Braces

Loudoun 8U South Eagles brought a huge smile to Dr. K's face today when Coach Vince brought in this signed baseball from the entire team! Thank you so much for allowing us to be part of the 8U family! GO EAGLES!!!

Congratulations to Dr. Kravitz for this award representing 300 cases of lingual braces! Did you know Dr. Kravitz is one of 10 orthodonists worldwide to serve on the clinical advisory board for Incognito? He also travels around the country to speak at lectures specifically on lingual braces.  Want to learn more about lingual braces? Visit our website to watch videos, see pictures and read articles with frequently asked questions. Schedule your free consultation with us today!

Lingual braces go behind your teeth and stay hidden!

Dear Friends,

As we go through our day, we sometimes forget just how fortunate we really are to have a healthy, beautiful smile (complements of Dr. Kravitz, of course!) and fresh water to brush our teeth with. A few weeks ago, I received a phone call from Freedom High School's assistant principal, Mr. Fred LeMaster. He was thrilled to tell me about his upcoming mission trip to Haiti in which several students from Freedom High School helped to build a school and a feeding center while lifting the spirits of the children and families. Immediately I asked, "what can we do to help?". We all know how generous Dr. Kravitz is in the community, especially in our schools, but I believe it really takes a special person to be a humanitarian and not just a signature. We sent Mr. LeMaster and his students on their trip supplied with toothbrushes and toothpaste to deliver to the children of Port-Au-Prince.

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. To us here at Kravitz Orthodontics, this picture is worth so much more than that. This is a reminder that in one little corner of the Earth, we filled the hearts of hundreds of children and made their smiles glow.

Mr. LeMaster-thank you for thinking of us, we will always be here to help. We are so proud of you for all that you have accomplished.

From Angela, Team Kravitz and Team KO

Did you know, Kravitz Orthodontics is an Elite Invisalign/Invisalign Teen provider?

The common misconception is most patients think they are not eligible candidates for Invisalign. The reality is, Invisalign has helped thousands of adults, AND TEENS, achieve a perfect smile without anyone knowing they were in braces!

In November of last year, I expressed my concerns to Dr. Kravitz about the spaces/ overlapping of my teeth. I am getting married in June of this year and Dr. Kravitz promised he could make my smile absolutely perfect for my big day just by using Invisalign! Our staff took a digital scan of my teeth with our fantastic iTero scanner (no more impressions-hooray!!), within 3 quick weeks my trays arrived at our office.

What surprised me the most was how comfortable the trays are to wear! I could take the trays in and out when I eat, pop them right back in and go about my day without having the hassle of food getting stuck in the brackets of traditional braces. When talking to patients throughout the day, I would mention I was wearing Invisalign and they were shocked to see how clear they are making it virtually impossible to notice! We have been known to treat a lot of business professionals who choose Invisalign because of public speaking events as Invisalign will not affect speech.

Invisalign trays are worn 20-22 hours a day, removed when eating or drinking, changing aligners every two weeks. Invisalign is especially great for those who travel often, appointments will only be needed about every 6-8 weeks.

Our consultations are always complementary and we would love to meet you! Request an appointment online or give our office a call at 703-722-2900. If you have any further questions about Invisalign, or Invisalign Teen, visit our Invisalign website!

-Angela, Team Kravitz

Kravitz Orthodontics is a proud sponsor of Little River Elementary's book club! The book club is split into three groups: kindergarten and first grade, second and third grade, as well as fourth and fifth grades. The groups will read one book each month including some of our favorite titles: The Stinky Cheese Man by Jon Scieszka and Hoot by Carl Hiaasen. Dr. Kravitz has provided all materials and books for this wonderful group of staff and students. Our team truly believes in the importance of extra curricular activities and are so thrilled to be a part of the Little River family! Continually supporting our community!

Some folks believe your chances of being struck by lightning increases when you have braces, while other folks believe having braces interferes with romance, and even metal detectors as you try to make your way through the airport for a much-needed vacation. Trust us when we say we know there are quite a few myths about braces out there these days. But before you buy into those myths, we think you should get the facts first! To set the record straight, here is some great information on the myths and facts of orthodontics. We encourage you to check them out today!

