Let’s face it- when was the last time you managed to keep a New Year’s resolution? We at Wilson 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 2012!

-Happy New Year, from your friends at Wilson Orthodontics

At Wilson Orthodontics, we know nobody likes getting plaque on their teeth. Here are five other ways you can avoid that dreaded enemy of the teeth during orthodontic treatment, courtesy of WebMD.

Let’s start with brushing regularly. Brushing your teeth twice a day with a fluoride-containing toothpaste is vital to a healthy mouth. Make sure you softly brush all the surfaces of your teeth.

Next on the list is flossing daily: a simple daily flossing between teeth clears away plaque before it can cause damage and can also clean plaque at the gum line. Plaque is known to reach the spaces between teeth.

Also, evading a trip to the dentist is probably not a great idea. Let’s say you brush and floss daily. You’re still at risk for plaque. With time, the plaque hardens and turns into tartar. Consider visiting your general dentist at least twice a year or as recommended by your dentist, and you have a lower chance of getting cavities or losing your teeth while wearing braces.

You’ll also want to stop avoiding those fruits and veggies. Believe it or not, there are foods out there that play a key role in keeping plaque off our teeth. They include apples, carrots, cucumbers and other raw fruits and vegetables. You can still eat these types of fruits and veggies if you have braces, but be sure to cut them up into bite sized pieces to avoid breaking off brackets.

Finally, before you pick up that candy bar, remember to not give in to your sweet tooth. Consuming sugary drinks or eating candy or other junk food allows sugar to stick to our teeth. The bacteria, then, becomes plaque, which turns into acid and damages our teeth. Avoiding these five bad habits keeps your plaque in check and your mouth as healthy as can be during your orthodontic treatment with Dr. Ron Wilson and Dr. Svetlana Lekht. If you have any questions, give us a call or ask us on Facebook!

"October is National Orthodontic Health and Halloween Month, and we all know what is in abundance at Halloween....CANDY!! We always stress a good brushing and flossing routine all year round, but it is especially important during the fall season because of the availibility of Halloween candy. We want you to enjoy your candy while keeping your smiles clean and healthy! During your orthodontic treatment we caution you to stay away from very sticky, chewy, hard, and crunchy candy and food because they can loosen or break your orthodontic appliances, which can add to your treatment time.

Additionally, children should have their first orthodontic evaluation at the age of 7 in order to see if preventative treatment is needed. We want them to avoid larger orthodontic issues when they are older. If you are an adult, you should call and set up an orthodontic evaluation for yourself as soon as possible to address any problem you may have!"

~ Kelley Moore, Chairside Assistant

"We enjoy our patients very much and we strive to make your every visit to Wilson Orthodontics comfortable and informative. It is our team's priority for our patients to feel welcome from that very first moment in our office.

Beginning treatment is a big step for anyone, at any age, which is why we always make sure to address any questions that you might have about the cost, length and benefits of orthodontic treatment. Here at Wilson Orthodontics we have a very extensive initial exam and most, if not all, questions are answered before the patient or parents have a chance to ask. We also provide a lot information on our website! If you ever have a question that we have not answered, don't hesitate to let us know. We are here to serve you and all of your orthodontic needs."

~ Cheryl Poole, Front Desk Receptionist

"Over the years technology has evolved more than ever and it allows us here at Wilson Orthodontics to connect with our patients on a whole other level. The internet has changed our practice by being able to advertise everything we have to offer in a more efficient way. Patients can go to our website to be more informed about us before they even come in. We also now have ways to connect with everyone through social networking such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and more. Technology has advanced in so many ways and it will continue to help us expand our office."

~ Flavius Ticarat

All of us at Wilson Orthodontics would like to congratulate Bailey A.! She is the lucky winner of our iPad Giveaway-Getaway Contest. Bailey won a week-long family vacation to Panama City and and an iPad 2. We hope that she has a wonderful vacation!

Thanks so much to all of our patients who entered our iPad Giveaway-Getaway. Dr. Wilson, Dr. Lekht and our team were overwhelmed by the number of entries that our office received! If you haven't already, we encourage everyone to "like" us on Facebook to receive all of the latest information about upcoming contests, events and exciting office news.

Summer has flown by and now we are looking forward to the beautiful colors and cooler days of fall here at Wilson Orthodontics, serving the Gainesville, Cleveland, Hoschton/Braselton, Oakwood, Flowery Branch, Dahlonega, and surrounding Georgia areas.

