Our Blog

Although adolescence is a common time to get braces, there’s no reason for adults of any age to have to deal with crooked teeth, overbite, underbite, or other dental issues. In fact, the American Association of Orthodontists notes that demand for orthodontic treatment in adults continues to grow, with adults representing 20% of new patients.

You’re never too old for braces or other orthodontic appliances, but it’s important to consider the following:

1. Braces don’t have to be as noticeable as the metal brackets of the past. Many adults opt for ceramic or plastic braces, which are bone-colored or clear, respectively. Another option is a lingual appliance, which attaches to the back side of your teeth. These so-called “invisible” braces are much less noticeable than traditional options.
2. By adulthood, bone growth has stopped. This means that certain structural changes can only be achieved by surgery. Although this typically affects people with significant crowding, bite, or jaw problems, Dr. Pack can provide an individualized treatment plan that addresses your unique issues.
3. Treatment may take a bit longer. The length of orthodontic treatment tends to be slightly longer for adults than adolescents. Exact estimates vary by individual, but the average length of time for adult braces wearers is two years, according to the Harvard Medical School.
4. Outcomes are just as good for adults! Many adults worry that it’s too late to treat their orthodontic problems. However, treatment satisfaction tends to be very high, which is a testament to how effective braces can be in middle-aged and older adults.

Happy (belated) Valentine’s Day from Pack Orthodontics! The day of love may have passed but we still want to share with you what makes the holiday so special for us. One of our favorite parts of Valentine’s Day in our office is that we get to celebrate Megan’s birthday!

Megan wants to share that she is so grateful to be blessed with amazing co-workers who give her sweet and thoughtful gifts like beautiful flowers, chocolate-covered strawberries, and homemade cake! What more could a girl ask for?! Also, on Valentine’s Day, Ashley made a breakfast casserole for everyone to enjoy! Nina, Laurie, and Morgan had the day off work.

One of the best parts of Valentine’s Day is indulging in some sweet treats! Megan loves strawberry cake and Reese’s peanut butter cups. Nina, Laurie, and Morgan love some chocolate (who doesn’t…)! Denise enjoys brownies while Hope finds chocolate-covered strawberries delightfully delicious and Ashley favors chocolate truffles.

Our staff expresses love to their significant others in a lot of different ways. Megan uses her words to tell her loved ones her feelings, it’s as easy as that! Nina likes to give her loved ones thoughtful cards. Morgan chooses not to participate in Valentine’s Day while Denise makes it a point to express her love every day, not just Valentine’s Day. Hope likes giving cards & candy. Ashley thinks there are a multitude of nice ways to be thoughtful on Valentine’s Day from a sweet text, a card, their favorite candy, or preparing a meal especially for them.

Valentine’s Day is not only for showing love to a significant other, but it’s also just as important to show your appreciation and love for friends! Megan celebrates her friendships because they are what get her through this crazy world! Nina and Laurie both agree that you should express your appreciation to everyone in your life you love, not just your partner. Morgan thinks the world wouldn’t be complete without a good group of friends. Denise believes friendship should be celebrated every day! Hope thinks that true friendship is rare and love can be hard to find, so when it happens it's worth celebrating! Ashley celebrates friends and love because they are two of the most important things in life.

This month our office is having an in-office patient contest. Want to learn more? Please ask us about it the next time you’re in our office! We hope to see you in our office again soon.

Brace-ism: believe it or not, it’s a concept. The Urban Dictionary defines brace-ism as “acting mean to people who have braces on their teeth.” Phrases like metal mouth, brace face, and train tracks are common jokes uttered by gap-toothed fools who like to make fun of people with braces.

While ignoring these comments and taking the high road is the best thing to do, there’s nothing wrong with having a few clever retorts and quick-witted comebacks up your sleeve.

1. The next time someone calls you train tracks, break into an obnoxious train imitation, with lots of toot-toot and chuga-chuga-chuga. Finish off your crazy locomotive impersonation with some sort of deafening train horn. That’ll keep the bullies at bay.
2. “It’s better to be a brace face than a space case.”
3. Counter with a ridiculously childish joke that makes the schoolyard tormentor feel even smaller than he already is. “Oh. Yeah. Why did the deer need braces? Because he had buck teeth. Hahaha.” Top it off with an exaggerated eye roll.
4. “Yeah, my brother tells that joke. He’s six. You guys should hang out.” That’ll stop the haters dead in their tracks. Or would that be train tracks?
5. Here’s one from the sarcasm grab bag. “Well, I’m just glad there’s a way to fix what’s wrong with my face.”
6. “I can’t wait to discuss this formative moment at our ten-year class reunion, when my teeth are razor-straight and you’re wearing adult braces.”

Valentine’s Day is best known as a celebration of love in all its forms. Pink hearts, red roses, and cute greeting cards adorn every surface you see. What many people don’t realize is that the modern Valentine’s Day celebration arose from a religious holiday.

St. Valentine’s Day was originally celebrated as a religious feast day in honor of early Christian martyrs. Three martyrs named Valentine were honored: a priest in Rome, the persecuted bishop of Interamna (a town in central Italy), and a saint martyred in Africa. This saint’s day was celebrated throughout Christendom, although it was removed from the Roman Catholic Calendar of Saints in 1969.

The origin of Valentine’s Day as a holiday for lovers began with Geoffrey Chaucer in his 1382 poem “Parlement of Foules.” Chaucer wrote, “For this was on Saint Valentine’s Day, when every bird cometh there to choose his mate,” and the modern romantic holiday was born. William Shakespeare and other writers mentioned Valentine’s Day as a day of love.

Valentine’s Day as we know it came about in the early 19th century. In Victorian England, printers began manufacturing small numbers of cards with romantic verses, lace, ribbons, and other frills. Anonymous Valentine’s Day card were a popular way for young lovers to exchange romantic sentiments in an otherwise prudish time. As the 19th century progressed, printers began mass manufacturing Valentine’s Day cards. People in the United States give an estimated 190 million valentines every year, and up to one billion if you count children exchanging cards at school! With the rise of the Internet, Valentine’s Day e-cards have become a popular mode of communication, with millions of e-cards sent each year.

The other items associated with Valentine’s Day include chocolate and flowers. The tradition of giving chocolates has been around for decades, and Richard Cadbury created the first box of Valentine’s Day chocolates nearly 150 years ago. Today, purchases of chocolate total over $1 billion in the United States alone, with 35 million heart-shaped boxes sold each year. Loved ones also exchange flowers, with red roses being associated with Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love. On Valentine’s Day itself, florists sell nearly 200 million stems of roses.

Although many people dismiss Valentine’s Day as a commercialized “Hallmark holiday,” it is beloved to couples and romantics across the United States and other countries. The team at Pack Orthodontics wants to remind all patients that no matter what your celebratory plans, February 14th can be a wonderful day to celebrate the loved ones in your life. Happy Valentine’s Day!