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With Easter approaching many will be receiving Easter baskets filled with yummy treats! Just remember to stay away from the sticky & hard candy so you don't break appliances and braces. Here are some brace-friendly treats you may still have.

1.Chocolate

Some chocolates are off limits such as Twix, Snickers, caramel filled chocolate or anything stuffed with hard nuts. Some good options would be regular M&Ms, Hershey bars or kisses, Reese's & peppermint patties.

2. Baked goods

Cupcakes, cookies, brownies & more are an acceptable option for Easter treats! Baked goods are always a great addition to the sweets table at Easter! Baking is also a fun activity to do as a family the day before easter if you like to bake!

3.Other goodies

You can always enjoy a small toy, video game, clothes, summer essentials & gift cards! There are no candy options from the Easter bunny!

Here are the goodies to stay away from:

1.Jelly beans

Jelly beans may be delicious but are extremely sticky & can easily break off brackets or get stuck in wires!

2. Peeps

Peeps are known for being the staple of the Easter season, but stay away! They are sugar- coated marshmallows. Marshmallows can cause your brackets to fall off, get stuck in wires & pull out bands and appliances!

3.Mini eggs

Mini eggs may be chocolate- but they have a hard candy coating outside that can very easily break braces off & even bend wires.

If you can't resist & are tempted by non-friendly brace goodies just be careful & brush and floss well afterwards. If something does break, please call the office for an emergency visit as soon as possible to fix it.

Azizi Orthodontics wishes you & your family a very Happy Easter & a wonderful day spent with your families! See you soon!!

1. Orthodontics became a specialty in dentistry 1900 by Edward H. Angle. This means orthodontics has been around for 122 years! Angle was the first orthodontist and was also the first person to make his dental practice strictly orthodontics. He also started the American Association of Orthodontics (AAO), which is a membership for orthodontists only.
2. The word orthodontics is of Greek origin. Ortho means to correct or straighten, Dont means tooth. When put together the word orthodontics is formed meaning "straight teeth".
3. Teeth move in response to pressure. Some pressure is good but other pressure can be harmfu- when a child sucks their thumb or pushes their tongue against the teeth. This will cause an open bite. Orthodontic appliances such as braces, aligners and expanders align teeth with safe pressure.
4. NASA created a metal that is used for braces. The thin, flexible nickel-titanium (Niti) wires used were made by the space program. This material is thin, flexible and extremely strong!
5. Power chains are the elastic rubber bands that are all connected and apply more force to an area. The power chains are used to close spaces between teeth.
6. Dr. Azizi is a Penn Dental Medicine graduate of the Orthodontic department, an Ivy League university. He continually updates his education to provide the best and most effective care to his patients. Additionally, Dr. Azizi has served as Director and Professor of Orthodontics for more than 20 years at Temple University School of Dentistry, where he helped shape the next generations of orthodontists.

Wisdom teeth usually need to be extracted around age 18 to 21. There is a possibility that some people can have all 4 wisdom teeth or just 3 wisdom teeth & etc. It is also possible for some people to never develop wisdom teeth. It is all based on genetics how many wisdom teeth one will have.

Wisdom teeth are just like molars, as they are used for chewing and grinding tough food. In most cases, shifting of teeth will occur if the retainer isn't worn. Some won't wear their retainer due to the pressure of the wisdom teeth erupting.

Wisdom teeth can be seen by looking at the patient's dental films. The best way to look is taking a panoramic film which gives a wide view of the entire mouth. Sometimes the wisdom teeth will be seen laying downward and may be too close to the nerves. In this case, the wisdom can’t be extracted as it could cause nerve damage.

Symptoms of wisdom teeth irritation: 

•swollen gums

•ear ache type pain

•bad breath that doesn’t go away with brushing

•severe pain when chewing with molars

There is a chance the dentist may have to prescribe antibiotics before the extraction is performed to treat any infections. If there is an infection while getting wisdom teeth removed and it is not treated beforehand, there is a chance the infection could spread throughout the entire body.

Some dentists may suggest still having wisdom teeth extracted. The teeth may cause dental issues later. Wisdom teeth are prone to cavities because due to sitting so far back it may be hard to brush and floss that area.

After the wisdom teeth are removed, it may take about 3-4 days for the mouth to heal. There are some food and other restrictions the oral surgeon will go over prior to the patient leaving the extraction appointment.

Orthodontics may seem pricey but in reality, having a beautiful smile is really an investment in the long run. 

Orthodontic treatment can give one a healthier dentition by preventing serious medical problems in the future.

Orthodontics can prevent tooth decay. When there is crowding it can be hard to reach certain areas while brushing. If the teeth are overlapping, creating tight contact it can cause plaque & bacteria to sit longer on the teeth due to not being able to properly clean. This can cause decay, also known as cavities. A cavity may not seem like a big deal but could become costly on the wallet. If a filling goes bad, it may lead to expensive dental work-- root canals, crowns, implants, etc.

Orthodontics can also prevent gum disease. Just like crowding can cause tooth decay, it can also cause problems with the bacteria sitting around the gumline. Gum disease causes bleeding & inflammation. 

Orthodontics can also help and prevent TMJ, grinding of the teeth as well headaches. If there is a deep overbite it can cause headaches & TMJ due to tension. Getting orthodontic treatment can correct the bite & stop the pressure which will also get rid of the tension headaches. 

One last benefit of orthodontic treatment is the confidence boost one will receive from having a perfect smile!