Shirck Orthodontics Blog

We are currently living in a new era. While COVID-19 and social distancing have caused a lot of delays in people’s lives, there is one thing that is probably never coming back: handshakes. Given all the talk about hand hygiene and everyone’s new focus on staying healthy, it’s a practice that likely won’t reappear as things get back to normal. Thankfully, your orthodontist in Powell has put some thought into this! The next time you and your child come in for a visit, you may encounter these new greetings so the team can welcome you and ensure everyone stays safe. (more…)

Even though we’re all stuck at home right now due to quarantine, this unfortunately doesn’t eliminate the possibility of pediatric orthodontic emergencies in Powell. Any parent will tell you that life is unpredictable with children despite everyone being in the same place for weeks at a time! While these situations can be scary, there are proven ways to handle them that can reduce pain and ensure a child’s treatment stays on track. (more…)

Whether someone is undergoing orthodontic treatment with traditional braces or Invisalign, practicing consistent oral hygiene is extremely important to keeping their teeth healthy and their treatment on track. Nothing slows down straightening a smile more than an unexpected cavity! Thankfully, patients have plenty of great tools to choose from in the fight against tooth decay, particularly when it comes to electric toothbrushes. Which ones would your dentist in Powell recommend the most? Find out more below! (more…)

If you’re a parent with a teenager, then the recent COVID-19 pandemic is probably forcing you to spend a lot of extra time with your child, which means you’re likely thinking about their Invisalign treatment more than normal. With their daily routine basically out the window, it’s easy for a lot of children to not keep up with Invisalign and let it go way off track. This can drastically extend their treatment time and be very expensive, and no one wants that! Fortunately, Invisalign in Powell has an easy way to make sure your child is wearing their trays as much as they should, and you can learn more about it below. (more…)

There is a lot of uncertainty in the world right now thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, and pretty much everyone’s routines have been thoroughly shaken up. Thankfully, if you or your child is currently undergoing orthodontic treatment, not much needs to change in that regard, though it may be a while before a progress check. Because of this, taking proper care of an appliance at home is more important than ever (especially when it comes to avoiding an orthodontic emergency in Powell), so here are a few tips to make sure you’re doing everything you can to keep your treatment on track. (more…)

A phrase you’ll hear pop up again and again is that “timing is everything,” and it actually applies to your child’s orthodontic care as well! Traditionally, many parents wait until most or all of their child’s adult teeth come in to start braces, believing this to be the best way to save time and ensure a lifelong result. But actually, getting braces well before this point can provide a tremendous benefit for some children and even help them spend less time in treatment. Would “early braces” be a good fit for your child? Learn more below from your orthodontist in Powell to find out. (more…)

Hello Shirck Orthodontics Family! Obviously, this is a unique time in all of our lives, and most especially for dental and orthodontic offices alike. Our goal is to minimize having patients enter our Powell office for the next three weeks (as is also recommended by the American Dental Association) to help do our part to “Flatten the Curve” of the COVID-19 Pandemic. We are still open to handle emergency appointments where patients are in pain and need to be made comfortable. However, many orthodontic emergencies in Powell can actually be handled at home by utilizing a few common items (floss, tweezers, a pencil eraser, and nail clippers). This blog will provide a short guide for our patients and parents so they can solve minor problems on their own while we wait for this pandemic to slow down and dental offices to reopen. (more…)

Dear Shirck Orthodontics Family,
As you know, due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, our orthodontic office is currently closed. We sent out an instruction sheet about how to handle orthodontic emergencies, but there are other questions that we wanted to answer. Please read through these FAQs below to gain some comfort at this time. While our office is temporarily closed to all non-emergency appointments, it’s important that you all know we are still here to support you, answer your questions, and will certainly be here to continue your path to a beautiful smile once dental offices are allowed to open. Be safe, stay inside when possible, and we will all get through this together! (more…)

When you hear the phrase “orthodontic headgear,” what image comes to mind? Unless you had headgear yourself or knew someone who did growing up, your only reference likely comes from movies, in which case the appliance is always massive, unwieldy, and basically a joke. In reality, orthodontic headgear is still very much in use, and fortunately, it enables many patients to achieve a straight and attractive smile that they couldn’t get otherwise. What is the purpose of headgear? Is it common? Will your child need it? Your orthodontist in Powell answers all of these questions and more in today’s blog. (more…)

When most people hear the word “orthodontics,” their minds immediately think about teeth being straightened, and this is completely understandable. However, your orthodontist in Powell is able to accomplish much more than simply putting the teeth in the right positions. Using an appliance called a palatal expander, they can not only correct the alignment of the upper teeth, but address and prevent several other problems as well. What could a palatal expander do for your child’s smile? You can learn more about them by reading on below! (more…)