Braces of Many Shapes

Have you ever wanted to have something different than the traditional metal braces but think that different colored rubber bands aren't enough to set you apart from the rest? What would you do if you could customize your smile even more with hearts, stars, and even baseballs? An orthodontist in Omaha asked just those questions... here's what he came up with:

Omaha orthodontist Dr. Clarke Stevens tries to run a fun practice.

He keeps videos running in his office. He holds contests. One day, he noticed an 8-year-old patient's little heart necklace. "I thought, 'You know, it would be cute if she had hearts on her teeth'."

So he found a manufacturer to make brackets for braces in shapes. He started in 2001 with hearts and stars. Then he added soccer balls, footballs, flowers and diamonds to the patented WildSmiles Braces lineup.

They're popular with kids, he said, but some adults opt for them, too. Women in their 40s have chosen them. Two 50-year-old guys picked footballs.

The company now sells the braces around the world — they're big in South America — and has representatives in Dubai, London, Australia and Spain, Stevens said. About 460 doctors now use WildSmiles, which he said are made in the United States.

Shaped brackets might add $35 to an orthodontist's costs, he said, but most don't pass that on to patients.

Another Invisalign Patient Testimonial

Improving Bad Breath - Some Quick Tips:

• Gargle with water.

• Brush your teeth, tongue, roof of your mouth, and gums at least twice a day with toothpaste.

• Floss your teeth once each day.

• Eat a low-fat diet rich in fruits and vegetables.

• Eat less meat.

• Do not smoke or use other tobacco products, such as snuff or chewing (spit) tobacco.

• Avoid foods and drinks that cause bad breath, such as garlic and alcohol.

• Eat at regular intervals. Dieting or missing meals can decrease saliva and cause bad breath.

• Chew sugar-free gum, suck on sugar-free mints, or drink water, especially if your mouth is dry.

• Try using breath sticks, which contain the ingredients found in a mouthwash and dissolve in your mouth.

• Remove dentures, removable bridges, partial plates, or orthodontic appliances and clean them once each day or as directed by your dentist. Pieces of food and germs can collect on these appliances and cause bad breath.

• Use a mouthwash for temporary relief of bad breath. Swish it around in your mouth for 30 seconds before spitting it out.

• Have regular dental checkups.

A few weeks into Invisalign

Last week, I showed you a video of a patient who had been wearing her Invisalign aligners for only 10 minutes. This week, I thought that I'd show you a video of a patient who has been wearing her aligners for a few weeks. I'll keep browsing YouTube in hopes of finding patient testimonials from all stages of the Invisalign process. Until then, here's stage two... a few weeks of wearing Invisalign and still a smiling face: