Taking care of your smile is important, and making sure that your teeth are aligned can help promote a nice smile and good oral health.

As you grow older, you may find yourself wondering whether you are paying enough attention to your dental health and part of that may be whether you have gotten orthodontic treatment in the past or not. Most individuals get braces when they are around the teenage years, but some adults missed out during that time period and still have a smile that is not as aligned as it could be.

You may think that metal braces are your only option, but are they? Some people avoid having work done on their smile because they think that they will have to get traditional braces. However, Invisalign is a practical alternative for any person that wants to straighten their smile and get great results.

Orthodontic Treatment That's Nearly invisible

If you are seeking an alternative to braces that is nearly invisible, Invisalign may be right for you. This product has aligners that are specifically designed to realign the teeth of the person wearing them without being aesthetically obvious.

Crooked teeth can gradually be shifted and gaps can be closed thanks to Invisalign. If your child wants the subtle presence of Invisalign over metal braces, this may be a great option for you. Whether your reasons are professional, social, or both, you may find that you feel more comfortable conversing, working, and even posing for photos using Invisalign.

No Metal, More Comfort

Crooked teeth can affect children's appearance and oral health. Teeth that are not straight can affect speech, make it difficult to brush and floss, and increase the risk of developing problems with their oral health (gum disease, tooth decay).

When it comes to crooked teeth developing, genetics may play a part. It is important that you know what signs you should look out for, taking action if you see anything to go to the dentist. Check out these four ways to help maintain your child's teeth and gums and keep them healthy.

1. Break bad habits.

Toddlers may have a tendency to suck on their thumbs, but breaking this habit is important. Continued sucking could damage front teeth, the gums, and the roof of the mouth, particularly past the age of three. Bottle feeding and sucking pacifiers past a point are also not good for developing teeth.

Research helpful tips for any bad habits your child has, from not wanting to brush to sucking their thumb, so you can break the habit early and reduce the chance of it having a negative impact.

2. Teach them oral hygiene.

Your child needs to care for their oral hygiene. Teaching them how to care for the gums and teeth will keep them healthy now and prepare them for good habits to protect them later. When their first tooth develops, make an appointment for them at the dentist.

The dentist will look at their teeth and confirm that it's all going well or voice concerns. They can also give tips on age appropriate oral hygiene practices and what you should be doing at home. Brush with your kids and make it a fun event. Make sure they know to brush in the morning for two minutes and again at night and be there too! Play music or get them electric brushes to make it more enjoyable.

3. Respond to tooth loss.

If you are a parent, then you are invested in your children's health. Your kids are going to cultivate the habits that you help them learn, so it's very important to give them attention and guidance.

For oral health, it's necessary for adults to be hands on with teaching their kids the required information about how to properly brush and floss and how to prevent cavities. It is key to instruct them on everything when it comes to dental health.

Today we're talking about how adults can teach kids about oral health as well as when the best times to brush are. Consistent and proper care is the key to good oral health, after all.

When Is the Best Time for Kids to Brush?

The American Dental Association says that adults and children should be brushing their teeth on a twice-daily basis in an attempt to get rid of bacteria and plaque. The best times to brush are the morning and the evening for adults and kids. Following a morning and then evening brushing routine will be the most effective way to get acids and sugars out of the mouth that would be attacking the enamel and causing tooth decay.

When it comes to the morning, brush your teeth after breakfast. When it comes to night time, brush before going to bed. If you can brush at these times and make sure that your child or children keep this schedule as well, then your brushing schedule is already where it needs to be. Account for form to be sure that your kids are getting effective results (enough toothpaste, brushing properly or long enough, changing quadrants).

Teaching Brushing Habits to Kids

Our very own Lulu was the Easter bunny this year for the iSmiles Corona team! She didn't want to wear a bunny outfit and we couldn't blame her, being that it was so hot outside. In any case, our neighbors in Corona surely appreciated the Easter baskets we prepared for them.

The iSmiles Orthodontics team in Corona had a wonderful time helping our awesome office manager, Lulu, celebrate another year getting older. We had a wonderful lunch at Luna Modern Mexican Kitchen, which is conveniently located right down the street from our offices in Corona. Happy Birthday, Lulu!

Joel loves us so much, he can't stop recommending our services to his family and friends. Now look at him. He's rolling in Gift Cards! Spend those wisely on some soccer gear and video games, Joel, and thank you!

Dr Brandon is so grateful to all the patients and parents who have taken the time to get a gift for his new baby at home, Ellie. Thank you so much, Angela, for your gift. Let's hope there's plenty of sleep in that gift bag for Dr Brandon.

We love patients like Wyatt! Look at him as he proudly shows off his gift cards for referring his friends. If you were there, you would see him doing a dab with Dr. Brandon. Way to go Wyatt!

Our entire Irvine Orthodontics office is so proud of Yen, who is our stellar patient that has not only graduated high school but also graduated from our retainer program.

