Like Free Shaved Ice? Come Get Yours at Mastroianni Orthodontics on June 19 and June 20!

It is finally summertime! This winter felt extra long despite what the groundhog said way back in February. And really, that feels like a million ages ago.

Now, if you have been coming to Mastroianni Orthodontics for any amount of time, you know that we like to have fun around our office. Well, one of the things we love to do in the summer is call in the local Kona Ice truck and offer our patients and visitors free shaved ice.

You read that right - Kona Ice will be serving complimentary snow cones to anyone who comes into our office! 

Kona Ice isn’t just any snow-cone vendor. Whenever the truck comes around, it pretty much is like a party in our parking lot. You will be dazzled by their bold and delicious flavors, and best of all, it is FREE!

The Kona Ice truck will be in our Swansea office on Wednesday, June 19th from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and our Glen Carbon office on Thursday, June 20^th from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.!

Listen up, patients! If you don a Hawaiian shirt or Hawaiian attire when you get your free Kona Ice, you will also have the chance to earn extra nickels! Remember, this event is free to anyone in the nearby community!

So what do you need to do to get your free Kona Ice? Simply come into our office for a ticket. That is all! Once you have a ticket, you can visit the truck in our parking lot for a tasty Kona Ice snow cone. Simple, right?

Let’s ring in the summer in a fun way with Mastroianni Orthodontics and Kona Ice! We really hope we see you there!

What Does Your Rubber Band Color Choice Say About You?

One of the best parts when it comes to wearing braces is having the ability to choose the colors you want for your rubber bands. It puts smiles on our patients’ faces when they are able to choose different colors for their rubber bands and makes them feel like they are making a statement or expressing their creativity.

Whenever you do get braces, we place elastic bands called ligatures over each bracket of your braces in order to secure the archwire. You have the option of choosing the color or colors of your choice in the elastics, which are typically changed monthly. These colors can be the same color or different combinations of colors. In fact, if you really wanted to do so, you could place an entire rainbow over your teeth with these elastics!

It is not uncommon to see children and teenagers select certain combinations of colors or just one
 color in general. Many of our patients opt for the colors of the school they attend, the colors of their favorite sports team, or colors that reflect relevant holidays or coordinate with their outfits. Others still select one color to match their personality and to make a bold statement. But what do these colors say about them?

If you are having a difficult time selecting the color you want for your elastics (or if you are simply curious!), then check out what your rubber band color selection says about you!

Red – Red is an energetic, passionate color. It tells people that you are ready for action and are not afraid to take charge in your life. It is inspirational and ambitious, just like your personality! Red also covers a lot of different emotions – lighter hues of red can signify love and romance while darker tints of red signify aggression and anger.

Orange – You are an optimist person who loves to socialize! You have high energy and love to keep your communication open. It would not be unusual to see you chatting online with five or so other people and multi-tasking.

Yellow – Selecting yellow shows the world that you are a happy, lively person! You are a bright ray of sunshine in many of your friends’ lives and love to look at the bright side of life!

Green – You are a balanced, thoughtful person who looks for opportunities to grow mentally and spiritually. You enjoy are a very intellectual, artistic person who loves a challenge. You also enjoy being outdoors and love animals.

Blue – You are cool as a cucumber and love to relax. Blue evokes a feeling of serenity and integrity, and you could not be happier with your color selection. You are kind, smart, and a loyal friend.

Purple – Get on your thinking cap, because this color really makes shows your creative side! You love using your imagination and seek out different solutions to the challenges and difficulties you face every day.

Pink – Pink is a romantic color and shows that you have a caring, happy personality. You love to have fun and laugh a lot with your friends.

If you are an adult and do not wish to showcase your personality in color bands, there is no need to worry! We have plenty of subtle colors for you to choose from, too! If all else, fails you can also opt for Invisalign!

Interested in getting braces? Want to make an appointment? Call us today at (618) 288-0600 in Glen Carbon or at (618) 622-3377 in Swansea! You can also check us out online at www.amazingsmiles.com.

Let Invisalign Complete Your Prom Night or Wedding Day!

With the fresh arrival of the spring season comes not only lush green grass, warmer weather, and colorful flower blooms, but also important impending dates such as Prom Night and one’s wedding day. When attending or participating in a wedding or prom, you will have so many different questions to answer – Which dress is the one for you? Which color or colors do you want to wear that day? What will you want your hair to look like?

One receiving orthodontic treatment might be experiencing a bit of anxiety thinking about big dates like prom or one’s wedding day, not out of fear of tripping in front of a large crowd of people, but more than likely out of the fear of smiling for photos because of your wire braces. You might even be contemplating the possibility of leaving your retainer at home for the event, just so you feel less self-conscious.

Don’t worry; it does not need to be that problematic at all! Whether you are saying, “I do,” to the one you love or preparing to have a great night with your friends at prom, Invisalign is the perfect accessory for you on your big day!

