencies are very rare, but when they do occur we are available to you. As a general rule, you should call the office when you experience severe pain or when you have a painful appliance problem that you can't take care of yourself. We’ll be able to schedule an appointment with Dr. Alton Bishop.

You might be surprised to learn that you may be able to temporarily solve many problems yourself until you schedule an appointment with Bishop Orthodontics.

The following solutions may help you relieve your discomfort:

Poking Wire: Using a pencil eraser, push the poking wire down or place wax on it to alleviate the discomfort.

Loose Bracket or Band: If your bracket or band is still attached to the wire, you should leave it in place and put wax on it. If the wire comes out entirely, wrap the bracket with a tissue.

Loose Wire: Using a tweezers, try to place your wire back into place. If doing this and using wax does not help, as a last resort use a small fingernail clipper to clip the wire behind the last tooth to which it is securely fastened. If your discomfort continues, place wax on it.

Loose Appliance: If your appliance is poking you, place wax on the offending part of your appliance.

Headgear Does Not Fit: Sometimes headgear discomfort is caused by not wearing the headgear as instructed by your orthodontist. Please refer to the instructions provided by your orthodontist. If the facebow is bent, please call our office for assistance. Surprisingly, headgear becomes more comfortable the more it's worn, so be sure you’re getting in the prescribed hours.

General Soreness: When you get your braces on, you may feel general soreness in your mouth and teeth may be tender to biting pressures for three to five days. This can be relieved by rinsing your mouth with a warm salt water mouthwash. Dissolve one teaspoonful of salt in 8 ounces of warm water, and rinse your mouth vigorously. If the tenderness is severe, take aspirin or whatever you normally take for headache or similar pain.

Remember, after alleviating your discomfort, it is still very important that you call our office as soon as possible to schedule a time to repair the problem.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

A NEW Contest at Bishop Orthodontics! - "Where's Bishop?"

We are proud to announce our latest Bishop Orthodontics contest, it's called "Where's Bishop?"

To participate, all you need to do is send us a photo of yourself wearing the Bishop Orthodontic T-shirt while you're on vacation. The next time you visit the office look for the board with a large map on it. On this map we will post your "Where's Bishop?" photo in the location that you took it.

Please send your photos to mindy.h@hotmail.com.

We will be giving away prizes for various categories such as most creative, furthest traveled, and more. Please give our office a call if you have any questions about the "Where's Bishop?" Contest. We look forward to seeing your photos!!