This Year, Make a New Year’s Resolution to Smile About!

Let’s face it- when was the last time you managed to keep a New Year’s resolution? We at Chad Johnson Orthodontics believe the key to sticking to a goal is picking one that is both reasonable and attainable. If you haven’t yet picked a New Year’s resolution, consider setting one that will improve your oral health!

For example, resolve to brush twice and floss once a day. Good oral hygiene only takes a few minutes a day, and can make a big difference in your oral health and overall health too! For more oral health-themed resolutions for you and your family, check out this article.

We would love to see what you come up with, share with us by commenting on this post or on our Facebook page. Whatever your New Year’s Resolution, we wish you the very best for 2011!

-Happy New Year, from your friends at Chad Johnson Orthodontics

Dr. Chad Johnson's Canned Food Drive is a huge success!

Our team at Chad Johnson Orthodontics is excited to announce that we received over 900 non-perishable food items, which resulted in approximately 5 barrels of food for 2nd Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina. Dr. Chad has drawn the names of our holiday giveaway winners, and those patients will be notified today. We will be giving away over $600 worth of prizes to thank everyone who contributed to this great cause. We really appreciate your generosity and support.

We can't wait to make the Canned Food Drive an even bigger event next year!

Happy holidays, from our team at Chad Johnson Orthodontics!

Tuesday Tooth Trivia, from Chad Johnson Orthodontics

Everyone loves fun facts. Fun, fun, fun! The American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO, has come up with some fun facts about orthodontics that our team at Chad Johnson Orthodontics thought you might enjoy. Happy Tuesday!

• 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.

Chad Johnson Orthodontics invites patients to participate in our Canned Food Drive

Here at Chad Johnson Orthodontics it is important that we give back to our community, especially during the holiday season. This year, we invite our patients to join us in supporting the Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina through our Canned Food Drive.

At our office, your generosity will not go unrewarded. For every canned item you bring to our office, you will receive a raffle ticket for our HUGE holiday giveaway! Our Canned Food Drive prizes include an iPod touch, iPod nano, $50 Visa gift card, and many more items!

Please give us a call if you have any questions about our Canned Food Drive. Thanks for helping us end hunger!

A few Invisalign® tips, from Dr. Johnson

Many people know that Invisalign is a great solution to braces if you don't want to experience the look and feel of traditional metal braces. What few people know, though, is that just like traditional braces, Invisalign requires proper care to work effectively. Good oral hygiene is highly important, even when you are wearing something in your mouth that you can take out to eat with. It's still likely that your aligners can build up plaque if not treated properly.

When wearing your Invisalign aligners, Dr. Johnson wants you to ask yourself the following questions:

1. Am I eating with my aligners on? - These aligners are removable and should be taken out when you eat.

2. Am I drinking anything other than water with my aligners on? - Though it's not necessary for you to take out your aligners while you drink, think about how sticky soda is. If you take out your aligners when drinking a soda, you have a better chance of keeping your aligners clean.

3. Am I brushing before putting the trays on? - The aligners have both an inside and outside. Keeping the outside clean is easy. Keeping the inside clean is also simple: just make sure you've brushed your teeth before putting the trays on.

These are all very simple steps, and ultimately, they help to keep you building good oral habits. If you have any questions about Invisalign or your treatment here at Chad Johnson Orthodontics, give us a call!