Merry Christmas!

Take some time this holiday season to be appreciative of those who work when they should be with family and friends, those who are away from those they love, and those who sacrifice for our needs.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. May this Christmas find you surrounded by those you love, filled with a lot of fun and cheer, and the New Year bring happiness, health, and prosperity.

What To Eat When You Get Braces

Just get braces? You may notice that your mouth feels a little different after they’re first put on. To make your transition a little smoother, you may want to change your eating habits for the first few days while you get used to your new braces. We at Poser Orthodontics want to make things easier on our new patients, so below you will find some suggestions for the best kinds of foods to eat when you first get braces.

1. Have a smoothie. Smoothies are great option for a delicious meal in a glass, offering a convenient, balanced option. Throw whatever you like in a blender, add protein to make it more filling and even try a handful of spinach— if the smoothie is made right, you won’t even taste it!

2. Think soft. The first day or so of having your new braces on will mean you may not feel like chewing a whole lot. But that’s fine–try something soft but delicious like tender turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy. Soups, chili, pudding, oatmeal and yogurt are all good choices during your first few days with braces.

3. Easy to chew. A steak dinner is not the best thing to have at your “congratulations on getting your braces” dinner. But meat shouldn’t be off the table completely–how about some shaved turkey cold cuts?

4. Try new things. Having to change up what you eat for a few days is the perfect excuse to try some new foods–how about a soft cheese you haven’t had before, like Munster or Brie? How about a new smoothie recipe for breakfast? Baked apples for a snack or dessert? You may end up discovering a new staple for your everyday diet.

5. Stay healthy. Don’t fall into the ice cream trap. Sure, it’s good for a treat, but it won’t give you the nourishment you need to look and feel your best. Eating soft food doesn’t mean eating unhealthy.

Lastly, remember to stay hydrated and drink lots of water throughout the day, avoiding pop and sugary drinks as your teeth are even more susceptible to cavities when you have braces.

Simpli5 Offered At Poser Orthodontics

Simpli5 is a revolutionary new system of aligners designed to correct minor imperfections in about five to six weeks. Each set of aligners are customized to fit your mouth and to give you the smile you've always wanted. Simpli5 aligners are designed to correct minor crowding or spacing, and to realign teeth that have already received orthodontic treatment.

If you're interested in orthodontic treatment with Simpli5 aligners, please contact Poser Orthodontics. We can answer any questions you might have and provide a comprehensive consultation to determine if Simpli5 is the best treatment for your smile.

What is Simpli5?

Today's orthodontic appliances are designed to be comfortable, discreet, and fit the needs of your unique lifestyle. Invisible aligners have become a popular alternative to traditional orthodontic appliances like metal braces and headgear giving patients the beautiful smiles they've always wanted without ever having to wear braces.

Poser Orthodontics is pleased to offer our patients a "clear" alternative to metal braces with Simpli5 invisible aligners.

What Are The Benefits Of Using Simpli5?

• Quicker treatment times - With Simpli5, you can begin your treatment just three to four weeks after your doctor has taken impressions, and most cases are completed within just five months.
• Comfort - The Simpli5 plastic aligners are custom made to fit your mouth. The aligners are made of a unique plastic material that is smooth and invisible! The aligners fit so well that your family and friends may never even know you're wearing braces.
• Convenience - Each aligner is worn for only three to four weeks, for five to six months. After your treatment is complete, you're left with a beautiful, straight smile in less time than with traditional orthodontic appliances.

What is Multi-Phase Orthodontics

Are you aware of Multi-Phased Orthodontics? If not, don’t worry you’re not alone. Multi-Phase orthodontic treatment is a specialized process that involves facial and jaw changes along with straightening teeth. This process allows Poser Orthodontics to create a healthy functional smile with results that remain stable after treatment. One benefit of Multi-Phase orthodontics in certain cases, it can prevent adult tooth extractions or major jaw surgery.

How does it work?