Our Irvine orthodontics office manager, Anita, honors her son's military service by wearing his military dog tags as well as one of his t-shirts commemorating one of his operations. We salute his courage as well as all the countless troops that have served our great country on Veterans Day.

We were so busy this year that we actually didn't have time to come up with themed costumes. We're sad about that but happy that we get to still spend so much time with our awesome patients. This is a quick gallery of our phenomenal orthodontic team in Irvine. The first picture is simply to remind everyone to take care of their teeth during this holiday season. We hope everyone out there has a fun-filled and safe Halloween evening! Don't eat too much candy and sweets!

We know we post a lot of pictures of us having fun and smiling with patients so we decided to post a gallery of us hard at work. Not only is this a gallery of us working hard in the Corona Orthodontics office, we're in the midst of a ton of Halloween decorations AND it's also a Saturday. Yes, we work Saturdays. Please be sure to make an appointment and we'll gladly see you on a Saturday. We even got some really good pictures of Dr Brandon in action, wearing his pink Breast Cancer Awareness t-shirt. There's just so much going on in these pictures.

Oh, you didn't know? We had the Star Wars crew invade our Irvine Orthodontics office last year including a fairly tall Yoda, a very stern Princess Amidala, Princess Leia, a Jedi, and two female Darth Vaders. Can't believe that there wasn't a Boba Fett or a Darth Maul. Still, you can see that our office loves Halloween and loves dressing up. We're still not sure what this year's theme will be. If anyone has any great ideas, please feel free to send them on over.

Every year, we try to come up with a theme for the office. In 2014, Dr Brandon and the whole team in the Irvine office dressed up as items you should avoid when you have braces. Dr Brandon dressed up as Sugar Daddy (that's his nickname in the office, by the way), and then there was Jolly Rancher, M & M's, Tootsie Rolls, Candy Corn, Diet Coke, and an apple. The apple is what threw everyone off. Check out these assortment of fun pictures that were take that day at the office. Can't wait to see what we'll come up with this year.

Thanks to our awesomely stupendous office manager, our Corona office is completely decked out and ready for Halloween! There are many reasons why we love Halloween. #1, October is National Orthodontic Health Month and obviously, Halloween is in the month of October. #2, Halloween's official color is orange and it also happens to be iSmiles' official color, too! #3, we love dressing up! Every year, we come up with a theme for the whole office. Wonder what it will be this year? Guess you'll have to stay tuned to find out. In the mean time, enjoy all these pictures of our Halloween decorations in our Corona office. And don't eat too much candy!

Dr. Brandon is super excited about his brand new, customized iSmiles Surfboard created by Vartanian Surfboards! He can't wait to take this baby out to the Orange County beaches and show all the other orthodontists in the OC what he's got. Maybe you can catch a sighting of Dr Brandon on the waves this summer. If you are looking for a surfing expert with friendly service, please see James Vartanian in Costa Mesa.

We are so proud to announce that Dr Brandon was named a 2016 Top Dentist Practitioner for Orange County by Orange Coast Magazine! The selection process was difficult as the magazine asked dentists in Orange County to name the practitioners who they would choose to treat their own family members. Dr Brandon made the exclusive list and is honored to be selected by his peers in the dental community of Orange County.

Here is the verbiage from the article:
From the moment patients call the offices of Dr Brandon Hoang, they are treated with the utmost respect. "When they come in, they are greeted and welcomed by all members of the team," says Dr Hoang. "Also, parents are always invited into the treatment area. Ultimately we want to give patients the best experience possible."

Known as "Dr Brandon," he offers specialized care in child and adult orthodontics, including braces, dentofacial orthopedics, Invisalign, retainers, and mouth guards. A University of of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine graduate who completed an orthodontic residency at Tufts University, he works with pedodontist Dr David Ly. "We believe that if it benefits our patients, it will benefit our practice," says Dr Hoang. "The best orthodontic office is the one having the most fun. So every month, we find something to celebrate."

It always means so much to us when we see what a difference we make in our community as well as in the youth of our community. While sponsoring the Irvine Junior Games again this year, it was such a pleasant surprise to see one of our very own patients, Saveena, come up to the microphone to sing the national anthem during the opening ceremonies. Seeing her confidently smile and beautifully sing the national anthem has truly inspired us to continue doing what we do. Please feel free to watch the video of her performance below. Great job, Saveena! The entire iSmiles team is so very proud of you!

We love all of our patients and have witnessed the countless, dedicated parents who take the time to make sure their kids get the orthodontic care they deserve. Well, it's time for the Fathers out there to get special treatment as well! We have a specially designed Invisalign special just for the Dads!
Call us at (949) 551-4540 to book your free consultation which includes a 15 minute Outcome Simulator using our state-of-the-art iTero machine. We'll scan your teeth and then show you what they will look like after treatment. We're confident you'll be pleased with what you'll see. Book your first treatment before Father's Day (June 19th) and you'll enjoy $500 off your entire treatment. Call us now to get started.

