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!

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.

The hashtag #GrowingUpWithBraces was recently trending on social media, with users lamenting about their memories of having to wear braces as a kid. But despite the jokes about the struggle of having to wear bands and dealing with the pain of having them tightened, most people who have had braces as a kid are thankful they did. They know that a straight, beautiful smile is worth it!

If your teen wants to improve their smile but doesn’t want traditional metal braces, Invisalign aligners are a great option. Many teenagers opt for Invisalign Teen treatment because it’s discreet and works well with their lifestyle. They can play sports without having to worry about braces and eat normally without making diet changes.

With the 4th of July coming up, many of us will have a long weekend of celebration with sunshine, fireworks and barbecues! The nice, hot weather promises lots of picnics and BBQs all summer long, but eating at these events can be tricky for anyone wearing braces. Some BBQ food staples can potentially damage braces, while other foods can make cleaning your braces quite difficult. It’s important for those with braces to keep in mind the foods that are OK to eat and the foods you should avoid (or eat with care) when going to a BBQ.