Now That I Have Braces, What Can I Eat? - Dr. Mart McClellan

You just got braces and the orthodontist has informed you that over the next several months you will want to avoid eating anything sticky, hard, crunchy, or chewy. What does this leave for you to eat? Lettuce? Nothing?

Luckily, there was someone else wondering the same thing when she first got braces! Brenda Waterman, 13, decided she was going to find a way to have her cake and eat it too, so she created a variety of “braces-friendly” recipes that allow you to enjoy your favorite treats without interfering with your orthodontic care! Her cookbook, “The Braces Cookbook: Recipes you (and your Orthodontist) will Love,” gives patients a variety of delicious recipes, safe to eat with braces; plus additional tips and advice for packing lunches, what to eat at parties, and braces-friendly restaurant dishes! There’s even a section with tips for dealing with the soreness that can occur when your braces or appliance are adjusted. Enjoy the foods you love – even with braces!
Here is a delicious, sneak peek recipe from “The Braces Cookbook:”

Wonderful Waffles

Forget the recipe that came with your waffle iron – this recipe will redefine fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth goodness. The secret to delicious waffles is letting the batter "sit" for five minutes before pouring into the waffle iron. Top cooked waffles with syrup, jam, fresh fruit or even whip cream. Makes about 5 servings!

Preheat your waffle iron according to the directions. You may want to lightly spray it with vegetable oil before heating.
• 3 cups flour
• 2 Tbl + 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 Tbl sugar
• 4 cups milk
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
In a large bowl, whisk (or use electric mixer on low) together all ingredients. Let batter sit for about five minutes to activate the baking powder.

When waffle iron is ready, pour about 1/3 cup of batter onto each of the four squares (experiment with your iron – you don't want the batter overflowing). Gently close the cover and set your timer as the manufacturer suggests. Do not lift the cover while they bake. When done, carefully lift one edge with a flat spatula and pull the waffle away from the iron. Keep waffles warm on a plate under a clean dishtowel while the others bake.

Happy Holidays from McClellan Orthodontics!

It’s been a busy month, especially at McClellan Orthodontics! We’ve all had a great time this year decorating our practice and creating a fun, festive atmosphere for our patients. We would also like to thank our caring, generous patients for all of the new toys that were donated and given to the local YWCA. You have helped make the holidays a whole lot more merry for those in our community.

Our team has really gotten into the holiday spirit this December! Check out all of our great photos of Dr. McClellan, our festive staff, and our winter office decorations on our MySpace page, and be sure to add us as a friend!

We would like to wish all of our patients and their families a wonderful holiday and a happy, healthy New Year!

Good Breath Gone Bad - Dr. Mart McClellan

Bad breath can be a real downer, especially when you are out on a date with that girl or boy you’ve had a crush on all semester! However, bad breath can be prevented!

Bad breath, or as your doctor may call it “halitosis,” is caused by odor-producing bacteria that grows in your mouth. This bacteria gathers on bits of food in your mouth and between your teeth and release sulfur compounds making your breath smell. Some foods, like garlic and onions, may contribute more to bad breath because of oils the food the food releases, and smoking is also a major cause of bad breath.

There are several myths around bad breath. Here are some common myths and the truth behind it all:

Myth #1: Mouthwash will make my breath smell better

Mouthwash will make your breath smell better, but it is only a temporary fix. If you use mouthwash, just know that you will still need to brush and floss when you get the chance as mouthwash alone will not kill all of the bacteria producing germs in your mouth. When choosing a mouthwash, pick an antiseptic with plaque-reducing compounds. Also make sure any dental products you choose comes with the American Dental Association’s (ADA) seal of approval!

Myth #2: I brush my teeth; I will never have bad breath

Brushing your teeth will save you from having breath, but the truth is most people only brush their teeth for about 30-45 seconds! You need to brush your teeth for at least 2 minutes, twice a day to give your teeth a thorough cleansing. It’s also important to brush your tongue, which is where a majority of odor causing bacteria like to hang out. Lastly, flossing to remove food and plaque between the teeth will also help reduce your chances of having bad breath!

