Play it safe this spring, from Dr. Roos & Team

With spring here, many children, teens and adults in Redmond and greater East Side will once again pick up the ball, bring the bat out of seasonal retirement, and lace up their cleats to hit the fields for the return of spring sports! April is National Facial Protection Month, and during this time, Dr. Roos and our dedicated team urge our young athletes to play it safe when out on the field. According to the National Youth Sports Safety Foundation, children, high-school athletes and adults will have more than 5,000,000 teeth knocked out in sporting events this year.

Here are a few ways to ensure your mouth’s safety this spring, courtesy of our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists:

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 us at Roos Orthodontics. Stay safe and have fun!

What, exactly, is malocclusion?

Malocclusion, or what Dr. Roos calls “bad bite,” is the improper alignment of teeth and/or jaws. When your teeth and jaws are not properly aligned, it may impact your bite, the ability to properly care for your teeth, your gum tissue health and even your appearance.

Most people experience some degree of malocclusion, but it generally is not severe enough to require corrective measures. If your malocclusion is serious enough, however, treatment may be necessary to correct the issue.

Our team will tell you that untreated malocclusion can lead undesirable mouth problems, including tooth decay, gum disease, or chipped and cracked teeth. The most common solution for malocclusion, of course, is orthodontic treatment. The actual course of treatment, including the length of time you will require braces, will be determined by severity of your malocclusion. The goal of your treatment is to move your teeth into the proper position and correct any misalignment in the jaw.

At Roos Orthodontics in Redmond, WA, we use the most advanced technology in the field in order to ensure that you receive the best possible results. If you have any questions about malocclusion, please give us a call and we’ll try to answer any questions you may have.

You're Never Too Old to Treat Yourself to a New Smile!

Did you know one in every five orthodontic patients is an adult? We’re living longer and technology is improving, making orthodontic treatment an appealing and safe option for patients of all ages. As the trend toward treatment later in life grows, we’re seeing braces on parents as well as children – and even adult celebrities such as Tom Cruise, Gwen Stefani and Nicholas Cage have shown off their braces. It’s never too late to look and feel your best!

Can Braces Work for Adults?

People of all ages can benefit from orthodontic treatment. The physical process for moving teeth is the same, young or old, which means it is never too late to address issues such as an overbite or underbite, crooked or crowded teeth, or jaw disorders.

How Do I Get Started?

If you’re considering orthodontic treatment, we’ll make a consultation appointment with you. During this meeting we will perform a general assessment of your oral health, discuss options for treatment, and answer any questions you may have. We will also discuss matters of cost and insurance. The next step is an orthodontic records appointment in which we take x-rays, photos, and an impression of your teeth. This information drives your unique treatment plan.

What Are the Benefits?

Straightening your teeth can improve your smile, your self-esteem, and your dental health. Technologically advanced new treatments make it easier to identify the option that best fits your lifestyle. Modern techniques and materials have made braces and aligners more effective, comfortable and unobtrusive than ever.

If you think you might benefit from orthodontic treatment, get in touch with us so we may set up a consultation to determine what type of treatment best meets your needs.

Connect with the Braces Brigade!

At Roos Orthodontics, our patients want to get as much out of their treatment as possible. That includes asking a lot of questions and making sure they take care of both their appliances and oral health.

Would you like to learn more about what to expect during orthodontic treatment, from someone with firsthand experience? Well, our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recently developed the Braces Brigade blog, where past, present, as well as future orthodontic patients from coast to coast document their (or their child’s) orthodontic journeys. The blog will serve as a source of guidance for others as the patients undergo orthodontic care.

Our team at Roos Orthodontics in Redmond, WA encourages you to visit the Braces Brigade blog to read these great and informative blogs—who knows, maybe you’ll learn a thing or two! As always, don’t hesitate to give us a call if you have any questions about the Braces Brigade or your own orthodontic treatment with us!

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!
Dr. Roos and Team

Where in the World is the Toothbrush Competition

If you've been on our Facebook page recently, then you know our latest contest at Roos Orthodontics has begun! We are teasing a few toothbrush travels there, but to enter the contest, make sure to fill out the form on our web site by clicking here.

Answer the easy questions about where our toothbrush went at your next appointment! And for an opportunity to win an EXTRA prize, send us a photo of YOUR toothbrush on vacation somewhere. Keep a close eye on our Facebook page for more details, or better yet- "Like" us on Facebook to get updates automatically!

Good luck!

