Blog

At Greater Houston Orthodontics, we do our best to remain available for orthodontic emergencies. Please call our office if you think you are experiencing an orthodontic emergency. We don’t want you to feel like you’re on your own when it comes to your orthodontic treatment.

That being said, sometimes our patients run into problems or experience discomfort at a time when we can’t see them right away. We wanted to equip our orthodontic patients with some tricks and hacks that you can do at home, so you can ease discomfort and keep treatment on track until you are able to visit our office.Read More

You’ve already been told a hundred times, but we’re telling you again: be very mindful of what you eat while wearing braces. Dr. Amir Davoody, Dr. Rana Mehr, and Dr. Niloufar Azami in Houston, TX is a firm believer that taking care of your braces is crucial to getting a great orthodontic result!

During the coronavirus quarantine, it is harder than normal for an orthodontist to fix broken brackets or handle an orthodontic emergency. You know what they say: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! This holds true when taking care of your braces and avoiding orthodontic emergencies.Read More

With the rapid spread of COVID-19 forcing many orthodontic and dental offices to temporarily close, it is more important now than ever to practice good oral hygiene. Although we may not be sure exactly when our practice will be able to open its doors again, your smile is still our priority. For those currently undergoing orthodontic treatment, Dr. Amir Davoody, Dr. Rana Mehr and Dr. Niloufar Azami at Greater Houston Orthodontics can help. Here are a few ways in which you can maintain good oral hygiene and until your next orthodontic appointment:Read More

Dear Greater Houston Orthodontics Patients,

In order to ensure the safety of our patients, our team and the community at large during the COVID-19 outbreak, we are proactively adapting the way that we provide orthodontic treatment. What this means for you:

-As of this Thursday, regular appointments will now be conducted virtually, by videoconference.
-Dental Monitoring patients will continue as usual, with weekly remote checkups.
-For Invisalign, you may come by to pick-up additional aligners for the next 8 weeks. Call us when you’re coming and we’ll leave aligners outside the office door for you.
-For our retainer patients, we will verify with you if your retainers fit well, and may ask you to send photos of you wearing your retainers to us.
-Emergencies will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Please call (713) 464-7777 and we’ll work with you.
-New patient consultations will be conducted virtually.

Elastics, also known as rubber bands, are a very normal part of orthodontic treatment. However, we know that people sometimes find them to be a nuisance or difficult to adjust to wearing. It is important to know that Dr. Amir Davoody, Dr. Rana Mehr and Dr. Niloufar Azami at Greater Houston Orthodontics has you wearing elastics because they are essential to the completion of the patient’s orthodontic treatment. 

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Everyone knows that garlic and onions are the usual culprits for bad breath. But do you know what other foods may be causing your stinky breath? For some people, bad breath can be genetic. However, whether you’re wearing braces or not, certain foods in your daily routine could be to blame. Read on to find out what Dr. Amir Davoody, Dr. Rana Mehr and Dr. Niloufar Azami at Greater Houston Orthodontics have to say about some bad breath causing foods!Read More

These days you can do almost anything with the click of a button. Order school supplies. Get a ride across town. Watch your favorite movie. Schedule a grocery delivery. It seems like every day there’s a newer and easier way to do almost everything from your mobile device. We’ve been programmed to accept that anything can be ordered online and delivered right to our front door. 

However, at Greater Houston Orthodontics, there is one thing that we believe doesn’t have an easy online replacement: orthodontic treatment. There is no match for orthodontic treatment provided by a highly trained, experienced specialist. The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) agrees. They recently issued a Consumer Alert listing key questions to ask about direct-to-consumer aligner companies. You can download a print-friendly version here.

The issue is that many direct-to-consumer aligner companies do not involve the in-person evaluation and/or in-person supervision of your treatment we provide at Greater Houston Orthodontics. This type of supervision is important because there is more to creating a healthy, confident smile than moving the visible portions of your teeth. If not done correctly any dental work can lead to potentially irreversible and expensive damage such as tooth and gum loss, unhealthy or uncomfortable bite modifications and even changes to your facial profile. The team of doctors at Greater Houston Orthodontics have many tools in their arsenal to help create a healthy smile – Invisalign, for example, is just one of them. It’s important to have a fully trained and experienced orthodontist involved when making any changes to your smile.

The Top Questions To Ask

The AAO advises that when researching orthodontic treatment (including treatment models from direct-to-consumer companies), you should consider many key questions, some of which include:

1. As part of your treatment, are comprehensive diagnostic records like x-rays taken before your treatment?
2. As part of your treatment fee, do you receive any in-person visits to a dentist’s or orthodontist’s office during your treatment?
3. Is only one treatment type offered (such as invisible aligners or a certain appliance)?
4. What are the possible risks (financial, health, etc.) associated with your orthodontic treatment?
5. Who is responsible for detecting any issues that may occur during your orthodontic treatment? Is it you? If it is a doctor not associated with your treatment, who pays for those check-ups?
6. If an emergency arises, does the company have a dentist or orthodontist in your area that you can see in-person? If not, who would cover the costs associated with seeing a dentist or orthodontist in your area?
7. If you are injured or have another dispute involving your orthodontic treatment, how is it handled (litigation, arbitration, etc.) and what rights do you have? 
8. Does the treatment model comply with the dental laws in your state? To check your state’s dental laws, click https://www.aaoinfo.org/state-laws-and-regulations. Information for your state dental board can be found at https://www.aaoinfo.org/aao/state-dental-board-info.
9. Is there a smile satisfaction guaranteed?

Where You Receive Your Dental Care Is A Very Important Personal Decision

Dr. Amir Davoody, Dr. Rana Mehr, Dr. Niloufar Azami and Dr. Adam Skrypczak lead a friendly, dedicated team that works together to create a positive experience for our patients and their families that’s fun, light hearted, informative and inviting. The doctors and team use the most advanced treatments available today, including Invisalign®, Invisalign® Teen and Incognito™ Hidden Braces.

With two convenient locations, West University and Memorial, we are ready to help you start smiling. Please contact our West University or our Memorial office to schedule a complimentary consultation or click below: