“Mom, I don’t need a mouthguard. No one ever gets hurt.” This is the commonly held view of most kids in sports today. Many think that wearing a mouthguard is not cool. Thinking about it clearly, what really is not cool is getting your teeth knocked out. According to the Academy of General Dentistry, 15 million Americans suffer dental injuries and 5 million teeth are avulsed (knocked out) each year from sports-related injuries. During a single athletic season, athletes have a 1 in 10 chance of suffering a facial or dental injury. The fact is that injuries to the face occur frequently and your teeth can be protected if you are wearing a mouthguard. The American Dental Association has published articles that show that wearing a mouthguard  has been shown to reduce the risk of sport-related dental injuries.

As a private practice orthodontist practicing at Bruner Orthodontics in Redmond, WA and Duvall Orthodontics in Duvall, WA, I often get calls from my dental colleagues asking me for help in treating patients that have had mouth injuries. When something hits your teeth at high velocity and high force, your teeth will break (fracture) or be knocked out (avulsed). There are often concomitant injuries to the surrounding soft tissue (lips and face) and bones of the jaw and face.

Here are some examples…

CASE #1

These teeth were smashed in at a basketball game and now the young man, who just moments before had a perfect bite, could not get his teeth to come together:The physician at the game did his best to examine the young athlete and to help re-position the teeth. However, it wasn’t until the young man was in my office, examined and made comfortable with adequate anesthesia, that I was able to re-position his teeth back to a more ideal position. His bite improved but, was not restored. Worse, his teeth were now very mobile. The Scientific Literature supports the idea that these traumatized teeth can be splinted back in place. However, the best splints are the ones that allow for some tooth movement. If the teeth are fixed too rigidly, the teeth will ankylose (fuse to the bone). To prevent ankylosis it is desired to splint the teeth in such a way that they can move slightly during normal function. This movement is called physiologic mobility. One of the best splints following trauma is to have fixed orthodontic appliances (braces) with a light gentle arch wire in place.This patient will undergo limited orthodontic treatment to stabilize his teeth, and help them to move back into their ideal position without ankylosis.

CASE #2

While on vacation, this patient fell and hit her teeth on the bathtub of her hotel room. Her dentist splinted her teeth nicely. She was referred to the endodontist (root canal specialist) to see if she would need endodontic therapy (root canal treatment). The endodontist recognized that the patient’s bite was off and that her splint was too rigid and so the endodontist referred her immediately to me for evaluation.
Again, I anesthetized the patient, repositioned the teeth and splinted them in place with braces and a light arch wire that would allow physiologic tooth movement and bite correction during the healing phase.Now she is back to the bite she always had and almost ready to have her braces off.

Case #3

At Home Depot, this patient was hit in the face when something fell off a high shelf. The dentist rigidly splinted his teeth back in place:

Dental Treatment                                                             vs                                                   My Ortho Treatment

Again the endodontist referred the patient to me to help him achieve the healthiest and best result. Here you can see the the braces are not just locking the teeth into a poor position but acting to stabilize and improve the bite at the same time.

Case #4

This young man was in the outfield at his baseball game when he lost the high fly ball in the sun. It came down and hit him right in the face. Thankfully he was already in braces. The braces likely saved his teeth from being avulsed.

After thoroughly examining his hard and soft tissue I helped him get comfortable with anesthesia, then re-positioned his teeth and placed a new light gentle force arch wire into his braces. You can see how they quickly corrected!

Case #5

Another high school baseball player gets routed to me on a late weekend evening. The baseball had hit him in the face and knocked out his front tooth.
I built up his tooth with composite, placed his braces and tied in his light gentle arch wire. Now he had his gentle force splint in place and his bite improved in the weeks to follow.Soon we were able to take his braces off and he was back to where he started.

At Bruner Orthodontics, we recognize the risk of trauma to all of our patients that compete in contact sports. With the number of injuries that are reported each year it is clear that the best thing you can do for yourself or the athlete in your family is to get a mouthguard and wear it. We are committed to helping provide great oral health for everyone. In fact, if you can’t afford to get a mouthguard give us a call. We provide free mouth guards to not only our patients but to all athletes in our community.