Roos Orthodontics Wishing You a Happy Fourth of July!

This Sunday, our team will celebrate America's 234th birthday. For most people, Independence Day is a time to celebrate, as well as commemorate, the anniversary of the signing of America's Declaration of Independence. It's also a time for most Americans to pay homage to all our soldiers - past and present - who lost their lives in battle - and those soldiers who continue to place themselves in danger every day so that Americans everywhere may celebrate our freedom.

Today, we thought we'd ask: what are your Fourth of July weekend plans? Are you heading to a barbecue and Fireworks? Or headed on a family vacation?

We invite you to post your responses on our Facebook page! Please feel free to post photos as well!

Whatever you end up doing over Independence Day weekend, our entire staff hope you have a safe and happy Fourth of July weekend!

Additional Fathers Day Contest Entires!

My dad is one of the greatest dads you will find. He has been there for me and it is apparent that he really cares about me. He has had a hard life, and deserves a break. He had little help in getting to where he is now, and that shows me that he wants to make a better life for everyone in the family. He didn’t have a dad growing up, and his mom was away for much of the time. He had to live a great amount of time on his own, and had to make many decisions for himself. He needed to turn his life around in a difficult life. He made a decision to get good grades a make a better life for himself in the future. He now has a very demanding job and is working long hours to create a better life for those around him. He is sacrificing his own time and energy into giving me the childhood that he never had. If you were to help him to fulfill his dream and help him with braces, it would save him a lot of hard earned money that he worked for. He really wants me and my brother to get into good colleges, and saving money on braces would sure help. Giving him this break would be very appreciated by us.

Eric N


This is the lst thing I just HAVE to tell you about my dad. Not just for this but from the heart. I love him so much he is my nurse, my helper, my best friend, my brother and my dad. Not many kids let alone teens could say that about their fathers but I honestly can say that and would say that in front of anyone.

He’ll always be in my heart and I’ll always think of him as the cooliest man ever! He’s even taught me how to play the guitar, the one amazing hobby I dreamed of learning my whole life. He’s been my guitar teacher. I am literally blessed!
Now, I hope this letter to you will change your perspective of the best dads ever because to me and many others he’s ranked #1. When I heard of this task to write a letter about your dad I was so psyched to finally be able to tell someone about my dad!

Jessica B


I love my dad for many reasons, but one of the most important is that he supports me. Whether it is sports or my life-long dream to become a rocket scientist, my dad always reminds me to do my best and strive for my goals. My dad comes to all the games that he can and cheers me on. He also believes in my dream to become a NASA Flight Director and helps me by building mini rocket jets in the backyard or sending me to Space Camp this summer. I am extremely fortunate to have a dad that believes in the things I want to do.

Finally, my dad is the best because he works hard at his job, which in turn, keeps things in order for our family. Especially in the bad economy, my dad will work into the night to keep his job. My dad travels A LOT. He goes around to different Army bases. He even goes to South Korea and Germany! Without my dad working, my sister and I wouldn’t be able to play select sport or have braces for pretty smiles. I can’t even imagine all those hours on a plane. I love my dad so much for all the hard work he does to earn money.

My dad is very important in my life. He does all these things for me, so I would like to see him get orthodontic treatment in return. I would love to see this essay be chosen as the winner!

Happy Father’s Day Dad!!!! Love Always, Avery

Roos Orthodontics Celebrating Father's Day

You might have remembered our Mother's Day contest back in May, but Roos Orthodontics loves dads too! To celebrate Father’s Day in June and to show how much we appreciate their role in your orthodontic care, Roos Orthodontics is giving the
Father of one of our existing patients a free full orthodontic treatment!

We have included a few of the entries we have received so far, and the contest ends tomorrow, where we will be picking the lucky winner! We will be sharing additional entries next week, so stay tuned!


My Dad is the best! We do Cub Scouts together. He takes me to all of the fun activities even though he sometimes makes me “work” for it. My Dad is great at being my Dad because he tells funny jokes and listens to my troubles. The reason he should get orthodontia is his bottom teeth are crooked and I think it would make him feel better. He hasn’t smiled in a while. He’s still my Dad and I love him.
Thanks
Jack E


My Dad is the best. When he grew up his family was very poor. He works very hard so that we have everything we need, including helping my teeth grow in straight! He has always been a little self-conscious about his smile, because he has a gap between his two front teeth. But, he is so generous, he would rather spend money on giving me dance lessons or saving for college than on his own appearance. My dad does a lot of public speaking at his job and I think tha a new smile would really help his self esteem.
Morgan G