Multi-Phase orthodontics starts with interceptive orthodontic care. This is a process where Poser Orthodontics intercepts an oral problem before it continues to get unmanageable. Typically, treatment starts with younger children in order to manipulate teeth and growth before it’s too late. The best age for this is between 7 and 10-year-old. With interceptive orthodontics, treatment is about 4 to 12 months with monitoring of the child after that to discuss is possible second phase treatment.

Once a majority of the adult teeth have erupted, another phase of treatment can begin. The average treatment time of Multi-Phase is about 12 months of braces on the teeth. Retainers are worn after treatment to hold the correct position of the teeth.

If you are interested in learning more about Multi-Phase Orthodontics, contact Poser Orthodontics to discuss it more. We love answering questions and providing a solid foundation of information to those who are interested in treatment for their children or themselves. Call us at our Germantown office 262-255-6255 or our Wauwatosa office 414-476-2244.

Why Choose Damon Braces?

You may have heard that Damon braces can straighten your teeth faster, with fewer appointments, and without extractions or expanders. What is the Damon System and is it better than regular braces?

Damon brackets are a type of bracket known as self-ligating. To “ligate” means to bind or tie. With conventional braces, the wires are held in place by ligatures or o-rings that secure them to the brackets (which are the metal pieces attached to the teeth). With self-ligating braces, part of the bracket itself holds the wire in place without the need for o-rings or steel ties. Some brackets have doors or “slides.” Others have clips. The Damon bracket was not the first self-ligating bracket, but we believe it is the best.

Some of the claims about Damon brackets are that they won’t cause pain as they move your teeth, you won’t need to have an expander or have permanent teeth removed, you won’t need headgear or rubber bands to fix your overbite, and that your treatment will be much shorter than with regular braces.

If you’d like to know more about Damon braces and if they’re right for you, come see Dr. Poser or give us a call at 262-255-6255. We know you'll be impressed!

Don't "DIY" Orthodontics

Poser Orthodontics and the American Association of Orthodontists have a prompt announcement for consumers about “DIY” orthodontic treatment. It is with great urgency that we emphasize to you all to be cautious about the trending “DIY” orthodontic treatment because straightening your teeth on your own can lead to lifelong dental problems.

Do-It-Yourself videos and websites are popular among today’s culture, and while so many great ideas come from several of these outlets, there are some things that you just shouldn’t do yourself! Straightening your teeth or attempting to move your teeth as a “DIY” project is definitely one of the things you should not be doing. Moving and straightening teeth is a medical procedure that needs to be supervised by an orthodontist. It’s important for you all to be wary of any videos or websites that advise you to use objects such as rubber bands, dental floss, or anything else in order to get straight teeth. According to the American Association of Orthodontists, “Moving teeth without a thorough examination of the overall health of the teeth and gums could result in the permanent loss of teeth, which may result in expensive and lifelong dental problems.”

If you have any further questions regarding “DIY” orthodontics, or are curious about straightening your teeth, please contact us at 262-255-6255.

What is Orthodontics?

There are a rising number of adults nowadays seeking orthodontic treatment for a wide variety of reasons. Ranging from the same reasons children and teenagers are being treated, to some important differences which adults are faced with.  Several adults assume orthodontics provides only the solution of straightening out crooked teeth. Though this is a major factor as to why a majority of our patients seek treatment, there are several other important reasons why you may need to be treated by an orthodontist. 

Orthodontics involves the movement of the teeth within the jaw bones to straighten them and help them to bite more evenly together. Treatment is about making the best of your teeth; and improving the coordination of your mouth and jaws. It’s important to be treated by a certified orthodontist, rather than a general dentist, because orthodontists are fully qualified in this field completing further training and studies to specialize in orthodontics.

Dr. Poser and his team utilize state of the art orthodontic technology and techniques to ensure that you will enjoy optimal results, maximum comfort and the shortest treatment time possible. If you are ready to learn more about orthodontic treatment at Poser Orthodontics, give us a call at our Germantown office, 262-255-6255 or our Wauwatosa office, 414-476-2244.