Myth #3: If I don’t smell it, then my breath is fresh

This is a false assumption in every sense of the word! The truth is that the breath you breathe out is not the same breath coming out when you talk to someone. When you breathe you are not using your throat as you do when you are talking; and when you talk more breath moves over the back of your mouth where bacteria is causing bad breath.

#1 TRUTH: Brush your teeth twice a day (for at least 2 minutes), floss at least once and visit your dentist every six months…this way your breath will always be fresh! Not letting your nerves get the best of you on your date? That’s up to you!!!

Fluoride Is Your Friend!

There are so many ways you protect your teeth throughout your orthodontic treatment. You brush your teeth twice a day, floss regularly and protect your mouth and appliances from being damaged. But did you know there is another, often forgotten about, way to keep your teeth clean and healthy during your treatment? Fluoride – a mineral that helps prevent cavities and tooth decay – can help keep your teeth strong! Fluoride comes in two varieties, topical and systemic. Topical fluoride is applied directly to the tooth. Topical fluoride includes toothpastes and mouth rinses. Systemic fluorides are swallowed in the form of a dietary supplement. Dentists and orthodontists use in-office fluoride treatments to help protect the oral health of adults and children undergoing dental/orthodontic procedures.

Fluoride used in our office is often times a stronger concentration than in toothpaste or mouthwash, but is available at some drug stores or a pharmacy (ask your doctor how to purchase professional strength fluoride). A fluoride treatment typically takes just a few minutes. After the treatment patients may be asked not to rinse, eat or drink for at least 30 minutes in order to allow the teeth to absorb the fluoride. Depending on your oral health or doctor’s recommendation, you may be required to have a fluoride treatment every three, six or 12 months. Your doctor may also prescribe a fluoride product such as mouthwashes, gels or antibacterial rinses for at-home treatment.

When choosing your own fluoride product be sure to check for the American Dental Association’s (ADA) seal of acceptance. Products marked with the ADA seal of approval have been carefully examined and have met the criteria of the ADA for safety and effectiveness. Take care of your teeth, and smile bright!

Regular Checkups Are Important!

Are you brushing your teeth twice a day? If yes, that’s great; but, don’t forget that it’s also important to visit the dentist every six months in addition to brushing your orthodontic visits. Regular dental checkups are important for maintaining good oral health. Your dentist can:

• Check for problems that might not be seen or felt
• Detect cavities and early signs of decay
• Treat oral health problems early
• Show you how to properly brush and floss your teeth

During an oral exam the doctor will 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, it’s time for you to schedule an appointment!

What's So Special About an Orthodontist?

"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. McClellan started out in dental school and earned a DDS (dental degree), just like your dentist. After dental school however, Dr. McClellan 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 here to help you through any type of treatment your teeth, jaw and gums might need?

When is Thumb-sucking a Cause for Worry?

Lots of you have asked us about whether it’s healthy for children to suck thumbs (or, less frequently, fingers). If you’ve got a thumb-sucker in the house, you are not alone. Research tells us that between 75% and 95% of infants suck their thumbs. Is this anything to worry about?

In most cases, no. Sucking is a natural reflex for an infant, and can provide security and contentment as well as relaxation for your little one. It’s a habit that most children grow out of between the ages of 2 and 4.

However, if your child keeps sucking after he’s gotten his permanent teeth, it’s time to take a closer look. If your child sucks his thumb aggressively, putting pressure on the inside of his mouth or his teeth, it could cause problems with tooth alignment and proper mouth growth. If you’re worried, give us a call at 847-251-6228 and we can help assess the situation, and provide tips for how to help your child break the habit.

Moooooooove Over Gum Disease!

Is dairy a major part of your diet? If not, it should be! A recent study from the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) has found that regular consumption of dairy products, such as milk, cheese and yogurt, can lower your chances of contracting periodontal disease (also known as gum disease).

Gum disease is caused by a bacterial infection in the mouth that affects the gums and jaw. Gum disease results in a loss of teeth and bone, and has been connected to certain cases of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, respiratory disease and osteoporosis.

Results of the study show that adults who consume at least 55 grams of lactic acid a day are less at risk for gum disease. Eating dairy is not just healthy for building strong bones, but is essential for maintaining a strong, healthy mouth. Next time you reach for a quick snack, choose some cheese, or a glass of milk, and remember with each bite, and every sip you are preserving your teeth for a lifetime of smiles and good oral health!