My dad did not come into my life until I was 8 years old, and my life has only gotten better since then. My dad works very hard at his job, is super helpful with my homework and takes wonderful care of me. He conducts lots of meetings and presentations at work, so he has a lot of face time with people all day. He was the only one of his siblings who never got orthodontic care and probably the one who needed it the most. He always puts himself last on the list and the kids come first - he should get to be at the top of the list too. He wants his children to have everything that he never did, he always tells me. My dad is making sure I have a nice smile with healthy, nice to look at teeth by the time I'm an adult and working and conducting meetings/presentations in my job.
He definitely deserves a nice smile too!
Nico K


We would like to enter our Dad in the Father’s Day contest for braces.

There are three of us – and we are all about to get braces from you, Dr. Roos. Our Dad needs braces too, but we know he will never do it now because he’s going to spend the money on us. Mom says that every dentist Dad has ever gone to says right away that he needs braces so his teeth are healthy when he is older. Mom thinks he’s cute no matter what.

Our Dad stays home part time to watch us and would do anything for our family. Our Mom says he would never put his own needs before the family’s. He is loving and strong and sweet – but he never smiles. Is that because he needs braces?

Thank you for having this contest. We hope our Dad wins.

Maddy, Jen and Jack C

P.S. Wouldn’t it be cool if all four of us had braces at the same time?

Roos Orthodontics Wants You to Smile this Month!

Can you believe that it is already June?

Dr. Roos and the team are excited to tell you June marks National Smile Month, a great time to remind our patients (whether in braces or not) to brush, floss, practice good nutrition at home (and over the summer) to avoid cavities and gum disease, among other dental health issues.

Here are a few easy steps you can improve your oral health at home:

* Brush at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
* Floss everyday to clean between your teeth and braces
* Reduce your intake of sugary foods and drinks during orthodontic treatment.
* Visit your general dentist regularly (usually every six months apart).

If you have questions about any of the tips here, we encourage you to give us a call at 425-968-9247! We hope you had a relaxing Memorial Day weekend!

-- Roos Orthodontics

A Huge Great Smile from Danielle who just got her braces off

Watch and listen as Danielle describes how excited and happy she is to have her braces off and show off her new smile! Do you have a story to share about your orthodontic treatment here at Roos Orthodontics? Leave us a review on Google, or refer a friend!

Jennifay's Great New Smile

Check out this short video of Jennifay, one of our patients at Roos Orthodontics. She explains why she chose Dr. Roos to handle her orthodontic needs. Do you have a story to share about your experience at Roos Orthodontics? Leave a comment!

Ask Roos Orthodontics: Am I too old for braces?

Who’s afraid of “metal mouth” and the appearance of braces? Not adults, apparently. Recently, our staff at Roos Orthodontics read a fascinating statistic: the number of adults getting braces has actually climbed 24 percent since 1996! Yes, braces help make your pearly whites strong, healthy and perfectly-aligned, but perhaps another reason for the spike in adult braces is this: people want to look and feel great. In an age—and society—where looks matter as much as anything, and at a time when evenly-aligned and sparkling teeth might be the difference between getting a job or a promotion, adults are choosing—wisely, we might add—to invest in orthodontics. Orthodontic treatment can be successful at any age, and adults especially appreciate the benefits of a beautiful smile.

If you’ve been thinking about getting that perfect smile, Dr. Roos would love to have you visit for a consultation. Please give us a call to set one up!

More Entries for Our Mother's Day Contest

Monika

My mom deserves to get the full orthodontic treatment because she grew up in Hungary, a poor country in central Europe. She grew up in a poor family and dental care was expensive if you wanted top quality. Dental care was not only expensive but it wasn't very good. If you had a cavity, your tooth would be pulled out: no anesthetic. The dentist wouldn’t even consider giving you a filling. Most children by the age of 15 would have several pulled teeth. She would brush her teeth every day twice a day. While other children and teenagers were rotting their teeth, my mother was keeping hers in the best condition compared to people around her. Although there are a lot of moms out in the world that deserve the treatment, I truly think my mom is the one.

