October is National Orthodontic Health Month!

October is National Orthodontic Health Month, and our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists - or AAO- have provided a helpful website that provides important information on protecting your braces, including tips for trick-or-treaters, braces-friendly Halloween recipes, facts about braces and treats you should avoid while wearing braces.

Dr. Harry Dougherty and our staff recommend you check out the AAO's website. If you have any follow-up questions about keeping your braces in tip-top shape, please feel free to give us a call at 818-602-4782, ask us on Facebook or ask Dr. Dougherty during your visit!

Have a great weekend and stay safe this Halloween season!

Ask Dr. Dougherty: Why are straight teeth so important?

Some people wonder why Dr. Harry Dougherty and our staff work so tirelessly to give our patients straight teeth. Of course it’s nice to have a smile full of evenly aligned teeth, but did you know that straightening your teeth at Dr. Dougherty's office can keep them healthier? Straight teeth lead to better oral hygiene, increasing your chances of keeping your own natural teeth for a lifetime!

Straight teeth are less prone to decay, because they collect less plaque—the sticky colorless substance that forms on our teeth and leads to tooth decay; and they are easier to keep clean! If you’re wondering whether your teeth might cause problems because they are out of alignment, please give us a call to set up a consultation. Dr. Dougherty can help you decide whether or not you will benefit from orthodontic treatment at our convenient Sherman Oaks office.

Happy Friday!!

Talking retainers with Dr. Harry Dougherty

If you have recently completed treatment at Dr. Harry Dougherty's office, we’d like to congratulate you! Now that your braces have been removed, Dr. Dougherty will provide—or has provided you—with retainers. After braces are removed, teeth can shift out of position if they are not stabilized. Retainers, however, always provide that stabilization. They are designed to hold teeth in their corrected, ideal positions until the bones and gums adapt to the treatment changes. Wearing retainers exactly as instructed by Dr. Dougherty is the best insurance that the treatment improvements last for a lifetime.

To learn more about the advantages of wearing retainers after your orthodontic treatment with Dr. Dougherty, please read this helpful article about retainers from KidsHealth or give us a call at our convenient Sherman Oaks office!

Ask Dr. Dougherty: When should my child come in for a consultation?

Many parents here in Sherman Oaks assume they must wait until their child has all of his or her permanent teeth to visit Dr. Harry Dougherty for a complimentary consultation, only to discover treatment would have been much easier if started earlier. Did you know the American Association of Orthodontists recommends that every child have an orthodontic check-up no later than age seven?

That’s right—seven.

Ok, so what’s so great about age seven, you ask? Enough permanent teeth have arrived for Dr. Dougherty to make a determination about whether any problems are present. The first molars have come in, providing an opportunity to check for malocclusion, or what Dr. Dougherty calls “bad bite.” Also, the incisors have begun to come in, and problems such as crowding, deep bites and open bites can be detected.

Orthodontic evaluation at an early age provides one of two positive outcomes: For some, early identification or problems will lead to easier or shorter orthodontic treatment in the future. For others, a healthy prognosis will provide immediate peace of mind.

Early evaluation, of course, may signal a need for early treatment. For some children, early treatment can prevent physical and emotional trauma. Aside from spurring on years of harmful teasing, misaligned teeth are also prone to injury and are detrimental to good oral hygiene. So, if your child is nearing his or her seventh birthday, please give us a call at 818-602-4782 to schedule a complimentary exam.

Share your experience at Dr. Dougherty's office with the world!

At the office of Dr. Harry Dougherty, it is our goal to provide the best treatment possible in a comfortable and supportive environment. Combining the right mix of personal care, high technology and continuing education, we maintain a commitment to our patients in every facet of our practice.

Whether you've visited Dr. Dougherty for a week, months or even years, we'd love to hear your feedback about how our office has fared during your orthodontic treatment! There are lots of ways you can share your thoughts about our practice, but we encourage you to head to our Google Local listing and write a review there.

After all, your generous reviews help Dr. Dougherty create more beautiful smiles in Sherman Oaks and surrounding communities. Thanks in advance, and we hope you have a terrific week!

You may write your review here.

Ask Dr. Dougherty: Am I too old for braces?

Of course not! Nobody - and we mean NOBODY - is "too old" for orthodontic treatment. In fact, we read a fascinating statistic: the number of adults getting braces has actually jumped 24 percent since 1996! Yes, braces help make your pearly whites strong, healthy and perfectly-aligned, but perhaps another reason for the spike in adult braces is this: folks want to look and feel great. In an age—and society—where looks matter as much as anything, and at a time when evenly-aligned and sparkling teeth might be the difference between getting a job or a promotion, adults are choosing—wisely, we might add—to invest in orthodontics. Orthodontic treatment with Dr. Harry Dougherty can be successful at any age, and adults especially appreciate the benefits of a beautiful smile.

If you’ve been thinking about getting that perfect smile, Dr. Dougherty would love to have you visit for a complimentary consultation. Please give us a call at 818-602-4782 to set one up!

What did you read this summer?

With summer winding down, Dr. Harry Dougherty and our staff wanted to remind all our patients about the importance of reading. We know it’s easy to keep putting off reading during the dog days of summer, but reading during the summer is actually a vital step in brain development and warding off the dreaded “summer slide”—plus, it's fun!

What's on YOUR summer reading list? What are some of your all-time favorites? Out of ideas for great summer reads? Ask us for suggestions, and we'll be happy to provide a few suggestions. You may also ask a local librarian here in Sherman Oaks for some ideas or check out these summer reading ideas that we came across this week, courtesy of Barnes & Noble.

Happy reading! Be sure to share with us your summer picks or your all-time favorites on our Facebook page!