Talkin' retainers with Dr. Shields

If you've recently finished treatment at Shields Orthodontics, we’d like to congratulate you! Now that your braces have been removed, Dr. Shields 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, provide that stabilization. Wearing them exactly as instructed by Dr. Shields and team 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 give us a call if you have any questions about your retainers or anything else!

Write a review of Shields Orthodontics!

At Shields Orthodontics, our primary goal is to provide the highest quality orthodontic care in a family-based, high-technology practice. Combining the right mix of personal care, new technology and continuing education, we maintain a commitment to our patients in every facet of our practice.

Whether you have visited Shields Orthodontics for a week or for years, we’d love to hear your feedback about your experience with Dr. Timothy Shields! Now with the Internet, it’s even easier to write your thoughts and share them with the world. We'd want to encourage you to write a review of us. It only takes a moment!

You may write your review here.

Thank you and enjoy the rest of your week!

Wishing you a happy Mother's Day, from Shields Orthodontics

Dr. Shields and our entire team at Shields Orthodontics would like to take this moment to recognize all the great moms who come to our office and wish them all a HAPPY UPCOMING MOTHER'S DAY! We thought today would be a good time to let you know how much we appreciate you all!

Thank you for all you do for your teens and for helping guide them through their orthodontic treatment! You all deserve more than just a day of recognition and praise! Enjoy your special day on Sunday!

Fun fact Friday with Shields Orthodontics!

Dr. Shields and team know everyone enjoys fun facts! The American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO, has come up with some fun facts about orthodontics that our team at Shields Orthodontics thought you might enjoy. Enjoy your weekend everyone!

• There are nearly 4 million people in orthodontic treatment throughout the United States. Three out of four are younger than 18.

• The first mechanical treatment for correcting irregular teeth was suggested by Gaius Plinius Secundus (A.D 23-79).The American Association of Orthodontists is comprised of more than 12,000 members in the United States, Canada and abroad.

• The time required to complete orthodontic treatment ranges from 12 to 36 months depending on the nature and severity of the problem.

• Of the 160,000 dentists in the United States and Canada, 8,000 are practicing orthodontists.

• The cement that attaches the braces to the teeth is now made with a special fluoride-releasing substance.

• Wires activated by body heat used in today's braces originally were developed by NASA for use in the space program.

• In addition to alleviating or preventing physical health problems, orthodontics can boost self-esteem as treatment aligns teeth, jaws and lips.

• Famous orthodontic patients include: Dr. Joyce Brothers, Hale Irwin, Cher, Diana Ross, Phyllis Diller, Chelsea Clinton, Whoopi Goldberg, Daisy Fuentes and Brandi.

Dr. Shields wants to know: Are there teeth grinders in your house?

If you live with a teeth grinder, you may be familiar with the unpleasant sound of grinding teeth, especially recently. A study published in the journal Head & Face Medicine in March suggests that people—adults and kids—faced with stress tend to cope by grinding their teeth. In addition, the Chicago Dental Society suggests that since the recession began in 2007, teeth grinding, or bruxism, has been on the rise.

The Chicago Dental Society surveyed more than 250 members about the connection between stress and oral health. Nearly 75 percent of dentists said their patients reported increased stress over the past year, largely due to the economic recession. The first step of recovering from teeth grinding is noticing the problem, says Dr. Shields. Symptoms of teeth grinding include:

• Sensitivity in the teeth
• Tightness or pain in the jaw
• Dull headaches, earaches, or facial pain
• Chipped, worn down, or loose teeth

An important thing to remember is that people frequently grind their teeth in response to stress, and taking measures to reduce or eliminate stress can help solve the problem. If the teeth-grinder in your house can’t stop, schedule an appointment to see us by giving us a call at 425-743-0201. Dr. Shields and our team at Shields Orthodontics can help determine the cause of the problem.

Parents and Facebook, from Shields Orthodontics

Dr. Shields and our staff fully understand that thousands of parents sign up for Facebook accounts and ‘friend’ their kids, often as a way to keep an eye on their online activities. But then what? Many parents in this digital age are still lost when it comes to monitoring their kids online.

A few months ago, parenting author Vicki Courtney wrote a helpful post on the things parents should and shouldn’t do while surfing through their kids' Facebook profiles. Dr. Shields and our team at Shields Orthodontics thought you might benefit from reading Vicki’s interesting piece.

Here is the list of the Top Ten Facebook No-Nos for Parents, designed specifically for those moms and dads who aren’t sure whether they’ve crossed the line in monitoring their kids’ presence online.

We hope you find this article informational. Please let us know what you think!

Ask Dr. Shields: What, exactly, is malocclusion?

Malocclusion, or what calls Dr. Shields 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 at Shields Orthodontics may be necessary to correct the issue.

Dr. Shields and our team will tell you that untreated malocclusion can lead undesirable mouth problems, including tooth decay, gum disease, 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. If overcrowding is causing the problem, Everett and Snohomish County orthodontist Dr. Shields may need to remove one or more teeth as part of treatment.

At Shields Orthodontics, 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.

Have a great weekend!