If this is your first winter with braces, you might be wondering how to make the best of the holiday season. Drs. Cartsos and Zavras and our team have some suggestions for happy and healthy holiday smiles.

Treat Yourself

Winter means tasty holiday treats, and just because you wear braces doesn’t mean you need to step away from the holiday table! You can enjoy your favorites if you remember to check your list for the usual problem foods. Hard, crunchy, chewy, and sticky items? Naughty list.

• Crunchy vegetables on the appetizer plate
• Nuts
• Hard rolls
• Candy canes and other hard sugar treats
• Caramels, Toffee and other sticky candies
• Pecan pie
• Fruit cake

Luckily, there are plenty of nice alternatives.

• Turkey and ham—remember, small pieces are best
• Dressing and stuffing
• Mashed potatoes
• Soft breads and rolls
• Pumpkin pie—but skip a tough crust!
• Cheesecake
• Soft cookies and cakes
• Soft chocolates

We’re happy to provide recommendations for braces-friendly holiday foods. And we don’t expect you to turn down every sweet treat this season.  Just be sure that if you enjoy something sugary, brush carefully after indulging.

Express Yourself

While you’re decking the halls, or pinning up the New Year’s balloons and streamers, or even choosing a great holiday outfit, don't forget that your ligatures can be decorative as well as functional.

• Celebrating Christmas? Red and green bands around your brackets are jolly and traditional.
• How about Hanukkah? Try blue and white!
• Love the season? Icy silvers and pale blues are a frosty statement—and can have the benefit of making your teeth look whiter, as well. Snowy white? The arctic idea is great, but white bands can sometimes make teeth look more yellow, or become stained themselves.
• Glam New Year? Gold adds sparkle to your smile, but can bring out any yellow tones in your teeth. Silver might be the perfect choice, because it is generally neutral with enamel shades.

Check out our ligature colors for the best possible choices for your teeth and coloring. Take advantage of these options to create a fresh, confident look for the season. Give others the gift of your smile!

Look After Yourself

Winter comes with some special reminders about your dental health.

• Winter sports are a great way to celebrate the snow and ice, but be sure to protect your teeth and braces. If you enjoy skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, hockey, or any other winter activities, talk to us about why a mouth guard is so important.
• While you enjoy your winter break, don’t forget to keep up with your dental routine. And because ‘tis the season for holiday treats, be especially careful to clean your teeth and braces after sweet desserts and snacks. Don’t forget to floss!
• What do cold breezes and hot chocolate have in common? They can both trigger tooth sensitivity! While some sensitivity is normal after an adjustment, if you find you are experiencing tooth sensitivity more often or more strongly than you usually do, give us a call. It might be something as simple as brushing habits, or you might need to see your dentist.

If you have any questions about your braces, in this season or any other, just ask when you visit our Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts office. Your beautiful, healthy, and confident smile can make this the most wonderful time of the year!

Many parents have concerns about their children’s teeth not falling out on time. Drs. Cartsos and Zavras and our team are here to answer any questions parents may have about when children lose their teeth.

Children have 20 primary teeth that come in around age three. By about age six, these teeth will loosen and begin to fall out on their own to make room for the permanent ones. It is common for girls to lose their baby teeth earlier than boys. Most children lose their final baby tooth by age 13.

Baby teeth normally fall out in the order in which they came in. The lower center incisors are usually the first to fall, around age six or seven, followed by the upper central incisors.

If a child loses a tooth to decay or an accident, the permanent tooth may come in too early and take a crooked position due to teeth crowding. If your child loses a tooth to decay or accident, call Drs. Cartsos and Zavras to make an appointment.

Some kids can’t wait for their baby teeth to fall out, while others dread the thought of losing a tooth. When your child begins to lose teeth, you should emphasize the importance of proper dental care on a daily basis to promote a healthy mouth.

Remember to:

• Remind your child to brush his or her teeth at least twice a day and offer assistance if needed
• Help your child floss at bedtime
• Limit eating and drinking between meals and at bedtime, especially sugary treats and drinks
• Schedule regular dental visits for your child every six months.
• Ask about the use of fluoride treatments and dental sealants to help prevent tooth decay.

Call Convivial Dental to learn more about caring for baby teeth or to schedule an appointment at our Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts office!

We live in strange times - gestures once taken for granted - handshakes, hugs, fist bumps - are now taboo; even our smiles are often hidden behind masks. But that doesn’t mean no one is seeing your smile. COVID-19 has meant socially distancing ourselves but it has also meant a boom in social media. Humans are social creatures and we’ve found new and creative ways to connect even while apart. 

More selfies, virtual school, virtual meetings, and video chats are happening than ever before, which means we are even more up close and personal with our smiles. We all want to feel confident on screen - teens and adults alike. Self confidence is a huge factor in teen development and Invisalign has been found to increase teen confidence both during treatment and once they’ve achieved the smile they always wanted. 

There is no need to wait to get the smile of your dreams for you or your child; and at Convivial Dental, we have combined the technology of Invisalign and virtual appointments, to make sure you are as safe as possible while achieving that smile. 

