Orthodontist Rockford Winnebago IL Invisalign Dennis J Flanagan DDS MS
Orthodontist Winnebago Rockford IL Invisalign Dennis J Flanagan DDS MS
Oral piercings of the tongue, lips, and cheeks are growing in popularity and acceptance, and are considered a way to express one’s personality in an art form like tattoos. However, did you know the human bite can be more “toxic” than an animal bite? Keeping this in mind, imagine what could happen to your mouth Read More
Sensitive teeth…Have you ever experienced sensitivity in your teeth when drinking hot coffee or eating ice cream? How about when brushing your teeth? Ever wonder why this happens? Most of the time it is due to enamel wear of teeth. When this happens, the dentin (sensitive part of the tooth) is exposed and left vulnerable Read More
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that parents understand the early warning signs of an orthodontic problem and recommends kids be evaluated by an orthodontist by age 7 – 8. Early evaluation provides both timely detection of problems and a greater opportunity for more effective treatment. Well timed intervention guides growth and development, preventing serious Read More
When parents visit the orthodontic office of Dennis J. Flanagan DDS MS, it is not uncommon for them to worry if their child’s baby teeth do not fall out on time. Infants rollover, sit, walk, and talk at different stages of their development. The same is true when your child is losing baby teeth. There Read More
Lollipops are a cavity on a stick and soda is pure sugar in a can. Candy and soda cause tooth decay. You’ve been taught this since grade school. This is not news, is it? Well, what about the fact that sports drinks ruin your teeth, too? Heard that one before? Dr. Dennis J. Flanagan DDS Read More
Everyone wants a full, toothy smile, but some people are missing teeth through no fault of their own. Whenever you see a person missing teeth, you probably assume that they have lost them somewhere along the line, either through an accident or neglect. However, that is not always true. At the orthodontic office of Dr. Read More
Almost everyone has at least a slight misalignment of the “midline” or center of our front teeth and our nose. For most people, it is so slight that it is barely noticeable. However, some people have a midline that does not appear to be halfway between the centers of the pupils of the eyes, affecting Read More
The Team at the orthodontic office of Dr. Dennis J. Flanagan DDS MS knows that there are many reasons why people want straight teeth. Not the least of these is the fact that crooked teeth are not the most attractive feature. While a nicely aligned smile can be the part of your looks that pulls Read More
Have you ever given any thought to what it actually means to have a “perfect” smile? Most people when asked this question will conjure up mental images of models and Hollywood actors with dazzling teeth. However, there is an actual medical definition of the way the teeth are meant to fit together. The word “occlusion” Read More
“Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.” – Thich Nhat Hanh Depending on what stage you are in of orthodontic treatment, smiling may be the last thing you want to do. Whether you’re just starting with braces or Invisalign or near the Read More
Happy Holidays to all from Orthodontist Dennis J. Flanagan DDS MS! This is the time of year where giving means more than receiving. To see the joy on a loved one’s face as they look in their stocking or open a present is truly what giving is about. The Team at the orthodontic office of Read More
Why trust orthodontists…If you are having a problem with your bones or muscles you trust an orthopedist. For a skin, hair, or nail condition you trust a dermatologist. A cardiologist specializes in heart issues or you consult with a neurologist for frequent headaches or back issues related to the nervous system. When straightening teeth and Read More
The short, easy answer is yes. Now I could stop here because I just gave the answer to the question, but the answer wouldn’t be complete without an explanation. The bones in our body are not static and unchanging. Your bones are constantly remodeling and adapting. Bone does this in part due to forces that Read More
You may have seen the term “self-ligating brackets” (SLB’s) during your online research about orthodontic treatment. What does that mean? You may have seen it used along with a description of “Damon System” self-ligating brackets. Damon System brackets are just one type of self-ligating brackets. They are not better than most other SLB’s, they just Read More
“I don’t have time to visit a doctor every month” “Braces are just too expensive” “It’s only one gap, I can close it myself” These are just a few of the reasons that some people are taking the DIY trend to the extreme and DIY’ing their own orthodontic treatment. NO. No no no no no. Read More
No, it isn’t important… It is EXTREMELY important. Orthodontic treatment can increase the chances of getting white spots (decalcification) and or decay when oral hygiene is poor during treatment. This can happen with traditional braces or Invisalign. When a patient has braces on, the brackets, wires, etc. tend to trap and collect food around them. Read More
We have some exciting new technology in our office! It is the Itero digital intraoral scanner. Kind of a fancy name. So what does it do? The Itero scanner takes the place of taking impressions (molds) of our patients. Most people have either had or know what a dental impression is. There are many types Read More
In our practice, we like to put our patients first. It even says so in our mission statement. One of the many ways we put our patients first is by giving them options for how they can achieve the smile they have always wanted, or in many cases, very definitely needed. We can do traditional Read More
In two words, a lot! An orthodontist is a dental specialist trained in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics (which is the actual name of the specialty). But what does that mean? As an orthodontist, we are trained to not only straighten teeth, but to also diagnose and treat abnormalities of growth and development of the jaws Read More
What is an expansion appliance and what does it do? Some children are born with an upper jaw that is too narrow and small. As a result, it does not fit correctly with the lower jaw. This causes a crossbite of the back teeth, and sometimes even the front teeth. An expansion appliance is used Read More