How often do you treat yourself to a Christmas gift? Have you ever thought of giving yourself something that will last a lifetime? Now is the perfect time to treat yourself to perfectly aligned teeth. If you have orthodontic issues, braces could be the gift that keeps on giving. It’s morethan straight teeth; this gift will also improve your oral and overall health. What could be a better gift than that?

When you gift yourself braces, you are receiving more than a straighter smile, as studies have shown that braces can lead to many health benefits, including more confidence and a lower stress level. The experts at Balhoff Orthodontics share the many benefits that orthodontics can bring to your life. 

Reduces Chance of Tooth Decay and Gum Disease

When your teeth are crowded or crooked, it’s difficult to clean your teeth properly. Plaque is enemy number one, and if it is not removed from the nooks and crannies, it will result in tooth decay and potentially gum disease. Braces will correct these issues, so at-home care and professional cleanings will effectively clean your teeth and gums, keeping them healthy.

Correcting Speech and Chewing Issues

A malocclusion, which is a misaligned jaw, affects your bite and causes jaw pain. Both underbites and overbites can make it difficult to chew and speak clearly. By changing the position of your teeth and jaw, braces can help you speak more clearly. Additionally, braces can also aid with digestion. Digestion starts at the chewing stage, and if you are chewing more effectively, your digestive system will function better. 

Self-Confidence is Important to Your Health

A beautiful smile leads to self-confidence, which is essential to your mental health. If your smile makes you embarrassed or anxious because of misaligned teeth or a protruding or receding jaw, braces can boost your self-confidence by improving your smile and even changing the symmetry of your face. 

Schedule a Consultation with Your Lafayette Orthodontist Today!

Now is the time to schedule a consultation with the experts at Balhoff Orthodontics. Winter is typically a quieter time, so it is the perfect time to start your smile journey. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, contact us! We have many different types of braces to meet your needs. We would love to help you have a beautiful and healthy smile every Christmas!

Is It Safe to Go to the Dentist & Orthodontist Right Now?

At Balhoff Orthodontics, it is our job and responsibility to protect patients and staff from COVID-19 by continuing to work safely and diligently. We have always followed strict sanitation and disinfection guidelines in compliance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Our orthodontic team is working exceedingly hard to slow and stop the spread of coronavirus, while also offering orthodontic treatment in the safest manner possible. 

Disease Prevention & Sanitation Safety in Our Office

Orthodontic healthcare professionals are experts in orthodontia as well as disease prevention and sanitation. Not only are we passionate about keeping a clean, germ-free environment, we are also legally obligated to do so. At Balhoff Orthodontics, our orthodontist and staff have been trained to provide high quality care in an office that is safe and disinfected. To combat any type of infectious disease, including coronavirus, we take the following precautions every day:

• Surgical Masks, Protective Eyewear, & Gloves: all of our team members wear masks, eyewear, and gloves to protect themselves and our patients from any type of fluid or germ exchange. 
• New Masks with Every Patient: we keep our patients safe by changing our masks between every patient and sometimes during a patient’s orthodontic appointment if the mask becomes wet. 
• Mask for Patients: if necessary, we can provide masks for our patients while they undergo their orthodontic treatment.
• Staying at Home When Ill: our staff stays at home if they are ever feeling even slightly ill and we ask that our patients do the same. 
• Adequate Handwashing: all of our staff wash their hands with antimicrobial soap and/or an alcohol-based hand gel. We ask all of our patients to do the same while in our office. Soap and/or alcohol gel is provided to all patients. 
• Routine Cleaning & Disinfection: at Balhoff Orthodontics, we disinfect everything between patient appointments, including all surfaces, the orthodontic chair, and we ensure new orthodontic instruments are used. 

The Balhoff Orthodontics team has always and will continue to practice high quality infectious disease control, and you can feel confident knowing you are safe while undergoing your orthodontic treatment. Additionally, it’s more important than ever to keep up with your health, including your dental and orthodontic health, so we encourage you to continue to attend all your scheduled appointments. 

COVID-19 Regulation Changes

As our country and community combats coronavirus, Balhoff Orthodontics will continue to strictly follow the CDC guidelines. Eventually, the coronavirus incidence rate will decrease and the CDC will most likely state new guidelines for healthcare providers, sanitation, and social distancing. With each change, you can feel confident knowing that we will always work to keep our patients and staff safe and healthy at all times. Any guideline changes will be in the best interest of our orthodontic patients and their safe treatments. 