As usual, summer was a very busy time at Wilson Orthodontics. We all worked hard to accommodate our patients' needs during their “off” time, and to fit everyone into the schedule before school started. We love taking the first week of school off, just to recuperate from our busy summer, and then it is onto autumn. The fall season is a great time to get things done that have been put off during the fun summer months, so we will be busy catching up. The holidays will be right around the corner and our office will be as busy as ever as we try to fit in treatment before the end of the year! It’s a cycle that never ends, which we love!

~ Si Morris, Treatment Coordinator

When I think about an unsung office hero, I think of someone who goes the distance to help everything run smooth; a knowledgeable team player. Jessica Albritton, to me, is Wilson Orthodontics' unsung hero! She is one of the go-to members of our team, and she is often called upon for assistance! Jessica knows how to do everything from taking x-rays and answering phone calls to managing patient games, contests & more. With everything on her to-do list and her magical way of being a part of the team, I'm constantly wondering, “How does she do it?”

Thanks for everything you do, Jessica Albritton!

~Jessie Ericson, Financial Coordinator

Our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) have put together a helpful list that outlines when you should call Wilson Orthodontics a call. Here are some early warning signs indicating it’s time to check in with us:

1. Early or late loss of baby teeth
2. Difficulty of chewing or biting
3. Mouth breathing
4. Finger sucking or other oral habits
5. Crowding, misplaced or blocked-out teeth
6. Jaws that shift, make sounds, protrude or retrude
7. Speech difficulty
8. Biting the cheek or biting into the roof of the mouth
9. Protruding teeth
10. Teeth that meet in an abnormal way or don’t meet at all

Do any of these warning signs fit you? If so, give us a call as soon as possible!

Hope this helps,

-Dr. Wilson, Dr. Lekht and team

As social media is constantly changing, Dr. Ron Wilson and Dr. Svetlana Lekht are always looking for new ways to connect with our patients and community. We love sharing office news on our blog and posting pictures, videos and interesting articles on our Facebook page. This summer, we're very excited to host a Family Beach Vacation & iPad Giveaway on Facebook. One of our lucky patients will receive a one week family vacation at the Tidewater Resort in Panama City Beach, FL AND an iPad 2! One non-patient will also win an iPad 2, so don't forget to share our contest with your friends and family in Gainesville, Cleveland, Hoschton/Braselton, Oakwood, Flowery Branch, Dahlonega and surrounding areas.

To enter our summer giveaway, be sure to check out the iPad Giveaway Getaway tab on our Facebook page. We look forward to receiving your contest entries!

Good luck!

Our team at Wilson Orthodontics strives to make our orthodontic office your home away from home. With everything from coffee and freshly baked cookies to wi-fi internet, a theater, and game room, we offer patients the ultimate orthodontic experience while delivering the very best orthodontic treatment. Our office is designed with your family's best interests in mind, and we take every opportunity to exceed your expectations! This week, our front desk receptionist Angie would like to share her a few of the ways that she thinks Wilson Orthodontics goes "the extra mile" for our patients.

Charity Spa
Did you know that we have a Charity Spa? That's right, parents can enjoy manicures, pedicures, massage chairs, acrylics and paraffin treatments while giving back to our local charities and schools. 100% of our spa proceeds are donated to charity. You can even choose if you would like to support the Smile for a Lifetime Foundation, Good News Clinics, Family, Ties or CASA of Hall & Dawson County.

BRACE BUS
While you recognize that our office has unsurpassed amenities and offers exceptional orthodontic care, what if you simply can't take the time off work for your child's orthodontist appointment? Now, thanks to our BRACE BUS, you can relax knowing that this is no longer an issue! Our office realizes that today's parents are constantly challenged to find the time to fit sports, after-school activities, and other appointments into their busy schedule. We now offer a BRACE BUS, so that your kids can make it to their appointments on time while riding in style. To help you feel at ease, we even offer parents the option of watching their child's trip to Wilson Orthodontics through our 4 video camera DVR system.

Dr. Wilson, Dr. Lekht and our team serve patients in the Gainesville, Cleveland, Hoschton/Braselton, Oakwood, Flowery Branch, Dahlonega, and surrounding Georgia areas. Please don't hesitate to ask if there's anything that our orthodontic team can do to better serve your family.