If you have any questions about braces or your orthodontic treatment, please feel free to give us a call or ask us on Facebook! Smile bright!

We love when patients ask us this question! Now that you’re wearing braces, it’s just as important to maintain a good oral hygiene regimen as you did before your orthodontic treatment began. The first few days in braces are going to be more difficult to eat than normal. There will be a slight discomfort when you first get your braces on, so the act of chewing will make it slightly more painful.

Here are a few soft foods that do not require you to do much chewing and are easy to chew on when your teeth are sore.

Ice cream, yogurt, pudding, cool soups, Jell-O, scrambled eggs, cream of wheat, baked potatoes, soft cooked pasta, soup, bananas, cottage cheese, smoothies, macaroni and cheese, pancakes, soft cheeses, and milk are all foods you can eat safely without having to worry about pain or breaking your brackets.

Be sure to always check with us if you have questions about a particular food item by either giving us a call or asking us on Facebook!

On January 22nd, Mr. John Halligan will visit Lunsford Middle School to share the emotional and moving story about his son, Ryan, who took his own life due to relentless bullying several years ago. Mr. Halligan travels all over the country talking to middle and high school students in the hopes of helping them to understand the terrible impact that bullying can have on their fellow classmates. In addition to speaking with students, Mr. Halligan will be returning the evening of the 22nd at 7:00pm in the JML auditorium to do a presentation for parents. Families in our community have voiced great concerns with the effects of bullying and are grateful to the PTA and staff at Lunsford for this incredible presentation...and so are we. Kravitz Orthodontics is a proud sponsor of this community-wide event and are thankful that we could be of help. Please visit Mr. Halligan's website to learn more about his programs: http://www.ryanpatrickhalligan.org/

We are extremely proud of a patient of ours, who has created a video for her Girl Scout project, in the form of an anti-bullying campaign. Please help her out and vote for her video, entitled "The Cliques", here. The winner will have their video professionally produced-we believe that she truly deserves to win!

Buffalo Trail Elementary PTA hosted a fun international night for parents and students last week, showcasing lots of cultures from all over the world. We really enjoyed seeing teachers participate, dressing up in garments from the countries that their ancestors came from. Musical instruments such as drums were set up in the gymnasium for children to improvise and create sounds that were unfamiliar to them. What a great learning experience!

Thank you to the PTA for your hard work and dedication during the school year! -Angela, Team Kravitz

This weekend, John Champe High School students performed the wonderful Romeo and Juliet play by Shakespeare. One of our patients, Lucky Vemuri, received the leading role as Juliet-we are so proud of her!

This fantastic group of actors and actresses grabbed our attention from the opening scene all the way to the final bow. BRAVO!!!!

Kravitz Orthodontics is a proud sponsor of John Champe High School theatre, we donated keychain program lights that were passed out to each attendee of the performances.

Congratulations to Dr. Kravitz who has written yet another fantastic publication about clinical research of orthodontics!

For those of you who do not know, Dr. Kravitz is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics. He is also clinical faculty and research adviser at the University of Maryland and Washington Hospital Center. Dr. Kravitz continues to publish his orthodontic technique and his remarkable cases in book chapters, educational guides, and numerous professional dental and orthodontic journals, including the AJO-DO, JCO, WJO, JADA, Angle Orthodontist, the Ontario Dentist Journal and Orthodontic Products. He is viewed as leader in the field of orthodontics, currently serving on the editorial review board for seven refereed professional journals, the continuing education (CE) advisory board for dentalearning.net, and the clinical advisory board for Incognito lingual braces-a committee comprised of less than ten orthodontists worldwide. Dr. Kravitz was also one of the very few doctors in the country chosen to be featured on the cover of Orthodontic Products journal! The next time you visit our office, ask to take a look at this new book!

The Loudoun South 10U Eagles is a travel team that has continued to excel in the great sport of baseball. This amazing group of kids are led by their incredible coaches who are dedicated to the team success, heart and soul. Check out their trophy-wow! Kravitz Orthodontics is a proud sponsor of Loudoun South 10U Eagles. This year we are happy to have bought this team brand new helmets that will make them stand out everytime they hit the field.

