The summer has come and gone so fast!  We had a great past few months, especially with the different contests that were going on. First, we had our Shrek contest, which had patients answer a few questions, to be entered to win a $50.00 Movie giftcard. We also had our "Where in the World are our Patients" Photo Contest. Patients submitted their entries on our contest page, and the patient with the most votes won a brand new Apple iPad. We also offered prizes for other categories, including Most Creative, Most Adventurous and Furthest Distance. We had a lot of entries and we would like to thank everyone for taking out the time to do this. We love to see the creativity from our patients and their families!

From Jessica Albritton, Records Coordinator at Wilson Orthodontics

Using floss is essential in preventing gum disease and in daily maintaining oral health at large. Using a toothbrush to clean teeth is a wonderful first step in caring for your mouth, but toothbrush bristles cannot reach in between the tight spaces of teeth to effectively remove trapped food and bacteria film. Oral bacteria, left untouched will harden into tartar, a substance that can only be removed by dental professionals.

As these severe (and largely preventable) conditions take place, the early stage of gum disease know as gingivitis can manifest itself in the form of swollen bleeding gum tissue. The decay-causing plaque will not only continue to attach the tooth enamel, but it can also continue to irritate the gums causing them to pull away from the teeth, forming pockets filled with more bacteria and destroying the bone around the teeth altogether. Now there's a lovely image! And to think, effective flossing could have removed that plaque in the beginning.

I recommend Oral-B Floss threaders or Crest Glide. You can use the floss threaders to help you guide your floss, which makes things easier, especially when you are in orthodontic treatment. Using a Water Pic or a Bryton Pic can also be very helpful. While flossing may be a nuisance, Try to at least floss once a day. It's better than the alternative: losing your teeth!

--Michele Bellew, Chairside Assistant at Wilson Orthodontics
　

We have so much in the way of fun for our patients as well as some extras for parents. In the very near future we are going to began the second phase of remodeling our Gainesville office. We are adding a internet cafe, larger game room, and also a day spa for Mom's to have a manicure or pedicure while the child is here for their appointment or they are also welcome to use the service at anytime...all the proceeds will go directly to a charity or school of their choice!

We still have the token awards program which encourages the patient to keep their teeth clean and appliances intact. We have a contest of some sort going on at all times. At this time we have a summer photo contest "Where in the world are our patients?" in order to win the GRAND PRIZE!! which is a iPAD!! you upload your best summer vacation smile photo to contest.wilsonbraces.com and have all your friends and family vote for you! We have just completed our video contest and gave away Flip Mino video camera. We enjoy giving and making SMILES!

--From Cheryl Poole, Front Desk Receptionist at Wilson Orthodontics

Dr. Wilson and his staff are big advocates of going green. We recycle, reduce and reuse everything we can. Check out what Linda, our Financial Coordinator, had to say about the sustainable and green practices here at Wilson Orthodontics:

Dr. Wilson started his practice January 2006 and by January 2007 we were on our way to being a paperless office. We scanned all charts and continue to scan and shred all paperwork. As the financial coordinator for Dr. Wilson I file our insurance electronically which saves quite a bit of paper and time. As I mentioned before after scanning we shred all material and information. We abide by HIPPA regulations and confidentiality is of up most importance.

We practice recycling as well by using all non-patient and non-confidential papers for scratch paper. It really is amazing how much paper is used in a single work day for any office!

Did someone ask if we offer digital x-rays? Yes, in fact we do. They are much clearer and can be emailed to your general dentist or oral surgeon's office within minutes. By using digital x-ray there is no paper or chemicals used for developing.

Thanks to Dr. Wilson our office is more environmentally friendly and Yes, Going Green!

-Linda Boss, Financial Coordinator

Shannon Hicks, Chairside Assistant at Wilson Orthodontics wanted to share her personal experience with braces as a child, check them out below!

I remember when I was told I needed braces, I was 11 years old. I was so excited because many of my friends had them. I only had to wear them for 1 year. I did not mind them at all . I did not have any trouble with them and was not too sore either. The orthodontic assistants were very informative and explained everything to me before they started. This made me very comfortable and eager to go to my appointments.

My advice to anyone who is contemplating starting their treatment in braces is simply GO FOR IT . YOU WILL BE SO GLAD YOU DID ! There is no need to feel uneasy and nervous. It's really not bad. To go through treatment and see the changes are absolutely amazing! It happens so fast and believe me, the end result is awesome!!! You will be smiling forever! I promise!

Tell us about your experience with braces, and how they have changed your life...leave a comment on our blog or our Facebook page!

At Wilson Orthodontics, we offer a variety of different treatment options but our top treatment option is definitely The Damon System. With The Damon System the days of tightening are over, these brackets reduce pressure on your teeth allowing them to move more freely and comfortably. Treatment time with The Damon System is typically shorter which means fewer appointments and a beautiful smile FASTER!

-Kelley, chairside assistant at Wilson Orthodontics in Gainesville & Hoschton, GA

Check out this video we've made to show you exactly what makes the Damon System so effective:

Our office loves this time of year for so many reasons. We are all reminded of the importance of friends and family both personal and professional. We love to make someone smile just because of something we said, did, or gave. Here are just a few of the things we do this time of year that have come to mean so much to us at Wilson Orthodontics. We host a yearly Christmas party and invite all dental offices in the area along with other local businesses. This is a great way to see each other face to face. During the party we have giveaways along with good food and great conversation.

Before the holiday seasons started we sent to patients a “Wilson Stimulus Check” , offering a $350.00 discount toward the treatment fee. We sent them out to patients that had come in our office before and were waiting for one reason or another to start treatment. This gave them a great opportunity to get started now, and we had a GREAT response to them.

Several of the Gainesville/Hoschton area’s largest subdivisions hosted “Health Fairs” in their club houses. Practices in the area had booths set up with information about their offices and some goodies to give away too. We had a bright, inviting booth with balloons, and offered a free first time visit with x-rays to attendees. We also gave away free Wilson Orthodontic goodies, including cozies, cups, mouse pads and t-shirts. This was a great way to get to know the businesses in the area and do some great networking.

Our practice is known for being very generous, especially during this time of year. We feel that bringing a smile to someone’s face before we even start orthodontic treatment on is a fantastic start to a great experience here at Wilson Orthodontics.

We recently had a new video made about Wilson Orthodontics, and we wanted to share it with you all! Press the "Play" button to watch the video above, post your comments or share it with a friend!

Have a great weekend,

--Wilson Orthodontics