The Doctor's Blog

Not Just Another Pretty Smile!
Wednesday June 27th, 2018
by: Dr. Shah

You've heard it said: "Laughter is the best medicine!" but let's not leave out the simple act of smiling! Smiling alone can boost your mood and even your immune system. One of the most rewarding aspects of being an orthodontist is knowing that my patients will be proud of their smiles and will reap all the benefits of smiling and laughing. Keep reading for more fascinating facts about our smiles:

1. Forcing yourself to smile can boost your mood: Psychologists have found that even if you're in a bad mood, you can instantly lift your spirits by forcing yourself to smile.

2. Smiling boosts your immune system: Smiling really can improve your physical health, too. Your body is more relaxed when you smile, which contributes to good health and a stronger immune system.

3. Smiles are contagious: It's not just a saying: smiling really is contagious, scientists say. In a study conducted in Sweden, people had difficulty frowning when they looked at other subjects who were smiling, and their muscles twitched into smiles all on their own.

4. Smiles Relieve Stress: Your body immediately releases endorphins when you smile, even when you force it. This sudden change in mood will help you feel better and release stress.

5. It's easier to smile than to frown: Scientists have discovered that your body has to work harder and use more muscles to frown than it does to smile.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg! We will continue this series on the Power of Smiles in our next blog, so please follow us! Till then...

Keep SMILING,
Dr. Shah

Wednesday March 14th, 2018
by: Dr. Shah

As an orthodontic practice, we are devoted to smiles...making them beautiful, functional and healthy. The more confident a person is with their teeth and smile, the more likely they are to use it and discover the power it holds.

Our next few blogs will be focusing on the world's most powerful gesture...YOUR SMILE. The science of smiling is fascinating! When we experience a positive situation, a neuronal signals travel from the cortex of your brain to the brain stem. From there, the cranial muscle carries the signal further towards the smiling muscles in your face. Once the smiling muscles in the face contract, there is a positive feedback loop that goes back to the brain and reinforces our feeling of joy. In short: our brain feels good and tells us to smile, we smile and tell our brain it feels good and so forth.

Whenever we smile, there are 2 potential muscles we activate. The first one is the zygomaticus major and it controls the corners of your mouth. However, if only this muscle is activated, it's not actually a "genuine" smile...scientists call this a "social" smile. The second muscle known to show sincerity is the obicularis occuli and it encircles our eye socket. The combination produces a "true" smile also called a Duchenne smile, named after the famous scientist who first identified the "mouth corners" only smile from the "eye socket" one.

So, that's the mechanics behind YOUR SMILE! Our next blog will start to reveal how smiling can boost your mood and even your immune system! In the meantime...

Keep SMILING,
Dr. Tarak Shah

Tuesday January 9th, 2018
by: Dr. Shah

Let's face it, we all think about making some kind of resolution or goal as a new year begins...some we achieve and some we don't. Sometimes we need a little push to get the ball rolling.
If you have ever thought about improving your smile or the smile of someone you love, why not do it in 2018? Shah Orthodontics can't reach out and physically push you, but we sure can make it easy for you to explore the idea of a NEW YOU in 2018!
Take advantage of a FREE orthodontic evaluation at Shah Orthodontics for yourself or your family! In fact, you don't even have to pick up the telephone...just go to the Contact Us tab on our website, fill in your information and a team member will give you a call! Can't get easier than that! Our knowledgeable team can answer your preliminary questions on the phone and assist in picking a convenient time for your consultation. Nothing to lose...but, who knows, you might gain that smile you always dreamed of having.
By the way, the American Association of Orthodontists recommends every child have an orthodontic evaluation around the age of 7 or 8 (but it's never too late, of course). So give your child or grandchild, niece or nephew the gift of a healthy, beautiful smile this year! Contact us now and get the new year off to a good start...Set a goal and just do it!!
Keep smiling!
Dr. Shah

Wednesday October 18th, 2017
by: Dr. Shah

“FALL” IN LOVE WITH YOUR SMILE!