Come join the iSmiles team and the rest of Irvine city Saturday, May 14, 2016, for the Irvine Junior Games Expo and Athlete check-in! We'll be there from 10am till 3pm giving out fabulous prizes, hugs, and most importantly, smiles! It will be held at the Irvine Stadium located behind Irvine High School. Funds raised by the Irvine Junior Games support before and after school child care at 24 IUSD elementary schools. Let's support the community together! We'd love to see you.

We love all of our patients and have witnessed the countless, dedicated parents who take the time to make sure their kids get the orthodontic care they deserve. Well, it's time for the Mothers to get special treatment as well! We have a specially designed Invisalign special just for the Moms.

Call us at (949) 551-4540 to book your free consultation which includes a 15 minute Outcome Simulator using our state-of-the-art iTero machine. We'll scan your teeth and then show you what they will look like after treatment. We're confident you'll be pleased with what you'll see. Book your first treatment before Mother's Day (May 8th) and you'll enjoy $500 off your entire treatment. Call us now to get started. No need to show proof that you're a mom.

Even though Dr Brandon was never really good at baseball, he and the iSmiles team still proudly supports the Irvine Ranch Little League! Opening Day is this Saturday, February 27th! Come on out and visit us! The iSmiles team will be out there in full force with our tent and giveaways.

Opening Day is from 8am until 12 noon at the Las Lomas Community Park. Drop on by and say hello. We'd love to see you!

We don't blog often but when we do, it's usually about Halloween, our favorite holiday! Why? Because we get to dress up (not like we don't already dress up throughout the year). And, the main color of Halloween is orange, which also happens to be our favorite color and the color of our company! So we've been a witches/mummy theme, a zombie theme, and a foods you can't eat while having braces theme. So what's our theme this year? Guess you'll have to stay tuned and find out for yourselves!

We've received a lot of great entries for our Valentine's Poetry Contest this year so far. But it turns out, everyone on the iSmiles team wrote their own poems as well. First person to submit and correctly match all 7 poems to their matching 7 poets will win an iBeats headphone! It's that simple. If you want a glimpse into our team, check out our Irvine team's information on our website. That will definitely figure out which poet wrote which poem. Deadline is Valentine's Day, February 14th! Now go get to it!

Wow, we've had an awesome 2014! We hope everyone has, too, especially with all the beautiful smiles we've seen along the way. We have much to be thankful for but we mostly want to thank you! Everyone who has supported, befriended us, we love you! We love to see everyone smile and we will do everything we can to make sure you have one you can be proud of. We look forward to 2015 where we will be involved with even more smiles and also be more involved with the community. Cheers and be safe out there, everyone!

We are a silly bunch and it shows! Some of us decided to wear ugly sweaters, some did not. Didn't matter. We were all required to have funny poses. From our entire team in the Irvine office, we'd like to wish everyone a happy holidays, merry Christmas, and happy Hanukkah! We hope everyone has a fantastic time with their loved ones and we hope everyone gets everything they want! Giving the gift of braces as a Christmas present is not a bad thing! Who wouldn't want a nice smile as a Christmas present?

We can't help it. Ugly sweaters have nothing on Dr Brandon and his top-notch, orthodontics team in Irvine! Whether we're adjusting your braces, fitting you for retainers, or making your first mold for treatment, we always look good! We always feel good, too, which makes our patients feel that much better. We like to have fun in the office but we always make sure we get the job done and that all of our patients walk out with a big smile on their faces.

We can't believe Halloween has come and gone already. We all in the Irvine office miss it because we get to dress up and act silly. Wait. We do that everyday already. In case you couldn't guess the theme of our Halloween costumes this year, we're all dressed as items you should not be consuming when you have braces: diet Coke, apple, jolly rancher, sugar daddy, M & Ms, tootsie roll, and candy corn. We can't wait to come up with our theme for next year! Maybe, we'll just dress up once a month in the office just for the fun of it.

The Ho family decided to come by our Irvine Orthodontic office and drop off their 13 lbs of candy they picked up from Halloween and donate it all to the troops overseas! Operation Gratitude is well under way at iSmiles! We love it when all of our awesome patients get involved with our charitable endeavors! We're sure the troops overseas will immensely enjoy all of this candy these kids collected during Halloween for them. And for that, we graciously recognize the Ho family for their contribution. Keep up the good work!

iSmiles Orthodontics is proud to partake in Operation Gratitude where dentists nationwide are teaming up to "buy back" candy from children to be sent to US military troops overseas. Roland Holmdahl brought in 10 lbs of candy into our Irvine office and earned himself $10! Way to go Roland! Our troops overseas will surely be thankful of your donation to them. Keep up the good work!