Our Blog

IF YOU HAVE A MISSING TOOTH there are typically three options. You could get a bridge, which protects the surrounding teeth and helps keep them from moving. You can get a partial denture, which is a removable placeholder for the missing tooth. Or you can get an implant. A dental implant is a safe, permanent, aesthetically pleasing solution for a missing tooth.

You may be tempted to think that there’s a viable option #4 called “ignore it.” But that would be a mistake. Missing teeth can cause serious problems in your mouth including shifting teeth, additional tooth loss, deteriorating gums, and weakened bone structure.

How Implants Work

• Step 1: The implant process begins with a small rod (or “post”) that is anchored in your jaw. This post fuses to existing bone and imitates the function of dental roots.
• Step 2: Typically there’s a 3–6 month healing time to ensure complete and proper post fusion. During this time, a temporary crown protects your mouth, gums, and adjacent teeth.
• Step 3: After the area has fully healed, a custom crown is placed on the post.

What Should You Know Regarding Implants And Orthodontic Treatment?

At Gorczyca Orthodontics, we prepare patients for dental implants. Should you be considering an implant, consider orthodontic treatment first as dental implants, once placed, are not moveable.

We will work closely with your general dentist and your oral surgeon to give you the best implant result possible.

What Kind Of Results Will You Get?

At Gorczyca Orthodontics, we have helped hundreds of patients get dental implants. We have numerous Before and After photos of successful cases which we can share with you at your initial examination.

We can also provide you with a diagnostic wax-up of your own teeth, a three dimensional model of your virtual treatment result that you can hold in your own hands or even take home so that you can see what your final result is expected to look like.

We Work Closely With A Team...

Dr. Gorczyca works with a team of her dental colleagues to make dental implants, fast, safe, and effective for you. When considering dental implants, it is important to ask “Is your surgeon a surgeon?” Dr. Gorczyca works with the most experienced oral surgeons who have placed thousands of dental implants.

For a complimentary implant consultation please call Gorczyca Orthodontics at (925) 757-9000 or visit us at www.clubbraces.com

Our team will assist you every step of the way through your dental implant procedure to help you achieve the world class smile that you deserve.

IT’S OFTEN SAID, and health studies agree, that breakfast may be the most important meal of the day. And by the way, breakfast affects our oral health too!

Breakfast Can Damage Smiles During Ortho Treatment

Given our on-the-go lifestyles, breakfast can become an imbalanced, over-sugary meal! We don’t typically eat candy for breakfast—yet, we choose popular cereals and pastries that are full of sugar. These unhealthy breakfast choices can be damaging to your teeth and gums—and your appliances—with multiplying effects if you’re not brushing and flossing after breakfast.

A Healthy, Balanced Breakfast Can Protect Your Smile

Your mouth, like your body, needs nutritious food to stay healthy. A balanced breakfast rich in fruits, vegetables, fiber, and healthy proteins can help prevent bad breath, tooth decay, early tooth loss, and gum disease.

Healthy teeth and gums respond better to orthodontic treatment—so eating a good breakfast may also help you towards your goal of a straighter, more lovely smile!

Tips For A Smile-Friendly Breakfast

• Eat whole grains (oatmeal, whole wheat bread) instead of refined grains.
• Eat firm, ripe fruits and healthier vegetables (cut into bite-sized pieces).
• Drink water or unsweetened tea to strengthen tooth enamel and help prevent tooth decay.
• Use moderation with fruit juices and smoothies—they’re typically high in sugar and can be quite acidic.
• Consider dinner for breakfast! Chicken, fish, beans, cheese, etc.
• Eat high fiber cereals with less preservatives and added sugar.
• Avoid hard or sticky foods that could damage your appliance.

Quick, Healthy Breakfast Ideas

Breakfast Kickstarts Your Day & Your Healthy Smile

Start eating breakfasts that protect your smile AND make you feel good (studies have found that breakfast affects your energy and focus). If you have ideas or recipes for healthy, balanced breakfasts, share them with us below or on Facebook!

Gorczyca Orthodontics, 5201 Deer Valley Road, Antioch 925-757-9000.  Find us at www.clubbraces.com.

Thank you for trusting us with your oral health! We appreciate you.

WE KNOW IT’S NOT FUN WHEN one of your favorite snacks—such as hard candy—is suddenly off the menu! But eating right while you have braces will make a big difference in avoiding emergencies or setbacks. Since navigating through the “DOs” and “DON’Ts” can be confusing, we’d like to share a few rules of thumb.

For the most part, foods that are bad for your braces are the same foods that are bad for your teeth. But right now, you have to be more careful than usual since tooth decay is trickier to care for while you’re wearing braces. If you’re wondering if a particular food item is okay, ask yourself the following questions:

1. How long will it be on my teeth?

• Things you suck on, like hard candies, are in your mouth for a long time, even if they’re not stuck in your teeth. Not good.
• Chewy things like taffy, caramels, or gummies get stuck in your teeth. And don’t forget dried fruit. It’s not candy, but it’s still sticky and sugary.

2. How much acid and sugar is there?

Sugary and acidic things are always bad for your teeth because they can cause wear and decay. The biggest sugar/acid combination is found in sodas and energy drinks. But keep an eye on the labels of other things you eat like granola bars and cereals. Sugar is hidden in even the most harmless-looking things.

3. Will it do damage to brackets and wires because it’s...

• Large: Things like apples or corn on the cob—things you just can’t tackle in one bite—need to be cut up.
• Tough: If you have to bite, then tug… That’s not good. (i.e. jerky or hard pizza crust)
• Hard: Jordan almonds and corn nuts can spell disaster for your brackets. Even raw vegetables can be risky—try them steamed instead.

There Are Lots Of Great Options

Now, all of these cautions DO NOT MEAN that you have to live on watered-down protein shakes for the rest of your time in braces! If you’re at a loss for good food ideas, check out these great recipes from Metal Mouth Media.

What’s YOUR favorite braces-friendly food or recipe? Do you have any questions about which foods work with braces and which don’t? It’s easy to ask us in a question below or on our Facebook page.

If you have questions about braces, call us at Gorczyca Orthodontics at 925-757-9000 in Antioch, California. Find us at www.clubbraces.com.

Thanks for the trust you place in our practice. We appreciate you!

APPLE SEASON IS HERE and every orthodontist knows what you're thinking: can I eat apples slices with caramel with my braces?

The answer is: YES!

Take Care When Eating Apples With Braces

A favorite treat in September and all year round, apples can be eaten with braces as long as they are cut into thin slices. Remember to slice your apples with braces and enjoy this healthy treat.

What you need to AVOID with braces is biting directly into an UNSLICED APPLE with braces. Biting directly into an unsliced apple with your front teeth while wearing braces is very likely to break off your orthodontic brackets. This will create an orthodontic emergency which will need attention and rework for you and your orthodontic office.

The most dangerous apple of all for braces is the candied apple. Biting into a candied apple with braces is orthodontic bracket suicide! DON'T DO IT! Even slicing a candied apple is not good. Stay away from candied apples with braces.

You're The Apple Of Our Eye!

Thank you from all of us at Gorczyca Orthodontics for taking care of your braces during apple season. If you have questions about braces, call us at (925) 757-9000 for a free orthodonic exam. Visit us at 5201 Deer Valley Road in Antioch, California right behind Deer Valley High School.

A sliced apple a day keeps the orthodontist away! Remember to slice your apples with braces.

Top image by Flickr user rumpleteaser used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.