The Best Mom Ever, By Nathan

My mom is the best mom you could ever imagine! She goes to work every Friday and Saturday night. From 8pm-5am she works at Overlake hospital in the emergency room. My mom always tells these weird and funny stories of how people got in the ER. When she gets home my mom sleeps for only 4 hours and still has a good attitude when she wakes up! Every day she makes breakfast, lunch, and dinner for me and my family. After dinner while my dad sisters and me play a game or watch TV my mom takes the time to wash the dishes and scrub the stuff off the table. After she washes the dishes me, my mom, and my dad usually play a game. She is a really good player and sport. Even if she doesn't win my mom will still cheer on other people that are playing. When it is time for me to go to bed, my mom will come to my room with me and read me a chapter of the chapter book that were reading. After she reads, she gives me a hug and then goes back downstairs with my dad and I fall asleep. n the morning, my mom makes me breakfast and then I go to school, except I never leave my house! I'm homeschooled. Although I do go to a school that is shared with a public school. The school is made for homeschoolers. But I mostly do school at home, my mom is my teacher she is the best teacher ever! My mom will take the time to answer my questions. I could not ask for a better mom, from working late nights, to being my teacher, she is truly the best mom ever!

Alexis

She’s always been self conscious about her teeth and she won’t fully smile because of it (how sad). Sometimes I feel guilty that my mom has paid for two phases of orthodontics for me and she didn’t use the money for her own her braces. She is giving me the chance to have perfect teeth and I think it would be cool to give that back to her. This would be the best Mother’s Day ever if I could give her the gift of a beautiful smile!

Delaney

Carrie, not the name one would usually think of as a superhero…but it’s true. I know the saying “my mom’s a superhero” is pretty cliché, but she truly is. She’s ferried me around to all my wants and whims, and is my rock in a world of swirling seas. She’s the nurturer, the most loving (and sometimes frightening!) person I know, my best friend, and the one I can tell anything too. A superhero has to have SOME of these qualities, right?! She’s a beautiful person on the outside, but even more amazing on the inside. I know braces aren’t going to sum up how much I love her, or come even close, but hopefully they’ll show her at least a little bit. It’ll take a lifetime to convey how much she means to me, but maybe this can give her a small inkling. Pretty cheesy, but what can I say, I’m a big wheel of Gouda when it all comes down to it. I love you mom.

Annie's Entry to the Roos Orthodontics Mother's Day Contest

My mom is deserving of this opportunity to receive straight teeth because she is the most sincere, giving person I know. She is always willing to give of time, and effort to benefit someone else, including me. This includes volunteer work at school, accounting work for the Issaquah School’s foundation, my church youth group etc. As a mom she makes huge sacrifices for her family and friends. Lately my dad has been out of work due to the fact he is a self employed person and my mom has not complained or been unkind to my dad. Instead she has been supportive and encouraging.

The best thing about my mom is how she radiates love and beauty. Whether her teeth are straight or not, whether she is 10 pounds too heavy or in the best shape ever she always seems to radiate. This is mostly due to that selfless way of life I described earlier but also her personality. My mom is so positive and she teaches me all the things I need to know to be successful. Recently at a high school varsity tennis match I was losing pretty badly but she still stuck by me and encouraged me. She is encouraging of everyone not just me. I always know even if I lose at something or bring home a not so good grade on a test that she loves me! She has never pushed me to be someone I am not and she allows me to be who I am. For example my mom was a drill team person, but naturally I love sports therefore she could have chosen to push me into drill team but instead allowed me to play tennis and soccer. Overall I want my mom to be remembered by three things, loving, radiant, and incredible!

Logan F. Tells Us About His Mom, and Why She Deserves to Win

As a reminder to all our patients, we are currently holding a Mother's Day contest at Roos Orthodontics, and we are asking patients to write and tell us about the Mom in their life, why she is so great, and why she deserves to win a full orthodontic treatment from Dr. Roos. Take a look at one of our patient's responses below, and submit an entry soon to our Redmond orthodontic office, the contest ends on May 8th! We will be posting additional responses throughout the next few days, so be sure to check back!

I think my mom deserves a free treatment. The reason is because: She has gone through 6 kids with ortho and she has paid so much money, she has been working around the house really hard, she takes us places when ever we need to go somewhere. She has taught me to always try my best, to treat everyone equally, to not give up when things get hard. She tells me to at all times be honest because in the end, lies always hurt more. She instills the importance of family and of doing well at school in me. When I make decisions and she doesn’t always agree with them, she makes sure that I know that she is behind me all the way because she wants me to always be happy.