Dr. Matt Bruner and Dr. Lindsey Helgen run a world class orthodontic practice in Redmond and Duvall, WA. If you or someone you know is in need of orthodontic care please give us a call at our office: 425-883-3353. Now be safe and wear your mouthguard!

The post Why You Should Wear a Mouthguard – Dealing with Dental Trauma appeared first on Bruner Ortho.

At Bruner Orthodontics it’s easy to see that Dr. Bruner and Dr. Helgen and every member of our team want to make orthodontic treatment fun for our patients. We have all kinds of contests and events that are designed to encourage and motivate our patients. Some of our contests reward patients for doing the things they need to do to achieve great orthodontic results. What you might not see is that our contests (like our Mother’s Day Card Contest and Thanksgiving Contest) are also designed to encourage, motivate and coach our patients to grow as people, and to be thankful for all that they have. 

It was no surprise that when our doors opened for the final shoot out on April 23^rd, over 50 great patients returned to the office, each with plans to win. This year the prizes were Beats headphones – We gave away 5 sets of Studio Beats headphones!

This year’s event was a blast, we are so grateful for the turn out and patient’s who made the event fun. A huge thank you to our co-sponsors, Jamba Juice and Pinkabella Cupcakes, for providing yummy smoothies and delicious cupcakes. None of our patients left empty handed thanks to your generosity. This way every patient was a winner Truly this was a successful 2015 Hot Shot Shoot Out!

In addition to the Shoot Out – our patients were asked to post their picture from the event to our Facebook page. Each patient who posted a picture received one entry into our random drawing for another pair of Beats Headphones, if their picture received 10 or more “likes” they received an additional entry and for 50 or more likes they received an additional two entries! We randomly chose our winner yesterday afternoon and the pair of headphones went to patient Jack E.! Our runners up were Neha M., Lizzy S., and Amanda P.! Congratulations to our winners!

As always, if you or a friend are considering orthodontic treatment we would be honored to provide a free orthodontic consultation. Please give us a call at the office 425-883-3353 and schedule an appointment in Redmond or Duvall today!



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We love getting to be your orthodontic office of choice. Dr. Bruner and Dr. Helgen consider it an honor to lead our team in caring for you, your families and friends. We want to be the absolute best orthodontic office we can be. That’s why we continue to focus on our four main objectives of our mission to:

1.Always Achieve Clinical Excellence,

2.Demonstrate First Class Customer Service,

3.Build Real and Lasting Relationships, and

4.Provide Affordable Care for All.

When we do our jobs well we finish treatment on all of our patients every 1.5 to 2 years! That’s why we always need new patients and we appreciate and are honored by the referrals of your family and friends. Whenever we are looking ahead we like to look back and remember where we have been. This helps us gain perspective, plan for the future, and anticipate the things ahead. Below is a look at 2014 in words and in video. Again thanks for allowing us to be a part of your lives!

JANUARY 2014 – Dr. Matthew Bruner was awarded “Top Dentist” in Seattle Met Magazine, an award that is voted on by his dental colleagues.

MARCH 2014 – Our Bruner Orthodontic Hot Shot Great Patient Contest ran from January to March: If you came your appointments on time, did a great job brushing, wore your rubber bands as prescribed, and avoided breaking your braces you were eligible to take a shot in our Hot Shot Contest. Just for making the basket, you won a movie ticket and were then eligible to come back for the “Bruner Orthodontics Hot Shot Shoot Out” where 3 iPad mini’s were given away! We had over 50 winners and more fun than ever…

Congratulations to our 3 winners that took home new iPad minis: Lauren D, Caitlyn S, and Carly P!

April 2014 – Voted by you, the members of our community, Dr. Matthew Bruner was recognized as the Best Orthodontist by 425 Magazine. Thank you for such an honor.

In order to thank our patients and celebrate our recognition in 425 Magazine, Bruner Orthodontics hosted a Patient Celebration Event at Zoe Yogurt in Redmond. Every patient was invited to enjoy their favorite frozen yogurt. You can see the highlights in a video below.

