Am I Too Old for Braces?

Orthodontic treatment for adults is becoming more and more common. In fact, the number of adults getting braces has actually climbed 24 percent since 1996! More adults than ever are realizing that orthodontic treatment is not just for kids, and can help improve the aesthetics and health of a smile of any age! In society where appearance matters and can help make the difference between getting a job or a promotion, adults are choosing wisely to invest in orthodontic treatment.
Some of the most common reasons our adult patients come to us considering orthodontic treatment include:
• Teeth that are crowded or spaced apart, sometimes as a result of tooth decay or gum disease
• Pain or pressure from crooked teeth or a misaligned jaw
• A bad bite or malocclusion, causing teeth to fit together incorrectly
Most of all though, adult patients come to our office seeking a healthier mouth and a more confident smile! Orthodontic treatment at our office can be successful at any age, and adults especially can appreciate the benefits of a beautiful smile.
As an adult patient, we recognize that you have different needs than our younger patients, and we will work with you to ensure you receive the most appropriate treatment and that your needs are met with understanding and respect from us.
If you’ve been thinking about getting that perfect smile, we would love to have you visit for a consultation. We understand you have a busy schedule, and will work with you to find a time that is convenient for you. Please visit our website or give our office a call to schedule your appointment today!

Connect with us on Facebook!

We will be rolling out our new Facebook Timeline page soon and would love for you to check it out! You’ll find all the useful information that was there before, but now in a fun, new layout.

When you Like us on Facebook, you’ll be able to check out photos of our office, find out about new events and contests, or you can even leave a note about how much you enjoyed your visit at our office. We love hearing your feedback to make our practice serve you and your family even better.

To make life even easier, if you “Like” us on Facebook, you’ll automatically receive updates from our office right on your own news feed!
See you on Facebook!

February is American Heart Month

Did you know February is American Heart Month? It’s a great time to take notice of the health of your heart, says Dr. Wanda Claro. Cardiovascular disease remains American's number one killer, according to the American Heart Association. Studies have shown a correlation between gum disease and heart disease, underscoring the importance of good oral health care.

Visiting our office on a regular basis can help prevent gum disease or at least catch it in its early stages. And because people with dental insurance are more likely to visit their dentist when they should, a healthy mouth begins with a visit to Irvine Orthodontics . In observance of Heart Month, Dr. Wanda Claro says it’s also important to know your numbers: blood pressure (less than 120/80), cholesterol (less than 200) and BMI (less than 25). If you have any questions about heart health, or about your treatment at Irvine Orthodontics, please give us a call today.

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, from Irvine Orthodontics

With February being National Children's Dental Health Month, our team at Irvine Orthodontics thought we'd share a few good oral hygiene tips with our patients, courtesy of the American Dental Association, or ADA.

• Teeth brushing techniques: It takes only two minutes to properly brush, using short, gentle strokes and devoting extra attention to the gumline, areas around fillings and hard-to-reach areas such as the back teeth.

• Flossing: hold the floss snugly between thumbs and index finger and place between each of the teeth, making sure to go beneath the gumline and curving the floss around the base of each tooth.
• Snack wisely: choose healthy snacks such as vegetables, fruits and cheese and avoid sticky, chewy candies that can stick to the teeth. If you eat these snacks, make sure to brush after doing so.
• Carbonated or sugary drinks: these beverages create acids that can damage the teeth when mixed with saliva, so they should be avoided altogether. When drinking one of these beverages, avoid sipping on it throughout the day. Rather, have a drink and then brush your teeth.

• Regular dental visits: You should visit us regularly (approximately every six months).

National Children's Dental Health Month, now in its 62nd year, aims to increase awareness about the importance of kids' oral health. If you have any questions about keeping your mouth healthy, or about your treatment with Irvine Orthodontics, please feel free to give us a call!

The benefits of a beautiful smile

Drs. Wanda Claro, Bahar Ghafouri and our team know having an attractive smile puts a spring in your step—or two—as well as increases your self-confidence, no matter if you’re 14 or in your late forties. Smiling not only makes people happy and puts them in a good mood, doing it often can even help you live longer, according to previous studies!
If you’ve been hiding your smile because you have crooked teeth or gaps between your teeth, it’s time to consider orthodontic treatment at Irvine Orthodontics. You’ll be pleasantly surprised to learn how quickly and efficiently today’s most advanced correction techniques can straighten your smile!
Don’t hide your smile any longer—give us a call today to schedule yours or your child’s orthodontic consultation.

