Taking care of the oral health of our younger patients in Bakersfield, in Kern County!
Tadej Orthodontics wants to help make sure that children everywhere can have a smile that they can be proud of, which is why we’re so excited that February is National Children’s Dental Health
Month. While you might already be perfectly aware of how important good oral hygiene is, your child might not. February is the perfect month for you to teach them about oral hygiene while we educate you about Children’s Dental Health Month.
Why is Children’s Dental Health So Important?
Tooth decay is a prevalent chronic disease, even though it’s a disease that can be prevented. Nearly 50 percent of children who are between two and 11 have had cavities in their baby teeth. Even though the overall occurrence of tooth decay has decreased in the last several decades, the occurrence has actually increased in preschool children.
Our team, and our tooth fairy spend February visiting many schools to teach about good oral hygiene, healthy foods and braces.
The Tooth Fairy
Our Registered Dental Assistants
Celebrating Smiles
During National Children’s Dental Health Month, parents and children are encouraged to brush their teeth together twice a day for two minutes each time. Parents are further urged to read for twenty minutes a day about oral health, the tooth fairy, visits to the dentist and orthodontist.
By teaching kids about the importance of dental health early, you’re sure to set a good foundation that will stay with them and their teeth for the rest of their lives.
Dr. Gerald Tadej specializes in quality orthodontic care and braces for children in and around Bakersfield, Taft, Tehachapi, Delano, Shafter and Wasco in Kern County California.
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!
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
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!
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!
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!
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
At Tadej Orthodontics, we pride ourselves
on the fact that we focus on offering the latest state-of-the-art technology to
provide our patients with the best possible treatment and care. We are proud to
offer our patients several teeth straightening options including In-Ovation-C
clear braces, In-Ovation-R and the innovative and popular Invisalign system.
Our office is conveniently located in Bakersfield, but help patients in the
surrounding communities in Kern County including, Tehachapi, Delano, Wasco and
Taft.
We would like to let you know that we now
have a new 3D imaging technology, which allows us to clearly see the root of a
tooth so that we can obtain a more exact image. Keeping with our on-going
efforts to provide you with the best care possible, our practice has invested
in the Kodak 9000C 3D Panoramic and Cephalometric System.
The Kodak 9000C is the ideal and complete
diagnostic tool that blends cutting-edge, one shot cephalometric technology
with high quality panoramic imaging and CD imaging capability while using less
radiation. Using the Kodak 9000C, Dr. Tadej can provide quicker and more
accurate diagnoses, improved treatment planning and better patient care. Dr.
Tadej can view and analyze root position or poor root development, conduct bone
loss evaluations and evaluate tooth eruptions using this system.
Benefits of the Kodak 9000C
There are numerous benefits associated
with the use of the Kodak 900C including:
The ability to take high-resolution images
so the orthodontist can view teeth clearly.
Less radiation is used with the 9000C 3D
system as it focuses specifically on the area in need of diagnosis.
Comfortable positioning for our patients.
Improved patient care. This system allows
the orthodontist to perform a wide range of diagnoses, which reduces the number
of required office visits to save patients time and money.
Fast and accurate diagnosis. Acquiring an
accurate high-resolution image with the Kodak 9000C takes less than a second.
Because this system is fast, fewer retakes are needed. The Kodak 9000C is truly
an amazing device that helps us to provide our patients with perfect
orthodontic treatment.
If you would like to schedule an
appointment with us for you or your child please give our office a call. We
will then send you a “new patient welcome packet” which contains a letter about
Dr. Tadej and our office, a health history form and a map with directions to
our office. Please bring the completed form in with you to save time.
Beat together butter, sugar,
egg, almond extract and vanilla. Slowly beat in the flour, baking powder and
salt. Add drops of green food coloring to dough until you achieve a nice deep
green color.
Divide the dough into four
equal parts, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.. Take one quarter of the
dough at a time from the refrigerator. Break off one heaping teaspoonful and
roll it into a finger shape. Squeeze in around the middle of the finger to
create a knuckle shape. Then, using a butter knife, make indents in several
places to resemble a finger. Repeat with rest of dough.
Place cookies on a lightly
greased baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes - let cool. Then, squeeze
red decorating gel onto the tip of each finger and gently press an almond
sliver on top so the gel oozes out from underneath.
Remove cookies from baking
sheets and let them cool on wire racks. Then serve and enjoy!
Dr.
Gerald Tadej and his team at Tadej
Orthodontics would like to remind people that it's never too late to start orthodontic
treatment. Our office located in Bakersfield,
California, provides treatment for patients of all ages living in Bakersfield
as well as to those from Tehachapi, Delano, Taft, Shafter and the surrounding
areas of Kern County.