Why is Invisalign a great choice right now?
While we are all allowed out and about again, fears are still running high. We still need to be careful about what we touch, where we spend our time, and with whom. Invisalign allows for a more socially distanced approach to orthodontics, while still making sure you get the expertise of a trained and specialized orthodontist like Dr. Cartsos. To get started, we use a 3D scanner to take images of your teeth and bone structure in order to map out a customized treatment plan and to build custom aligners that will help straighten your smile - invisibly. That means less time in your (or your child’s) mouth to get started. 

Once your treatment plan is put in place, you will receive clear aligners to wear 22 hours a day - no skimping or treatment will take longer! We will want to see you for appointments, just like with braces, but with Invisalign we can space those appointments further out! And, with our virtual appointments we can see you from home! If we don’t see anything unexpected, we will give you instructions to move forward - no need to come into the office. Socially distant - Check!

In order to further minimize your time at our practice - gosh we miss seeing our patients all the time but we know it's safer - we have implemented curbside pick up for aligners. During your treatment, you will receive a few batches of clear Invisalign aligners at a time. We then gauge your progress at appointments (in person or virtual) and move to the next set - if all is going well, you can just pick them up curbside! 

While we’d rather see each and every one of our patients all the time, we are doing our part to flatten the curve and keep everyone healthy and safe. Invisalign, paired with virtual appointments, allows us to help you attain the smile of your dreams in the safest way possible - it’s the choice. Not just any practice can do this, at Convivial Dental we have the expertise with both orthodontics and technology to help you get that smile. Our fun and friendly office may look a bit different than it used to, but we’re still cooking up ways to make you feel the love while you’re here! 

There is so much that we’re depriving ourselves of these days, don’t let the smile of your dreams be one of those things. We have flexible financing and low down payments.

Call us today at 617-735-0800 or click below to schedule a free consultation - we can start virtually or in person - your choice! 

Bringing your little one to the dentist for the first time can be stressful: Will they sit in the chair? Will they open their mouth for the dentist? Will they be scared? Then add a pandemic where they haven’t been away from their grown-ups much if at all… no wonder we have parents calling us left and right voicing concerns and asking if they really need to bring their kiddo to the dentist or if they can push it off. 

Well, at Convivial Dental we believe that pushing off a dental exam (even during a pandemic) can be harmful to your child’s oral development. It’s important to start good dental habits early and that includes visiting the dentist twice a year for a cleaning. That said, we know how stressed out you are - we’re parents too! That’s why we work hard to ensure that your child doesn’t experience any stress or anxiety while at our practice - in COVID times and normal life as well. Read on to learn more about how our practice strives for the best experience possible - for grown-up AND kiddo. 

Positivity Goes a Long Way
Children feed off what they see their grown-ups expressing. If you’re anxious, they will be too. Rest assured that as a pediatric dental office, we specialize in kids as young as 1 year old and we know how to keep them positive and relaxed. 

Before the pandemic, we ensured that our waiting room was full of toys to keep your child entertained prior to their appointment. While we can’t do that right now, we’re always waiting to greet you at the door with a bright happy atmosphere, happy voices and smiling eyes above our masks! 

Plus, you are always welcome to stay in the examination room with your child. They’ll sense your calm and they’ll feel more comfortable knowing you’re right there with them for the entire appointment. 

Distraction and Relaxation
Think about your last spa visit...feels like an eternity ago, we’re sure! There was probably soft music to relax you. Well, at Convivial Dental we ensure there is fun music and great energy throughout the office. We also have TV screens on the ceiling for your kiddo and they are able to choose the movie or cartoon they would like to watch and listen to on (sanitized) headphones. This will help distract them while they lay back during a procedure and help support their sense of relaxation.

Listening and Explaining
We care about you and your kiddos. That’s why we start every visit with a conversation. Your child is invited to tell us about their day and any concerns they may have, then we follow up with an explanation of what we’ll be doing. Often children (and adults!) will lose their fears by simply understanding what is happening, when and why.

We encourage you to do some reading with your child prior to their appointment. There are some wonderful children’s books about going to the dentist that will help them understand what will happen before they arrive. Some suggestions are: Curious George Visits the Dentist, Celebrate! Going to the Dentist, Dentist Trip (Peppa Pig) and Just Going to the Dentist (Little Critter). Links are provided but we encourage you to go to your favorite local bookstore! 

Sedation
For those children who need just a little extra TLC, we do offer nitrous oxide, a sedation technique commonly used to reduce anxiety and alleviate any pain. Topical pain relievers can also be useful for children with sensitive teeth eliminating discomfort. 

For more complex dental issues, extreme anxiety, or a fear of needles, we can provide deeper sedation prior to your child’s appointment via a liquid or tablet sedative.

At Convivial Dental we care about your teeth but we also care about your mental and emotional well being. If you have further concerns about booking an appointment please give us a call - we’re happy to discuss and answer any questions. 

If you’re ready to schedule your appointment call us today at 617-735-0800 or click below to get started. We can’t wait to see you and your little one!