An increasingly popular treatment here at Mastroianni Orthodontics, Invisalign provides options to patients of all kinds to help them obtain straight, healthy teeth stealthily! While traditional wire braces are still a great, viable choice to make when it comes to straightening your teeth, they can become difficult in times of flossing and eating certain foods, let alone being restricted from consuming certain types of food. Invisalign, however, allows its users to remove their aligners, allowing them to eat nearly anything without worrying about damaging or breaking their braces!

Not only will you be able to eat certain foods with relative ease when you use Invisalign, but you will also feel more confident when you wear your Invisalign aligners! No longer will you have to fear the camera; you can flash that dazzling smile of yours fearlessly AND still have straight, healthy teeth! And yes, you can have that beautiful, delicious cake of yours and eat it, too, on your wedding day.

And it does not have to stop there. Invisalign is available for everyone from the bride and groom, Prom King and Queen, the Maid of Honor or Best Man, attendees, the mother of the bride, and everyone in between!

There are many advantages to using this new system, and we would love to have an opportunity to discuss it further with you! Our consultations are complimentary, and you will learn the ins and outs of Invisalign and see if it is the right choice for you!

Want to straighten your teeth without losing your self-confidence, even on your wedding day or your prom night? No sweat! Just call us here at Mastroianni Orthodontics at (618) 288-0600 in Glen Carbon or (618) 622-3377 or visit us online at www.amazingsmiles.com for more information or to make an appointment!

April is National Facial Protection Month – Learn How You Can Protect Your Mouth!

During the month of April, you have more than likely seen people walking around more and more in their favorite sports jerseys, shirts, and gear in support of their favorite professional or amateur baseball team, hockey team, or any other team they support. In fact, many children, teenagers, and adults alike are also gearing up for the beginning of their spring sports teams, itching once more to start playing with their teams professionally or just for fun.

April is National Facial Protection Month, and this month Dr. Jeff wants to remind athletes, parents, and coaches alike to not forget one very important part of their uniform when heading out to play sports this year – your mouthguard!

If you believe that mouthguards are overrated, we urge you to take a look at some of the disconcerting statistics that we have discovered. According to the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than half of the 7 million sports-related injuries that are estimated to occur this year, both professional and recreational, will involve children as young as 5 years old. The National Youth Sports Safety Foundation has also discovered that athletes who do not wear a mouthguard are 60 times more likely to damage their teeth. Perhaps more frightening than that is the fact that 84% of children do not wear mouthguards when playing organized sports because they are not required to wear them, even though helmets and shoulder pads might be required.

There is no need to worry about these statistics if you are an athlete, however. You just need to do one simple thing before stepping out into the field – put on your mouthguard! Oftentimes less expensive than other standard equipment needed for sports, mouthguards are essential to help in preventing any facial injuries you might experience, including broken braces and loose or broken teeth.

We also want to encourage you to protect your other vital parts of your body! In addition to wearing your mouthguard, please do not forget to wear your helmet and also protective eyewear to help you see and to help prevent any permanent damage from occurring.

If an accident has occurred whether you were wearing your mouthguard or not and you have loose or broken braces or teeth, please come in to see us or call us at (618) 288-0600 in Glen Carbon or (618) 622-3377 in Swansea. Feel free also to stop by and ask us more about mouthguards or to make an appointment to see Dr. Jeff!

Remember to play it safe on the field, protect your teeth, and enjoy yourself!

Want a White, Healthy Smile? 6 Tips to Naturally Obtain a White Smile

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A bright white smile is highly desirable in our society these days. All around you are commercials and advertisements of a smiling young man or woman with white teeth trying to sell a certain product. We see friends and neighbors smile with a bedazzling set of pearly whites and maybe even find ourselves thinking, “I’d give anything to have teeth as white as him or her!”

If you find yourself wishing you had whiter teeth, then I have 6 tips for you to help you naturally obtain that white, bright smile you have been dreaming of having. Check out my tips below!

Avoid Dark Liquids – There are certain liquids that will stain your teeth over time, namely, dark liquids. To maintain a beautiful white smile, avoid drinking red wine, black tea, dark cola, dark gravy, and dark juices. Remember, if it’s dark before it goes into your mouth, they will more than likely stain your teeth!

Eat Crunchy, Crispy Foods – I am not talking about those delicious potato chips you love here! Crunchy, crispy fruits and vegetables have an abrasiveness that can help lift stains from your teeth. Try eating healthy, crunchy foods like apples, celery, and carrots to help “clean” your tooth surface without posing any harm to your delicate, irreplaceable enamel.

Chew Sugar-Free Gum with Xylitol – Gum lovers, rejoice! Chewing sugar-free gum can help you obtain and maintain a whiter smile! Just make sure that the gum has xylitol, a natural sweetener that can help prevent plaque. Xylitol will also neutralize the pH levels in your mouth and increase your saliva production, which naturally cleans your mouth.

Brush Your Teeth At Least Twice a Day – This might seem like a no-brainer, but it still needs to be stated! You technically should brush after every meal, but the minimum stands at twice every day. The most ideal times to brush are first thing in the morning and right before you go to bed at night because saliva dries up at night, allowing bacteria to build up in your mouth as you sleep.

