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With spring here, many of our patients at Hawks Prairie and Olympia Orthodontics will once again pick up the ball, bring the bat out of seasonal retirement, and lace up their cleats to hit the fields for the return of spring sports! April is National Facial Protection Month, and during this time, Dr. Zach Ehrmantrout and our team 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 our Lacey or Olympia office. Stay safe and have fun!

Past and current patients have asked us at Hawks Prairie Orthodontics why we work so tirelessly to give our patients straight teeth. Of course it’s great to have a smile full of evenly-aligned teeth, but did you know that straightening your teeth at our Lacey or Olympia office can keep them healthier as well? Straight teeth lead to better oral hygiene, increasing your chances of keeping your own natural teeth for a lifetime!

Straight teeth are less prone to decay, because they collect less plaque—the sticky colorless substance that forms on our teeth and leads to tooth decay; and they are easier to keep clean!

If you’re wondering whether your teeth might cause problems because they are out of alignment, please give us a call to set up a consultation. Dr. Zach Ehrmantrout can help you decide whether or not you will benefit from orthodontic treatment.

If you recently completed treatment at Hawks Prairie Orthodontics, our entire staff would like to congratulate you! Now that your braces have been removed, Dr. Ehrmantrout will provide—or has provided you—with retainers. After braces are removed, teeth can shift out of position if they are not stabilized. Retainers provide that stabilization. They are designed to hold teeth in their corrected, ideal positions until the bones and gums adapt to the treatment changes. Wearing retainers exactly as instructed by Dr. Ehrmantrout is the best insurance that the treatment improvements last for a lifetime.

To learn more about the advantages of wearing retainers after your orthodontic treatment with Dr. Ehrmantrout, please read this helpful article about retainers from KidsHealth or give us a call!

Happy Monday!

Are you interested in straightening your teeth, but aren't interested in doing so through conventional orthodontic treatment? Dr. Ehrmantrout and our staff would like to recommend Invisalign!

Invisalign aligners are customized, clear aligners used to straighten teeth quicker and with fewer office visits than traditional braces.

Here are a couple of questions you may have:

Why would I want Invisalign?

Not only are the aligners invisible, they are removable, so you can eat and drink what you want while in treatment. Plus, brushing and flossing are no problem. They are also comfortable, with no metal to cause mouth abrasions during treatment. And no metal and wires usually means you spend less time in your doctor's office getting adjustments. Invisalign also allows you to view your own virtual treatment plan when you start so you can see how your straight teeth will look when your treatment is complete.

How does it work?

You wear each set of aligners for about 2 weeks, removing them only to eat, drink, brush, and floss. As you replace each aligner with the next in the series, your teeth will move — little by little, week by week — until they have straightened to the final position Dr. Ehrmantrout has prescribed. You'll visit Dr. Ehrmantrout- about once every 6 weeks to ensure that your treatment is progressing as planned. Total treatment time averages 9-15 months and the average number of aligners worn during treatment is between 18 and 30, but both will vary from case to case.

Call us to schedule your free initial consultation and find out if Invisalign is right for you!
Lacey 360-491-4884
Olympia 360-352-6376