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Common Friday the 13th Superstitions

Today is Friday the 13th! Did you know Friday the 13th is the most feared day in the United States? It's estimated that 17-20 million people actually fear this day and have tons of superstitions about it. Whether you believe it's unlucky or not, it is still fun to give into they hype and play along with some of these superstitions. We thought we would step back from our usual orthodontic related blog and have a little fun today! There is nothing that brings more joy to us at Poser Orthodontics than putting a smile on your face!

Keep reading to learn about 3 popular Friday the 13th Superstitions!

Common Friday the 13th Superstitions:

1. A rabbit's foot will bring you luck. Talismans and amulets are a time-honored way of fending off evil; consider the crosses and garlic that are supposed to keep vampires at bay. Rabbit feet as talismans may hark back to early Celtic tribes in Britain.
2. Beware of black cats crossing your path.  So why keep a black cat out of your path? Most likely, this superstition arises from old beliefs in witches and their animal familiars, which were often said to take the form of domestic animals like cats. 
3. Careful with that mirror.  According to folklore, breaking a mirror is a surefire way to doom yourself to seven years of bad luck. The superstition seems to arise from the belief that mirrors don't just reflect your image.

We hope you have a safe & lucky Friday the 13th! Do you know of any funny or outrageous superstitions? Post them below or on our Facebook wall! 

What is the Damon 3 bracket?

Poser Orthodontics is pleased to offer our patients passive self-ligating Damon Smile braces. Damon braces use a slide mechanism to hold the archwire, reducing the amount of pressure exerted on the teeth and allowing the teeth to move more freely, quickly, and comfortably. Thanks to these innovative new braces, achieving your perfect smile can be faster and easier than you ever thought possible!

What is the Damon 3 bracket?

The Damon 3 bracket offers several benefits for patients. It is made from stainless steel for stability and a clear material for aesthetics. The rounded structure improves patient comfort while maintaining overall performance.

The Damon 3 System uses a self-ligation technique using lighter wires and lower friction brackets to move teeth, resulting in faster treatment times. Its slide mechanism, strong mechanical base, bonding and solid wall structure control tooth movement with speed and efficiency.

In addition to greater comfort, the Damon System makes it easier to maintain good oral hygiene because the brackets are easier to keep clean. This contributes to greater overall health, happiness and physical attractiveness for the duration of treatment at Poser Orthodontics.

Comfort Food

Do you have a hard time finding meals that are fit for your braces and your appetite? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. More than four million children and adults wear braces, and they also understand the difficulty of eating certain meals with braces. Because of this, we decided to find a few recipes that will give a new meaning to comfort food if you wear braces.

Click the picture of the meal to be linked to the ingredients list and recipe directions.

Basil & Mozzarella Grilled Cheese

Click here for the recipe. 

Buffalo Bacon Chicken Macaroni & Cheese

Click here for the recipe. 

Pizza Rigatoni

Click here for the recipe. 

These 3 meals aren’t just delicious, they’re braces friendly. Do you have any braces friendly recipes or dinner ideas to share with us? Leave a comment below or post one on our Facebook wall!

When do you need a mouth guard?

Poser Orthodontics wants to remind patients, coaches and athletes to play it safe when suiting up for recreational and organized sports. Since April is National Facial Protection Month, we wanted to share some info with you about a small piece of safety equipment that can make a big difference in preventing head or facial injuries; a mouth guard.

Protect those smiles this spring by wearing a mouth guard. Curious as to when you need to wear a mouth guard? That’s simple. You need a mouth guard any time you participate in sports, or physical activities. By wearing a mouth guard, you can reduce the risk of knocking out teeth or breaking your jaw; both major injures that can be costly to your body as well as your wallet.

Mouth guards are a smart investment for your health, so be sure to make the use of a mouth guard a routine. Many injures can be far less severe or even prevented just by wearing this safety piece. Please contact Poser Orthodontics if you have any further questions regarding protecting your smile or purchasing mouth guards.

Myth or Fact

So we all know someone who has a friend who has a cousin who knows a guy...so the story must be true.

Oh those myths and how we love to believe them all. No...we aren't talking about mixing Pop Rocks candy with Coca-Cola, we're talking about the myths surrounding the Orthodontic World...you know, the really scary ones.