Although September and October have brought us unseasonably warm weather, the Fall season is here!

Shah Orthodontics participated in both the Mt. Laurel Fall Festival and the Evesham Harvest Fest. We had a great time mingling with our community and sharing information about functional orthodontics. We held a contest to guess how many bristles are in our giant toothbrush. Our lucky winner, Chris, took home an OralB Pro 5000 Smart Series electric toothbrush with Blue Tooth technology!

Autumn is a time of CHANGE and a great time of year to think about changing your smile! If you are unhappy with the appearance of your teeth or if your bite could be causing other dental problems and even headaches, please take the time to call Shah Orthodontics for a free consultation. We promise it will be time well spent and it may even improve your health and CHANGE your life!

Give us a call at 856-983-5559 or use our Contact Us tab to email the office, a member of the Shah Orthodontic Team will be happy to contact you!

Monday August 21st, 2017
by: Dr. Shah

When clear aligner therapy like Invisalgn was first introduced, it was not an option in this office because it only corrected simple cases and did not correct jaw position which is at the heart of functional orthodontics. Invisalign has made advancements in its technology over the years. With its change of aligner material and the addition of attachments and precision cuts, the orthodontist has the ability to use mechanics like rubberbands to facilitate jaw movement. Attachments are small, tooth-colored areas of bonding material placed on the surface of the tooth which then snap into the aligner. Attachments can provide a better result and allow us to use Invisalign to treat more complex cases. When we couple this technology with the use of removable expanders to widen the upper arch, we can make sure we are fixing the bite and not just trying to straighten teeth.

We are proud to be a Certified Invisalign Provider and excited to add this technology to the services we offer. Our goal will always be to provide the orthodontic services best suited for each patient without compromising our belief that function comes first. Although everyone may not be a candidate for Invisalign, an evaluation at Shah Orthodontics will certainly educate you about your options and help you make the right treatment decision for you or your child. Call us for a free consultation today!

Keep smiling!
Dr. Shah

Tuesday May 9th, 2017
by: Dr. Shah

How is a parent to know when their child should see an orthodontist? The best rule of thumb is around the age of 7 or 8. At this age, the maxilla (upper jaw) is significantly developed and Dr. Shah is able to detect any deficiencies and diagnose the malocclusion (bad bite). An early diagnosis allows us the opportunity to start treatment before a developmental deficiency becomes full blown. Early intervention can prevent the need for more complex treatment later such as the need to extract permanent teeth.

Won't my dentist tell me when?  We often get referrals from the general dentists; however, not all dentists are familiar with the most current orthodontic techniques and the American Association of Orthodontists' recommendation for evaluation before all the permanent teeth have erupted.

It is best to start orthodontic treatment BEFORE all the permanent teeth are erupted!  Now that technology allows us the tools to expand the upper jaw, we can make room for the teeth to erupt rather than wait for them to erupt and then try to straighten out the teeth. This philosophy is known as "functional orthodontics" and is based on the importance of facial growth and development and jaw position. Functional orthodontics consists of not only straightening a person's teeth as with traditional orthodontic treatment, but also reshaping and repositioning the upper and lower jaws into a well-balanced functioning position, in turn creating a better facial profile.

But my child seems to have plenty of room for their permanent teeth! Spacing of deciduous (baby) teeth is not always an indication that there will be enough room.  The best way to peek into the future is to take a panoramic film that will show the size and position of the permanent teeth waiting to erupt. This is also a good tool to tell if there are any congentially missing permanent teeth. General dentists do not always take a panoramic film as part of their x-ray series. Dr. Shah will take the x-ray and evaluate it free of charge at your consultation.

The diagram above shows some common orthodontic conditions which indicate the need for an evaluation.  These problems are also seen in adults and remember: It's never too late to create a beautiful, healthy smile!

CALL TODAY TO SCHEDULE AN EVALUATION FOR YOUR FAMILY!