Season's greetings from Buena Vista Orthodontics!

In this season given to tidings of comfort and joy, and as our team at Buena Vista Orthodontics reflect on the year that was, we’d like to ask you, our great patients: What do you love about the holidays this year? Being with your loved ones? A clean slate for 2011? Opening presents by the fireplace? All the delicious food? Also, what gift are you most looking forward to getting this year?

We’d love if you shared with us here, or on our Facebook page, all the things you love about this time of year.

Happy Holidays from Drs. Yamada & Abbink and our entire staff!

What puts you at ease at Buena Vista Orthodontics?

Dr. Yamada and our team understand not everyone is always thrilled about visiting their orthodontist. But here at Buena Vista Orthodontics, we strive to bring you the best and most comforting experience at each visit at our Burbank office. Today, we’d like to know: What is it about our office that makes you comfortable or puts you or your child at ease? Is it something about our pleasant environment? Our courteous staff? Perhaps it's something about Drs. Yamada or Abbink?

Let us know by posting on Facebook or by giving us a call!

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!

Giving thanks this holiday season

With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season knocking at our door, Dr. Yamada and our entire staff at Burbank's Buena Vista Orthodontics wanted to stop for a moment and extend our best wishes to you, our patients, referring doctors and families, for a wonderful Thanksgiving.

As always, if you know anyone we can help, just let us know. We promise to give them the same quality orthodontic care that we have given you. We hope that this Thanksgiving and holiday season brings fond memories. Thank you for being part of our family.

Talking retainers with Buena Vista Orthodontics

If you've recently completed treatment at Buena Vista Orthodontics, our professional team would like to congratulate you! Now that your braces have been removed, Dr. Merilynn Yamada or Dr. Bruce Abbink will provide—or have provided you—with retainers. After braces are removed, teeth are known to shift out of position if they are not stabilized.

Retainers, however, provide that stabilization, and are designed to hold teeth in their corrected, ideal positions until the bones and gums adapt to the treatment changes. Wearing retainers exactly as instructed by Drs. Yamada or Abbink is the best insurance that the treatment improvements last for a lifetime.

If you have additional questions about retainers or your treatment here at our Burbank office, please give us a call at (818) 846-3774 or ask us on Facebook! Our staff would love to hear from you! Enjoy your weekend!

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!