Patient Video Contest at Buena Vista Orthodontics!

Dr. Yamada and our staff are pleased to announce the start of our patient video contest! Here’s how YOU can win an Apple iPad, Nintendo Wii or Amazon Kindle or a $100 gift card from Best Buy.

To be officially entered, we are asking you to record a video and submit it to us. Video length should be approximately 30 to 60 seconds (but longer videos will be accepted). In the video, you can:

a) Demo how to clean & care for your teeth with braces.
b) Create a “deband song”
c) Explain the benefits of orthodontic treatment.
d) Describe your personal experience with orthodontic treatment at BVO …OR
e) Discuss the best part of getting your braces off and/or having your new smile.

Please submit your video to the BVO staff or e-mail to smile@buenavistaorthodontics.com. Be sure to put “patient video contest” in your e-mail subject line and include your full name. Also, please label any CDs you give to our staff. Contest closes on December 31st or upon receipt of 25 entries (whichever comes first).

Once all videos are submitted and posted to our YouTube page, ask your friends and family to go online and vote for best video between January 1st and 15th. Videos with the most votes will be the winners.

Contest winners and awards will be announced on our Facebook fan page. This contest is Open to adults, teens, and kids (under 18 must have written consent from parent or legal guardian to participate).

GOOD LUCK!!

Ask Dr. Yamada: Why are straight teeth so important?

Good question!

Some people ask us why Dr. Merilynn Yamada and our team at Buena Vista Orthodontics work so tirelessly to give our patients straight teeth. Of course it’s great to have a smile full of evenly aligned teeth, but did you know that straightening your teeth can keep them healthier? Straight teeth lead to better oral hygiene, increasing your chances of keeping your own natural teeth for a lifetime.

Straight teeth are less prone to decay, because they collect less plaque, which is the sticky colorless substance that forms on our teeth and leads to tooth decay; plus, straight teeth are easier to keep clean! If you’re wondering whether your teeth might cause problems because they are out of alignment, we encourage you to give us a call at (818) 846-3774 to set up a complimentary consultation. Dr. Yamada and our team can help you decide whether or not you will benefit from orthodontic treatment at our convenient Burbank office.

Enjoy your weekend everyone!

Dr. Merilynn Yamada, reminding you to visit the dentist during your treatment

Are you brushing and flossing daily properly during your orthodontic treatment with Dr. Yamada? If the answer is yes, we think that’s great! But, don’t forget that it’s also important for you to visit your general dentist here in Burbank every 3-to-6 months in addition to brushing your teeth and flossing (and visiting our office, of course). Regular dental checkups are important for maintaining good oral health, especially during treatment at Buena Vista Orthodontics.

Your general dentist can check for problems that might not be seen or felt, detect cavities and early signs of decay, treat oral health problems early and show you how to properly brush and floss your teeth.

During an oral exam your dentist can 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 been to the dentist in the last six months, let us know during your next visit and we will provide a few great references in Burbank or surrounding communities! We hope you have a wonderful weekend!

What are you reading this fall?

We're officially two weeks away from fall season, which means it's back to school time for most of our patients at Buena Vista Orthodontics. Today, we wanted to remind all our patients about the importance of reading.

In addition to textbooks, it's always great to pick up a great novel or a comic book. Today, we thought we’d ask: What's on YOUR fall reading list? What are some of your all-time favorites?

Out of ideas for great fall reads? Ask us for suggestions, and our staff would be happy to provide a few suggestions. You may also ask a local librarian here in Burbank for some ideas. Or, you may check out these fall reading ideas that we came across this week, courtesy of Borders.

Happy reading! Be sure to share with us your fall picks or your all-time favorites on our Facebook page!

The SureSmile® advantage at Buena Vista Orthodontics

At Buena Vista Orthodontics, we offer a variety of different orthodontic treatments - including Invisalign and the Damon System - designed to help give our patients the beautiful smiles they deserve. While there are so many effective treatments available, SureSmile is one of the top treatments in our Burbank office!

SureSmile gets our patients out of braces twice as fast, and with less discomfort than with most conventional treatments. Patients also spend less time in our office and more time smiling. Instead of Dr. Merilynn Yamada bending an archwire by hand, a SureSmile wire is custom-shaped by a robot. When the wire is inserted, each tooth moves directly to the prescribed position. It's this precise movement that enables such great results with a shorter treatment time.

For more information on SureSmile, head to our website or give us a call at (818) 846-3774. Happy Monday and have a wonderful week!

Dr. Merilynn Yamada, reminding you to wear your mouth guards

With the Dog Days of summer here for only another four weeks, our staff at Buena Vista Orthodontics would like to take this time to remind our young athletes wearing braces to take care of both your mouth and appliances while participating in contact sports (and non-contact sports) this fall. After all, we know this is a busy time of year sports-wise, whether kids are playing baseball in the park or getting ready for high school football in Burbank and surrounding areas.

Dr. Merilynn Yamada wants you to know that only by using a mouth guard can kids with and without braces avoid serious sports injuries. So, the next time you're in for a visit with Drs. Yamada or Abbink, we strongly encourage you to ask us for a mouth guard, and we will provide one! Have a great rest of the week and don't forget to "Like" us on Facebook for a chance to win amazing prizes this fall!

Like Buena Vista Orthodontics on Facebook, win GREAT prizes!

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 and other social networks?

In fact, by “Liking” us at Facebook.com/BuenaVistaOrtho, you will be automatically entered for a chance to win five great prizes this summer, including:

1st place: $100 gift certificate to Best Buy.

2nd place: $50 gift certificate to Best Buy.

3rd place: Three awards of $25 gift certificates to Best Buy.

By “Liking” us on Facebook, you also will receive news, updates and contest announcements, including our upcoming video contest in which you can win an Apple iPad – all through your news feed!

Contest ends Tuesday, September 3rd, when we will have a drawing.

See you on Facebook and GOOD LUCK everyone!