The benefits of a beautiful smile

Drs. Brown and our team know having an attractive smile puts a spring in your step—or two—as well as increases your self-confidence, no matter if you’re 14 or in your late forties. Smiling not only makes people happy and puts them in a good mood, doing it often can even help you live longer, according to previous studies!
If you’ve been hiding your smile because you have crooked teeth or gaps between your teeth, it’s time to consider orthodontic treatment at Brown Family Orthodontics. You’ll be pleasantly surprised to learn how quickly and efficiently today’s most advanced correction techniques can straighten your smile!
Don’t hide your smile any longer—give us a call today to schedule yours or your child’s orthodontic consultation.

How important is your smile? From Dr. Brown

For four decades, Brown Family Orthodontics has set the standard of excellence in orthodontic care. Combining a keen eye on technology, a commitment to continuing education, and a steadfast dedication to five-star patient service, Brown Family Orthodontics provides a winning smile and improved self-confidence to every patient.

And speaking of smiling, in a poll conducted by Glamour Magazine last spring, people were asked, “If you had to pick between having perfect teeth, eyesight or hair, which would you choose?

Well, 44 percent of folks out there chose teeth! In addition, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, or AACD, conducted a study and found that 99.7 percent of those polled believed a smile is an important social asset. Respondents said straightness, whiteness, cleanliness, as well as the sincerity and sparkle of a person’s smile were all important factors not only socially, but career-wise as well.

Give us a call to schedule an initial consultation with Dr. Brown!

Share your winter break plans with us!

Dr. Ed, Dr. Jessica Brown and our team at Brown Family Orthodontics want to know: what do your winter plans look like? Do you have any plans for an exciting family vacation? Are you hanging out around town? Catching up on sleep? Spending time with friends? Let us know!

Please feel free to share your exciting winter plans and experiences with us here or on our Facebook page! We would like to wish all of our patients and their families a safe and fun holiday season!

Ask Dr. Brown: "My son is turning 7 - when should we visit BFO for a consultation?"

Great question! Our staff at Brown Family Orthodontics will tell you that braces were originally considered to be best appropriate for teens. But these days, kids as old as seven are beginning their orthodontic treatment. Because preadolescent kids are typically not self-conscious, our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists suggest it could be a good idea to start early.

Experts, however, say it depends on the treatment required. Some children who get braces at an early age end up in a second phase of treatment, and end up having braces well into their teenage years despite starting young.

Most orthodontic treatment begins between ages nine and 14, and the folks at AAO estimate most orthodontic treatment lasts from one to three years, with two years being the average. It’s important, however, that children be screened no later than age seven for Dr. Ed or Dr. Jessica Brown to assess what the best age for treatment is.

Hope this helps! Give us a call if you have any questions about your child’s orthodontic treatment at BFO! We hope you have a WONDERFUL Monday!

Emergency care with Dr. Brown & BFO

Dr. Brown and staff will tell you true orthodontic emergencies are very rare during your orthodontic treatment, but when they do occur, we want you to know we are available to you. As a general rule, you should call Brown Family Orthodontics when you experience severe pain or when you have a painful appliance problem that you can't take care of yourself. We'll be able to schedule an appointment to resolve the problem.

You might be surprised to learn that you may be able to temporarily solve many problems yourself until you schedule an appointment with our office. When working with your appliances, you need to know the names of the parts of your appliances so you are able to identify what part is broken or out of place. After alleviating your discomfort, it is very important that you still call our office as soon as possible to schedule a time to repair the problem. Allowing your appliance to remain damaged for an extended period of time may result in disruptions in your treatment plan.

Please give us a call if you have any questions about emergency care of your treatment at Brown Family Orthodontics. For four decades, Brown Family Orthodontics has set the standard of excellence in orthodontic care. We have built a reputation on care, expertise and convenience. With offices in Metairie, Mandeville, Covington, and Franklinton, Brown Family Orthodontics maintains a network of convenient locations to accommodate patients and parents.

