Summer has arrived and it’s great time to get started with braces or Invisalign Teen at West Houston Orthodontics.  The kids are out of school and ready to sit back and have a little fun! Many of you are utilizing this time to fit in that To-do list you’ve been waiting all school year to get done. There’s no better time to come see Dr. Tabakman at West Houston Orthodontics to get that perfect smile with braces or Invisalign Teen for your child.  Your child will have all summer to get used to all the changes that are taking place in his/her mouth before school starts.  Placing braces or getting Invisalign can be a timely procedure.  Therefore, starting orthodontic treatment in the summertime will help your child avoid missing school!

Getting orthodontic treatment with Dr. Tabakman and his wonderful staff is a lot of fun!  West Houston Orthodontics has lots of fun contests and give-a-ways throughout the year. You might also see Dr. Tabakman and staff in fun costumes or crazy themes from time to time!

Come spend a part of your summer here with us at West Houston Orthodontics and start your orthodontic treatment with braces or Invisalign Teen!

**Mention this blog and receive $250 off your Invisalign Teen treatment. Offer good May 15^th-Aug 24^th 2012**

Dr. Tabakman of West Houston Orthodontics is giving away 4 concert tickets to see One Direction live in concert on June 24 at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavillion in The Woodlands!

HOW TO ENTER AND WIN:

• Show your best smile – take a photo and submit it here on the West Houston Orthodontics Facebook page.
• Share, Share, Share!  Make sure to have everyone you know vote for your photo!
• The first person to reach 500 votes wins!

CONTEST RULES:

• Contest is open to current and past patients (and their parents if they don’t have a Facebook account).
• As soon as you reach 500 votes, send an email to us at info@westhoustonortho.com to let us know! We’ll then verify.
• Please only ask friends and family to vote. Any entrant that uses fake or fictitious Facebook accounts to vote, or that uses “vote for me groups or services,” will be subject to disqualification.
• If no one reaches 500 votes, the entrant with the most votes as of 12:00am CST on June 18th will win.

Dr. Tabakman and West Houston Orthodontics can’t wait to see your photos!  Good luck to all entrants!

Dr. Tabakman and Team

“Football, soccer and basketball can all be hard hitting sports.  We want to ensure that orthodontic patients, and their teammates, are properly protected from sports related injuries to the jaw and mouth. These injuries can include a lifetime of maintenance to repair and maintain” (AAO).

Many sports injuries can be prevented by wearing appropriate protective gear.  We would like to remind athletes, their parents and coaches to “play it safe” by wearing mouth guards and appropriate protective gear when partaking in activities where your face can come in contact with something hard.

Mouth guards do much more than save teeth and protect jaws from breaking.  They may also protect against neck injuries and central nervous system injuries by decreasing the force transmitted through the jaw to the base of the skull.

Our practice is an advocate of sport safety and therefore providing complimentary mouth guards to the athletes of local schools in Houston and West Houston. 

Pictured: Dr. Tabakman and The Village School Girls High School Lacrosse Team at a mouth guard clinic held at West Houston Orthodontics!

April is National Facial Protection Month.  Let’s work together to protect your smile!  Let’s get into the mouth guard habit!

It is very important to break this habit before permanent teeth come in. This will allow the teeth to erupt properly and the open bite will disappear.  As a parent, you want what is best for your child.  Together we can help your child dispel his/her thumbsucking and tongue thrusting habit.  This can be accomplished through the placement of a “Habit” or “Crib” appliance by your Orthodontist.  The purpose of the Habit appliance is to reprogram the tongue’s posture during swallowing and create a physical barrier between the thumb and the teeth.  The Habit appliance is temporarily placed in your child’s mouth for approximately 6-10 months.

Thumbsucking is one of the many reasons why the American Association of Orthodontists and I recommend that your child’s first orthodontic check-up be no later than seven years of age. The goals of orthodontic treatment are a good functional bite, and straight teeth with properly aligned jaws and tooth positioning.  Many orthodontic problems are easier to correct if they are found early. It is important to prevent a potential problem from developing, intercept a developing problem and guide the growth of the jaw bones.

Below is an actual patient who was treated at West Houston Orthodontics by Dr. Tabakman for her thumbsucking habit with a “Habit” or “Crib” appliance.