We receive quite a few new adult patients here at Tadej Orthodontics who
are parents of our younger patients. These adults recognize the many benefits
offered by wearing braces and therefore decide to improve their own smiles.
Adult orthodontic treatment can drastically improve your appearance and raise
your self-esteem, which can make an impact on you socially as well as
professionally. You also can improve the overall health of your teeth and gums.
Having crooked teeth, a bad bite, tooth decay, abnormal wear of the tooth
enamel and surfaces can all negatively impact your oral health so it can be
advantageous indeed to obtain adult orthodontic treatment.
The great news
for adult patients is the fact that Tadej Orthodontics offers both Innovation-C
clear braces and Invisalign
clear removable aligners, which are two low-profile orthodontic treatment
options many adult patients prefer. This is because many adults do not wish to
wear conspicuous metal braces but would rather have their teeth discreetly
straightened using these alternative treatment methods.
About Innovation-C
With
Innovation-C, there are no metal ties or elastics used. Instead a clear,
invisible bracket is used. These braces are attractive and smaller than
conventional braces, plus they offer better hygiene. When you wear Innovation-C
braces there is less pressure put on the teeth which results in a higher level
of comfort over conventional braces plus treatment time is shortened.
About Invisalign
The Invisalign system
consists of a series of clear aligners, which are designed to move your teeth
gradually in small steps to the desired final positions. Each aligner is worn
for about two weeks and can be taken out so that you can eat, brush and floss.
Considering the fact that Invisalign aligners are translucent, no one will have
to know that you are having your teeth straightened unless you wish to tell
them.
Why Adults Are Choosing To Have Their
Teeth Straightened
It is never too late to perfect your smile – just ask the increasing
number of adults who are now orthodontic patients. Today, adults make up nearly
half of all orthodontic patients who are finally getting the perfect smiles
they have always dreamed of. The days of being a “metal mouth” are over as more
lightweight, and cosmetically friendly options like Innovation-C and Invisalign
are available.
Why do so many
adults today choose to improve their smiles through orthodontic treatment? The
reasons are many. Some adults whom could not afford braces when they were
younger can afford them now. Many adults simply want a great smile, as they
know it can improve both their personal and professional lives. Most will be
quick to say that the temporary inconvenience and expense is well worth it as
they have seen their children go through the process of having their teeth
straightened and they want the same thing for themselves.
Whatever your
motivation for braces
may be, having your teeth straightened can change your life. Life is too short
not to be able to walk into a room and have a beautiful, healthy, happy smile
that makes you feel good about yourself.
If you are
unhappy with your smile and are thinking of having your teeth straightened, now
is a great time to obtain orthodontic treatment. If you would like to schedule
an appointment
with us to see if you can benefit from orthodontic treatment, give our office a
call. After your initial phone call, we will send you a “new patient welcome
packet”. It will contain a letter about Dr. Tadej and our office, a health
history form, a patient information form and a map with directions to our
office.
Dr. Gerald Tadej is a leading orthodontist located in Bakersfield, located in Kern County, CA. He is proud to offer his patients the Invisalign, clear aligner system in addition to other types of braces. While the end results may look the same – a confident and beautiful smile, Invisalign offers several advantages over other teeth straightening options. If you are interested in this modern approach to teeth straightening, here is some information about Invisalign that may help you decide if it's an option for you.
Invisalign vs. Traditional Braces
Invisalign Removable Aligners
Invisalign consists of clear, plastic aligner trays, which are designed to wear over your teeth. These aligners work by gradually and slowly shifting your teeth into place based on the exact movements Dr. Tadej plans out for you. There are no brackets or wires to tighten as you simply put in a new set of aligners every couple of weeks until your teeth are straightened – giving you the beautiful, radiant smile you have always dreamed of having. Perhaps the biggest advantage of all is the fact that most people will not even know that you are straightening your teeth, as the Invisalign system is virtually undetectable. This makes Invisalign a very popular choice for adults who wish to discreetly straighten their teeth.
Another advantage offered by Invisalign is the fact that you will spend less time in the doctor's chair, as there are no regular wire adjustments to make. This system also allows you the opportunity to view your virtual results before you begin so that you can see how your straightened teeth will look when you are finished with the treatment. This is not possible when you wear traditional braces as you can only imagine how your smile will improve.
The Invisalign system has been worn by nearly 1.5 million people the world over and that number grows daily. If you are interested in this revolutionary teeth-straightening system for yourself or your teenager, schedule an appointment with us so that Dr. Tadej can conduct an examination to determine if you or your child are a candidate.
Dr. Gerald Tadej specialized in Orthodontic care and braces in Bakersfield and the surrounding communities of Kern County, CA. Please feel free to visit our website www.TadejOrthodontics.com or to call our office for more information:
