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Our patients at Seder Orthodontics hate the thought of delaying their treatments and often ask us what they can do in between their adjustment visits to help. Today, Dr. Karen Seder and our team thought we would provide some tips on how you can stay on track in regards to your treatment plan time.

The first thing we want you to do is keep your adjustment appointments. Each visit with Dr. Karen Seder is carefully planned to move your teeth a specific way in a certain time frame. It’s important to note that missing an appointment can add weeks or months to your treatment time.

Next, we want you to let Dr. Karen Seder and our team know right away if your experience any problems with your braces or appliances. A missing wire, rubber band, or broken bracket can delay treatment time, so we ask that you please give us a call right away to report any issues rather than waiting until your next visit.

Make sure you wear your rubber bands as prescribed by Dr. Karen Seder. Most, if not all, of our patients will need to wear elastics or rubber bands at some point during their treatment. Not wearing the bands or elastics, or not wearing them enough, can slow down your treatment time. Rubber bands are critical in aligning your bite and are important for the bite-fixing phase of your treatment.

Finally, we want you to maintain good oral hygiene, just as you did before your treatment began. In addition to flossing regularly, we encourage you to brush your teeth several times a day. Not brushing will allow sugar to wear away the cement on the braces, making them less effective in moving your teeth, as well as elevate your risk of developing cavities or tooth decay, which will inevitably delay treatment time.

If you have any questions about any of these tips, or if you have any general questions about your treatment, please give us a call at our convenient Chicago, IL office, or ask Dr. Karen Seder during your next adjustment visit!

Dr. Karen Seder and our team are excited to offer Invisalign Teen, a clear alternative to braces that’s just for teens! With Invisalign Teen, we are able to straighten your teen’s teeth without the hassle, discomfort, and embarrassment of traditional braces.

Invisalign Teen’s clear aligners are virtually invisible. What's more, they are removable, which means your child is free to eat anything they choose, as well as brush and floss with ease! And best of all, Invisalign Teen uses no wires or metal to straighten your teen's teeth.

Invisalign Teen aligners are made from a lightweight plastic material and fit precisely on the teeth. Invisalign Teen has become a popular treatment here at Seder Orthodontics because it helps our younger patients achieve a straight, beautiful smile without their friends noticing.

Our team at Seder Orthodontics is aware that most teens today have a busy lifestyle, and sometimes, they tend to lose things, including their retainers or aligners. But with Invisalign Teen, if your child happens to lose an aligner, let Dr. Karen Seder and our team know as soon as possible and we will have the aligner replaced.

For more information on Invisalign Teen, please give us a call at our convenient Chicago, IL office today!

Now that you have braces, it is more important than ever to maintain good oral hygiene during your treatment, as Dr. Karen Seder will tell you. While we trust you will continue brushing and flossing on a regular basis throughout your treatment at Seder Orthodontics, you also have to mindful of what you eat. While all those sweet, sour, and sticky candies may taste great, these treats can actually damage your teeth and braces!

Sour candies  can be acidic to your teeth, and actually wear down the enamel that protects them, resulting in tooth decay and cavities. If you do indulge in eating these candies at some point during your treatment, be sure to wash your mouth out with water, drink milk or eat a few slices of cheese. These foods will help neutralize the acid in your mouth.

Besides cavities and tooth decay, many people do not realize that good oral health and hygiene are important to your overall health, too; researchers have discovered the connection between periodontal disease and other major health concerns, such as heart disease. Therefore, it is important to maintain a good oral hygiene routine just as you did before your braces. This includes visiting your dentist here in Chicago, IL every six months, brushing and flossing daily, and using an antibacterial mouthwash, as well as visiting Dr. Karen Seder for your regular adjustment appointments.

For more questions about foods you should avoid while wearing braces, or if you have any general questions about your treatment, we encourage you to give us a call, ask us at your next adjustment appointment or ask us on Facebook!

We're excited to share this message from the American Dental Association!

New Toothsavers Game!

Game encourages kids to brush for two minutes, twice a day through interactive fairy tale kingdom adventure!

The American Dental Association is proud to be one of the founding members of the Ad Council's Partnership for Healthy Mouths, Healthy Lives. With Children's Dental Health Month and many Give Kids A Smile events around the corner, the Partnership just released a new, free mobile gaming app, Toothsavers, in an effort to motivate parents and caregivers to take action to reduce their children's risk of oral disease. This interactive game makes toothbrushing fun by encouraging kids to save friendly fairy tale characters from the evil, cavity-creating sorceress who cast a wicked tooth-rotting spell on the kingdom. The goal of the game is to motivate children to save their own teeth by brushing their teeth two minutes, twice a day. Click here to watch a preview of Toothsavers.