October Is National Orthodontic Health Month!

The weather is cooling own and Halloween is right around the corner. But did you know that it's also National Orthodontic Health Month? National Orthodontic Health Month is to raise awareness of good oral health – straight teeth and a healthy bite! It is also a time when we make our patients wearing braces aware that it is scary to eat a lot of the treats around, because they can break braces off, and delay your orthodontic treatment.

 

Halloween Can Be a Spooky Time for Your Teeth 

During the Halloween season, there are many snack temptations, which should be avoided if you're wearing braces, Invisalign clear aligners or another type of orthodontic appliance. This is because snacks that are chewy, crunchy, hard and sticky can damage your braces. 

The below treats should be avoided, as these hard snacks can easily damage or break your braces:

• caramel or candy apples

• gum

• hard or chewy candies

• jaw breaker

• jellybeans

• jolly ranchers

• licorice

• nerds

• nuts

• popcorn

• skittles

• taco chips

• taffy

• un-popped kernels of popcorn

What You Can Enjoy During the Haunting Halloween Season 

While the list of the snacks you should avoid eating when you're wearing braces may seem long, there are some snacks you can enjoy which include soft chocolates, peanut butter cups, ice cream, popsicles and pudding. 

We'd like to remind our patients and their parents that sweet snacks should be consumed with some moderation. While it may be tempting to grab another handful of treats from your Halloween bag or bowl, try to resist the temptation, as too much sugar is not good for your teeth or your body. Parents should consider limiting the time they allow their children to eat Halloween candy regardless if they're in orthodontic treatment or not. 

Brush and Floss Your Ghoulish Grin Well 

Brushing and flossing your teeth well is more important than ever during the Halloween season. This is because your teeth may be more exposed to cavity-causing sweet snacks during this time of the year.  When you're wearing braces, it's important to spend a few minutes extra brushing and flossing your teeth to be sure you thoroughly clean those hard-to-reach areas around your brackets and wires. 

We wish all of our patients in Bakersfield, Tehachapi and the rest of Kern County a hauntingly, happy Halloween and want our patients wearing braces to have just as much fun as their friends who aren't in orthodontic treatment! If you have any questions about what foods you should avoid and what you can enjoy while wearing braces, give us a call, as we're always available to speak with you! 

Tadej Orthodontics

8625 Liberty Park Drive, Suite 101

Bakersfield, CA 93311

Phone: (661) 322-2263

http://www.TadejOrthodontics.com

Making It Fun For Our Young Patients Not Yet Ready for Orthodontic Treatment

Dr. Gerald Tadej and his friendly staff believe that kids should feel relaxed and comfortable when they come to our Bakersfield orthodontic office. Every child should enjoy their orthodontic visits with Dr. Tadej who is by the way, an outstanding orthodontist who's great with kids because he's a father of three himself! While the team at our Kern County orthodontic practice takes our work very seriously, we pride ourselves on delivering orthodontic treatment in a fun way that kids love! 

Tadej Orthodontics Kids Club

Our Kids Club is for our young patients that Dr. Tadej feels are not ready to begin orthodontic treatment or braces. Just as you see your general dentist regularly for cleanings and check-ups, Dr. Tadej believes that children can benefit from regular orthodontic check-ups. These check-ups enable our orthodontist to monitor and measure facial growth. They also help ensure that baby teeth come out on time and that permanent teeth are able to grow into proper position (to minimize more extensive and lengthy treatment at a later age). 

When your child becomes a member of our Kids Club, he or she will get a Kids Club Smiles Reward Card that can be used to earn points that are redeemable for some really awesome prizes. 

Some of the things your child can do to earn additional points are: 

• Come on time for scheduled appointments

• Brushing teeth after every meal and flossing at least once per day

• Visiting your regular dentist 2 times a year for check-ups and cleanings and then bringing us a certificate signed by your dentist or hygienist 

• Referring friends and family to our office for an examination

• Liking us on Facebook 

Our young patients (and their parents) love our Kids Club and we're sure your child will too! We treat all of our young patients like family when they come to our practice! If you are in Bakersfield, Tehachapi or the surrounding communities of Kern County and would you'd like to learn more about our Kids Club or wish to schedule an appointment for your child's next visit, give us a call at (661) 322-2263. We're always happy to answer your questions and look forward to seeing you and your child soon! 