Don't skip those regular checkups, especially in October!

Dr. Brown wants to know: Are you brushing and flossing daily properly during your treatment? If the answer is yes, that’s great! But, don’t forget that it’s also important for you to visit your general dentist every 3-to-6 months in addition to brushing your teeth and flossing (and visiting Brown Family Orthodontics, of course). Regular dental checkups are important for maintaining good oral health, especially during orthodontic treatment.

It's the perfect time for a visit to the dentist. Why? Because not only is October National Orthodontic Health Month, it's also National Dental Hygiene Month!

Your general dentist can check for problems that might not be seen or felt, detect cavities and early signs of decay, treat oral health problems early and show you how to properly brush and floss your teeth.

During an oral exam your dentist can check the health of your mouth, teeth, gums, cheeks and tongue. Checkups will also include a thorough teeth cleaning and polishing. If you have not been to the dentist in the last six months, let us know during your next visit and we will provide a few great references in Metairie, Mandeville, Covington, Franklinton, New Orleans or surrounding areas!

"Dentists,Orthodontists ... What's the Difference?"

“Dentists, Orthodontists, they’re all the same right?” We hear our patients asking this question as they wonder about the difference between an orthodontist and a dentist. Before becoming an orthodontist Dr. Brown started out in dental school and earned a dental degree, just like your dentist. After dental school however, Dr. Brown decided he wanted to learn more about orthodontics, which is one of nine specialties within the dental field. So he stayed in school for a few more years and became an expert in orthodontics, which focuses on tooth and jaw alignment and bite problems like overbites and under bites.

Other dental specialties you may have heard of include endodontic (focusing on the soft tissue inside your teeth), periodontic (focusing on the gums and other tissues surrounding your teeth) and prosthodontic (focusing on restoring and replacing damaged teeth).

Isn’t it nice to know there’s a dental expert in Dr. Brown to help you through any type of treatment your teeth, jaw and gums might need?

Ask Dr. Brown: “Where can I get more info about braces?”

Great question! Besides on the BFO website, which provides you with a plethora of information about all things braces and Invisalign, we would like to point you to a helpful website: Our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO, have provided lots of important information about everything braces, including myths and facts of orthodontics, tips for a better orthodontic experience and cool webisodes about orthodontics.

We encourage you to check out AAO today and feel free to contact us if you have any questions here on our blog or on our Facebook page.

Hope this helps,

Dr. Brown & the BFO Team

Tips for a successful school year, from Dr. Brown

At Brown Family Orthodontics, we know a new school year brings a lot of stress for many kids. New classes, new teachers, new friends and new academic challenges can be overwhelming! That’s why we thought we’d provide a few steps for our patients to enjoy their time in school and succeed this upcoming school year!

· Get plenty of sleep every night. Eight hours is recommended.

· Eat a healthy breakfast as it’s the most important meal of the day.

· Pack a healthy lunch or make healthy choices when selecting your school lunch. Try to avoid the vending machine and limit your intake of junk food.

· Stay on top of your homework and reading assignments.

· Stay active. Limit the time in front of the TV or playing video games. Instead, try to get outside to get some exercise—go for a walk or ride your bike.

· Ask for help. When you are having a hard time understanding a concept, ask your teacher or your peers for guidance.

· Always have a positive attitude and a smile on your face!

We hope everyone has a productive and fun school year!

Are you wearing your mouthguard? From Dr. Brown

With fall sports almost here for a lot of our patients at Brown Family Orthodontics, we thought today would be a great time to remind all our young athletes in treatment to take care of both their mouth and appliances while participating in sports – especially contact sports – this fall.

