Tell Dr. McFarland what’s on your mind!

Week after week, Dr. McFarland and team blog about important topics pertinent to orthodontic treatment care and your well-being, including innovative orthodontic techniques we offer. This week, we thought we’d step back and ask you, our wonderful patients and readers: What’s on your mind? What would you like to know about the always-changing field of orthodontics? What would you like us to focus on our blog in the coming months? Perhaps there’s something you’ve wanted to ask us for a while now? Let us know by posting here or on our interactive Facebook fan page!


So… take it away and we’ll try to answer any questions you may have!

Ask Dr. McFarland: Are Lingual Braces right for me?

Dr. McFarland serving Flower Mound and The Colony, TX, is pleased to offer our patients Lingual Braces. Our team is always receiving questions about Lingual Braces, which is why we wanted to discuss today a few of the unique benefits of this new orthodontic treatment. To begin, Lingual Braces are placed behind your teeth, rather than in a visible area. Because of this, no one will ever know that you are wearing braces! This unique type of braces is created using state-of-the-art technology and is entirely customized to the shape of your teeth. Hence, you can improve your smile efficiently and effectively in a discreet new way.

Who especially benefits from Lingual Braces?

• Athletes
• Models
• Actors
• Musicians, especially those who play wind instruments
• Adult professionals

For more information on Lingual Braces and treatment options at Dr. Richard McFarland's office, please give us a call today!

Age 7 is the magic number for an orthodontic check-up

Many parents assume they must wait until their child has all of his or her permanent teeth to see Dr. McFarland for a consultation, only to discover treatment would have been much easier if started earlier. Did you know the American Association of Orthodontists recommends that every child have an orthodontic check-up no later than age seven?

That’s right—seven.

Ok, so what’s so great about age seven, you ask? Enough permanent teeth have arrived for Dr. McFarland to make a determination about whether any problems are present. The first molars have come in, providing an opportunity to check for malocclusion, or “bad bite.” Also, the incisors have begun to come in, and problems such as crowding, deep bites and open bites can be detected.

Orthodontic evaluation at an early age provides one of two positive outcomes: For some, early identification or problems will lead to easier or shorter orthodontic treatment in the future. For others, a healthy prognosis will provide immediate peace of mind.

Early evaluation, of course, may signal a need for early treatment. For some children, early treatment can prevent physical and emotional trauma. Aside from spurring on years of harmful teasing, misaligned teeth are also prone to injury and are detrimental to good oral hygiene. So, if your child is nearing his or her seventh birthday, give us a call at Dr. Richard McFarland to schedule an appointment.

A few patient reviews for Dr. Richard McFarland

Dr. Richard McFarland, serving Flower Mound & The Colony, Texas and surrounding areas, has been receiving some great patient reviews lately! Check out what our current patients are saying about Dr. McFarland and team!

"Extremely friendly and personable. He's very easy to talk to. I am also very impressed with the many ways that he finds to provide comfort, convenience, and amenities to his practice. Going to the ortho is no longer something to dread...well, dread as *much*. Good job!" ~Kevin

"Very customer friendly staff. You try to make an unpleasant process fun for the kids and pleasant for the waiting family members. I like the use of technology." ~David

"The office runs extremely efficiently. Even though there are many patients being helped at the same time, my son never felt ignored." ~Dirk

June is National Smile Month!

June may almost be over, but not before we remind you that June is National Smile Month! With summer finally here, it's a good time for Dr. Richard McFarland and our staff 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. If you have questions about any of these tips, we encourage you to give us a call.

* 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 Dr. McFarland.
* Visit your dentist regularly (usually every six months apart).

Share your summer plans with Dr. McFarland!

As the school year wraps up for a lot of our patients, the days get longer and the sun begins to warm up, there’s no better way to beat the heat than jump into a pool or cool off under the shade with a cold beverage. For most of Dr. McFarland's patients, summer brings with it a chance relax and take a break from homework and other activities.