Tadej Orthodontics

8625 Liberty Park Drive, Suite 101

Bakersfield, CA 93311

Phone: (661) 322-2263

http://www.TadejOrthodontics.com

Importance of Using Mouth Guards in Sports

Young people of all ages are heading back to the classroom to begin the brand new school year! That's why the team at Tadej Orthodontics, your leading Bakersfield, Tehachapi and Kern County orthodontist office would like to remind our young patients and their parents about how important it is to wear a mouth guard when participating in sports of all types.

 

Mouth Guards: For Contact and Non-Contact Sports of All Types

Regardless if you spend your free time on the basketball court, soccer field or love skateboarding and

biking, injuries to your face in and can do great harm to your teeth, lips, cheeks and tongue. But when you're wearing a properly fitted mouth guard, you can protect your teeth and smile. It's common to see mouth guards being worn in football, lacrosse, ice hockey and boxing but mouth guards also protect teeth when playing non-contact sports such as gymnastics. It's a wise idea to wear a mouth guard anytime you're taking part in an activity that may pose a risk of injury to the mouth.

Mouth Guards for Braces

When you're wearing braces on your teeth and you're active in sports, it's important that you wear a braces from damage and injury. Just one blow to the face could damage the brackets on your braces as well as do injury to your cheeks, lips and teeth.

There are mouth guards made just for people with braces. While you can find these for sale locally at some pharmacies, Dr. Tadej provides them to all of our patients at no charge!

 

Custom Mouth Guards Provide the Best Protection

Dr. Tadej agrees that a custom mouth guard provides superior protection against injury to the mouth and teeth. A smart investment after orthodontic treatment is to have your dentist select and make the right mouth guard for you. A good quality mouth guard will be easy to clean and it won't restrict your speech or breathing.

It can cost thousands of dollars to treat a sport-related dental injury which makes wearing a custom mouth guard a very good investment. When you're wearing a quality mouth guard during both practice sessions and real games you will be providing your teeth, gums, lips and tongue with a high level of protection against blows to the face and mouth regardless if you're playing fast-pitch softball or lacrosse.

Our Kern County orthodontic team's main concern is the welfare and health of our patients. There is a growing awareness among youngsters and their parents about just how important it is to wear mouth guards when being active in sports of all types. We hope that our school-aged patients and their parents will come to view their mouth guards as important pieces of sporting equipment that can go far in preventing injuries of which many can be very serious.

We wish all our school-aged patients the best of luck in the upcoming 2013-14 school year! Have fun and play safe!

Tadej Orthodontics 

8625 Liberty Park Drive, Suite 101

Bakersfield, CA 93311 

Phone: (661) 322-2263

http://www.TadejOrthodontics.com

Our Patient Appreciation Movie Party Was So Much Fun!

The team here at Tadej Orthodontics, your leading Bakersfield orthodontist office truly want our patients to enjoy their experience with us. Of course, we take our work seriously but we enjoy doing it in a way that's fun for those we serve! We want each of our patients to look forward to coming to see us and to feel relaxed and comfortable with the treatment they receive.

We recently hosted a Patient Appreciation Movie Party! A private viewing of Monsters University, and it was a fantastic fun time for everyone who attended! We filled three entire movie theaters with nearly 900 patients, family and friends to watch Monsters University, the hilariously funny animated film starring the character voices of Billy Crystal, John Goodman and Helen Mirren. Everyone who attended had an awesome time!

We had donuts for the crowd, Monsters University temporary tattoos and loads of fun in line before we all headed into the theater. We also had a T-shirt toss in each theater and 150 lucky people caught them! It was truly a great time and everyone enjoyed themselves immensely including us! The staff here at Tadej Orthodontics would like to send out a big thank you to all our awesome patients, friends and family who showed up for the party!

Why We're Not Just any Bakersfield Orthodontic Practice!

We're a team of energetic and caring individuals who are 100% committed to our patients and to providing each one with world-class customer service the Tadej Orthodontics way! At our practice, we go out of our way to make your experience with us a remarkable one. Among a few of the great things we offer our patients, are our Remove-A-Palooza party days. We celebrate when our patients get their braces off. We also have a video game arcade for our patients, well as a fun play list of music to enjoy while visiting us.

Tadej Orthodontics Patient Perks

We give Tadej Orthodontics office logo T-shirts with all starting appointments, we have a beverage bar stocked with hot and cold drinks and offer Smile Rewards Cards. Our patients can earn points that can be redeemed for cool prizes! There's wireless Internet connection available in our office for everyone to use and we've got plenty of parking available outside our modern building.

Call Us Today!

