Traditional Braces Vs. Damon Braces

Did you know that traditional braces are tied with elastics, which cause friction and pressure, making treatment slower and less comfortable. Damon braces use a slide mechanism to hold the wire, which allows teeth to move freely and comfortably.

HAPPY DEBAND DAY!

HOORAY for Sherry and all of our patients getting debanded today!

Everyone is enjoying warm chocolate chip cookies with their brand new beautiful smiles!!!

HAPPY Deband Day!

We at Poway Braces hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and got to enjoy the beautiful weather we had here in Sunny San Diego!

Teens, Braces & Poway

Teens & Braces

Did you know completely clear Damon Braces are available from Poway Braces and Dr. Thomas?? The 'New' all clear braces NEVER discolor yellow or any other color for that matter because of the all new self ligation design rather than using clear rubber bands to hold the wires into the braces.

Orthodontists have used clear braces for over 20 years but have always had difficulty with the rubber bands turning ugly colors in response to sunlight or certain foods / drinks with staining properties.

The 'New' clear braces design in the Damon System eliminates the need for clear rubber bands completely!!! Therefore, staining and ugly discoloration of rubber bands are eliminated.

Great Weather in DC

Just landed in Washington D.C. for the annual American Association of Orthodontists meeting. We are excited to see old friends, learn new updated information from researchers, and visit new sites and locations in the D.C area. Poway Braces & Dr Thomas pride themselves on attending continuing education courses throughout the year - staying up to date on new developments in our field. California requires Orthodontists to attend at least 50 hours of continuing education every two years. Dr. Thomas typically attends over 50 hours of continuing education each and every year- occasionally teaching courses himself. Is it important your Orthodontist stays on top of new research findings and developments? We believe it is!

Surgical Sterilization with Cassettes

Our office uses an extremely high level of sterilization to prevent the transmission of infectious diseases. Dr. Thomas’ sterilization techniques are used by most high quality orthodontists throughout the United States.

Sterilization is critical in any Orthodontic office & is something all of us at powaybraces take very seriously. ALL of our instruments are first placed in customized cassettes – designed for use in orthodontics, and then wrapped in surgical grade material. They are then heat sterilized in an medical grade autoclave (Midmark).

It’s California law that all dental and orthodontic instruments are fully wrapped, sealed, and sterilized in an autoclave. Instruments are not allowed to be openly sterilized and then placed in bags after they are removed from the machine.

Our sealed wrapped cassettes are then brought to the orthodontic chair for treatment and only opened when ready for patient use.

We take pride in all aspects of our practice & you are welcome to see how we sterilize our instruments for all of our orthodontic patients.

New All Clear Damon Braces!

A very exciting event happened last week!!!! Our office (powaybraces.com) is one of a select few in the country who are now proud to provide totally Clear Damon Braces.

Poway Braces is the first and only orthodontic office in the Poway, Rancho Bernardo, Scripps Ranch, Ramona, Mira Mesa and surrounding area’s to be able to provide all Clear Damon braces.

If you’ve held off on getting braces due to unsightly looking braces, these are for you. A Huge difference over all other clear braces is the fact that the Clear Damon braces will NEVER discolor, turn yellow, green, brown, or any other color.

Have you ever seen someone who has clear braces but they have, unsightly discolored rubber bands going around the braces?? This is an all too common result of using small rubber bands to hold the wire into the braces.

The all new clear Damon braces never, ever, discolor or change their appearance and have all the fantastic benefits of the Damon System. Throughout our web site and other blog entries, detailed descriptions of these benefits can be found.

Tooth Brushing and Braces

Written by Dr Thomas' Team:

Here at Dr Thomas' office, we are dedicated in providing our patients with the very best tools and training for achieving exceptional oral hygiene while wearing Damon Braces.

Did you know that before you even come in for your initial exam appointment with us, we have already contacted your dentist to see when you had your last cleaning appointment and if you have any pending work still needed to complete (for example cavities)? We work closely with your dentist during the duration of your orthodontic treatment.