One of the most important pieces of sports equipment you can wear on the field is a mouthguard. A well-fitted mouthguard, which we’re happy to provide, allows you to breathe and speak more clearly, in addition to protecting your mouth and braces. Only by using a mouth guard can kids with and without braces avoid serious sports injuries. The next time you’re in for a visit with Dr. Brown, we encourage you to ask us for a mouthguard! In addition, the American Association of Orthodontists has five quick tips for keeping kids safe during sport activities.

• Wear a helmet
• Stretch before and after a game or practice
• Wear protective eyewear
• Wear a face shield to avoid scratched or bruised skin
• Be observant, even as a spectator

We hope you’re enjoying your summer, and invite you all to share your summer photos on our Facebook page!

Smile Week at Brown Family Orthodontics

It’s National Smile Week here at Brown Family Orthodontics, and a GREAT time to remind Dr. Brown's patients to practice good oral hygiene to keep those teeth shining during your orthodontic treatment!

Here are a few simple steps you can take to improve your oral health so that you may celebrate National Smile Week for many, many years to come:

* Brush at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
* Floss everyday to clean between your teeth and braces.
* Reduce your intake of sugary foods and drinks during your orthodontic treatment
* Visit your dentist regularly (every 6 months or as recommended by your dentist)!

And remember to smile at people you come across throughout the week, whether you know them or not. Smiles are contagious, and are a good thing to give and to get. We hope you’re all having a relaxing summer!

- Dr. Brown and team

Ask Dr. Brown: “I’m 34 – am I too old for braces?”

Thanks for the question – at Brown Family, NOBODY is “too old” for braces!

In fact, we read a fascinating statistic recently: the number of adults getting braces has actually climbed 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: people 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 can be successful at any age, and adults especially appreciate the benefits of a beautiful smile.

In fact, we are proud to offer an adult-friendly option for straightening teeth called Invisalign, which uses a series of invisible, removable and comfortable aligners that no one can tell you're wearing. So, you can smile more during treatment as well as after.

With offices in Metairie, Mandeville, Covington, Franklinton and New Orleans - Uptown, Brown Family Orthodontics maintains a network of convenient locations to accommodate patients and parents. Contact our office to start your journey to a beautiful, new smile. We look forward to working with you! Contact our office to schedule an initial consultation today.

The myths & facts about braces, from Brown Family Orthodontics

Trust us when we say Dr. Brown and our team at BFO are well-aware that there are a lot of myths flying around the topic of orthodontics these days. But, before you buy into those myths, we think you should get the facts first! Our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists have some excellent information on the myths and facts of orthodontics, and we encourage you to check them out before settling for rumors about braces!

If you have any questions about orthodontics or your treatment at Brown Family Orthodontics, feel free to give us a call. Have a great holiday weekend everyone!

Write a review of our office!

Whether you've visited our office for a week, months or even years, we'd love to hear your feedback about how our office is faring! There are lots of ways you can share your thoughts about our practice on the Web, but we encourage you to head to our Google Places page and write a review there.

After all, reviews help Dr. Brown and our team create more beautiful smiles!

You may write a review here.

"My son is turning 7 - when should we visit BFO for a consultation?"

Great question! Our staff at Brown Family Orthodontics will tell you that braces were originally considered to be best appropriate for teens. But these days, kids as old as seven are beginning their orthodontic treatment. Because preadolescent kids are typically not self-conscious, our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists suggest it could be a good idea to start early.

Experts, however, say it depends on the treatment required. Some children who get braces at an early age end up in a second phase of treatment, and end up having braces well into their teenage years despite starting young.

Most orthodontic treatment begins between ages nine and 14, and the folks at AAO estimate most orthodontic treatment lasts from one to three years, with two years being the average. It’s important, however, that children be screened no later than age seven for Dr. Ed or Dr. Jessica Brown to assess what the best age for treatment is.

Hope this helps! Give us a call if you have any questions about your child’s orthodontic treatment at BFO! We hope you have a WONDERFUL rest of the weekend!

Play it safe this spring, from Dr. Brown

With spring here, many of our patients will once again pick up the ball, bring the bat out of seasonal retirement.