How about you?

What are your summer plans? Do you have any interesting plans for a summer vacation? Our staff would be interested in how you are all spending your summer vacations. If you’re going some place exotic, great! If you're going camping, we'd like to hear about it! Even if you're staying at home, let us know!

Feel free to share your summer plans and experiences with Dr. McFarland and team on our Facebook page as the summer rolls on!

What are happy patients saying about Dr. McFarland?

At the office of Dr. Richard McFarland, we love our patients and our patients really, really like us! Check out what some of our past patients have said about their treatment with The Colony and Flower Mound orthodontist Dr. McFarland!

"Great set up! Child is empowered to take over some of the responsibility of signing in, getting chart, etc. Do not have to sit in waiting room waiting to be called!" ~ Scott T.

"What we like about the orthodontist is the friendly staff and the kid friendly atmosphere. Great set up for allowing kids to participate in the care of their teeth." ~ Taylor S.

"My 3 children have been under Dr. McFarland's care beginning about 10 years ago. So far great job." ~ Michael W.

"Very patient with a mother full of questions. Office staff incredible. Office runs extremely efficient. Even though there are many patients being helped at the same time, my son never felt ignored. He was always very comfortable and actually happy even though braces were his worst social nightmare." ~ Dick M.

"They are good with kids. They stress the importance of brushing to my son, even though he continues to not brush properly. They have been up-front about what will happen next and how long he will have to wear his braces. They always do a complete exam." ~ Ben R.

"Hey, Dr. McFarland! Which toothbrush should my child be using?"

Dr. McFarland and our staff know that brushing your teeth is one of the easiest methods of cavity prevention. But which type of toothbrush should your child use? When choosing a toothbrush, look for round-ended (polished) bristles that clean while being gentle on the gums. Choose one that is specifically designed for kids' smaller mouths and hands. Lastly, throw out a toothbrush after three months if the bristles are fraying. Frayed bristles can harm your gums, and are not as effective in cleaning teeth.

As far as which toothpaste is best? It doesn't matter as long as it has fluoride in it. However, for small children who tend to swallow toothpaste, do not use fluoridated toothpaste. Make sure to touch each tooth and every side of that tooth. Also, you do need to gently brush on your gums.

To learn more about choosing the right toothbrush and toothpaste for your child, we encourage you to read this helpful article from Parenthood.com. Or, you may give us a call at 972.221.2515 and we'll try to answer any question you may have about keeping your child's mouth as healthy as possible!

We hope you have a relaxing and safe Memorial Day weekend!

Invisalign tips with Dr. McFarland

Lots and lots of people know that Invisalign is a phenomenal solution to traditional braces if you don't want to experience the look and feel of traditional metal braces. What few people know is that just like traditional braces, Invisalign requires proper care to work effectively.

Regular (and exceptional) oral hygiene is critical, even when you are wearing something in your mouth that you can take out to eat with. It's still likely that your aligners can build up plaque if not treated properly. When wearing your Invisalign aligners, Dr. McFarland wants you to ask yourself the following questions:

1. Am I eating with my aligners on? - These aligners are removable and should be taken out when you eat.

2. Am I brushing before putting the trays on? - The aligners have both an inside and outside. Keeping the outside clean is easy. Keeping the inside clean is also easy: just make sure you've brushed your teeth before putting the trays on.

And...

3. Am I drinking anything other than water with my aligners on? - Though it's not a necessity for you to take out your aligners while you drink, think about how sticky a soda is. If you take out your aligners when drinking a soda, you have a better chance of keeping your aligners clean.

These are all very simple steps, and ultimately, they help to keep you building good oral habits. If you have any questions about Invisalign or your treatment here at the office of Dr. McFarland, we encourage you to give us a call at 972.221.2515!

Happy Mother's Day Week, from McFarland Orthodontics!

Dr. McFarland and our entire team would like to thank all the wonderful moms out there for driving their kids to their regularly scheduled appointments with McFarland Orthodontics and for being so great all the time!