There are many legends and myths about orthodontics, some of which have become so commonplace that they are now believed to be legitimate. Well...guess what? Even if you know the guy who has the cousin who has the friend that the story happened to...it's myth.

Myth: Only children and teens need to visit an orthodontist. 



Fact: Braces are not just for kids. More and more adults today are seeking the benefits of a beautiful, healthy smile. Health, happiness and self-esteem are vitally important at any age.

Myth: Braces interfere with radio signals and electronic devices.

Fact: In theory any metal can act as an antenna, but braces are really bad ones. Radio signals are modulated electro-magnetic waves transmitted through the air. In order for these transmitted signals to travel well in air, they must be sent at high-frequencies. This is achieved through modulation. Even if someone's tooth could receive these frequencies, it would have to be decoded to actually hear real messages.

Myth: Braces are just for cosmetic purposes and aren’t necessary for your overall dental health.

Fact: While braces can definitely help you get that beautiful smile, they aren’t just for cosmetic improvement. Well aligned teeth can facilitate good oral hygiene making it easier to prevent tooth decay and gum disease. In addition, resolving certain orthodontic problems with the use of braces can improve your ability to speak, chew, and even breathe.

Myth: Wearing braces will increase your chances of being struck by lightning?

Fact: The chances of a person getting struck by are the same, with or without braces. In the U.S. in any one year, the chance you will be struck by lighting is 1 in 700,000 no matter what you are wearing.

Myth: If there was a giant magnet overhead, anyone who is wearing braces would get stuck to it.
Fact: Braces are made of materials which are non-magnetic in nature. Therefore getting stuck to a giant magnet is highly unlikely...and really, where is this giant magnet anyways?

So fear no more...Orthodontic myths are just that...MYTHS. No matter what your friend's cousin's brother says.

Patient Smile Spotlight

Our friendly staff at Poser Orthodontics develops a relationship with our patients on a more personal level. Our patients aren’t the only ones proud of their smiles, we are too.

Check out some of the latest pictures of our recent patient visits and see how their smiles are contagious!

Congratulations to all of you for achieving such great results! Great results don’t just come from our efforts, but they are achieved by a team effort of our patients and staff combined. Are you ready to get the smile of your dreams? Request an appointment for a complimentary initial evaluation now by contacting our office.

Visit www.poserortho.com for more information.

Calling All Cheeseheads

We are excited to announce we have a new contest going on this month for our patients. It’s easy to enter and we have 2 awesome prizes up for grabs!

Can you guess how many mac & cheese noodles are in this jar?

#PoserCheesehead

To enter:

1. Go to our Facebook Page

2. LIKE US

3. Post your guess with your name, and office you are seen at.

4. Use #Posercheesehead

Two winners will be announced, one from both of our offices. Each winner will get a Green Bay Packers gift basket!

The contest will run January 1-January 29th!

Holiday Hours

Please note our holiday hours are as follows:

December 24 & December 25

Closed

December 31

Closed at 1pm

January 1

Closed

Our regular office hours will resume on January 4, 2016.

Happy Holidays!

Let's Celebrate

They say to celebrate good times, right? Well we wanted to get into that phrase a little more by showcasing some of our patients who are celebrating their new smiles!  At Poser Orthodontics our friendly staff develops a relationship with our patients on a more personal level.  Our patients aren’t the only ones proud of their smiles, but we are too.

Meet some of our patients that are ready to ring in the new year with their new smile!

Congratulations Anna!

Congratulations Jordyn!

Congratulations Dawn!

Congratulations Ethan!

Congratulations to all of you for achieving such great results! Great results don’t just come from our efforts, but they are achieved by a team effort of our patients and staff combined. Are you ready to get the smile of your dreams? Request an appointment for a complimentary initial evaluation now by contacting our office.

Visit www.poserortho.com for more information.

Good Habits Start Young

Are you looking to get the kids in your household excited about oral hygiene? Well we have some great tips for you.