We proudly provide our outstanding orthodontic care to patients living in and around Bakersfield, CA. We also serve patients living in Tehachapi and the surrounding communities of Kern County, CA. If you happen to be looking for a Tehachapi orthodontist, we welcome you with open arms and promise that the short drive to our Bakersfield orthodontic office will be well worth it!

We hope all our patients, friends and family are having a fantastic summer!

Tadej Orthodontics 

8625 Liberty Park Drive, Suite 101

Bakersfield, CA 93311 

Phone: (661) 322-2263

http://www.TadejOrthodontics.com

Invisalign Isn’t The Same Everywhere

Invisalign Clear Aligners

The innovative Invisalign System has changed the way people look at having their teeth straightened. Instead of wearing brackets and wires, today many orthodontic patients have the opportunity to wear smooth, clear, removable Invisalign aligners, which gradually move the teeth into the desired position. Invisalign aligners are designed to move the teeth in small steps to the desired final position.

Is All Invisalign the Same?

No… just like with braces, how well your smile looks and teeth fit after treatment depends on who plans and supervises your orthodontic treatment.

Invisalign is a brand of clear, virtually invisible plastic aligners that are a modern approach to tooth straightening. After the doctor plans your treatment, the series of aligners are made for you and only you. Wearing them will gradually and gently shift your teeth into place, based on the exact movements your doctor plans for you.

The prescription is part of the advanced treatment planning process, where your doctor plans how each set of aligners will move your teeth to ensure not only straight teeth, but a stable, healthy bite that will last a lifetime.

The first step in our office is a digital impression. This is accomplished by taking multiple pictures of the tooth surfaces with a camera the size of an electrical tooth brush. The computer turns theses individual pictures into a 3-D image that is sent to the Invisalign Lab, where the aligners are manufactured to match the doctor’s prescribed treatment plan.

Invisalign is an alternative to braces that can be used to treat most Teens and Adults. Some parents are concerned with compliance issues. “Invisalign Teen” comes with built in compliance indicators. You and your doctor will be able to tell if your teen is wearing them as instructed.

Why an Orthodontist is Better Than a General Dentist for Invisalign Treatment

One important fact people who may be interested in having their teeth straightened should know is that not all Invisalign treatment is the same. While there are many general dentists who fit patients with braces and the Invisalign system, an orthodontist with many years of experience treating patients possesses the specialized orthodontic training necessary to successfully correct an orthodontic issue. This is because an orthodontist has accumulated a vast amount of knowledge and experience by practicing orthodontics and only orthodontics every day. A general dentist on the other hand spends most of his or her time practicing general dentistry with minimal professional focus being put on moving teeth accurately for the best possible results.

Invisalign By An Orthodontist Is Best

Whether you're an adult thinking of having your teeth straightened or are interested in finding out if Invisalign Teen is right for your child, you should seek out Invisalign treatment that is provided by an orthodontist because this type of dental specialist is experienced in tooth movement. In short, orthodontists are dental specialists who possess superior experience, training, knowledge and skill just as surgeons are medical specialists people entrust their lives to in extreme situations of life and death.

We use the Revolutionary iOC 3D Digital Scanner

We are very proud to offer orthodontic excellence at our Bakersfield, CA orthodontic office. Among the latest technological advances we use is the iOC 3D digital scanner. With this piece of technology, Dr. Tadej can digitally capture the exact contours of your teeth by simply waving a wand over them. These 'digital impressions' are the most effective way to place Invisalign (and braces) on our patients' teeth.

The impressions of the teeth taken with the iOC are digitally perfect which helps us better plan your Invisalign or Invisalign Teen treatment. You don't have to sit through uncomfortable, messy impressions as you simply lay back and relax while we spend a few short minutes taking easy and painless digital scans of your teeth.

If you'd like to find out if Invisalign or Invisalign Teen is right for you or your child, contact our Bakersfield orthodontist office via telephone or email to set up an appointment time. Dr. Gerald Tadej is a Premier Preferred Provider of Invisalign and has many years worth of experience treating the orthodontic needs of children, teens and adults. Our team is proud to provide you and your family with personalized attention and orthodontic excellence!




Tadej Orthodontics
8625 Liberty Park Drive, Suite 101
Bakersfield, CA 93311
Phone: (661) 322-2263
http://www.TadejOrthodontics.com  

How Does Orthodontic Insurance Work at Tadej Orthodontics

Dr. Gerald Tadej and the team at Tadej Orthodontics go to great lengths to ensure that your experience with us is a pleasant one. The treatment that Dr. Tadej provides is outstanding as is the care and service provided by our friendly and professional staff. We strive to make your experience positive from the high standard of treatment we provide to the billing process. We are 100% dedicated to providing you and your family with the best orthodontic care possible, at the best value.