Understanding cavities, from Irvine Orthodontics

At Irvine Orthodontics, we know one word nobody wants to hear when they visit the dentist is Cavity! That’s right, the dreaded cavity; but what exactly is a cavity and how do you get one? A cavity is a hole that develops in a tooth when the tooth begins to decay. It’s important to get a cavity filled as soon as it’s detected so that it does not grow bigger.

So, what causes a cavity? Well, a cavity is caused by plaque, a sticky substance that forms on the tooth as a result of germ and bacteria build-up. Plaque is acidic and as it clings to your teeth the acids eat away the outside of the tooth (also called the enamel) and a hole is formed.

Yes, cavities can be repaired by your general dentist, but here are a few simple steps you can take to prevent cavities while you’re wearing braces:

· Brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste at least twice daily

· Gently brush your gums to keep them healthy (when choosing a toothbrush it is recommended to use soft bristles)

· Floss your teeth at least once a day to remove plaque and food that may be caught between the teeth and braces where your toothbrush can’t reach

· Limit the amount of soda and sugary treats you eat or drink

· Be sure to visit your dentist every six months for a teeth cleaning and check-up during your orthodontic treatment with Dr. Claro or Dr. Ghafouri

We hope that helps! Give us a call to learn more about keeping your braces and oral health in tip-top shape! Happy Holidays!

Do we have your current contact info?

Happy holidays from all of us at Irvine Orthodontics! As you probably know, you can always connect with Drs. Wanda Claro, Bahar Ghafouri and our team on our Facebook page, but we also encourage you to call us and let us know if you have any new phone numbers or if your contact information has changed!

Please contact our office with any updates to phone numbers and addresses, so that we may be able to reach you. Thank you!

- The team at Irvine Orthodontics

Ask Drs. Claro & Ghafouri: "I just got braces. Now what?"

We love when patients ask us that question! Now that you’re wearing braces, it’s just as important to maintain a good oral hygiene regimen as you did before before orthodontic treatment began.

Braces are known to trap food particles and make it difficult to brush or remove plaque, which is why Drs. Claro & Ghafouri and our team at Irvine Orthodontics recommend that you brush and floss after every meal. We also encourage you use a proxabrush to help with the smaller areas where your toothbrush doesn’t reach. We encourage the use of fluoride rinse as well; ask us for a recommendation!

When your braces are initially placed, your teeth are likely to be very sensitive. You may experience discomfort for up to 3 or 5 days, which is why we encourage you to eat soft foods during that time. Remember, the less pressure you put on your teeth, the less discomfort you will have.

You may also be thinking, “Okay, so what can I eat?” We would encourage you to avoid eating sticky, hard, crunchy or chewy snacks that can stick to your teeth.

Drs. Claro & Ghafouri and team will tell you it’s crucial to regularly check your braces for bent or loose wires and brackets. In the event of a loose/broken wire or bracket, please call our Irvine, CA orthodontic office immediately to schedule an appointment for repair.

Lastly, in addition to visiting Irvine Orthodontics during your orthodontic treatment for adjustments, you should visit your dentist for professional check-ups and teeth cleaning appointments about every six months, or as recommended by your dentist.

What are your November plans?

Believe it or not, we’re almost in full holiday mode! But before you go celebrating, Drs. Wanda Claro, Bahar Ghafouri and our team at Irvine Orthodontics want to know: What are your plans for November? Do you have plans for Thanksgiving? Are you planning a winter vacation? If so, we’d love to hear all about it!

You may share your stories with us below, or by posting on our Facebook page!

–The team at Irvine Orthodontics

Cold season is here, from Irvine Orthodontics

Cold and flu season is here - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that a common cold usually includes sneezing, runny nose, sore throat and coughing. Symptoms can last for up to two weeks.