Floss Every Day – Hand in hand with brushing, you should strongly consider flossing every single day for a healthier, whiter smile. Many people underestimate how much staining can occur in between your teeth. Flossing can remove much of the staining that occurs between your teeth along with plaque buildup. If you find yourself less likely to floss at home, try placing small flossing boxes in your desk at work, in the bathroom, in your car, or even in your nightstand!

Drink With a Straw – To avoid as many stains as possible when drinking a beverage, remember to use a straw instead of allowing the liquid to slide over your teeth. Remember, the less contact potentially damaging substances have with your teeth, the better and the whiter they will be!

Want more tips? Need to book an appointment? Just call my office at (618) 288-0600 or visit online at www.amazingsmiles.com! Your new amazing smile is waiting for you!

Want Clear Braces? You Can With Invisalign!

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Do you hate smiling because your teeth are not straight yet think that you are just too old for traditional metal braces? You are never too old for braces or for a straighter smile but if you do not want metal braces, there is an alternative - Invisalign!

Invisalign aligners are comfortable, smooth, and nearly invisible plastic trays that stealthily straighten your teeth. They are a series of aligners that are designed specifically for you! With these aligners your teeth will gradually start to shift to the correct position based on the schedule your orthodontist has planned out for you.

With Invisalign there are no metal brackets or wires that need tightened. This helps reduce the amount of time you must spend in our office while giving you more time to do more of what you love. All you have to do is pop in your new set every two weeks or whenever your orthodontist tells you to, and you will be on your way to obtaining a straight and beautiful smile!

Don’t get too comfortable, though - office visits are definitely not a thing of the past! Every 10 weeks you must come visit your favorite orthodontist (Dr. Jeff, of course) so he can make sure your teeth are moving the way they are supposed to and to give you your next sets of aligners!

So why Invisalign? Besides being able to stealthily straighten your teeth, one very big key point of wearing Invisalign is that you can brush and floss your teeth normally so you can clean better and more fully without having to spend more time and effort to achieve it.

One other big advantage deals with what you can and cannot eat. Traditional braces limit what you can eat; when wearing traditional braces, you will have to bid a temporary farewell to hard, sticky, and crunchy foods like pretzels, corn on the cob, chips, popcorn, apples and other similar foods. Unlike traditional braces, Invisalign does not have the same restriction since you take them out to eat. However, you are advised to avoid consuming dark colored liquids and soda while you are wearing your Invisalign as the liquids may cause stains and cavities.

Please do remember that just because your Invisaligns can come off doesn’t mean you get a constant reprieve from them! You will need to keep them in as long as possible, up to 20 to 22 hours each day, so that your teeth are aligning correctly.

Invisalign is a modern approach to braces. To find out if Invisalign is right for you, go to http://www.invisalign.com/Pages/Smile-Assessment.aspx and take the smile assessment. You can also call us at (618) 288-0600 or visit us online at www.amazingsmiles.com. Let us help you find the best treatment option to help you get that beautiful, straight smile you have been dreaming of all this time!

Look Out, Kansas City! Dr. Jeff Is Heading Your Way Soon!

When you think of Kansas City, Missouri, usually you will picture a sprawling city full of fun things to do, Kauffman Stadium, and, of course, those gorgeous fountains. When we think of Kansas City, we think of Invisalign!

Pretty soon, Dr. Jeff will be coming to Kansas City to be one of five keynote speakers for the upcoming Regional Invisalign Expo at Westin Kansas City at Crown Center! The expo, which is for orthodontists only, will be held on Friday, May 17, and Dr. Jeff will be discussing how orthodontists can improve their outcomes, increase their confidence, and serve their patients by using Invisalign Teen on non-adult patients.

Dr. Jeff aims to show other doctors how they can reach their treatment goals by using Invisalign Teen on non-adult patients and how patients will see improved results on their treatments.

So who all is going to this expo to hear Dr. Jeff and four other hand-chosen speakers? This event is THE expo to go to for all orthodontists in the Midwest. Orthodontists from Oklahoma to Michigan and everywhere in between are invited to attend and learn from the best.

He won’t be speaking alone either. The other doctors leading discussions at the expo include Dr. Kent Hall of Duncan, Oklahoma, Dr. Kyle Childers from Benton, Illinois, Dr. Anil Idiculla from Denver, Colorado, and Dr. Brian Amy of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. All 5 doctors practice in the Midwest, are Elite Preferred Providers, Designated Invisalign Teen Providers, and own Itero digital impression scanners.

So why was Dr. Jeff chosen to speak at this expo? He was picked because of his dedication to his patients, his excellent work that he does every day here at Mastroianni Orthodontics, and his unquenchable thirst to further his education, especially in the realm of Invisalign and Itero. Besides, who could be bored when Dr. Jeff tells a good story?

Remember, Dr. Jeff will be going to Kansas City on May 17 to tell his story to his fellow orthodontists, so be sure to stop in sometime beforehand to wish him luck and congratulate him on this awesome achievement!