We Accept all Types of Insurance
We accept all valid forms of dental insurance and will closely work with you to maximize your benefits. Even if our practice is not on your insurance’s list, it doesn’t mean you cannot choose us to be your orthodontic provider. Most orthodontic benefits are the same whether you go “in” or “out” of network. It is typically a lifetime orthodontic maximum benefit that will be paid regardless of network.

Monica, our Financial Coordinator, with Dr. Tadej since 2000, has the experience to ensure you’re taken care of. She works with both you and your insurance provider to be sure you receive the maximum benefits available to you through your plan. She also does all of the paperwork for you. She is happy to answer any questions you may have about your insurance coverage, and even check on your benefits for you.

Why We're a Top Bakersfield Orthodontic Office
We know that there are other orthodontic practices to choose from, that's why we strive to go the extra mile in providing our patients with more than the average practice. Dr. Gerald P. Tadej, a specialist in orthodontics, and has over 20 years of clinical experience treating patients of all ages. He is in the office full time, lives in Bakersfield, and is always available for emergency care.

Our team consists of highly trained individuals who provide our patients with personal attention and orthodontic excellence. All of our clinical assistants are fully licensed. Every member of the Tadej Orthodontics team is friendly, warm and committed to maintaining a high standard of service and care. We are proud to give patients beautiful smiles and excellent finished results that will last a lifetime!

We use the latest, most advanced and safest technologies including digital impression scanning and digital x-rays. All of our patients are seen within 5 minutes of their appointment time and “comfort visits” are available every day for anything that is not feeling just right.

We take a team approach to orthodontics with each of our patients being a member of the team. We use coaching and rewards for good cooperation with treatment, and we provide our patients with great prizes in our Smile Rewards program.

These are just a few of the many reasons we're the top Bakersfield orthodontic office. We continually strive to provide our patients with Invisalign treatment, orthodontic care and services that are second to none. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us at (661) 322-2263 or through our email address at info@tadejorthodontics.com.

February is National Children's Dental Health Month

Dr. Gerald Tadej and his team of professionals at Tadej Orthodontics would like to take this opportunity to remind our patients and their families that February is National Children's Dental Health Month. During this month, dental and orthodontic professionals across the country have been busy increasing awareness about the importance of good dental health in children by sharing information and tips with families about how to ensure that children’s smiles are as healthy as possible through preventative dentistry measures. This month is a great time to offer parents advice to help them teach their children about the importance of taking good care of the smiles so that they have long-lasting, healthy smiles throughout their lives.

In honor of this important month, Dr. Tadej would like to tell parents that now is a great time to bring your child in for an orthodontic exam. This way, if there is an issue that needs attention, we can identify it and then develop an appropriate treatment plan that can begin now or later when the time is more optimal. Dr. Tadej is specially trained to spot subtle problems with jaw growth and emerging teeth while some baby teeth are still present.

Importance of Early Orthodontic Treatment

The American Association of Orthodontists or AAO recommends that children receive their first orthodontic visit by age 7. This is because by this age, an orthodontist can identify any problems, which may be present with the jaws or teeth. Early treatment can prevent or intercept more serious problems from developing and may make treatment at an older age shorter and less costly. And, in some cases, the orthodontist can achieve results, which may not be possible once the face and jaws have finished growing.

Waiting until your child has all of his or her permanent teeth or until his or her facial growth is nearly complete may make the correction of some problems more difficult to treat. And, even though your child's teeth may look straight to you, there could be problems present that only an orthodontist can detect. Of course, the examination could show that your child's teeth and bite are fine and if that's the case, it's great news indeed!

Here are 7 Warning Signs to watch For in Children 7 Years of Age Which May Indicate that Orthodontic Treatment is Necessary:

Protruding upper teeth is the most common orthodontic problem.

A deep bite wherein the upper front teeth cover the lower front teeth too much.

An underbite wherein the two upper teeth fit inside the arch of the lower teeth.

An open bite wherein the child can stick his/her tongue between the upper and lower front teeth when the back teeth are together.

Crowded and overlapped teeth or noticeably large gaps between teeth.

Misaligned front teeth.

Crossbite wherein the upper back teeth fit inside rather than outside the lower teeth.

If you notice any of the above in your child, please feel free to call our office to schedule an appointment with us. Dr. Tadej will provide your child with a comprehensive examination to see if there is a problem that orthodontic treatment can address.

