Connect with Dr. Yamada and BVO on Facebook!

At Buena Vista Orthodontics, we value the relationships we’ve developed with our patients over the years. Even if you visit our office on a regular basis, did you know you can always connect with Dr. Yamada on Facebook?

There, we share office news, updates and contest announcements, so check it out! By Liking our page, you will receive updates from our office automatically in your news feed!

See you on Facebook!

- Dr. Yamada & the BVO team

Are you wearing your mouth guard?

At Buena Vista Orthodontics, we know spring sports are just around the corner, and we would like to remind our young athletes in treatment to take care of both your mouth and appliances while participating in contact sports (and non-contact sports) as well this spring. Dr. Yamada will tell you that only by using a mouth guard can kids with and without braces avoid serious sports injuries. And don't forget to ask us for a mouth guard - we will provide a mouth guard for anyone in active treatment!

If you have further questions or are ready to schedule your consultation, just give us a call at our Burbank office.

Happy New Year from all of us at Buena Vista Orthodontics!

2010 is almost over—and what a year it was at Buena Vista Orthodontics! Dr. Merilynn Yamada and our staff thought we’d ask: what was memorable about 2010 for you, and what are you most looking forward to in 2011? Do you have a new year's resolution, or any exciting plans for the coming year?

Have a safe and happy New Year, to all our patients, friends, family and all our dental and medical colleagues in Burbank and surrounding communities here in Los Angeles.

See you all in 2011!

Ask Dr. Yamada: “I’m 33 – am I too old for braces?”

Absolutely not! At Buena Vista Orthodontics, nobody is “too old” for braces! In fact, we read a fascinating statistic recently: adults getting braces has actually jumped 24 percent since 1996! In fact, one of every five patients in orthodontic treatment is over the age of 21. Of course, braces help make your teeth stay strong, healthy and become perfectly-aligned. But we’d like you to know orthodontic treatment with Dr. Yamada or Abbink can be successful at any age, and adults especially appreciate the benefits of a beautiful smile.

In fact, 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.

If you’ve been thinking about getting that perfect smile, we would love to have you visit for a complimentary consultation at our Burbank office. Please give us a call at (818) 846-3774 to set one up and have a wonderful rest of the week!

What do you enjoy most about fall?

It’s fall here at Buena Vista Orthodontics, a time when families in Burbank and surrounding areas begin to make plans for Thanksgiving and the winter holidays. But before you go celebrating, we wanted to ask you, our wonderful patients, “How are you spending your time this fall?”

Dr. Merilynn Yamada and team would love to hear about your favorite places for eating, shopping, and entertainment here in Burbank and surrounding areas. We are interested in learning about what makes our unique community “yours.”

Feel free to post your responses on our Facebook page, or give us a call! Have a wonderful weekend!

"My son is turning seven - when should I bring him in for a consultation?"

Braces were originally considered to be best appropriate for teens. But these days, kids as old as seven years old are beginning their orthodontic treatment. Because preadolescent kids are typically not self-conscious, our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists suggest it could be a good idea to start early.

Experts, however, say it depends on the treatment required. Some children who get braces at an early age end up in a second phase of treatment, and end up having braces well into their teenage years despite starting young.

Dr. Yamada will tell you most orthodontic treatment begins between ages nine and 14, and the folks at AAO estimate most orthodontic treatment lasts from one to three years, with two years being the average. It’s important, however, that children be screened no later than age seven for our team at Buena Vista Orthodontics to assess what the best age for treatment is (Dr. Yamada offers complimentary consultations).

Hope this helps! Give our Burbank office a call at (818) 846-3774 if you have any questions about your child’s treatment, or ask us on Facebook! Enjoy your weekend!

What is Invisalign, and is it right for me? [Video]

We've touched on the power of Invisalign treatment before, but today thought we'd share a helpful video for those who are intrigued by the idea of straightening their teeth without using traditional metal braces. The Invisalign system at Buena Vista Orthodontics is a state-of-the-art system of clear, removable aligners that we proudly offer to adults and teens at our convenient Burbank, California office. We have plenty of resources on our website to check out about Invisalign, or give our office a call at (818) 846-3774 for a complimentary consultation to learn if this revolutionary new treatment option is right for you!

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 in our office getting adjustments. Dr. Merilynn Yamada is a Certified Invisalign® Provider in Burbank and surrounding communities.