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!

Don't Forget to Floss!

Flossing is a must for patients with braces, we encouraging flossing at least once a day. There are plenty of ways to floss around your teeth and braces, but many people will find it difficult to get into all the nooks and crannies with the floss thread alone.

For patients with braces we at Ferry Orthodontics have found that the Platypus Flosser is the easiest way to floss and get under the wire and between the teeth. Flossing is critical for patients wearing braces. Why? To help prevent plaque, or calculus (calcified plaque)from forming between the teeth. This allows the teeth to move more freely and also keeps the gums nice and healthy. We have noticed an increase in patient hygiene and compliance with flossing since we switched to the Platypus. The Platypus has a Facebook page for more information. Another flosser we recommend is the Fish Flosser, which is similiar to the Platypus. In lieu of traditional flossing these floss sticks can be used by everyone, and can make flossing easy, and fun!

Are you wondering the best way to floss between your braces? Ask us at your next appointment, or give us a call!

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

Top Ten Tips for Keeping your BRACES Sparklin’ Clean

Keeping your teeth clean is more important than ever when you have braces. Food bits have more spots than usual to hide in your mouth, so you must be diligent in order to avoid bad breath, swollen gums, discolored teeth and cavities. If you remove plaque regularly during treatment, you'll experience better results and shorter treatment time. Keep plaque at bay with these top ten tips:

1. One tooth at a time. When you brush, take time with each individual tooth – at least 10 seconds each – and pay careful attention to the spots where your teeth touch your braces.

2. It’s all about the angles. Brush the tops of your teeth and braces with your brush angled down toward where they meet. Brush the bottoms of your teeth and braces with your brush angled up.

3. The tooth, the whole tooth, nothing but the tooth. While the front surface of your teeth may seem like the most logical to clean, it’s equally important to clean the inner surface of your teeth (tongue side) as well as the chewing surface. And be sure to clean along your gum line – a key spot for plaque buildup.

4. Step 1: eat, step 2: clean. While you’re in treatment, it’s important to brush after every meal. Bits of food can easily get caught between braces and teeth, and these food bits interact with bacteria in your mouth to cause decay. The longer food is in contact with your teeth, the greater opportunity for plaque to form. If you are eating somewhere that you can’t brush, thoroughly rinse your mouth with water.

5. Like a Boy Scout, always be prepared. The easiest way to be sure you can brush after every meal is to get in the habit of taking a toothbrush, toothpaste and floss with you wherever you go. Designate a special container just for your teeth-cleaning tools and keep it in your purse, backpack, or laptop case.

6. Remove the moving parts. If you have elastic bands or headgear, remove these parts before you brush or floss.

7. Fluoride is your friend. Fluoride helps prevent cavities. Be sure to brush with fluoride toothpaste, and rinse with fluoride mouthwash.

8. Pointy brushes reach tiny places. Interproximal brushes (sometimes called proxa brushes or interdental brushes) are cone-shaped and come in very handy for reaching spots around your braces that standard brushes can’t.

9. Find the floss for you. Regular floss works for some patients, but others find it easier to work with a floss threader, which helps you get the floss into tight places. Other patients like an all-in-one product called Superfloss, which comes with a stiff end for easy threading, a spongy section for cleaning wide spaces, and regular floss for narrow spaces.

10. Make time for the pros. It’s your job to take care of the everyday cleaning. But make sure to visit your dentist regularly while in treatment, to get the deep, thorough cleaning that only a professional can provide. If you need help finding the right Dentist for you, feel free to contact our office - we’d love to help!

Hope this helps!

--Ferry Orthodontics of Cranston and Wakefield, RI

What do you love about Ferry Orthodontics?

From your very first visit to Ferry Orthodontics, We strive to provide superior treatment in a pleasant, friendly atmosphere. We thought we’d ask you, our wonderful patients: What did you think about your experience? Did our team go out of their way to make your day? Are you in love with your new smile?

Whether you’ve just come in for a consultation or your family has been visiting our office for years, we’d love to hear your feedback. Or, you can tell us by posting on our Facebook page or by giving us a call!

Thank you,
Dr. Ferry & Team

Ask Ferry Orthodontics: Is Invisalign® really customized for each patient?

Yes, it is, and that’s part of what makes it work, says Dr. Ferry. To find out if you are the right candidate for Invisalign treatment, the first thing we do is to take an impression of your teeth as they are now and digitize it. Using special software, we look at the current positioning of your teeth and compare it to the way your teeth should look.

Next we use special software to map out the exact path your teeth will take from the beginning of your treatment to the end. Based on the results, a set of custom aligners are created just for your teeth. Throughout the course of treatment, you will be required to wear these clear, removable aligners one at a time; each one moving your teeth closer and closer to their final, perfectly aligned position. The best thing about it all? Nobody around you will even know you are wearing braces!

Ferry Orthodontics is a certified Invisalign preferred provider. If you have questions about Invisalign, or would like to find out if you are a candidate for Invisalign treatment, please give us a call.

Meet Dr. Michael Ferry

Dr. Michael Ferry, a Board Certified Orthodontist, is a Cranston native. Graduating from La Salle Academy in Providence, he went on to receive a BA degree from the University of Colorado in Boulder. He completed his dental training at Boston University School of Dental Medicine. Dr. Ferry then returned to Cranston and practiced general dentistry for five years.

During this time he served as President of the Cranston Dental Society for three years (and is currently serving his fourth term) and was a part-time faculty teacher at the Community College of RI Dental Hygiene program. Following his interests, Dr. Ferry completed a three-year residency at Saint Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx, NY, where he served as Chief Resident in his final year.

Dr. Ferry has made two humanitarian trips to Haiti to provide dental services to the poor and destitute in villages around Jeremie. Like his father, he remains active with the Haitian Health Foundation as a volunteer.

Outside the office, Dr. Ferry spends time with his wife, Jennifer, and two children, Cassidy and Greyson. In his spare time, Dr. Ferry plays ice hockey and enjoys fishing, skiing and golf.