For more information about keeping your teeth healthy, call us at 847-251-6228 or visit www.mcclellanorthodontics.com.

Is Invisalign Really Customized for Each Patient?

Have you ever wondered - "Is Invisalign really customized just for me?" Well, that is a common question. As a matter of fact, it is, and that’s part of what makes it work. If you were a candidate for Invisalign treatment, the first thing we’d do is to take an impression of your teeth as they are now and digitize it. Using special software, we would then look at this current positioning and compare that to the ideal placement of your teeth – in other words, exactly where we would want them to end up.

Next we’d use the software to map out the exact path your teeth would take from now through the end of your treatment. Based on this precise prescription, a set of custom aligners would be created specially for your teeth. Throughout the course of treatment, you’d wear these clear, removable aligners one at a time, each one moving your teeth closer and closer to their final, perfectly aligned position. And the whole time it would be your secret, since the aligners are virtually invisible!

Dr. Mart McClellan is a certified Invisalign provider! If you have questions about Invisalign, or would like to find out if you are a candidate for Invisalign treatment, give us a call us at 847-251-6228 or feel free to email us at: info@mcclellanortho.com.

Haunting Rewards for Spooky, Sweet Treats!

Halloween is almost here, and at McClellan Orthodontics we’ll be handing out some goblin-worthy goodies to all our patients who participate in one of our frightfully fun contests! As an orthodontic patient you may be dreading Halloween with all its hard candies, chewy caramels and buckets of treats you’ve been advised not to eat. Well we don’t want you not to enjoy this Halloween so to make it up to you we are doing a candy buy-back program! Patients can bring in their Halloween candy and receive a dollar for every pound, plus an extra dollar if you show up in costume! We will be matching the dollar amount we give out and donating it to the Leukemia Society. The candy we buy back from you will be sent to our troops overseas in Iraq so they can enjoy a sweet treat on Halloween too.


In our office we have a jar filled to the top with candy corn, and it’s your job to guess how many are in the jar. The person with the closest guess wins a 50 dollar gift card to Best Buy. We’ve also got a cut out board with X-rays of our staff and Dr. McClellan. The person to match most staff members to their picture also wins a 50 dollar gift card.

We will be handing out Halloween decorated pens and necklaces with ghosts, black cats, pumpkins, bats and witches. Our office is fully decorated with a haunted game room, spiders hanging from our exam lights, and pumpkins, skulls and skeletons. We’ve turned our downstairs waiting room into a haunted graveyard with big skeleton pictures on the windows!

We invite you to stop by and visit us, bring in your candy, enter to win some prizes, and have a very safe and happy Halloween!

Are There Teeth Grinders in Your House?

Grind, grind, grind, grind. If you live with a teeth grinder, especially a night grinder, you may be familiar with this unpleasant sound. Other symptoms of teeth grinding (technically called “bruxism”) include:

• Sensitivity in the teeth

• Tightness or pain in the jaw

• Dull headaches, earaches or facial pain

• Chipped, worn down or loose teeth

Teeth grinding is typically brought on by stress; however, children will also often grind their teeth unknowingly in their sleep. Here are some ways you can try to stop the grinding:

• Find out if there might be something bothering him/her; stress may be a factor

• Take your child to see a dentist. Your dentist may prescribe a nighttime mouth guard to
prevent teeth grinding in their sleep

• Tell your child not to chew on hard object, such as pens and pencils

• At night before bed place a warm cloth on your child’s cheek to relax muscles before sleep

• Keep your child hydrated with water; dehydration can lead to teeth grinding

If grinding goes untreated it can lead to chipped teeth, worn enamel, chronic pain or even TMJ, a painful jaw disorder. So, if your child is grinding his/her teeth, contact your us for more information and “grinding” solutions. Call us at 847-251-6228 or feel free to email us at: info@mcclellanortho.com.

When Are Two Phases of Treatment Necessary?

Usually patients in orthodontic treatment already have their permanent teeth – they are pre-teens, teens and adults. But in some cases we have to start treatment earlier, even before the patient’s permanent teeth come in. We call this “two-phase treatment.”