May 2014 – Mother’s Day Concluded our annual celebration of moms in our practice. We are intentional in our efforts to help coach our patients in meaningful ways. During the months of March, April and May, our patients were invited to write postcards to their moms during our Annual Mother’s Day Contest. Approximately 500 postcards were mailed out just before Mother’s day thanking our moms for everything that they do for us! Congratulations to Logan M., whose postcard was randomly drawn as our 2014 Winner – her mom won dinner and a movie for a date night compliments of Bruner Orthodontics!

June 2014 – Patient Appreciation. Over 700 patients joined us to watch How to Train your Dragon 2 during our 5^th Annual Patient Appreciation Movie Day. The day was filled with laughs, smiles, prizes, and tons of fun! We had a photo-booth contest, Facebook contest, gave away tons of raffle prizes and our patients enjoyed their concessions too! Congratulations to all the winners at this event but a special shout out to Emily Q. for winning the photo-booth contest, to Garret S. for winning the iPad for the most facebook likes on your movie day picture!

June – September 2014 Summer T-Shirt Contest. Where did you go this summer? During our Summer t-shirt contest, that ran from June through September, our patients sent us pictures from their summer adventures! By entering this fun contest, our patients were eligible to win an iPad mini! Congratulations to Courtney S. and Lindsay F, the winners of our 2014 contest.

October 2014 Continuing Education – At Bruner Orthodontics, we strive to always get better. Our Front Office Team traveled to Anaheim, CA for the Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontics annual meeting. Not only was it fun, we learned a lot about how to make your experience in our office even better!

Following the Halloween Holiday, our healthy patients turned in almost 400 pounds of candy during our Annual Candy Giveback Contest! That candy was donated to charity (and out of our patients hands) and the lucky random winner drawn was Adie S! She won dinner and movie for her family.

November 2014 Teaching Thankfulness

During our Annual Thankful Turkey Contest, our patients were asked to write what they are thankful for on a colorful turkey. The turkeys were posted in our office for all to appreciate. We hope these efforts helped to teach thankfulness to our patient’s. Congratulations to Grace J. for being the random winner of our Thankful Turkey Contest. Grace also took home a new iPad mini!

December 2014 Giving Back

Share the Warmth: During the months of December and January, Bruner Orthodontics collected jackets, gloves, and hats to help people stay warm during the winter. The items were donated to various charities.

Other things that happened in 2014:

2014 was filled with many other things that the Bruner Orthodontics team did to give back to the community. Dr. Bruner and Dr. Helgen gave oral hygiene instruction and supplies to approximately 1,600 students in an effort to eliminate cavities and to help kids have “Healthy Teeth for a Healthy Life.”

2014 was our third year with Dr. Lindsey Helgen in our practice but it was our first year of having her with us full time! We are honored to have added such a kind, caring, compassionate, smart and wonderful orthodontist to our team. Together Dr. Bruner and Dr. Helgen see every patient and every set of records. Together they can offer you more available appointment time, more diagnosing power, and the very best that orthodontics can offer!

2014 was our first full year for our Duvall Orthodontics practice. A special thank you to all who supported us by getting their treatment started in our new location in Duvall!

In 2014 Dr. Bruner gave 11 professional lectures to the orthodontic and dental communities: teaching as an appointed faculty member at the University of Pacific School of Dentistry in San Francisco, and lecturing to local and national dental study clubs throughout the year.

In 2014, the Bruner Orthodontic and Duvall Orthodontic teams sponsored sports at 6 local high schools, drama and music performances at 8 elementary schools and 3 junior high schools, the Riverside Education Foundation, individual patient mission trips, a 5k race, and various charities.

2014 brought about our first ever patient testimonial video. Thank you to our patients, Avanti, Joshua, Adam, Lauren, Hannah, Henry, Arlene, Valerie and Lainie for making this sweet video!

Thank you for choosing Bruner Orthodontics and Duvall Orthodontics. We are honored to serve you and our communities. Your continued support means everything to us and we cherish the referrals of your friends and families. Best wishes for a great 2015!

The post Bruner and Duvall Orthodontics 2014: The Year in Review appeared first on Bruner Ortho.