Although it is not recommended that children see an orthodontist until age 7, children should begin a oral health routine by age 3. If your child does need to receive orthodontic treatment when they are older is it best that we work on healthy teeth and gums.

Here are a few tips:

Listen to fun brushing songs: Kids love a catchy songs, search YouTube for fun songs like "Teach Me How to Brushy".

Play oral health related mobile apps: Mobile gaming applications like "Toothsavers" promote healthy brushing habits as kids work to save a fairy tale kingdom.

DIY Home activities: There are many fun activities that you create with kids to promote habits like flossing. Click here to learn about fun activities.

Character themed dental products: Oral B has introduced new Frozen themed toothbrushes and toothpaste! This a great way to get kids excited about oral hygiene.

Lead by example: Brush with your child and show them exactly how they should be brushing and flossing.

For more information about oral health visit poserortho.com or give our office a call today!

3 Things that are Surprisingly Harmful to Your Teeth

We’ve warned you time and time about foods and drinks that are harmful to your teeth. We’ve even provided you with a food to avoid list, but in this blog you find out about 3 things are harmful to your teeth that you never even considered.

Here are 3 things that are surprisingly harmful to your teeth and the solution to preventing the damage.

Source: Hunington Post Healthy Living

Juicing

While bottles of the cold-pressed stuff may be chock-full of good-for-you nutrients, juices also have such high sugar content. This sugar is consumed by the bacteria in our mouths and converted into acid that wears away enamel and can cause cavities.

The solution: Sip juice through a straw to help keep it away from the surfaces of your teeth. And make sure to wait at least 45 minutes post-drinking to brush your teeth: Scrubbing them immediately while after acid has softened their enamel can leave them even more vulnerable to damage.

Chewable vitamins

They taste just like gummy candy--and they're not much better for our mouths. In fact, their sticky, sugar-y makeup adheres to teeth so well that they're just practically bound to cause cavities.

The solution: Take your vitamins in pill form. While that may not be as fun (or taste nearly as good), neither is a trip to the dentist for a filling.

Dried fruit

While some fresh fruits are actually considered good for teeth (think water-packed produce like apples and pears), dried fruits never are. This otherwise-nutritious snack is packed with non-cellulose fiber, which traps sugar on and around teeth the way gummy candies (and vitamins) do.

The solution: Get it off! Brush and floss teeth immediately after eating dried fruit to get rid of any stuck-on sugar.

Dr. Poser wants you to do the best to protect your teeth this means:

• Eating healthy foods
• Brushing and flossing twice a day
• and visiting you dentist twice a year

To get more oral health tips from Dr. Poser visit PoserOrtho.com.

Memorial Day Celebrations

Memorial Day, an American holiday observed on the last Monday of May, honors men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades. (source: History.com)

Join us to honor those who have paid the ultimate price for the freedom that we enjoy. Being that we have two office locations we've listed events in both Germantown and Wauwatosa.

Germantown:

Monday, May 25, 2015,  MEMORIAL DAY 11:00am

Service at the Veterans Memorial on corner of Park & Freistadt Roads, Germantown. Twenty names will be added to the Wall; afterwards lunch will be available at the Legion Post #1 across the street. Everyone is welcome! N120 W15932 Freistadt Road, Germantown, WI 53022; 262-251-5470.

Monday, May 25, 2015, 11:00am-1:00pm

Memorial Day Free Admission Location: Old Courthouse Museum 320 S 5th Ave West Bend.  The old Courthouse Museum will be open following the 11:00am program on the Veterans' Memorial Plaza, located at 5th and Poplar. No Museum admission will be charged.

Wauwatosa:

MONDAY, MAY 26, 2014 MEMORIAL DAY OBSERVANCE 10:30 A.M.

LONGFELLOW MIDDLE SCHOOL

7600 W. NORTH AVE.

Featuring: The Wauwatosa Community Band

Featured Speaker: T.B.A 

Let us know how you plan on spending your Memorial Day Weekend. 

Share photos with us:

Post pictures on our Facebook wall 

Tag us on Instagram @Poser_Orthodontics

or Tweets Us @PoserOrtho