Love your or your child's new smile? Tell us about it!

At Dr. Hilliard and Dr. Dietrich's office, your orthodontic treatment is about much more than straightening your teeth with braces. You expect great results and we get them because each patient’s treatment is individually planned to meet their needs.

Whether you’ve just come in for a consultation or your family has been visiting our convenient Lakeland office for years, we’d love to hear your feedback. You can write a review on our Facebook page or on our Google listing!

We hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Presidents’ Day Fun Facts with Hilliard & Dietrich Orthodontics!

Today marks Presidents’ Day, a day known for celebrating of both George Washington’s and Abraham Lincoln’s combined Birthdays. Presidents’ Day was created in 1971, when President Richard Nixon combined the birthdays of two of our most well-known presidents into one single federal holiday. Presidents’ Day also marks a hard-earned day off from work and school for a lot of our patients at Hilliard & Dietrich Orthodontics.

Here are a few fun facts about our nation’s presidents:

*Abraham Lincoln, our 16th president, carried letters, bills and notes in his tall stovepipe hat.

*George Washington is the first president to be featured on a postage stamp.

*Ronald Reagan, our 40th president, broke the so-called “20-year curse,” in which every president elected in a year ending in 0 died in office.

*Harry S. Truman was the first president to have his Inauguration and speeches televised.

*Abraham Lincoln was the tallest of the U.S. presidents measuring 6’ 4” tall.

*The word ‘patriotism’ comes from the Latin patria, which means ‘homeland’ or ‘fatherland.’

*Virginia is the birthplace of more United States presidents than any other state, followed by Ohio and Massachusetts.

Patient Question: How long does orthodontic treatment take

Your smile is totally unique, so the time you’ll need to spend undergoing orthodontic treatment will also be unique. Generally, orthodontic treatment will take about two years, and this is for good reason. During this time, your teeth will slowly move into their desired positions, leaving you with a great smile with as little discomfort as possible. Rushing treatment can result in a less than perfect smile with a greater chance of tooth movement after your treatment is complete. At Hilliard & Dietrich Orthodontics, we don’t want to waste your time with treatment that won’t retain your smile for the rest of your life.

Of course, treatment time will vary depending on your specific situation. Very minor tooth movement may only take a few months to correct, while serious malocclusion (poor bite) may need more than two years to correct. Only Drs. Hilliard & Dietrich will be able to accurately estimate the time your treatment will take. But trust us—it’ll all be worth it in the end!

Has your child or teen visited Hilliard & Dietrich Orthodontics for an orthodontic consultation? If not, please give us a call and let us help him or her begin the journey to a gorgeous smile!

Dreaming of a dazzling smile? Hilliard & Dietrich Orthodontics can help!

The fact is, most of us aren’t born with a red carpet smile. And that’s where our team at Hilliard & Dietrich Orthodontics can help. Of course, orthodontic treatment help make your teeth stay strong, healthy and become perfectly-aligned. But did you know you can get the beautiful straight teeth you’ve always wanted — without braces?

We are proud to offer an adult-friendly option for straightening teeth called Invisalign, which uses a series of invisible, removable and comfortable aligners that no one can tell you’re wearing. So, you can smile more during treatment as well as after. Not only are the aligners invisible, they are removable, so you can eat and drink what you want while in treatment. Plus, brushing and flossing are no problem. They are also comfortable, with no metal to cause mouth abrasions during treatment. And no metal and wires usually means you spend less time at our office getting adjustments. Invisalign also allows you to view your own virtual treatment plan when you start so you can see how your straight teeth will look when your treatment is complete.

If you’ve been thinking about getting that perfect smile, we would love to have you in for a visit. Please give us a call to set one up! A consultation at our Lakeland office can determine if Invisalign is right for you. See you soon!

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

With February being National Children's Dental Health Month, our team at Hilliard 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 Hilliard Orthodontics, please feel free to give us a call!

When should you call Hilliard and Dietrich Orthodontics?

We hope you're having a great week! Our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists have put together a helpful list that outlines when you should call Hilliard and Dietrich Orthodontics for a complimentary orthodontic consultation. If you experience the following symptoms or conditions, it may be time to check in us:

1. Early or late loss of baby teeth

2. Difficulty of chewing or biting

3. Mouth breathing

4. Finger sucking or other oral habits

5. Crowding, misplaced or blocked-out teeth

6. Jaws that shift, make sounds, protrude or retrude

7. Speech difficulty

8. Biting the cheek or biting into the roof of the mouth

9. Protruding teethhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

10. Teeth that meet in an abnormal way or don’t meet at all

11. Facial imbalance or asymmetry

12. Grinding or clenching of teeth

Do any of these warning signs fit you? If so, please give us a call at our Lakeland office!

See you soon!

How will you spend MLK Day?

In the 1950s and ’60s, civil rights champion Martin Luther King, Jr. recognized the need to bring about social justice, strengthen America’s communities and move the nation forward. Today, thousands of people of all ages and races in Florida will spend their day building, giving and renovating our communities to help celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Did you have the day off? If so, what did you do to help your local community?

We’d love to know about your activities and events this MLK Jr. Day. If you have any video or pictures you’d like to share, please share them on our Facebook page!

Our entire team at Hilliard and Dietrich Orthodontics are proud of your work in our community! Happy MLK Day!

The benefits of a dazzling smile

At Hilliard Orthodontics, we 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 Hilliard 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. See you soon!

2012!

At Hilliard Orthodontics, the New Year is a time to look back to the past, and more importantly, forward to the coming year. Our wish is that our patients continue to keep their teeth healthy, as well as wear their rubber bands, headgear and appliances as prescribed during their treatment.

We look forward to meeting those patients who are planning to begin their orthodontic treatment this year - we think it's a great resolution!

Happy New Year from all of us at Hilliard Orthodontics!