Here are some of the things I love about teaching orthodontics to doctors in the graduate orthodontic residency program at UOP:

1. There have been massive changes in orthodontics in the last 10 years. Teaching graduate orthodontics helps keep me current, knowledgable, cutting edge, and relevant in these changing times. By keeping up with the art and science of orthodontics I can make certain I am providing the very best care for my patients.

2. Teaching something makes you learn it better. Before speaking to the resident doctors I have to know the subject well. I read, study and prepare for my time teaching. And as it turns out, I love to learn!

3. You are the company you keep. I hope that I may become even somewhat like my amazing mentors and fellow teaching faculty. Being around those that are truly masters of our field is an honor. I love spending time with my colleagues and friends like Dr. Tom Pitts, Dr. John Pobanz and Dr. Bill Schmol.

4. Excellence is contagious. The faculty that give of their time and energy at the dental school are all similarly focused on excellence. The orthodontic residents are truly excellent — all graduated at the top of their dental school classes and are seeking to become outstanding orthodontists. The whole process of teaching ortho makes me want to be a better orthodontist!

5. You get more than you give. Although I teach in order to give back to the profession that I love, I always get more than I give. While trying to teach others, I learn even more. The residents are smart and thoughtful and challenge us to really examine what we do. The other orthodontic faculty is world class and they don’t just set the bar but raise it.

If you or anyone you know is considering orthodontic treatment with braces or invisalign come see us at Bruner Orthodontics in Redmond, WA, or Duval Orthodontics in Duvall, WA.

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BRUSHING TECHNIQUES

ELASTICS CLASS II OVERJET

DELCACIFICATION (The importance of keeping your teeth clean)

THE DAMON SYSTEM (What we use in our office)

BROKEN BRACKETS

FOODS TO AVOID

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Many kids go to sleep-away camp, travel, or visit family for a large part of the summer. Here are some helpful tips to help handle most orthodontic emergencies while you are away:

 As a general rule, always refer to your “No No Food List” if you have any questions. You should call your orthodontist when you experience severe pain or when you have a painful appliance problem that you can’t take care of yourself. Common issues include broken appliances, poking or sharpness from brackets and wires, and general soreness. While we always recommend that you consult us if you experience these issues, you may be able to temporarily solve many problems yourself until you’re able to visit our office. 

 The following solutions may help relieve discomfort:

• General soreness: When you get your braces on, it is very common for you to feel general soreness in your mouth, and teeth may be tender to biting pressures for three to five days. This can be relieved by rinsing your mouth with a warm saltwater mouthwash. Dissolve one teaspoonful of salt in 8 ounces of warm water, and rinse your mouth vigorously. If the tenderness is severe, take over the counter ibuprofen or other headache/pain relief medication.
• Poking wire: Placing wax on the poking edge of the wire is a great way to alleviate the discomfort. 
• Loose bracket or band: If your bracket or band is still attached to the wire, you should move it over to the next stable bracket and put wax on it. If the bracket comes out entirely, wrap the bracket in a tissue or put it in a baggy. If you still are in discomfort, call your orthodontic office for further assistance.

*Feel free to stop into our office during normal business hours to pick up extra wax!*

 Remember, after alleviating your discomfort it is still very important that you call your orthodontic office as soon as possible to schedule a time to repair the problem. Most important, stay calm and know that these things do happen and you can still have fun! Hope everyone has an amazing summer time!

If you know anyone that is interested in braces or invisalign and would like to set up a consultation, give our office a call at 425.883.3353

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What: This contest is a chance for each patient to have fun and win movie tickets and an iPad mini!

Why: Dr. Matt Bruner and Dr. Lindsey Helgen feel strongly that our patients should love coming to our office. As a team we work to make sure that our patients get educated and motivated to do the things they need to do to achieve great orthodontic results. The main things to get great results in a short time are keeping your teeth clean, being careful to avoid breaking any of your braces, coming to your appointment on time, and wearing your elastics as prescribed. And by doing all of this you can have the best orthodontic results in the shortest time!

You are eligible to take a shot at our basket every time you come to your appointment!! We will run this “Hot Shot” contest through the end of the March Madness College Basketball Tournament.