We know that moms should get more than just a day of celebration, appreciation and acknowledgment, but we want you to know we appreciate you all very much! Happy Mother's Day Week and upcoming Mother's Day!

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!

Dr. McFarland, helping dispel myths about orthodontics

Dr. McFarland is well-aware that there are a lot of myths flying around the topic of orthodontics. But, before you buy into those myths, he thinks you should get the facts first! We came across a great site the other day that helps set the record straight. Our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists have some excellent information on the myths and facts of orthodontics. We encourage you to check them out today!

If you have any questions about orthodontics or your treatment with Dr. McFarland, feel free to give us a call at our Flower Mound or The Colony offices.

More patient reviews for Dr. McFarland!

Dr. McFarland and team, serving Serving Flower Mound, The Colony and Surrounding Texas Areas, deliver the highest quality orthodontic care in a personalized environment. We make orthodontic treatment fun and enjoyable. Just see what our patients have to say! And, please, feel free to contribute your own thoughts about our office!

"Very informative during the consult , made us feel like he and his assistant really cared about our concerns." ~ Chasity B.

"Friendly up-beat atmosphere. Almost (!) makes having braces fun." ~ Robert C.

"He is organized, kind, and helpful. :)" ~ Natalie S.

"I lost teeth and required braces due to a traumatic accidental injury. My doctor and his staff have let me cry and ask a thousand questions with full support and explanations to every question. My teeth are moving and looking better and better so easily which gives me such faith in Dr. McFarland's knowledge." ~ Andrea M.

"Cutting edge office. Staff is awesome." ~ Hannah H.

The Invisalign® advantage with Dr. McFarland

Part of what makes Invisalign "work," is that the clear aligners are custom-made and designed just for you. To find out if you are the right candidate for Invisalign treatment, the first thing Dr. McFarland does is take an impression of your teeth as they are now -- and digitizes it. Using special software, we look at the current positioning of your teeth and compare it to the way your teeth should look.

Next, Dr. McFarland uses special software to map out the exact path your teeth will take from the beginning of your treatment to the end. Based on the results, a set of custom aligners are created just for your teeth. Throughout the course of treatment, you will be required to wear these clear, removable aligners one at a time, with each one moving your teeth closer and closer to their final, perfectly aligned position. You'll visit Dr. McFarland about once every 6 weeks to ensure that your treatment is progressing as planned. Total treatment time averages 9-15 months and the average number of aligners worn during treatment is between 18 and 30, but both will vary from case to case. The best thing about it all? Nobody around you will even know you are wearing braces!

Dr. McFarland is a certified Invisalign provider. If you have questions about Invisalign, or would like to find out if you are a candidate for Invisalign treatment, please give us a call.

Dr. McFarland, reminding you that regular checkups are important

Dr. Richard McFarland wants to know: is your child brushing his/her teeth twice a day? If yes, that’s fantastic. But, don’t forget that it’s also important for your child to visit the dentist every six months in addition to brushing their teeth a couple times a day. If your child will be visiting the dentist for the first time, it’s important to bring them in after their first tooth comes through, and no later than their first birthday. Regular dental checkups are important for maintaining good oral health. Your dentist can:

• Check for problems that might not be seen or felt
• Detect cavities and early signs of decay
• Treat oral health problems early
• Show your child how to properly brush and floss their teeth

During an oral exam the doctor will check the health of your child’s mouth, teeth, gums, cheeks and tongue. Checkups will also include a thorough teeth cleaning and polishing. If your child has not been to the dentist in the last six months, it’s time for you to schedule an appointment! Have a fantastic weekend!

Ask Dr. McFarland: Who really benefits from braces?

Braces aren’t just for pre-adolescents and teenagers anymore! Dr. McFarland will tell you that anyone, at any age, can benefit from orthodontic care; whether it’s 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, or AAO, 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!