At your bonding appointment (when your braces are put on), we go over detailed cleaning instructions and give you a hygiene kit. This kit comes with a traveling case to keep it organized. Our hygiene kit includes a dual headed toothbrush, travel toothbrush, 15 yard mint flavor floss, 3 minute sand timer (you should be brushing 3 minutes each arch), dental floss threaders, orthodontic wax, and a mouth mirror.

Poor Brushing can cause permanent damage to your teeth & we want to make sure this does not happen. Proper brushing helps keep teeth clean and healthy. To brush your teeth properly you must brush under, above, behind, and around all surfaces of every tooth and bracket. Remember to brush the inside and the outside of both the top and bottom gums.

Make sure to check after rinsing, and if your teeth and brackets are not clean and shining.....brush them again.

Lastly, remember to floss carefully around each tooth. This process is more time consuming than without braces but if done regularly will help keep your teeth healthy. Only floss the ones you want to keep :-)

Happy New Year!

Toothfully yours, Dr Thomas & Team

We use the Damon System - Why does it matter???

Young and old, male and female, the Damon System delivers remarkable results. Dr William Thomas is an expert using this system. He has taught this system in multiple universities throughout the US and South America including Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, and Columbia.

The Damon System is based on a unique treatment philosophy that goes beyond straight teeth. Damon Doctors are trained to take the whole patient into account: the shape of your face, your profile, what you will look like into your 40s, 50s… and beyond.

Many people see a noticeable change not just in their teeth, but in their entire face. Often this result is without the use of 'palatal expanders', extractions, or surgery. The following are changes we see using the Damon System:

• A fuller, wider smile
• Better facial balance and aesthetics
• Smoother cheek contours which make narrow
  smiles look fuller and more inviting
• Fewer dark triangles within the corners
  of your mouth
• Straighter, less crowded & crooked teeth,
• Improved profiles…for a more youthful
  look at any age!

Many patients begin to see these dramatic results in as little as 10 weeks. Treatment that used to take 2-3 years and/or surgery, are now treated in 16-18 months and treated without surgery. The patient in this blog had 5 other consultations where he was told this exact plan: Surgery and 2-3 years. We used the Damon System, he did not have surgery, and finished treatment in 17 months. Evaluate the changes yourself - do you like the end result?

Visit our website (www.powaybraces.com), become informed, and come see us to see how the Damon System can help give you the smile you've always wanted.

Advanced Continuing Education

We are attending an Orthodontic convention / meeting for advanced continuing education in Phoenix Arizona! The orthodontic meeting is focused on learning about latest research findings we can use to directly help our patients. Dr Thomas is constantly attending the most up to date meetings & courses to learn about current research / findings to help his patients. A terrific lecture attended was on self ligation braces - which is exactly what we already use in our practice (Damon Braces)!

Braces & Chocolate Chip Cookies

Did you know it is totally fine to eat chocolate chip cookies with braces?? At Powaybraces we not only like the idea, we bake them fresh and hot right in our office for patients and their famies to enjoy. Like the idea, we love it! Add to that a refrigerator filled with ice cold water or milk, and you have yourself a terrific way to spend time at the orthodontist. Dr. Thomas creates an enviornment where braces, fun, and great food combine to make your visit with us as fun as possible!

Movie Night Dec 5th, 7pm!

PowayBraces.com is having a movie night on December 5th, 2009! A ticket will be given to the first 250 patients who come into our Poway office and pick up their movie ticket! We are renting our the theater for our own private screening of Jim Carry in 'A Christmas Carol'. Come spend the evening with us and enjoy this very funny and fun film.

How do Damon Braces Work?

The Damon System is not just a new product, it's a new way of treating orthodontic patients. Conventional treatment all too often requires removal of teeth and/or the use of palatal expanders to make space. Although removal of teeth and the use of palatal expanders may be required, we have found their use is dramatically lowered with the Damon System. Another benefit is the elimination of elastic "rubber band" ties. While a mainstay of braces for years, their use greatly increases friction thereby slowing tooth movement - this directly increases the number of appointments required to correct a patients bite.

Damon passive self-ligating braces that eliminate the need for elastic or metal "ties". With Damon tie-less braces you can experience treatment without tightening.

Thousands of happy patients have been treated in our practice: Dr. Thomas' Poway Braces and we look forward to sharing the benefits of the Damon system with many more in the future!