It’s time for our new contest! This time we have two fun contests to announce:

1. If you refer a patient who starts treatment, you will get $100 off of your treatment fee (or a $100 gift card if paid in full) AND you will automatically be entered into our drawing to win an Apple Watch! So the more referrals you have, the more entries you have in the drawing. Winner will be announced on our Instagram and facebook pages in November. Good luck!

• To enter our drawing for a $100 Amazon gift card, all you have to do is follow our Instagram page Ray Orthodontics, or one of our Facebook pages: Ray Orthodontics of Montebello or Ray Orthodontics of Palmdale. That’s it! Winner will be announced on Instagram and Facebook early September.

Since the beginning of Orthodontics, brackets and wires were the norm. That was until 1998 when Invisalign was invented by 4 Stanford graduate students. Invisalign was created for patients who wanted Orthodontic treatment, but wanted to avoid brackets and wires. Invisalign is a clear plastic aligner that is designed to move teeth. To start your Invisalign treatment, Dr. Ray will first get a mold of your teeth, and send it to Invisalign to turn your Invisalign impression, into a 3D model which is called a clinic check.. Dr. Ray will review the clinic check and adjust it to make your dream smile. Then your Invisalign aligners will be fabricated off of the ideal clinic check. Once we receive your aligners from Invisalign, you will be ready for delivery of your first Invisalign tray! A few attachments will be placed on teeth that need a little extra help to move. Attachments are tooth colored and composed of clear Orthodontic glue. Each Invisalign aligner will be worn for two weeks. Dr. Ray will usually give 4 sets of aligners, so you will be coming back every 8 weeks. At your follow up appointment, Dr. Ray will make sure your aligner fits perfectly, and will give you 4 more sets of Invisalign aligners. This routine is continued until all aligners have been worn and until you get your dream Ray Ortho smile.

Over the years Invisalign treatment has improved greatly. In its early years, Invisalign treatment was meant to treat mild cases. Now, almost all Orthodontic treatment can be accomplished with Invisalign. Invisalign will correct crowded/crooked teeth, correct overbites and underbites, and close spaces. Also in its early years, Invisalign was designed for adult patients. However, in the last 10 years, Invisalign has focused more on teenagers as well. Invisalign TEEN is Invisalign treatment with special tabs, so Dr. Ray can make sure your teenager is wearing their aligners.

Two of the main advantages to Invisalign treatment are the lack of dietary restrictions, and the ability to brush and floss easier. Because Invisalign is removable, you will be able to remove it and eat whatever you like. You will also be able to remove the Invisalign aligner, and brush and floss with ease.

Ray Orthodontics proudly provides Braces and Invisalign care to the Montebello, Palmdale, Pico Rivera, Whittier, East LA, Monterey Park, Lancaster, Alhambra, Huntington Park, South Gate, Downey, El Monte, Lynwood, Cudahy, Walnut Park & Commerce, CA areas. To schedule your free consultation, please call 323-597-1712.

Once your big day has finally arrived and you are ready to get your Braces/Invisalign off, your work is not yet over! After you get your pearly whites all straightened up, you need to keep them that way with retainers. Retainers essentially do what they are called, they retain your teeth in their new straight position. Once your teeth are aligned Orthodontically by either metal braces, ceramic braces, or Invisalign, and your treatment is complete, then your teeth are going to want to move back to their original position. Retainers will keep them from moving! Normally, most patients will need to wear their retainers for one year full time, then night time after. Full time is considered all of the time, except while eating and brushing and flossing.

There are three types of retainers. Hawley retainers are the retainers with a metal wire, essix retainers are the clear plastic retainers, and permanent retainers are a wire that is cemented to the inside of your front teeth. Proper flossing is extremely important with permanent retainers. All retainers will do the same job, keeping all of your teeth straight. Most patients at Ray Orthodontics will receive clear essix retainers.

To take care of your retainers: wash them with a toothbrush and water, make sure to clean your teeth before putting the retainer back in, never leave your retainers in a car (especially on a hot day) because they can melt, keep them away from dogs (they will chew them apart), never wrap them in a napkin while eating (they will be thrown out).

Because retainers are so important, and it would be a shame to have crooked teeth again after spending all the time and money to fix your smile, Ray Orthodontics provides free Retainers for life! This is our guarantee to you, that as long as you wear your retainers, you will have a beautiful smile to last you a lifetime! So if you break them, loose them, or anything else happens to them, just come in and get new retainers at no charge!

Ray Orthodontics proudly provides Braces and Invisalign care to the Montebello, Palmdale, Pico Rivera, Whittier, East LA, Monterey Park, Lancaster, Alhambra, Huntington Park, South Gate, Downey, El Monte, Lynwood, Cudahy, Walnut Park & Commerce, CA areas.

There used to be a time where Braces and Orthodontic treatment was just for kids. Not anymore! There have been many advancements over the past 20 years that have made braces much more comfortable for adults. Adults now comprise for about 30% of all patients with Braces. Getting those pearly whites straightened isn’t the only benefit of braces. Improved gum and bone health will strengthen teeth, as well as make it easier to brush and floss. Healthier teeth mean they will last longer and you get to avoid other dental procedures such as extractions and root canals. If you are an adult who is concerned about the way your braces will look like, you have two more options, ceramic braces, and Invisalign. Ceramic braces are just like regular braces, except they are made of ceramic instead of metal. Ceramic is clear, so the ceramic braces will show a lot less than the metal braces. Ceramic braces will get the exact same result as metal braces, in the same amount of time. Ceramic braces are a very popular option with Adults seeking Orthodontic treatment. Another popular option with adults is Invisalign. Invisalign is a clear plastic aligner that fits your teeth like a mouthguard, except it is much thinner. A patient is given 4-6 Invisalign trays at a time, and each Invisalign tray is worn for 2 weeks. The Invisalign tray is to be worn 22 hours a day. This is continued until our patient’s dream smile is obtained. One of the more common reasons patients chooses Invisalign, is that it is removable. Which means a patient can remove the Invisalign tray, eat whatever they want, brush and floss like normal, then put the Invisalign tray back in. Whether you are thinking about metal braces, ceramic braces, or Invisalign as an adult, you can trust Dr. Ray will take the best care of you and get you the smile of your dreams!

