Dr. Van Vliet wants to know: What do you love about our community?

Van Vliet Orthodontics, located in Highland, New York and Ramsey, New Jersey, and serving Manhattan and surrounding communities in New York City, is situated around some pretty unique neighborhoods that surround the Big Apple. Each is special with its own personality, created by the people and places (and our fantastic patients) living within.

Today, Dr. Van Vliet and our team thought we'd ask: What are your favorite things about Highland, Ramsey, the Big City, or our neighboring communities? Is there a local event you attend every year? Do you have a favorite eatery? Perhaps a favorite hang-out in New York City or somewhere in north Jersey?

Please feel free to share some information about your favorite local hang-outs, and everything you love best about “your neck of the woods.” And, who knows, we might post your response on our social networks!

Have a great weekend everybody!

Van Vliet Orthodontics with a few helpful Invisalign® tips

Last week, we told you about the advantage of Invisalign treatment at Van Vliet Orthodontics. Today, we thought we'd follow-up and share a few helpful Invisalign tips with you. When wearing your Invisalign aligners, Dr. Van Vliet wants you to ask yourself the following three questions:

1. Am I eating with my aligners on? - These aligners are removable and should be taken out when you eat.

2. Am I drinking anything other than water with my aligners on? - Though it's not a necessity for you to take out your aligners while you drink, think about how sticky a soda is. If you take out your aligners when drinking a soda, you have a better chance of keeping your aligners clean.

3. Am I brushing before putting the trays on? - The aligners have both an inside and outside. Keeping the outside clean is easy. Keeping the inside clean is also easy: just make sure you've brushed your teeth before putting the trays on.

These are all very simple steps, and ultimately, they help to keep you building good oral habits. If you have any questions about Invisalign or your treatment here at Van Vliet Orthodontics, please don't hesitate to give us a call!

The advantage of Invisalign® at Van Vliet Orthodontics

Last week, the Van Vliet team shared with you information about SureSmile, the technology that's sweeping the orthodontic world. But did you know Dr. Van Vliet is also a Certified Invisalign Premier Provider?

Part of what makes Invisalign "work" is that it's customizable for anyone, Dr. Van Vliet says. To find out if you are the right candidate for Invisalign treatment, the first thing we do is to take an impression of your teeth as they are now and digitize it. Using special software, we look at the current positioning of your teeth and compare it to the way your teeth should look.

Next Dr. Van Vliet uses special software to map out the exact path your teeth will take from the beginning of your treatment to the end. Based on the results, a set of custom aligners are created just for your teeth. Throughout the course of treatment, you will be required to wear these clear, removable aligners one at a time; each one moving your teeth closer and closer to their final, perfectly aligned position. And since the aligners are virtually invisible, nobody around you will even know you are wearing braces!

If you have questions about Invisalign, or would like to find out if you are a candidate for Invisalign treatment at Van Vliet Orthodontics, please don't hesitate to give us a call!

Ask Dr. Van Vliet: How Will I Smile with SureSmile®?

Dr. Van Vliet knows a lot of patients have braces anxiety. Their biggest concern is the amount of time between getting their braces on and off. Well, there is a new orthodontic system that makes straightening your teeth with braces a lot faster and easier compared to conventional orthodontic treatment. It's called SureSmile, and Dr. Van Vliet is a certified SureSmile provider!

There are three steps to this groundbreaking treatment. First, Dr. Van Vliet identifies the initial tooth position with the patented OraScanner, a wand with a tiny camera attached. The OraScanner creates a precise 3-D digital model of your mouth, which is then uploaded into software that lets Dr. Van Vliet and our team view your mouth and teeth from any angle. Next, the SureSmile system allows us to create your entire treatment plan prior to treatment, using special computer software to analyze the 3-D model of your mouth and develop a custom archwire treatment. Finally, SureSmile’s robotic technology bends Shape Memory Alloy archwires, which can “remember” your prescription.

For more information about SureSmile, head over to our web site. There, you may take a look at an educational video that includes patient testimonials and examples of SureSmile treatments.

Have a great week!