February is National Children's Dental Health Month!

At Dr. Berger's office, February is National Children's Dental Health Month, as well as National Dental Health Month, and Dr. Berger and team thought we’d promote good oral hygiene among our patients with a few tips and tricks, courtesy of the American Dental Association.

• 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 insert it 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 cheese, fruits and vegetables and avoid crunchy, sticky, chewy candies that can stick to the teeth. If you eat these snacks, be sure to brush after doing so.

• Carbonated or sugary drinks: these drinks create acids that can damage the teeth when mixed with saliva, so they should be avoided altogether. If you’re going to drink one of these beverages, don’t sip on it throughout the day. Rather, drink it and then brush your teeth.

• Regular dental visits: in addition to seeing our team at Dr. Berger's Torrance, CA office during your orthodontic treatment, you should visit your dentist for professional check-ups and teeth cleaning appointments about every six months.

National Children's Dental Health Month aims to increase awareness about the importance of our patients' oral health. If you have any questions about keeping your mouth healthy, or about your treatment with Dr. Berger, please feel free to give us a call or ask us on Facebook!

Ask Dr. Berger: What are "Dentofacial Orthopedics"?

You may have noticed that Dr. Jeffrey Berger specializes in "Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics." While most people have heard of orthodontics, many are confused by the "dentofacial orthopedics" part of the title.

No worries - we can explain!

You probably know that an orthodontist straightens teeth, and indeed: "ortho" comes from the Greek for "straight" or "correct," and "dontic" from the Greek for "teeth." But what about dentofacial orthopedics? "Dentofacial" is "teeth" plus "face" while "ortho" again means "straight" and "pedic" is from the Greek for "child."

Essentially, while orthodontics entails the management of tooth movement, dentofacial orthopedics involves the guidance of facial growth and development, which occurs largely during childhood. In both cases, appliances are frequently used – the more familiar braces for orthodontics, and other specialized appliances like headgear and expanders depending on what facial abnormalities are present. Sometimes orthopedic treatment may precede conventional braces, but often the two are accomplished at the same time. So if your child gets braces and headgear, he's undergoing orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics!

Because Dr. Berger is skilled in both areas, he is able to diagnose any misalignments in the teeth and jaw as well as the facial structure, and can devise a treatment plan that integrates both orthodontic and dentofacial orthopedic treatments.

We hope that helps! Contact our Torrance orthodontic office and schedule a complimentary consultation for your child. It’s never too late to get a great smile, and we can’t wait to help you get started.

Enjoy your weekend!

What are patients saying about Dr. Berger and staff?

Check out what a few of our patients are saying about Dr. Jeffrey Berger and our staff lately! Thanks for writing in, everyone! By the way, Facebook is a great place to tell us how we're doing, but we also encourage you to head to our Google Places page and leave a short review there. Your generous reviews help Dr. Berger build more beautiful smiles!

"Dr. Berger is always available if you have a problem with a bracket or wire. His office will always accommodate your personal needs. His staff is very professional and they always have smiles on their faces." ~ Doug N.

"Dr. Berger is really friendly and professional. He explained my case thoroughly with me . His assistant, Angie is really great and is able to provide with informative answer to every questions that i have. The clinic office runs in a really well-organized and systemic way that i can rarely find in other dental office." ~ Tiffany C.

"Outstanding Orthodontist Dr. Berger and his staff are great! They are very attentive to their patients and make them feel comfortable. They have very flexible hours to accommodate the busy students."‎ ~ Sandra N.

Access your account any day, any time!

Access to your account, 24/7. Sounds simple and convenient, doesn’t it?

Patients at Dr. Berger's office enjoy access to their account 24 hours a day, seven days a week—all through our website. You can look up your appointments and all of your account details at your convenience, all from the comfort of your own home! You can even receive appointment reminders through email or text messages!

You, too, may sign up for this convenient service on our website by clicking on the "Patient Login" button on our homepage. Please give us a call at our Torrance office if you have any questions about getting started!

Connect with the Braces Brigade!

At Dr. Berger's office, our patients want to get as much out of their treatment as possible. That includes asking a lot of questions and making sure they take care of both their appliances and oral health.

Would you like to learn more about what to expect during orthodontic treatment, from someone with firsthand experience? Well, our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recently developed the Braces Brigade blog, where past, present, as well as future orthodontic patients from coast to coast document their (or their child’s) orthodontic journeys. The blog will serve as a source of guidance for others as the patients undergo orthodontic care.

Dr. Berger and our staff encourage you to visit the Braces Brigade blog to read these great and informative blogs—who knows, maybe you’ll learn a thing or two! As always, don’t hesitate to give us a call at our Torrance office if you have any questions about the Braces Brigade or your own orthodontic treatment with Dr. Berger!

Enjoy your weekend!

What do you love about our community?

Dr. Berger’s office, located in Torrance and serving surrounding communities, is situated around some pretty unique neighborhoods. Each is special with its own personality, created by the people and places (and our amazing patients) living within.

Today, Dr. Berger and our team thought we'd ask: What are your favorite things about Torrance and our area in general? Is there a local event you attend every year? Do you have a favorite eatery? Perhaps a favorite southern California getaway? Do you love the nice weather we get year-round?

Please feel free to share some information about your favorite local hang-outs in Torrance, and everything you love best about “your neck of the woods.” And, who knows, we might post your response on our social networks!

Happy New Year everybody - we wish you all the best in 2011!

Ask Dr. Berger: Who benefits from braces?

Braces aren’t just for pre-adolescents and teenagers anymore! Dr. Berger will tell you that anyone, at any age, can benefit from orthodontic treatment, whether it’s correcting a problem not treated in your younger years, or catching a problem early.

To ensure the best overall treatment, the American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children receive an orthodontic consultation as early as age seven. If a problem is evident, taking action early can spare a lot of treatment and expense down the road. If you never received orthodontic treatment when you were young, don’t worry! You’re never too old for a beautiful smile. Set up an appointment for a consultation and find out how adult orthodontics will transform your smile, as well as your life!

Have a safe and happy New Year, to all our patients, friends, family, and all our dental and medical colleagues in Torrance, Redondo Beach and the Palos Verdes Peninsula.