Fun facts with Dr. McFarland!

Dr. McFarland know everyone loves fun facts. They're fun, fun, fun. The American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO, has come up with some fun facts about orthodontics that our dedicated team at the office of Dr. Richard McFarland thought you might enjoy. Have a great weekend!

• 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.

Retainers and YOU, from Dr. McFarland

If you've recently completed your treatment at the office of Dr. McFarland, our staff would like to take this time to congratulate you! Now that your braces have been removed, Dr. McFarland will provide—or has provided you—with retainers.

Retainers are important because after braces are removed, teeth may shift out of position if they are not stabilized. Retainers provide that stabilization, and are designed to hold teeth in their corrected, ideal positions until the bones and gums adapt to the treatment changes.

Here are some things to remember when you receive your retainers:

* Wear your retainers full time, until the doctor instructs otherwise. Wearing your retainers at night ensures that your pearly whites won’t relapse.
* Take your retainers out when eating...and always put retainers in their case! (Most appliances are lost in school lunch rooms or restaurants.)
* Clean retainers thoroughly once a day with a toothbrush and only a small amount of toothpaste. Use warm but not hot water.
* When retainers are not in your mouth they should ALWAYS be in a retainer case.
* Retainers are breakable, so treat them with care. If retainers are lost or broken, give us a call immediately.
* Remove retainers when swimming or during any sporting activity in which the retainers could fall out and get broken or lost (cheerleading, basketball, etc.) or when you should be wearing a mouth guard (football, soccer, etc.).

Give us a call if you have any questions and again, congratulations on being braces-free!

Dr. McFarland wants to know: What puts you at ease in our office?

Dr. McFarland and team know not everyone enjoys visiting their orthodontist. But we strive to bring you the best and most comforting experience at each visit. After all, we are a trend-setting office, forefront in current knowledge and practice. We are committed to being an office that cares about each patient as if they were our own son or daughter.

Today, we’d like to know: What is it about our office that makes you comfortable or puts you at ease? Is it something about our pleasant office environment? Our friendly staff or Dr. McFarland? We'd love to know! Post your thoughts!

Dr. McFarland wants to know: are there teeth grinders in your house?

Grind, grind ... grind. If you live with a teeth grinder, especially a night grinder, you may be familiar with this unpleasant sound. But new research published in the journal Head & Face Medicine in March suggests that people—adults and kids—faced with stress tend to cope by grinding their teeth. In addition, the Chicago Dental Society suggests that since the recession began, teeth grinding, or bruxism, has been on the rise.

The Chicago Dental Society surveyed more than 250 members about the connection between stress and oral health. Nearly 75 percent of dentists said their patients reported increased stress over the past year, largely due to the prolonged economic depression. Teeth grinding can be a temporary nuisance during stressful times that causes headaches and sleep problems, but it also can cause lasting problems for your teeth and gums, including chipped teeth, worn enamel, chronic pain, or even TMJ, a painful jaw disorder.

The first step of recovering from teeth grinding is noticing the problem, says Dr. McFarland. Symptoms of teeth grinding include:

• Sensitivity in the teeth
• Tightness or pain in the jaw
• Dull headaches, earaches, or facial pain
• Chipped, worn down, or loose teeth

An important thing to remember is that people frequently grind their teeth in response to stress, and taking measures to reduce or eliminate stress can help solve the problem. If the teeth-grinder in your house can’t stop, schedule an appointment to see us by giving us a call. Dr. McFarland can help determine the cause of the problem and possibly even prescribe a custom mouthpiece to help break the habit.

Happy Wednesday!

April is National Facial Protection Month!

This month marks National Facial Protection Month, and it’s a good time to remind our young athletes about staying safe on the field this spring. According to the National Youth Sports Safety Foundation, children, high-school athletes and adults will have more than 5,000,000 teeth knocked out in sporting events this year. By simply wearing a properly fitted mouth guard, these accidents could prevent this along with other traumatic facial injuries.

Not only do mouth guards save teeth and protect jaws from breaks, but they also may protect against neck- and central nervous system injuries by decreasing the force transmitted through the jaw to the base of the skull. In addition to mouth guards, Dr. McFarland says it’s a good idea to wear a helmet, face shield and protective eyewear when playing sports this spring. Protective gear is vital for anyone engaging in tooth or mouth-threatening activities. If you have any further questions about any of these tips, please contact our staff by calling 972.221.2515.

Stay safe and have fun!