February is National Children’s Dental Health Month!

One in four parents says their child has had an injury during an organized sport resulting in a trip to the emergency room, according to the American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO. That why Dr. Ferry and team at Ferry Orthodontics thought February—also known as National Children’s Dental Health Month—would be a great time to remind our patients to be mindful of their braces and teeth while playing sports. Here are a few tips to stay safe on the field this spring, courtesy of the AAO:

1. Wear mouth guards for contact sports such as baseball, softball, soccer and lacrosse.
2. Wear a helmet
3. Wear protective eyewear
4. Wear a face shield to avoid scratched or bruised skin
5. Be alert, even as a spectator

We hope that helps. 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 Ferry Orthodontics. Stay safe and have fun!

Dr. Mike announces the winners of our Pumpkin Contest!

Have you seen all of the creative pumpkins that were entered in the Ferry Orthodontics Pumpkin Contest? Dr. Mike Ferry and our team were very impressed with all of the pumpkin entries! Today, we would like to share that the winners of the iPods are Carina G. and Allie R. We also must provide Honorable Mentions to Kim K., Olivia M., Kellie M., and Alyssa S., who each win a four pack of movie tickets!

Thanks to everyone who participated in our Pumpkin Contest. All the pumpkins were amazingly well painted and decorated. If you haven't had a chance yet, be sure to check out our Facebook page to view all of the contest photos!

Ask Dr. Ferry: What’s so bad about nail biting?

We’ve all heard that biting your nails is an awful habit, but you many wonder- really- what’s so bad about it? Recently, our team at Ferry Orthodontics found an interesting article that discusses how biting your nails affect your teeth and oral health.

Nail biting, or Onychophagia, is a common habit that is generally triggered by stress and often decreases with age. That being said, nail biting is unsanitary, unattractive, as well as unhealthy for your teeth!

Here’s why:

• It’s unsanitary. Your nails are dirty, almost twice as dirty as your fingers! Hence, biting your nails is just asking for germs and bacteria.

• No good things come to your teeth. Nail biting causes your teeth to constantly be chewing, which is not good for them. This excessive motion wears your teeth down faster than a non-nail biter’s and puts a large amount of stress on your front teeth- contributing to teeth misalignment.

• Braces don’t love it either. Braces already put pressure on teeth, nail biting ads unnecessary pressure, further stressing your teeth and weakening their roots.

• It can be costly. Nail biting can result in up to $4,000 in additional dental bills over one lifetime, according to the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD). Yikes!

What can you do about it? Now that you know how harmful nail biting can be, it’s time to take action to break your nail biting habit. Try to be conscious of your fingernails and to keep them looking good- this will help you resist the temptation. Ask Dr. Mike Ferry or visit this article for tips on how to break a nail biting habit.

Good luck!

Your friends at Ferry Orthodontics

Have you seen the Ferry Orthodontics Wakefield office?

Check out this great video for your own personal tour of the Ferry Orthodontics Wakefield, RI office! We'll show you our waiting area, the kid corner, brushing station, kitchen, offices, and more! Give us a call today to schedule your next appointment at this great new location! We look forward to seeing you soon.

-Ferry Orthodontics

Dr. Mike Ferry recommends retainers!

If you recently completed treatment at Ferry Orthodontics, we’d like to congratulate you! Now that your braces have been removed, Dr. Mike Ferry will provide—or has provided you—with retainers. After braces are removed, teeth can shift out of position if they are not stabilized. Retainers, however, always 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 by Dr. Mike Ferry is the best insurance that the treatment improvements last for a lifetime.

To learn more about the advantages of wearing retainers after your orthodontic treatment with Ferry Orthodontics, please read this helpful article about retainers from KidsHealth or give us a call!

Flossing with braces 101

Flossing is vital to proper oral health, especially when you have braces- just ask our team at Ferry Orthodontics! Here is a very concise video explaining the proper way to floss your teeth. Floss threaders can be a helpful tool for flossing those hard to reach spots where floss doesn't easily bend under the arch wire. Many people think that flossing is only to get the food out from in between your teeth, when actually flossing should be done every day on every tooth to help protect your teeth and gums.

Happy flossing!

-Your friends at Ferry Orthodontics

Invisalign Teen™ at Ferry Orthodontics

Dr. Ferry knows that now, more than ever, physical appearance is very important to the teens of today. Just the thought of metal brackets and wires constantly attached to teeth can intensify the already-fragile confidence of many. Don’t worry- there is a clear alternative to traditional braces! The team at Smile Construction thought we'd remind you that Invisalign Teen™ offers an alternative method for treatment- a “clear” solution for teens!

So, how does Invisalign Teen work? Much in the same fashion as Invisalign, but with a few added characteristics tailored specifically to teenagers’ lifestyles. For instance, Invisalign Teen is designed with “compliance indicators” that fade from dark to light during the two week period that particular tray is used and once it has faded teens know to change trays. Each aligner comes with up to six free individual replacement aligners in case the original aligner ends up lost or broken. This is a huge benefit for the patient!

The treatment period for Invisalign Teen varies from nine to 18 months. If your teen is considering orthodontic treatment, please contact our office and we’ll answer any questions you may have about Invisalign Teen.

The Great Social Media Adventure

Isn't social media wonderful? Dr. Mike Ferry and our team at Ferry Orthodontics embrace technology, whether it's by connecting with our patients through sharing news on our blog or communicating ideas on our Facebook page. For social media to work, conversation is vital, and that’s why we invite you to join in and tell us what’s on your mind. Although social media is hugely popular these days, we know it is unpredictable and ever-changing.

While we’re taking a little time to research and decide how to best use social media, we thought we’d ask you, our loyal patients: How would you like us to use our social networks? What would you like us to share on our blog? Send us your thoughts or give us a call!

-The team at Ferry Orthodontics

With Ferry Orthodontics, 24/7 access to your account

At Ferry Orthodontics, we embrace new technology, whether it is through the innovative orthodontic treatments that we offer, our high-tech web site and social networks, or our modern offices conveniently located in Cranston & Wakefield, RI.

Did you know that patients at our office have access to their account 24 hours a day, seven days a week—all through our website? You can look up your appointments and all of your account details at your convenience, from the comfort of your own home! You can even receive appointment reminders through email or text messages!

You, too, can sign up for this convenient service on our website by clicking on the "Patient Login" button at the top of our homepage. Please give us a call if you have any questions about getting started!

When Are Two Phases of Treatment Necessary?

Usually patients in orthodontic treatment already have their permanent teeth – they are pre-teens, teens and adults. But in some cases we have to start treatment earlier, even before the patient’s permanent teeth come in. We call this “two-phase treatment.”

When we have patients with clear developmental problems at an early age, it’s best to start work when they are young, before the problems get bigger and more difficult to treat.

Examples include:
• An upper or lower jaw that is not growing correctly
• A mouth growing in a way that doesn’t leave enough room for all the permanent teeth to come in
• A severe malocclusion, or bad bite, which means the jaw doesn’t fit together correctly

In these cases we will start early and do one round of treatment – phase one – while the patient still has their baby teeth. Phase one usually does not involve braces, but can include a different type of appliance that helps the jaw grow into place properly. We’ll follow up with phase two usually a few years later, when permanent teeth are in place. Generally phase two involves standard braces.

In order to catch early problems, we recommend that children have an orthodontic check-up no later than age seven (and so does the American Association of Orthodontists). However, if your dentist or pediatrician sees any sign that early treatment might be necessary, he or she may recommend your child visit our office even sooner.

--Ferry Orthodontics