You Decide to Whom We Donate!

West Houston Orthodontics is pleased to announce that we’re donating $500 to a local charity on April 30th! But with so many worthwhile causes, we decided to let our patients choose the recipient by casting your votes . . .

Vote for one of the four charities chosen by the team:

1. Meals on Wheels
2. Make a Wish Foundation
3. Susan G. Komen for the Cure
4. Houston Children’s Charity

Please help by clicking here to go to the “Making a Change” tab on our Facebook Page. The cause with the most votes on April 30th will receive the $500 gift!

SHARE, SHARE, SHARE - RAISE AWARENESS AND GET EVERYONE TO VOTE!!!

After you vote, help your chosen cause by getting the word out. Share with everyone you know on Facebook . . . friends, relatives, etc can help recruit votes for your favorite philanthropy. Feel free to forward this email and share the above link on your wall!

Thank you in advance!

Dr. Tabakman and Team

2012 is right around the corner! Now is a good time to schedule your orthodontic appointment to use any remaining flex account dollars you may have. Flex spending plans are use-it-or-lose-it, so you’ll want to make sure you get the full benefits in 2011 that you’ve paid for.

We are happy to help you get full use of your benefits; please call our office at 281.752.4222 to schedule your complimentary exam with Dr. Tabakman to get you or a family member started with orthodontic treatment in 2011.

Best regards,
Dr. Tabakman
West Houston Orthodontics

On October 19th, the Pink Ladies invaded West Houston Orthodontics. Watch the video to see what the fuss is all about!

Throughout the month of October, West Houston Orthodontics will donate $1 on your behalf for every Facebook

*Comment on our Facebook page

*Tag West Houston Orthodontics in a Facebook post

www.facebook.com/WestHoustonOrthodontics

WEST HOUSTON ORTHODONTICS SUPPORTS
   National Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

  We will donate $1 to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation for every person who: 

• Checks in to West Houston Orthodontics on Facebook
• Leaves a comment on our Facebook page
• Tags West Houston Orthodontics in a Facebook post

It’s October and the weather is finally cooling off! You know what this means? The holidays are right around the corner! This year, don’t you want to show off your smile for family photos and holiday cards? West Houston Orthodontics can help you with that! Not only do we offer the latest technology in braces in Houston, but Dr. Tabakman is also a premier Invisalign and Invisalign Teen Provider! Not sure what the difference between regular braces and Invisalign is? We can help you with that, too! 

BRACES

• Requires brackets and wires
• Wires can irritate and poke your mouth
• Brushing and flossing require more effort
• Many food restrictions

 INVISALIGN                                               

• Clear aligners are virtually invisible
• Smooth, comfortable plastic aligners
• Removable for easy cleaning
• Eat whatever you want! 

Invisalign Teen includes:

• Colored indicators that let you know when you’re ready for a new set of aligners
• Up to 6 replacement aligners at no extra charge in case you lose one

Contact us now for your complimentary Invisalign consultation!

281.752.4222

Teens don’t have to be embarrassed anymore about wearing braces on their teeth. Yearbook photos, school plays, going out with your friends eating pizza, popcorn, and apples do not need to be a concern any longer.

The aligners are removable so your teen can eat, brush, and floss without any trouble. Let us show you how your child can have the smile they dream about without wearing traditional braces.

Be part of the iSmile Revolution and see if Invisalign Teen is right for your child. Consultations are always complimentary and we would like to hear from you.

Braces aren’t just for children or teenagers anymore. Increasingly more adults are getting orthodontic treatment. Not only do adults want a perfect smile but they also want complete oral health, enabling them to keep their teeth for a much longer period of time then previously. Believe or not, but I was an adult orthodontic patient. In 2008, I had braces put on and was in braces as an adult for about a 12 month period.

Braces don’t have to be embarrassing as an adult, with technological advancements. Today’s brackets are smaller, which make them less visible and more comfortable. Also, there are other options available such as clear braces and Invisalign®. Braces today work much faster and reduce treatment time significantly than in the past.

Don’t let age stop you from getting the perfect smile you’ve always dreamed of. Call today to schedule your complimentary consultation for adult braces in Houston! 281.752.4222

Check out our YouTube channel to see what adults are saying about adult braces at West Houston Orthodontics!

-Dr. Tabakman