Children Currently In Braces
For kids currently wearing braces, brushing and flossing can require extra time and effort to remove food particles that accrue on and between your teeth and braces. If you ignore your oral health during your treatment, the results can be significantly compromised. We are happy to explain why effective brushing and flossing is so critical during orthodontic treatment. If you have any questions, please feel free to give us a call or ask us at your next adjustment appointment!

Our office is proud to help patients in the surrounding areas of Kern County including Bakersfield, Tehachapi, Taft, Delano, Wasco and Shafter, CA.

Tadej Orthodontics
8625 Liberty Park Drive, Suite 101
Bakersfield, CA 93311
Phone: (661) 322-2263

http://www.tadejorthodontics.com

Tehachapi Orthodontist – Why Tadej Orthodontics Is The Best In Kern County

At Tadej Orthodontics, we put a focus on providing patients with personal attention and orthodontic excellence. Our state-of-the-art office is conveniently located near The Marketplace in beautiful Bakersfield, California at 8625 Liberty Park Drive, which is just a short drive from Tehachapi.

A leading reason for a resident of Tehachapi to consider making the trip to Bakersfield for orthodontic treatment and care is because of our great doctor. Dr. Gerald Tadej is a highly experienced orthodontist. As a demonstration of Dr. Tadej's pursuit of continued proficiency and excellence, after dental school he completed a 2-year university accredited residency program where he studied orthodontics exclusively. Dr. Tadej stays abreast of developments and advances within orthodontics by adhering to a strict continuing education schedule each year.

We Offer the Latest Braces

We make the drive from Tehachapi, CA worth it by offering our patients the latest, most popular braces and several treatment options. We use In-Ovation-C and In-Ovation-R self-ligating brackets, which feature an interactive clip. This is a revolutionary system of braces that results in shortened treatment time and less trips to the orthodontist. When you are wearing In-Ovation, you have braces that look great and which are smaller for more comfortable wear.

We are also a proud provider of the Invisalign System, which is another revolutionary way to improve your smile. With Invisalign, a series of clear, custom made removable aligners is used to gradually move teeth into place. The Invisalign Teen we use is designed for teenagers who lead busy lifestyles. These aligners features an inconspicuous 'Blue Dot' wear indicator which tells your teen when it's time to move on to the next set of aligners.

We're Kern County's Only Provider of 3D, Virtual Dental Teeth Impressions

We are confident that you will agree that making us your Tehachapi, CA orthodontist is a great idea when you learn that we are the only orthodontist office in Kern County to use the revolutionary 3D Dental Teeth Scanner. With this device, Dr. Tadej can digitally capture the exact contours of your teeth by simply waving a wand over them. That means no more messy goop or uncomfortable impressions. This digitally perfect technology allows us to better plan for your optimal orthodontic treatment.

Personalized Treatment for Every Patient

When you make us your Tehachapi, CA orthodontist office, you will receive personalized treatment and will become a part of our orthodontic family. Every one of our patients sees Dr. Tadej at each visit. Many other practices don't do this as patients are often seen by assistants or staff doctors. Our team members are warm, friendly and highly trained. In fact, they have over 70 years of combined experience. You can rest assured knowing that Dr. Tadej or one of our Registered Dental Assistants is always on call after hours to handle emergencies.

Service That Goes Above and Beyond

Our Bakersfield, CA orthodontic office features a tooth brushing station with all the necessary supplies so you don't have to bring your own. We offer free WiFi in our reception room for your convenience. We run regular motivational contests with great prizes to reward patient involvement and cooperation so that our patients remain excited about their treatment.

Local Involvement

Tadej Orthodontics provides scholarships to several Tehachapi sports teams. We also participate in events sponsored by Tehachapi schools that many of our patients attend. We are involved with dental education in local schools because we want to help children learn how to properly care for their teeth and smiles from a young age.

True Value

Once a patient's braces are put on, we give them an in-home care kit that contains an electric toothbrush, floss, wax, fluoride rinse, specialized cleaning brushes, etc. as well as sports and musical instrument mouth guards. We provide very flexible financing options; we accept insurance assignment and all major credit cards. We also offer 0% financing and Auto/Easy payments so that your orthodontic treatment is simple and affordable.

If you would like to schedule an appointment with us, give our office a call at (661) 322-2263. We will then send you a New Patient Welcome Packet, which contains a letter about Dr. Tadej and our office, a health history form, patient information form and a map with directions to our office. We want to become your premier Tehachapi CA orthodontic office and we promise to make you feel very welcome the second you step foot inside our office.