To promote a healthy and clean environment, Drs. Wanda Claro, Bahar Ghafouri and our entire staff give a great deal of attention to sanitation and sterilization in our Irvine office at all times, as well as following all requirements for sterilizing instruments and work surfaces. For the protection of other patients and our staff at Irvine Orthodontics, we always ask that patients reschedule their appointments if they have any type of cold or illness that can infect others.

And remember to constantly wash your hands and avoid contact with those who are ill! Stay Healthy!

Irvine Orthodontics on California Adventure TV

Check us out on California Adventure TV to learn a little about Irvine Orthodontics! Drs. Claro and Ghafouri help explain why we do what we do: create beautiful smiles! With years of experience and training, and backgrounds in growth and development, our doctors are able treat patients of all ages.

Serving Irvine and the Surrounding Orange County, CA, Drs. Wanda Claro and Bahar Ghafouri 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. Choosing to receive orthodontic treatment can change your life; are you ready to begin the journey? Please contact Irvine Orthodontics for your complimentary orthodontic consultation.

At Irvine Orthodontics, October marks National Orthodontic Health Month!

October is here, and here is our a chance to acknowledge this month as National Orthodontic Health Month! Our staff at Irvine Orthodontics wanted to remind all our wonderful patients to be careful when they bite into their treats this month. Remember, caramels, taffy, nuts, bubble gum, popcorn kernels and suckers are some of the foods you should be avoiding this Halloween Season! Indulging in these foods can break your braces and lengthen your treatment time!

Of course, Halloween doesn’t have to be completely treat-less. Our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists have provided a helpful list of tips and braces-friendly recipes for the Halloween Season.

Enjoy and have a wonderful week!

Ask Drs. Claro & Ghafouri: When should my child come in for a consultation?

Many parents here in Irvine and surrounding Orange County believe they should wait until their child has all of his or her permanent teeth to visit Drs. Claro or Ghafouri for a complimentary orthodontic consultation, only to find that treatment would have been much simpler if started sooner. It's important to know that the American Association of Orthodontists recommends that every child have an orthodontic check-up no later than age seven.

You're probably thinking, "All right, what, exactly is sooo great about age seven?" Well, by then, enough permanent teeth have arrived for Drs. Claro or Ghafouri to make a determination about whether any problems are present. Also, by then, the first molars have come in, providing us an opportunity to check for malocclusion, or what we at Irvine Orthodontics call “bad bite.”

Early evaluation, of course, may signal a need for early treatment. For most children, early treatment can prevent physical and emotional trauma. Aside from spurring on years of harmful teasing, misaligned teeth are also prone to injury and detrimental to good oral hygiene. So if your child is nearing age seven, please give us a call at (949) 954-5765 to schedule an complimentary consultation.

September is National Childhood Injury Prevention Month!

This month, Dr. Claro and Dr. Ghafouri want you to be extra careful with your braces and appliances. After all, September marks the start of fall sports. Of course, that also means an increased risk for mouth injuries. September also happens to be National Childhood Injury Prevention Month, and our staff at Irvine Orthodontics thought we'd share a few sobering facts about sports and facial injuries, courtesy of our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO.

Injuries can happen at any age: More than half of the seven million sports and recreation-related injuries that occur each year are sustained by youth between ages 5 and 24, according to the CDC. Collision and contact sports have higher injury rates, and account for about 80 percent of all sports-related emergency room visits. Despite the risks, many kids are still not wearing mouth guards and facial protection during games and practices.

Here's why:

Mouth guards are not being used: Sixty-seven percent of parents say their child does not wear a mouth guard, yet, 70% say their biggest fear when their child plays is that they will get hurt. And here’s a chilling stat: One out of every four (27 percent) parents say their child has sustained an injury during an organized sport resulting in a trip to the emergency room, according to the AAO.

Not enough support for mouth guards: Of the parents whose children do not wear a mouth guard, 84 percent say it's because the league or coach does not require it, the AAO says.

Hard hits occur in every sport: The average high school baseball pitcher can throw a fast ball between 75-to-85 miles per hour. This compares to being hit in the mouth by a speeding car!

We hope this helps you remember to always wear a mouth guard and other forms of protective gear when participating in fall sports! For more ways you can stay safe on the field, check out these tips. We encourage you to give us a call at (949)954-5765 if you have any questions! Have a wonderful week!

