Orthodontic Emergency? We can help!

True orthodontic emergencies are very rare, but when they do occur we are available to you. As a general rule, you should call the office when you experience severe pain or when you have a painful appliance problem that you can't take care of yourself. We’ll be able to schedule an appointment with our office.

You might be surprised to learn that you may be able to temporarily solve many problems yourself until you get in to see us…

The following solutions may help you relieve your discomfort:

Poking Wire: Using a pencil eraser, push the poking wire down or place wax on it to alleviate the discomfort.

Loose Bracket or Band: If your bracket or band is still attached to the wire, you should leave it in place and put wax on it. If the wire comes out entirely, wrap the bracket with a tissue.

Loose Wire: Using a tweezers, try to place your wire back into place. If doing this and using wax does not help, as a last resort use a small fingernail clipper to clip the wire behind the last tooth to which it is securely fastened. If your discomfort continues, place wax on it.

Loose Appliance: If your appliance is poking you, place wax on the offending part of your appliance.

Headgear Does Not Fit: Sometimes headgear discomfort is caused by not wearing the headgear as instructed by your orthodontist. Please refer to the instructions provided by your orthodontist. If the

Distinguishing the myths and facts about orthodontics, from Dr. Charles Ruff

Trust us when we say Dr. Charles Ruff and our staff know there are quite a few myths about orthodontics (and orthodontists) floating around these days. But before you buy into those myths, we think you should get the facts! Our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists set the record straight (no pun intended) and have provided some information that sheds some light on the myths and facts of orthodontics. We encourage you to check them out today!

If you have any questions about orthodontics or your treatment here at the office of Dr. Charles J. Ruff, feel free to give us a call.

This summer, don't forget those mouth guards!

Dr. Ruff and our staff can't believe we're already halfway through summer! As the weather stays hot, the chances for mouth injuries for our athletes gets bigger and bigger. We'd like to remind our young athletes orthodontic treatment to always take care of both your mouth and appliances while participating in contact- and non-contact sports.

That includes wearing a mouth guard at all times when you're playing sports. Only by using a mouth guard can athletes with and without braces avoid serious mouth injuries. And don't forget to ask us for a mouth guard - we will provide a mouth guard for any patient in active treatment! We hope you're having a great summer so far!

The Braces Brigade - be a part of it!

At the office of Dr. Charles Ruff, we know that orthodontic treatment can seem long and strenuous to some patients. Or, it can be a fun and exciting time (it is for most of our patients!). This summer, our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists would like to reward you for sharing your story in braces with the world. The campaign is called the Braces Brigade, and as an appreciation (if you're chosen), they'll throw in a $100 American Express gift card for your efforts.

To complete your Braces Brigade application, you'll need to provide your:

* Name
* Age – Must be 14 years of age or older
* E-mail
* Phone number
* Stage of orthodontic treatment
* A photo of your braces/smile
* A sample blog post – picture yourself as a member of Braces Brigade and show off your blogging skills! (100-word minimum)

Here's how it works: In your weekly blogs, which you'll write for eight months if selected. If you happen to be under the age of 18, your parents must fill out this consent form along with your official entry.

Dr. Ruff encourages you to apply for the Braces Brigade by August 31st! If you get accepted, let us know during your next visit or on our Facebook page!

Dr. Ruff and team present: Patriotic fun facts!

Tonight, Dr. Ruff and our staff will help celebrate our nation's 234th birthday. And because we know our patients love fun facts, we thought we'd provide you with some fun facts about Independence Day! Enjoy!

- Independence Day was first celebrated in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776.

- An estimated 2.5 million people lived in America in July 1776. Today, an estimated 309 million people reside in the United States.

- The major objection to being ruled by Britain was taxation without representation, which meant that people didn't want to be taxed by a government that did not represent them.

- In 1941, Congress declared 4th of July a federal legal holiday. It is one of the few federal holidays that have not been moved to the nearest Friday or Monday.

- The stars on the original American flag were arranged in a circle to ensure that all colonies were equal.

- America's mascot, the bald eagle, can achieve speeds of up to 200 miles per hour when making a predatory dive. During a normal flight, bald eagles can travel up to 30 miles per hour.

- The American flag patch is backwards on U.S. Army uniforms. The reason? The blue field on the flag (the part with the stars) faces forward to symbolize carrying the American flag into battle.