So, today, Dr. Brown and our dedicated team at BFO urge our young athletes to play it safe when out on the field. According to the National Youth Sports Safety Foundation, children, high-school athletes and adults will have more than 5,000,000 teeth knocked out in sporting events this year.

Here are a few ways to ensure your mouth’s safety this spring, courtesy of our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists:

1. Wear mouth guards for contact sports such as baseball, softball, soccer and lacrosse.
2. Wear a helmet
3. Wear protective eyewear
4. Wear a face shield to avoid scratched or bruised skin
5. Be alert, even as a spectator

We hope that helps. Protective gear is vital for anyone engaging in tooth or mouth-threatening activities. If you have any further questions about any of these tips, please contact Brown Family Orthodontics.

Stay safe and have fun!

How will YOUR smile look after orthodontic treatment at BFO?

At Brown Family Orthodontics, we know it's sometimes hard to believe the transformation your smile undergoes during orthodontic treatment. Our team at BFO love to see our patients’ smiles light up when they see their new smile in the mirror for the first time. For those of you who haven’t yet started or finished your orthodontic treatment with Dr. Brown, have you ever wondered what your new smile might look like after treatment?

The American Association of Orthodontists recently launched a new tool called “Virtual Smiles,” which shows what your smile might look like after orthodontic treatment. Check out the Virtual Smiles tool, and call us at BFO to get started on improving your smile today!

Dr. Brown & team, dispelling the myths about braces

Trust us: Dr. Brown and our team at BFO are well-aware that there are a lot of myths flying around the topic of orthodontics these days. But, before you buy into those myths, we think you should get the facts first! Our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists have some excellent information on the myths and facts of orthodontics, and we encourage you to check them out before settling for rumors about braces!

If you have any questions about orthodontics or your treatment at Brown Family Orthodontics, feel free to give us a call. Have a great holiday weekend everyone!

Tell us what's on your mind!

By now, you’re probably familiar with the drill: Every week, our talented staff at Brown Family Orthodontics blog about topics related to orthodontic care and your health, including innovative orthodontic treatments offered at our office. This week, we thought we’d ask our remarkable patients: what’s on your mind? What would you like to know about the exciting field of orthodontics? What would you like us to focus on our blog going forward? Perhaps there’s something you’ve wanted to ask Drs. Brown but haven’t found the time? Let us know by posting here or on our Facebook fan page!

Give us your best shot, and our team will try to answer any questions you may have!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Ask Dr. Brown: What are "Dentofacial Orthopedics"?

You may have noticed that Drs. Ed and Jessica Brown and our team at BFO specialize in "Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics." While most people have heard of orthodontics, many are confused by the "dentofacial orthopedics" part of the title.

Not to worry - we can explain!

You probably know that an orthodontist like Dr. Brown straightens teeth, and indeed: "ortho" comes from the Greek for "straight" or "correct," and "dontic" from the Greek for "teeth." But what about dentofacial orthopedics? "Dentofacial" is "teeth" plus "face" while "ortho" again means "straight" and "pedic" is from the Greek for "child."

Essentially, while orthodontics entails the management of tooth movement, dentofacial orthopedics involves the guidance of facial growth and development, which occurs largely during childhood. In both cases, appliances are frequently used – the more familiar braces for orthodontics, and other specialized appliances like headgear and expanders depending on what facial abnormalities are present. Sometimes orthopedic treatment may precede conventional braces, but often the two are accomplished at the same time. So if your child gets braces and headgear, he's undergoing orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics!

Because Dr. Brown is skilled in both areas, he is able to diagnose any misalignments in the teeth and jaw as well as the facial structure, and can devise a treatment plan that integrates both orthodontic and dentofacial orthopedic treatments.

We hope that helps! Contact our office and schedule a consultation for your child. It’s never too late to get a great smile, and all of us at BFO can’t wait to help you get started.