Molen Orthodontics Blog

It’s that time of year again, when goblins, ghosts and ghouls take to the streets toting their buckets and pillowcases door-to-door, filling them with heaps of candy. There will be bobbing for apples, carving jack-o-lanterns and of course the candy buyback event at Molen Orthodontics to help make this Halloween safe and healthy for children of all ages.

A lot happens to your teeth during your first decade of life. Your baby teeth come in, stay for a while, and later fall out. Your permanent teeth start to push their way into place. You learn proper oral care by brushing, flossing, and making regular visits to the dentist. It’s an important time of transition that will affect the way your smile will look in years to come.

Having good oral hygiene is important for everyone, and it’s especially vital when you have braces. Keeping your teeth and gums clean during your orthodontic treatment is extremely important because improper care and hygiene could lead to prolonged treatment and require more visits. Poor brushing can result in unattractive white spots, and even gum disease or tooth decay. When your braces come off, you want to be able to enjoy your new beautiful, dazzling smile – not deal with tooth decay!

This Friday, October 7th marks the 17th annual celebration of World Smile Day®. This is the one day of the year devoted to smiles and acts of kindness throughout the world. The message for World Smile Day is: “Do an act of kindness. Help one person smile!”

Four million people have now chosen Invisalign treatment as an alternative to metal braces! This remarkable achievement represents a shift in how adults and teens prefer to straighten their teeth.

We know that when kids get braces, they sometimes have a hard time adjusting to their new diet, which excludes anything chewy, sticky, hard and crunchy. It can also be challenging for parents to come up with a variety of braces-friendly dinner ideas that kids will love. Sometimes people end up making the same few dishes over and over, and kids get bored of them quickly. To help you avoid getting stuck in the mac & cheese rut, we’ve gathered a few delicious and healthy dinner recipes that will help your child forget about what they’re missing out on!

With kids heading back to school soon (and some already started), it’s time to get back into the routine of packing lunches. Picky eaters can make lunch-packing a challenge, but add some orthodontic braces to the mix and it can make things even more challenging! But don’t worry – we’re here to help. Keep reading for tips and braces-friendly lunch ideas to help make lunch-packing a breeze!

If you’ve ever had to wear a retainer, you may be familiar with that dreaded feeling of realizing you’ve accidentally tossed your retainer in the trash – and now have to go dumpster diving! With school starting again, we’ve got some tips to help your kids avoid misplacing their retainer or making an accidental retainer donation to the cafeteria garbage can!

Most back-to-school checklists include backpacks, school supplies, clothes and perhaps a fresh new haircut. But, there is one more thing you should add to the list to start the year off right – your child’s first orthodontic visit (for ages 7 and up). As the carefree days of summer are wrapping up and kids are heading back to school soon, now is the perfect time to bring your child to Molen Orthodontics to see one of our renowned doctors for a complementary evaluation.

Going to the orthodontist can be intimidating for some people – but not at Molen Orthodontics! We've earned a reputation of having a welcoming environment with friendly doctors that make the experience a positive one. We have the best orthodontists in Washington, and they are the reason why so many choose Molen Orthodontics. In fact, many dentists trust us to treat their own children when they're ready for treatment.