When we have patients with clear developmental problems at an early age, it’s best to start work when they are young, before the problems get bigger and more difficult to treat. Examples include an upper or lower jaw that is not growing correctly, or a mouth growing in a way that doesn’t leave enough room for all the permanent teeth to come in, or what we call a “severe malocclusion” (the orthodontic word for “bad bite” which means the jaws don’t fit together correctly).

In these cases we will start early and do one round of treatment – phase one – while the patient still has “baby teeth.” Phase one usually does not involve braces, but can include a different type of appliance that helps the jaw grow into place properly. We’ll follow up with phase two usually a few years later, when permanent teeth are in place. Generally phase two involves standard braces.

In order to catch any early problems, we recommend that children have an orthodontic check-up no later than age seven (and so does the American Association of Orthodontics). However, if your dentist or pediatrician sees any sign that early treatment might be necessary, he or she may recommend your child visit our office even sooner.

What’s so Special About an Orthodontist Anyway?

We often find our patients wondering about the difference between an orthodontist and a dentist. Dr. Mart McClellan started out in dental school and got a DDS (dental) degree, just like your dentist. But after dental school, Dr.McClellan decided he/she wanted to learn more about orthodontics, which is one of nine specialties in the dental field. So he/she stayed in a school for a few more years to become an expert in orthodontics, which focuses on tooth and jaw alignment and bite problems such as overbites and underbites.

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

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

Why Is It So Important To Have Straight Teeth?

Some people wonder why we work so hard to give our patients straight teeth. Of course it’s nice to have a smile full of evenly aligned teeth, but did you know that straightening your teeth can keep them healthier? 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 decay – and because they are easier to keep clean. Plaque can lead to cavities and can increase the risk of gum disease.

If you’re wondering whether your teeth might cause problems because they are out of alignment, give us a call at 847-251-6228 to set up a consultation. Or, feel free to email us at: info@mcclellanortho.com. Dr. Mart McClellan can help you decide whether you could benefit from orthodontic treatment.

What to Eat?!

Now that you have your new braces on, you might just want to know "what can I eat?" Just like a new pair of shoes, braces have a brief adjusment period too. New shoes need to be worn before they feel super comfortable, and the same goes for braces; so for the first few days of having your new braces you will want to stick with soft foods, like pasta, to let the braces firmly fasten to your teeth. Once you are used to the feel of chewing with your braces you will be able to eat and chew like normal! However, you will still need to protect your appliance while eating!

Here is a list of foods to avoid during your orthodontic treatment:

• Chewy foods: bagels, dinner rolls, licorice



• Crunchy foods: popcorn, ice, chips



• Sticky foods and candies: caramel, gum, Skittles, Gummy Bears, Starbursts



• Hard foods: nuts, hard candy, pizza crust, granola bars



• Foods you have to bite into: corn on the cob, ribs, apples, carrots



• Chewing on hard things: pens, pencils, fingernails

Always remember to brush your teeth thoroughly after eating. Damaged braces will cause your treatment to take longer and requires extra visits and possibly additional charges. If you have any questions about what to eat and what not to eat please call Dr. McClellan at 847-251-6274.

Contest winners!

WINNER OF THE TOOTHBRUSHING & BREAKAGE-FREE CONTEST!!!
CHARLIE LAUER

WINNER OF THE SEASHELL CONTEST
DONALD CONKEY

WINNER OF VIDEO GAME CONTEST
JUSTIN NITTO

The Damon™ System - Kenilworth, IL (Illinois)

New High Technology Braces

The Damon System (clear or metal) uses very light forces to provide, for some patients, remarkable advantages over traditional orthodontic approaches - more physiologically gentle tooth movement, greater patient comfort and sometimes faster treatment times.

Clear Damon Brackets

Damon brackets do not require plastic or metal ties and, therefore, operate with less friction. Less friction means lower forces and faster tooth movement. In addition, the plastic ties utilized with traditional braces tend to trap plaque and bacteria, which can lead to increased gingival inflammation or enamel decalcification.

Dr. McClellan will let you know if this high-technology system is appropriate for you or your child's teeth.

Learn more about the Damon System on their web site at www.damonbraces.com

Click here to view a multimedia presentation about Damon Brackets.