Having offices in California and Nevada requires some frequent travel. Nine times out of ten someone is reading a celebrity gossip magazine on the plane in a seat nearby, as was the case this past weekend on my flight back from Las Vegas. A woman sitting catty-corner from me was reading the latest edition of US Weekly. US Weekly has a feature called “They’re Just Like Us,” a weekly reminder that celebrities are regular people who do regular things. As she flipped through pages, it made me think about just how many celebrities have had braces.

Society and the media teach us to aspire to that perfect celebrity image: perfect body, perfect smile, perfect wardrobe, perfect life, when, in fact, many of these stars pay a lot of money to achieve those things. Without trainers, gyms, diets, nutritionists, dentists, orthodontists, publicists, wardrobe consultants, plastic surgeons, and the like, most of these celebrities could never attain that image.

It may seem like celebrities are already perfect when they become famous, but they often seek help from an orthodontist while they are famous. Since the introduction of Invisalign, Incognito, and other clear and invisible braces, celebrities and the rest of us “regular” people have had the opportunity to get straight teeth without anyone ever knowing it. Katherine Heigl, Justin Bieber, and Gisele Bundchen have all undergone Invisalign treatment while they were famous. If you had your doubts that any star would ever get metal braces, plenty of them have opted for more traditional braces including Tom Cruise, Nicolas Cage, Dakota Fanning, Prince Harry, Faye Dunaway, and Gwen Stefani, again, all while famous.

I treat many on-camera talent, and they all opt for different treatments depending on what feels the most comfortable for them. The truth is, we were all born differently, with different attributes, and different imperfections, all of which make us unique. The most important thing is being healthy and keeping a positive self-image. Achieving a flawless smile may be aesthetically desirable to you and celebrities alike, because after all, they’re just like us.

Summer is just about here, a time for fun, recreation, and quality family time. People are engaging in a host of outdoor activites. Summer sports leagues have started, and kids and adults alike are participating in various contact sports. All of these activities bring about excitement and fun, but they can also bring about a lot of pain and aggravation if you aren’t protecting yourself or your children. Helmets, knee pads, and shin guards are all widely used among sports enthusiasts, but mouth guards are often overlooked and dismissed.

According to the American Dental Society, over 80% of mouth injuries resulting in emergency room visits are sports-related. Many of these injuries can be prevented simply by wearing a mouth guard. When impact to the back of the head or under the chin occurs, the teeth clamp down immediately with a force so strong, it has the potential to break or fracture teeth, cause jaw trauma or breakage, and lacerate gums. Even the underlying bone supporting the teeth can become fractured or bruised.

Continue reading Put Your Guard Up →

NEW YORK, USA: Some might call this ‘TMI’ or ‘too much information,’ but Jessica Simpson recently told Ellen DeGeneres that she only brushes her teeth three times a week because she doesn’t like her teeth to feel “slippery.” Simpson made her dental hygiene confession recently on DeGeneres’ television show.

Most dental professionals would assume that the blond bombshell, who some would say has a million dollar smile, would take better care of her pearly whites.

Apparently Simpson — who once wondered aloud on a television show whether a can of Chicken of the Sea tuna was tuna or chicken — falsely assumes that flossing every day, using mouthwash and occasionally wiping her teeth with a shirt are acceptable alternatives to brushing.

Continue reading Jessica Simpson Admits to Not Brushing Twice Daily →

I am a huge fan of beautiful white smiles, but not when they look fake. Have you ever seen a smile that looked good but way too white or way too perfect? I think a natural look blends with the beauty of the face and person much better. The teeth have to match the face and body type. Small people with huge teeth or large people with small teeth don’t look proportioned. Beauty is defined by each one of us, but balance, and symmetry can help to create beauty. At Aesthetic Orthodontics our goal is create beautiful smiles that are balanced and designed to maximize each individuals unique attributes.