Nancy, our unsung hero!

At Irvine Orthodontics, there are a lot of unsung heroes - the folks who work behind the scenes every day to ensure you get a great smile.

Our office has chosen Nancy Casillas Ruiz, our office manager, as our "unsung hero."

The testimonials from fellow staff are the following:

"She always has a calm and sensible attitude for any problem that may arise. She not only keeps our office running smoothly, whether it be financial, or helping in the clinic, but she keeps our patients happy with understanding and knowledge of their visits and accounts. Nancy always goes the distance with her attention t detail, kindness, time dedicated and overall award winning title as office manager."

"She is very considerate."

"She's very organized and helps the office run smoothly. She's very genuine and polite to patients."

"Without saying - Nancy is Mrs. Patience! Calm and always under control."


We also had 2 nominations (out of 7) for Kristine:

"Kristine is very organized and knows the flow of the clinic. She is very efficient and knows how to multitask well. She takes pride in her work and patient care is her priority! It shows as patients have requested to have her work on them exclusively. She is a great example and model to other assistants."

"She is very good at taking in everything and keeping all of us on track."

Do we have your summer contact info?

We hope you’re having a great week and a great summer so far! If you are planning on traveling with family this summer or think you might not be able to make it to your scheduled appointment with Dr. Wanda Claro or Dr. Bahar Ghafouri, please let us know ahead of time so that we may be able to accommodate you, as well as schedule another patient at that appointment time.

Also, we ask that you give us a call and and let us know if you have any new phone numbers or if your contact information has changed! Please call us with any updates to phone numbers and addresses, so we may be able to reach you. Thank you! Enjoy the rest of your week!

Are dental checkups important during your orthodontic treatment? You bet.

Dr. Wanda Claro and Dr. Bahar Ghafouri want to know: Are you remembering to brush your teeth twice a day in-between your visits to our office? If the answer is yes, we think that's great. But, it’s also important to visit your general dentist every six months in addition to brushing your teeth, flossing and visiting us. Regular dental checkups are important for maintaining good oral health. Your dentist can:

• Check for problems that might not be seen or felt
• Detect cavities and early signs of decay
• Treat oral health problems early
• Show you how to properly brush and floss your teeth during orthodontic treatment

During an oral exam your dentist will also check the health of your mouth, teeth, gums, cheeks and tongue. Checkups will also include a thorough teeth cleaning and polishing. If you have not visited a dentist in the last six months, it’s time to schedule an appointment! Don't have a dentist in Irvine or greater Orange County? Ask us, and we'll be happy to provide a few great references :)

We hope you're having a great summer!

What helps you relax at Irvine Orthodontics?

Drs. Claro & Ghafouri understand not everyone is always thrilled at the prospect of visiting their orthodontist for an adjustment. But at our Irvine office, we strive to bring you the best and most comforting experience at each visit.

At Irvine Orthodontics, whe not only offer the most cutting edge treatments, but also put enormous emphasis on providing the very best customer service available to ensure that you not only get an effective and excellent outcome from your treatment, but also enjoy your time while you’re in our care.

Today, we’d like to know: What is it about Irvine Orthodontics that makes you comfortable or puts you or your child at ease? Is it something about our pleasant environment? Our courteous staff? Something about Drs. Claro & Ghafouri?

Let us know by posting here or on our Facebook page!

Let us know how we're doing!

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 Places page 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!

We proudly offer complimentary consultations!

At Irvine Orthodontics, we want to help you achieve the healthy, straight, confident smile that you’ve always wanted. Drs. Wanda Claro and Bahar Ghafouri and our outgoing, dedicated team work extra hard every day to correct the structure of your mouth, ensuring a beautiful, healthy, esthetic smile.

One of our commitments is meeting with you to help you explore all or the options available to you or your child. We offer complimentary consultations for those interested in orthodontic treatment. During this time, you'll have time reserved with Drs. Claro and Ghafouri, who will assess your particular needs as well as discuss treatment options available and answer any questions you may have. We place a high value on making sure you have complete information before beginning treatment.

If you have been thinking about obtaining the dazzling smile you’ve always wanted, we invite you to give us a call at one of our Irvine, CA office.

See you soon! Have a wonderful weekend!