Did you know that even in ancient times, people wanted to improve the look and function of their smiles? We think of modern orthodontic appliances as sleek, efficient technology, but this was not always so! Take a look at the highlights in the evolution of braces.

Ancient Times: From Greece to Rome

• According to The Angle Orthodontist, Aristotle and Hippocrates first thought about methods for straightening teeth between 400 and 300 BC.
• The Etruscans, in what we now know as Italy, buried their dead with appliances that maintained spaces and prevented collapse of their teeth and jaws during life. Archaeologists have discovered mummified remains in various locations that have metal bands wrapped around the teeth.
• A Roman tomb has also been discovered in which the teeth were bound with gold wire, including documentation on the wire’s use as a dental device.

18th Century: A French Development

• The French dentist Pierre Fauchard is acknowledged as the father of modern dentistry. In 1728 he published a book that described various methods for straightening teeth. Fauchard also used a device known as a “blandeau” to widen the upper palate.
• Louis Bourdet was another French dentist who published a book in 1754 that discussed tooth alignment. Bourdet further refined the blandeau and was the first dentist to extract bicuspids, or the premolar teeth between canines and molars, for the purpose of reducing tooth crowding.

19th Century: Orthodontics Defined
• Orthodontics started to become a separate dental specialty during the early 19th century. The first wire crib was used in 1819, marking the beginning of modern orthodontics.
• During this period, gold, platinum, silver, steel, gum rubber, vulcanite, and occasionally wood, ivory, zinc, and copper were used — as was brass in the form of loops, hooks, spurs, and ligatures.
• Edward Maynard first used gum elastics in 1843 and E. J. Tucker began making rubber bands for braces in 1850.
• Norman W. Kingsley published the first paper on modern orthodontics in 1858 and J. N. Farrar was the first dentist to recommend the use of force over timed intervals to straighten teeth.

20th Century: New Materials Abound
• Edward Angle developed the first classification systems for malocclusions (misaligned teeth) during the early 20th century in the United States, and it is still in use today. Angle founded the American Society of Orthodontia in 1901, which was renamed the American Association of Orthodontists in the 1930s.
• By the 1960s, gold was universally abandoned in favor of stainless steel.
• Lingual braces were the “invisible” braces of choice until the early 1980s, when tooth-colored aesthetic brackets made from single-crystal sapphire and ceramics became popular.

Today
As we arrive in the present, you need only look at your own braces to see how far we’ve come. Your treatment plan was probably created with a 3D digital model, and we’ve likely used a computerized process to customize your archwires. Perhaps you have clear aligners, self-ligating brackets, or highly resilient ceramic brackets with heat-activated wires.

Orthodontics has come a long way from the days of Aristotle, and even the bulky wrap-around braces of just 60 years ago. Regardless of your specific treatment plan, the development of high-tech materials and methods has made it possible for your orthodontic experience to be as effective, efficient, and comfortable as possible.

Sources: Angle.org, ArchWired

Hi friends! Team Kravitz had a great time last night at Lunsford Middle School's international night hosted by the PTA.

We really enjoyed the student and teacher performances-shout out to Mrs. Cadigan for singing a beautiful Irish song, what a voice!

Many families prepared foods from their heritages and it was a pleasure learning about each.

Kravitz Orthodontics is proud to sponsor such a wonderful event and we look forward to supporting the PTA throughout the entire school year. Thank you to Principal Slevin and PTA President Lesli McGrath for their incredible support of our office!

Wishing you a wonderful weekend! -Angela and Tasha, Team Kravitz

Did you know that after getting your braces off that you have an option of choosing which type of retainer works best for you? From permanent retainer to a clear essix (which looks like an Invisalign) or your very own custom design hawley retainer shown above. These are some that we currently have in the office waiting for our patients. Make a dedication to your favorite sports team, animal, activity or crazy color combo that represents who you are. It's fun and our patients love it! -Ariana, Team Kravitz.