She has taught me right from wrong and the significance of self-respect. She takes care of our family and loves us very much. She used to do everything, but now our whole family has to help out. She teaches me respect, manners, and has to clean. Then she makes me do my homework. She always asks if I have a lot of homework. If I do, she makes me do all of it before I can go over to my neighbors house to play. She has had problems in her back a lot and this free treatment will make her really happy. There are many people that have had an impact on my life and influenced me in many different ways. My mother, however, has had the biggest impact on my life, and influenced me more than anyone else. She has had an impact on me since the day I was born, and she still does today.

Before I could even talk, I am sure she had an impact on me by the way she took care of me as a baby. My mother has always been a Mormon. That has influenced me throughout my whole life. Even though my mother did not see it, she did have an influence on me throughout my life. As a baby, my mother had an impact on me. I was little, but I know she still did. When I would cry, she would come and see what I needed. She would change my diaper if it needed changed, or she would feed me if that is what I wanted. If there was something else wrong with me, she would definitely find it out. She would not stop trying until I stopped crying.

-Logan F.

More About Orthodontics From Roos Orthodontics

There are so many questions about orthodontics that we never ask, so Dr. Roos took some time to explain the most common concerns.

At what age should orthodontic treatment occur?

Orthodontic treatment can be started at any age. Many orthodontic problems are easier to correct if detected at an early age before jaw growth has slowed. Early treatment may mean that a patient can avoid surgery and more serious complications. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that every child first visit an orthodontist by age seven or earlier if a problem is detected by parents, the family dentist or the child's physician.

What is Phase I and Phase II treatment?

Phase I, or early interceptive treatment, is limited orthodontic treatment (i.e. expander, Herbst, Facemask, headgear, or partial braces) before all of the permanent teeth have erupted. Such treatment can occur between the ages of six and ten. This treatment is sometimes recommended to make more space for developing teeth, correction of crossbites, overbites, underbites, or harmful oral habits. Phase II treatment is also called comprehensive treatment, because it involves full braces when all of the permanent teeth have erupted, usually between the ages of eleven and thirteen.

Would an adult patient benefit from orthodontics?

Absolutely!! Orthodontic treatment can be successful at any age. Everyone wants a beautiful and healthy smile. Between 30-40% of our patients are adults.

How does orthodontic treatment work?

Braces use steady gentle pressure to gradually move teeth into their proper positions. The brackets that are placed on your teeth and the arch wire that connects them are the main components. When the arch wire is placed into the brackets, it tries to return to its original shape. As it does so, it applies pressure to move your teeth to their new, more ideal positions.

How long does orthodontic treatment take?

Treatment times vary on a case-by-case basis, but the average time is from one to two years. Actual treatment time can be affected by rate of growth and severity of the correction necessary. Treatment length is also dependent upon patient compliance. Maintaining good oral hygiene and keeping regular appointments are important in keeping your treatment time on schedule.

Do braces hurt?

The placement of bands and brackets on your teeth does not hurt. Once your braces are placed and connected with the arch wires, you may feel some soreness of your teeth for one to four days. Your lips and cheeks may need one to two weeks to get used to the braces on your teeth.

Will braces interfere with playing sports?

No. It is recommended, however, that patients protect their smiles by wearing a mouth guard when participating in any sporting activity. Mouth guards are inexpensive, comfortable, and come in a variety of colors and patterns.

Will braces interfere with playing musical instruments?

No. However, there may be an initial period of adjustment. In addition, brace covers or wax can be provided to prevent discomfort.

Should I see my general dentist while I have braces?

Yes, you should continue to see your general dentist every six months for cleaning and dental checkups, or more frequently as recommended.

Got more questions? Give us a call at Roos Orthodontics. We'd love to hear from you.

Your turn! From Roos Orthodontics

Week after week, Dr. Roos and team blog about important topics pertinent to orthodontic care and your well-being, including innovative orthodontic techniques we offer. This week, we thought we’d step back and ask you, our wonderful patients and readers: what’s on your mind? What would you like to know about the always-changing field of orthodontics? What would you like us to focus on our blog? Perhaps there’s something you’ve wanted to ask us for a while now? Let us know by posting here or on our interactive Facebook fan page!

So… take it away and we’ll try to answer any questions you may have!

Congratulations to our recent Great Patient Winners at Roos Orthodontics!

Congratulations to our recent Great Patient Winners! We just posted the photos of our six winners on our Facebook Fan Page, check them out and become a fan while you are there!

We love to have a fun and relaxing environment at Roos Orthodontics, including fun contests like these that all our patients can participate in. Call our conveniently located Redmond orthodontic office today to schedule a complimentary consultation, and learn more about what makes Roos Orthodontics different!