How: If you make your basket you win a movie pass! And all winners will be invited back for the Bruner Orthodontic Hot Shot Shootout where you can win the iPad!

As always, if you, a family member, or a friend are interested in having orthodontic treatment come see us at Bruner Orthodontics in Redmond or Duvall Orthodontics in Duvall! Dr. Bruner is a board certified orthodontist, an appointed faculty member of the prestigious University of the Pacific Orthodontic Residency Training Program in San Francisco, a leading provider in Damon Braces, and a Premier Provider of Invisalign.

The post The Bruner Orthodontics March Madness Hot Shot Contest is Back! appeared first on Bruner Ortho.

1. Have good oral hygiene: Make sure you are brushing your teeth twice a day for two minutes at a time and flossing once a day. A beautiful smile comes from clean healthy teeth!
2. Be on Time: We want to make sure that we provide the best service for all of our patients and that means that our schedule needs to run on time. Our great patients can help us fulfill that by being on time to their appointments.
3. No Broken Brackets: Refer back to our No-No Food List if you have any questions on foods that may break a bracket.
4. Elastic Wear: We want to give you that beautiful smile you deserve and wearing your elastics as prescribed is a key factor in achieving that!

If you stay on top of completing all 4 of these tasks, this will aid in shorting treatment time and better results! On top of that, you won’t have any cavities and no white spots!

Every week we will do a drawing and the winner will receive two movie tickets!

If you ever have any questions about any of these topics, refer to our office policies here or please give us a call at 425.883.3353. Here at Bruner Orthodontics, our entire staff is singularly focused on trying to help you achieve the best results. Click here to take a look at what some of our patients have said about their experience.

If you or anyone you know is interested in braces or invisalign, we would love to set up a complementary consultation for you to meet Dr. Bruner!

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Make sure you reserve your spot TODAY for the Premier of Monster’s University!

Where: Woodinville AMC Theatre
When: Saturday June 22nd
Doors Open at 9:00AM
Prizes begin at 9:30AM!
Pick Up Time:12:00pm

… Here are some tips for maximum fun:
1. Arrive early so you can get the best seat!
2. Wear your Bruner Ortho T-Shirt so you are eligible for popcorn, soda, and TONS OF PRIZES (if you thought last year was good, just wait until this year!)
3. Be in your seats by 9:30 so you are able to claim your prize (you must be present in your seat to win the raffle prizes!)

We cannot wait to see all of you at the movies! Take a look at some of our pictures from previous movie days here!
We would like to Thank all of our Local Sponsors for our movie day!

Red Robin
High Score Burgers
Qdoba
Agave
Red Mango
Frankies Pizza & Pasta
Blazing Bagels
Canyons
Mod Pizza

If you have any questions about movie day or any questions about orthodontics, give us a call at 425.883.3353.

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1) Make sure you are stocked up on wax and rubber bands if you are going out of town.

2) For our Phase 1 patients and older patients in Hawley retainers, please be very careful when you are swimming in the lake/ocean/pool. Always make sure that whenever you are taking them out and putting them in your case, that you put that case in a safe place. Stay away from putting them in napkins! If you have any questions, refer to our “Retention” page.

3) If you come across a food that you think could break bracket…DONT EAT IT! If you ever have any questions, you can always refer back to our “No Foods List” for help.

4)  If you have a poking wire, placing wax on the poking edge of the wire is a great way to alleviate the discomfort. It is still very important that you call your orthodontic office as soon as possible to schedule a time to repair the problem when you return.

5)  If you have a loose bracket that is still attached to the wire, you should move it to the next stable bracket and put wax on it the both of them to hold them together. Give us a call and make an appointment for us to fix that when you return. Refer to our “Emergency” page for more info.

6) Wear your sunscreen!

Enjoy your summer! For a chance to win an iPad, just “like” our Facebook  page join our 2013 Bruner T-Shirt Contest group and post pictures of yourself in your Bruner T-Shirt while you’re on your trip!

If you have any questions at any time, please don’t hesitate to call us 425.883.3353. Or take a look at our “Contact” page on our website for more ways to get a hold of us.

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