We proudly provide Braces and Invisalign care to the Montebello, Palmdale, Pico Rivera, Whittier, East LA, Monterey Park, Lancaster, Alhambra, Huntington Park, South Gate, Downey, El Monte, Lynwood, Cudahy, Walnut Park & Commerce, CA areas.

With school right around the corner, there’s no better time to get a shiny new smile! If your kid is getting braces before school starts, there are some things we’d like to share to help set the stage for an awesome orthodontic experience.

Getting braces is a rite of passage for teens, but emotions can range when it comes to the subject. Some kids are excited because it means they’ve finally reached their teenage years and they are on their way to rocking a beautiful, mature smile. For others, not so much. They may fear feeling self-conscious or worry that braces will hurt.

At our orthodontic office in Montebello and Palmdale, we’ve witnessed both sides of this emotional spectrum and everything in between. Rest assured, getting braces should NOT be a traumatic experience. In fact, with the right knowledge, your child can get their braces on and feel cool and confident heading into the new school year.

Here are three tips to steer clear of any drama when your child gets braces.

1. Put their mind at ease.

At Ray Orthodontics, we always schedule a free consultation with patients before the big day. This ensures our doctor and team can explain everything your teen needs to know about getting braces: how we put them on, how it will feel, foods they should avoid, etc. We always try to make them laugh and create a relaxed environment. That way, they are a lot less nervous when the big day arrives, and most are even excited.

2. Be prepared.

There are a lot of things you can do to make those first few days and weeks of having braces go a lot smoother. First things first: have dental wax on hand. Encourage your kid to place wax anywhere on their brackets or wires that feels tender. Second, stock up on ice cream and make cool treats like smoothies readily accessible. These cold snacks and meals help relieve swelling and help numb some of the soreness, especially for the first few days. If that’s not doing the trick, feel free to use pain relievers like Tylenol or Ibuprofen in proper dosage.

3. Set up the reward system.

Orthodontic treatment is a journey. It can be a little lengthy depending on your child’s orthodontic issue, so it’s important to celebrate milestones. For example, once your child has braces for six months, consider celebrating with a delicious meal of their choice. For their one year braces anniversary, maybe you can take them shopping at their favorite store.

Getting braces should be fun and that’s what we strive for at our orthodontic practice in Montebello and Palmdale. It’s a complete transformation not only in their smile, but also in their confidence. Hopefully, these helpful tips will have both you and your child ready to rock the braces process to create a smile that sparkles in yearbook photos for years to come!

Good luck and best wishes for a wonderful school year for all!

It’s October in Montebello and Palmdale, which brings Orthodontic Health Month and Halloween! Everywhere you turn you see bags and bags of delicious sugary goodness calling like a candy-coated siren. The only difference is that from an orthodontic perspective, we know exactly what sugar can do to your teeth.

Below are some tricks you can use to help make your Halloween happier for you, your whole family, and your smile, without the threat of sugary sweets.

TRICK #1: GIVE OUT TOYS INSTEAD OF TREATS.  

Who says you have to give out candy on Halloween? Instead of passing out candy, pass out cool little toys you can buy in bulk. The best part, you won’t be tempted to eat the leftovers, and you won’t have to worry about what all that extra sugar is doing to your teeth.

TRICK #2: FLOSS HERE. FLOSS THERE. FLOSS EVERYWHERE.  

Sometimes it’s hard to remember to floss. To help you remember, we recommend our patients buy a few containers of floss. That way you can leave one in your car and one at your desk so you’re never without it. Besides, when you floss, you not only help keep plaque from building up, you help keep your gums healthy, too.

TRICK #3: GET RID OF YOUR SCARY SMILE FOR GOOD.

Let’s face it, you can’t clean crooked teeth as well as you can clean straight teeth. Since it’s Orthodontic Health Month, this is the perfect time to finally get started on your Ray Ortho smile. We offer multiple orthodontic options in Montebello and Palmdale – metal braces, clear braces and Invisalign. Plus, we offer free retainers for life, so you never have to fear your old smile making an appearance.

TRICK #4: CHECK YOUR BITE.

Teeth that aren’t aligned correctly don’t chew food properly. This can cause digestive issues down the road. If you’re noticing that your jaw is popping or clicking when you eat, or you have trouble digesting meals, your teeth maybe one of the culprits. Make a free consultation with Dr. Ray at our Montebello or Palmdale office and get an expert opinion on how your alignment issues can be corrected with orthodontics. We’re here to help you figure out how to make treatment affordable for you!

Interested in learning more tips and tricks? Give Ray Orthodontics a call today and have a discussion with our orthodontist.

Ray Orthodontics in Palmdale: 661-480-5555

Ray Orthodontics in Montebello: 323-597-1712

Ray Orthodontics provides world-class orthodontic services to Montebello, Palmdale, Pico Rivera, Whittier, East LA, Monterey Park, Lancaster, Alhambra, Huntington Park, South Gate, Downey, El Monte, Lynwood, Cudahy, Walnut Park & Commerce, CA.