Kristle's New Smile

I met Kristle and her mother at their Post Orthodontic Consult. This appointment is reserved for a review from the start of treatment all the way to our “photo finish.” We also talk about what it takes to maintain that smile a lifetime. I do these appointments twice a week in the office and always enjoy showcasing a patient’s smile and, every once in a while, I meet someone who’s story needs to be shared.

Kristle’s mom is a teacher in the field of special education. She is a very articulate, personable woman and she is also profoundly deaf. Her own mother was determined she be at home in a hearing world and worked with her an extra three hours every day on academics, speech, and social skills. When she gave birth to a child of her own with perfect hearing, she was just as determined as her own mother that her little girl be exposed to the one thing she couldn’t provide – music.

Kristle’s grandmother slipped easily into her roll as teacher once again with Kristle as her rapt pupil, only this time focusing on music. Singing came easily for Kristle as she was born with the gift of perfect pitch. She also plays the recorder, piano, and excels at the violin. As a freshman in high school, she sings opera at a college level and plans on pursuing musical studies in college. Kristle and her mother are the only two members of the family who practice the art of signing. Both participate in a deaf choir to bring music to life by virtue of signing, facial expression, and body language.

There is no doubt that Kristle comes from a line of women with fortitude and foresight and Kristle reflects those characteristics, too. With the loving “polish” from mom and Grandma there is absolutely no doubt that Kristle is bound to shine brightly!

Maumee / Monclova Location Open NOW!

September traditionally heralds new beginnings - a new school year, the football season, and for the orthodontic team of Drs. Simon, Haerian & Ludwig - a brand new location at 4359 Keystone Drive, off Monclova Road (behind Champion Windows), in Maumee, Ohio.

The same friendly, efficient service found in our Sylvania and Lambertville offices is now conveniently accessible to our families in the Fallen Timbers region.
If this location is more convenient for you, just give us a call and ask to schedule, or even reschedule, your next appointment in the Fallen Timbers office.

Regular checkups are essential in maintaining good oral health

Are you brushing and flossing daily properly during your orthodontic treatment? If yes, that’s great! But, don’t forget that it’s also important for you to visit your general dentist every 3-to-6 months in addition to brushing your teeth and flossing (and visiting our office, of course). Regular dental checkups are important for maintaining good oral health, especially during orthodontic treatment.

Your general dentist can check for problems that might not be seen or felt, detect cavities and early signs of decay, treat oral health problems early and show you how to properly brush and floss your teeth.

During an oral exam your dentist can check the health of your mouth, teeth, gums, cheeks and tongue. Checkups will also include a thorough teeth cleaning and polishing. If you have not been to the dentist in the last six months, let us know during your next visit and we will provide a few great references in the greater area!

The importance of retainers

If you recently completed treatment at Sylvania & Lambertville Orthodontics, we’d like to congratulate you! Now that your braces have been removed, we will provide—or have provided you—with retainers. After braces are removed, teeth can shift out of position if they are not stabilized. Retainers provide that stabilization. They are designed to hold teeth in their corrected, ideal positions until the bones and gums adapt to the treatment changes. Wearing retainers exactly as instructed is the best insurance that the treatment improvements last for a lifetime. 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.).

We hope this helps! You can always contact our team if you have any questions!

End of Summer Recap From Your Friends at Sylvania & Lambertville Orthodontics

The summer has come and gone so fast! We had a great past few months, and we hope you did too! If you haven't yet heard, we have some big news! Later this month, we will be opening a new office in Fallen Timbers/Monclova, OH. We can't wait to get started at the new location, be sure to stay tuned for more details as we get closer to the grand opening!

If you visit our web site, you'll notice that it has been updated with the photos of all our Perfect Smile contest winners! The photos are being featured all over our web site and other promotional material. Check them out to see if you recognize yourself or a friend! Thank you again to everyone who participated, and we hope you are all having a great start to the school year so far!