- Someone who specializes in the history of flags is called a vexillologist.

- The word ‘patriotism’ comes from the Latin patria, which means ‘homeland’ or ‘fatherland.’

- According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, Americans consume over 150 million hot dogs during their Independence Day festivities.

Have a great Fourth of July weekend everyone, and we'll see you next week!!

Invisalign treatment with Dr. Charles Ruff: How does it work? [Video]

Maybe you've wondered how Invisalign treatment by Waterville orthodontist Dr. Charles Ruff manages to straighten your teeth without using traditional metallic braces? The Invisalign system is a state-of-the-art system of clear, removable aligners that we proudly offer at our convenient Waterville office. To learn more about how Invisalign treatment with Dr. Ruff can give you that beautiful smile you've always wanted, please give our office a call at (207) 873-7425. Dr. Charles J. Ruff is a Certified Invisalign Provider in Maine.

Have a GREAT week, everyone!

Ask Dr. Ruff: when should my child come in for a consultation?

Many parents in Waterville and surrounding communities just assume they must wait until a child has all of his or her permanent teeth, only to find that treatment would have been much easier if started earlier. Some orthodontic problems are easier to correct while the jaw is still growing. Consequently, the American Association of Orthodontists recommends that every child have an orthodontic check-up no later than age seven.

What’s so great about age seven, you ask? Enough permanent teeth have arrived for an orthodontist to make a determination about whether any problems are present. The first molars have come in, providing an opportunity to check for malocclusion, or what Dr. Charles Ruff calls “bad bite.”

Early evaluation, of course, may signal a need for early treatment. For some children, early treatment can prevent physical and emotional trauma. Aside from spurring on years of harmful teasing, misaligned teeth are also prone to injury and detrimental to good oral hygiene. So if your child is nearing age seven, please give us a call at (207) 873-7425 to schedule an appointment.

Connect with us on Facebook!

If you know Dr. Ruff, you know he values the relationships he and our team have developed with patients in Waterville, Foxcroft and surrounding communities. Even if you only see us for your appointment every three- to four months, did you know that you can now connect with us on our Facebook page?

We invite you to “like” Charles J. Ruff DMD on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/CharlesJRuffDMD. We share office news and updates on our Fan Page, so check it out! By Liking our page, you will receive updates from our office automatically on Facebook!

See you online and have a great week,

- Dr. Ruff and staff

Wishing you a happy Mother's Day, from Dr. Ruff and team

Dr. Charles Ruff and our entire team would like to thank all the wonderful moms out there for driving their kids to their regularly scheduled appointments at our office and for being there for their child at all times.

We know that moms should get more than just a day of celebration, appreciation and acknowledgment, but we want you to know that we appreciate you all very much! Happy Mother's Day!

Retainers, retainers, retainers...

If you recently completed treatment at the office of Dr. Charles Ruff, we’d like to congratulate you! Now that your braces have been removed, Dr. Ruff will provide—or has provided you—with retainers. After braces are removed, teeth may shift out of position if they are not stabilized. Retainers, however, provide that stabilization. They are designed to hold teeth in their corrected, ideal positions until the bones and gums adapt to the treatment changes. Wearing retainers exactly as instructed by Dr. Ruff is the best insurance that the treatment improvements last for a lifetime.

To learn more about the advantages of wearing retainers after your orthodontic treatment with Dr. Ruff, please read this helpful article about retainers from KidsHealth or give us a call at (207) 873-7425.

Ask Dr. Ruff: Am I too old for orthodontic treatment?

Of course not. In fact, our staff recently read a fascinating statistic: the number of adults getting braces has climbed 24 percent since 1996! It's true that braces help make your pearly whites strong, healthy and perfectly-aligned, but perhaps another reason for the spike in adult braces is this: folks want to look and feel great.

In an age—and society—where looks matter as much as anything, and at a time when evenly-aligned teeth might be the difference between getting a job or a promotion, adults are choosing—wisely, we might add—to invest in orthodontics. Orthodontic treatment with Dr. Ruff can be successful at any age, and adults especially appreciate the benefits of a beautiful smile.

If you’ve been thinking about getting that perfect smile, Dr. Ruff would love to have you visit for a consultation. Please give us a call to set one up!