Drs. Claro and Ghafouri, dispelling the myths about orthodontics

Trust us when we say Drs. Claro and Ghafouri both know there are a lot of myths and half-truths floating around these days when it comes to orthodontics (and orthodontists in general). But, before you buy into those myths, our doctors and experienced staff at Irvine Orthodontics think you should get the facts first! Our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists have some excellent information on the myths and facts of orthodontics, and we encourage you to check them out before settling for rumors about braces!

If you have any questions about orthodontics or your treatment at Irvine Orthodontics, feel free to give us a call at (949) 954-5765!

We hope you have a great rest of your Memorial Day weekend, and we'll see you soon!

Share your experience at Irvine Orthodontics with the world!

With years of experience and training, and backgrounds in growth and development, our doctors are able treat patients of all ages, and we know the importance of having a great smile! At Irvine Orthodontics, we want to help you achieve the healthy, straight, confident smile that you’ve always wanted.

Whether you've visited Drs. Claro or Ghafouri for a week, months or even years, we'd love to hear your feedback about how our practice is faring! There are lots of ways you can share your thoughts about our practice with the rest of the world, but we encourage you to head to our Google Local listing and write a review there. Or, you may review us on Yelp if you'd like. After all, reviews help us create more beautiful smiles!

You may write a review here. Thanks in advance and enjoy the rest of your weekend! Drs. Claro and Ghafouri, as well as our entire team, look forward to reading your reviews!

Connect with Irvine Orthodontics on Facebook!

At Irvine Orthodontics, Drs. Claro and Ghafouri, as well as our entire team, truly value the relationships we have developed with our patients here in Irvine, Laguna Beach, Santa Ana, Newport Beach, Mission Viejo, Lake Forest and surrounding communities in Orange County. Even if you only visit us every three- to four months, did you know that you can now connect with Irvine Orthodontics on Facebook?

We invite you to “like” Irvine Orthodontics on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/IrvineOrthodontics. We share office news and updates on our Fan Page, so check it out! By Liking our page, you will receive all kinds of updates from our office automatically on Facebook!

See you on Facebook and enjoy your week,

- Drs. Claro and Ghafouri

How does Irvine Orthodontics "Go Green"?

We, at Irvine Orthodontics, have been making strides in "Going Green" for over 6 years, and have offered digital X-rays and photos since then. This year we are encouraging our patients to view their digital records through our website versus printing them on paper. We began scanning our records and charts over 2 years ago and are now all digital and chartless. Also, through our website, our patients have the option of making payments online. Two years ago we switched to automatic payments versus sending out statements. We also encourage our staff to sign up for automatic deposit versus paper checks and we try to make many of our office payments online.

Our office has been using non-toxic cleaning supplies for many years. We wash all uniform jackets and towels with environmentally friendly detergent. We recycle printed paper as scratch paper. Our trash service doesn't offer recycling yet, however, we are proud of one of our employees who recycles the plastics and cans that are used through the office and other staff members. We have master electrical, vacuum, compressor and water switches, which are turned off every evening. We use the least amount of electricity in our entire office complex.

In addition, Dr. Claro has driven a hybrid car for over 3 years and most of our staff have "green" cars or ride a bike or walk to work. Dr. Ghafouri used environmental friendly diapers for her children. We are all trying to preserve our environment for generations to come!

Lastly, we just finished our "Find Buster Bunny" contest - the winner will be announced and posted on our Facebook page soon. Our next contest is the "Eyes of Summer" - Stay'C is in the process of making up our eyes (like she did our lips) for all to guess who's eyes are who's! This will start in June. We have our ongoing quarterly contest for being on time, having clean teeth, and having intact braces and retainers or other appliances, too!

Ask Irvine Orthodontics: Which toothbrush should my child use?

Our team at Irvine Orthodontics will tell you that brushing your teeth - yes, even during orthodontic treatment - is one of the easiest methods of cavity prevention. But which type of toothbrush should your child use? When choosing a toothbrush, look for round-ended, or polished, bristles that clean while being gentle on the gums and look for one that has large handles that can help children control the toothbrush. Lastly, throw out a toothbrush after three months or sooner if the bristles begin fraying. Frayed bristles can harm your gums, and are not as effective in cleaning teeth.

As far as which toothpaste is best? It really doesn't matter as long as your toothpaste has fluoride in it. Make sure to touch each tooth and every side of that tooth. Also, gently brush on your gums.

To learn more about choosing the right toothbrush and toothpaste for your child, we encourage you to read this helpful article from Parenthood.com. Or, you may give us a call at (949) 786-7800 and we'll try to answer any question you may have about keeping your child's mouth as healthy as possible during treatment at Irvine Orthodontics!