Contact Balhoff Orthodontics for Your Orthodontic Treatment!

If you have questions or concerns about our sanitation standards, please do not hesitate to contact Balhoff Orthodontics. To schedule your next appointment call our Lafayette office directly at 337-761-7070. We look forward to seeing you soon!

What You Need To Know About Virtual Orthodontic Consultations

At Balhoff Orthodontics, we want to meet patients where they are and ensure our orthodontic consultations are convenient and not a burden to get to. For this reason, we offer virtual consultations. These virtual orthodontic appointments can be used by new patients to see if they are a good candidate for orthodontic care. It is our goal to tailor the consultation to your needs and create an orthodontic care plan that is specific to you and your smile. 

How It Works 

If you are interested in orthodontic treatment at Balhoff Orthodontics, and want to explore your options, consider a free virtual consultation. No stress, no commitments, just information from the comfort and convenience of your home. Start your journey towards the smile you deserve today! Follow our easy two step process below. 

1. Complete a few quick questions to provide some basic information and a series of photographs for our orthodontic team to review. You can use the easy and efficient Smile Snap App to take and submit all of your photos. Your time is valuable and having this information in advance will allow us to be fully prepared for your consultation.
2. Our orthodontist will give you a call to review the findings as well as discuss potential treatment options, costs, and the next step to achieving the beautiful healthy smile you deserve! At this time, you are also encouraged to ask as many questions as you would like to about orthodontic treatment. 

Please let us know if you are having difficulty with the Smile Snap App and need assistance or have questions. 

How to Prepare Appropriately for Your Virtual Consultation

In order to get the most out of your virtual consultation with Balhoff Orthodontics, we do ask that you follow these guidelines to ensure your call is smooth. 

• Ensure you are in a quiet, calm environment so you can fully hear and understand Dr. Balhoff.
• Ensure your internet or WiFi has a strong connection for the call to avoid any technical issues.
• Ask as many questions as you’d like! This is your appointment and we want to make sure you understand the orthodontist and the treatment we are recommending. 
• If you have small children at home, make sure they are occupied during the call so your full attention can be about your orthodontic care. 
• If the call is for your child, please have a parent present throughout the entire call. 

Schedule Your Virtual Consultation with Balhoff Orthodontics Today!

If you are interested in orthodontic care, get started with your own virtual consultation at Balhoff Orthodontics in Lafayette. Contact our team or schedule your first appointment online. We look forward to starting your orthodontic journey!

4 Tips For Going Back To School With Braces

Did your child get braces over the summer and are now heading into school or online learning with new orthodontic appliances? No need to worry or be nervous, Balhoff Orthodontics will help you through the adjustment period. Whether you’ve got braces, ceramic braces, or Invisalign, our orthodontist and staff can help prepare you for the new school year! We have the tips and tricks to help you walk confidently into another school year and crush your studies. 

How Can I Comfortably Go To School With Braces? 

Balhoff Orthodontics wants you to show off your new braces, not shy away from smiling in class. We’ve got some simple pieces of advice that will make all the difference this school year. The following are our tips for returning to school with braces or Invisalign:

1. Make a braces care kit: put together a small bag of items that will help you through the day. Dr. Balhoff, our orthodontist, suggests a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, and a small mirror. This way, no matter what happens or what you eat, you’ll be prepared to have bright, shining teeth, even in the middle of the school day. 
2. Bring a water bottle: a water bottle is always a good idea, but especially for orthodontic health and braces. Water can be a quick solution in class or in the halls when you have something stuck in your teeth or braces. 
3. Braces approved lunches: make it even easier on yourself, pack your own lunches! We recommend packing lunches with foods that can be easily consumed with braces. For easy lunches avoid foods like raw carrots, nuts, large pieces of meat, and whole apples. 
4. New mouthguard: if your child plays athletic sports, let’s set them up with a brand new, custom fit mouthguard to protect their teeth and braces throughout the school year. 

By taking these four tips into account, you’ll have nothing to worry about. Your braces or Invisalign will be clean and protected throughout the school day!

Contact Balhoff Orthodontics For Your Next Appointment!

If you have questions or concerns about your new braces, come by Balhoff Orthodontics. We know the new school year can be hectic and a little nerve wracking, but your braces don’t have to be. Our orthodontist and staff can help you through this adjustment period and make the best of the new school year with your braces or Invisalign. Contact our office in Lafayette for more information or to schedule your next appointment! Let’s take on a new school year together starting with our back to school contest!