Remington Smiles - Kendra J. Remington, DDS

Orthodontist Serving Guilford, Connecticut

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Smile-tastic!

Back to School with Braces

Back to school… that wonderful, horrible time of the year! So much is new… teachers, friends, schools, etc., that sometimes keeping other routines on track, especially when you have braces, can be a challenge.💻📚😆

Sleep⏰

A regular sleep schedule is the most important gift you can give yourself when you’re heading back to school. Summer bedtimes are typically more flexible. Now that school is about to begin, it can be helpful to set an alarm for both going to bed as well as getting up. Make sure you allow yourself enough time to get everything done, it is easy to feel rushed…

Brushing and Flossing😁

How many times a day do I want you to brush when you have braces… say it with me… THREE!!! All three can be done at home, although if any of you want to take a brush to school, you get an A+. Since you have allowed enough time in the morning (see previous paragraph) you can brush after breakfast. When you get home from school you should brush a second time. That gets your lunch and snacks out of there. And finally, right after dinner, or before bed, get in there and brush a third time. Flossing also needs to be done once every day, but the time of day doesn’t matter. So get that brushing routine set for three times daily, add flossing to one of those times that works best for you, and you’re all set!

Elastics📲

The best thing you can do for your elastic wear is to download our Smile-tastic! App. It will give you four reminders daily to change and replace your elastics. Consistency is the key!!!

Scan this code to download the app Smile-tastic!

Other ways to maintain consistency is to be sure that you always have elastics with you to replace the ones that you remove.

Places to keep them:

  • In your pocket
  • In your backpack
  • In your lunch bag
  • In your notebook
  • In your purse
  • In your sports bag
  • In your instrument case
  • In your locker
  • Any other place that would help you remember😉

Keep Smiling!
Stay Smile-tastic!, My Friends!

 

Motivating Adolescent Patients in Orthodontic Treatment

Let’s face it, motivating adolescents to do something they don’t want to do is an uphill battle in the best of circumstances, but when we’re talking about orthodontic treatment, the stakes are higher.

In a study published in the April issue of American Journal of Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics, the authors concluded that “adolescents’ use of wireless mobile technology can be harnessed to improve toothbrushing efficacy and motivation.” They also noted previous reports of “increasing integration of digital technologies into personalized health care, as well as the use of mobile phone applications, especially in adolescents.”

Adolescents’ Use of Mobile Technology Can Be Used to Improve Motivation

Remington Orthodontics is utilizing mobile apps to assist in two of the biggest areas of concern with regard to the need for ongoing motivation, oral hygiene and elastic wear.

Oral Hygiene

Every patient beginning orthodontic treatment receives an Oral-B Genius Professional Exclusive Rechargeable Toothbrush.

Oral B Genius Professional Exclusive Rechargeable Toothbrush

Not only does it brush your teeth 😜 but it has Position Detection to be sure you brush every area for the proper amount of time, Personalizable multicolor Smartring that gives visual coaching and pressure control, and the Oral-B App which monitors your daily habits and brushing routines. All you could ever ask for from a tooth brush and more!😁

Elastic Wear

Every patient beginning elastic wear downloads the Smile-tastic! App for elastic reminders.

Smile-tastic! App

In addition to providing direct contact with the office, our app sends four reminders throughout the day to help patients form and maintain a consistent elastic wear schedule. A majority of patients require elastic wear to complete their treatment. Elastics must be worn 24 hours per day to be effective. 💪 Poor elastic wear delays tooth movement which lengthens the time in treatment. 😲😭

Keep Smiling!
Stay Smile-tastic!, My Friends!

How to Form a Good Elastic Habit

After you have started orthodontic treatment, the next thing to come along may be elastics, and learning to form a good elastic habit. Yes, the dreaded elastics! Elastics should not be dreaded, rather they should be celebrated. Elastics are a HUGE factor in not only achieving the treatment goals set by your orthodontist, they are they are also the key to finishing your treatment on time.

ELASTICS ARE THE KEY TO FINISHING YOUR TREATMENT ON TIME!

[Read more…] about How to Form a Good Elastic Habit

New Years Resolutions

What’s new at Remington Orthodontics?

New Years Resolutions are always a nice way to make a fresh start in the new year and 2018 is off to a great start for Remington Orthodontics! We are excited to share all of our new treatment tools with our patient family.

Our Smile-tastic! App

I developed an app for my patients called Smile-tastic!. It is designed to help my elastic wearing patients form a consistent elastic wear pattern. Download it from the app stores, get my fun elastic reminders, and get your braces off faster! [Read more…] about New Years Resolutions

Siblings in Treatment

As I write this, the Falcons are going to the Super Bowl and the second playoff game is being decided as we speak. Who will win that game? And who will win the BIG game??? Don’t forget to vote when you come in for your appointment!

We consider ourselves lucky when we are asked to treat more than one member of the same family. Sometimes it’s mom or dad and the kids, sometimes we treat the siblings in turn from oldest to youngest, and sometimes we are lucky enough to treat two siblings at the same time. It’s great fun when we see them come in together! The majority of them do have a good time coming in together, although they may not enjoy being photographed together. The only time I see that sibling rivalry arise is when both of them are getting close to completion of their treatment and then the race is on… who will finish first??? [Read more…] about Siblings in Treatment

Are You Ready For Some Football?!

We took a poll of everyone we saw today and the overwhelming response to the question, what did you do on your day off yesterday was, “I relaxed.” I think that’s an excellent response! Everyone is sooooo busy these days between office work, home work, school work, sports, and other activities, that I think a day to relax and take a deep breath from time to time is just what the doctor ordered! [Read more…] about Are You Ready For Some Football?!

I Have A Dream

This week we celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday. He was a leader in the Civil Rights Movement who is best known for fighting for civil rights using nonviolent methods. Let’s remember his words today, “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.'” [Read more…] about I Have A Dream

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