What is your New Year’s Resolution?

The 2010 holiday season is upon us, and our team at Hershey & Heymann Orthodontics would like to wish all our patients and their families the merriest of holidays and best wishes for the New Year.

We thought we’d ask: what was memorable about 2010 for you, and what are you looking forward to in 2011? Do you have a new year's resolution, or any exciting plans for the coming year?

Have a safe and happy New Year, from all of us at Hershey & Heymann Orthodontics!

Season’s Greetings from Hershey & Heymann Orthodontics

'Tis the season of comfort and joy, and as the team at Hershey & Heymann Orthodontics reflects on the year that was, we’d like to ask you, our wonderful patients:

What do you love about the holidays this year?

Being with your loved ones?
Decorating the tree?
Catching up with old friends?
Opening presents by the fireplace?

You can share your thoughts by commenting on this post or by going to our Facebook page. Happy Holidays everyone!!

--The team at Hershey and Heymann Orthodontics

Staying connected with Hershey & Heymann Orthodontics

At Hershey & Heymann Orthodontics, we embrace technology, whether it’s through the innovative treatments we offer, our high-tech web site or our Facebook fan page. As you can probably tell, we love connecting with our patients online, whether it’s by sharing news on our blog or communicating ideas on our fan page. For social media to work, we understand that conversation is vital, and that’s why we invite you to join in and tell us what’s on your mind. Although social networks are hugely popular these days, we know they’re unpredictable and ever-changing.

While Drs. Hershey and Heymann and our staff take a little time to research how to best use social media, we thought we’d ask you, our loyal patients: How would you like us to use our social networks? What would you like us to share on our blog? Please post your thoughts or give us a call!

Cold and Flu Season is Here - Replace Your Toothbrush!

Fall is upon us, and with it comes the dreaded cold and flu season. After recovering from your cold, Dr. Hershey and Dr. Heymann will tell you one of the most important steps you can take to avoid becoming reinfected is replacing your toothbrush!

Germs are known to linger on the bristles, and you risk prolonging your sickness by continuing to use the same toothbrush. Be smart - keep a spare, just in case! To protect your toothbrush from bacteria all year long, consider the following tips:

• Wash your hands before and after brushing
• Allow the brush to air dry after each use, harmful bacteria dies after being exposed to oxygen
• Store the toothbrush in an upright position to allow water to drain and dry faster
• Replace your toothbrush every 3-4 months. Worn bristles are less effective in properly cleaning your teeth, and can actually be damaging to teeth if used too long!

We hope these tips help! Feel free to call us at Hershey & Heymann Orthodontics if you have any questions or ask us on Facebook.

Top ten tips for keeping your BRACES sparklin’ clean

Keeping your teeth clean is more important than ever when you have braces. Food bits have more spots than usual to hide in your mouth, so you must be diligent in order to avoid bad breath, swollen gums, discolored teeth and cavities. If you remove plaque regularly during treatment, you'll experience better results and shorter treatment time. Dr. Hershey and Dr. Heymann would like to help you keep plaque at bay with these top ten tips:

1. One tooth at a time. When you brush, take time with each individual tooth – at least 10 seconds each – and pay careful attention to the spots where your teeth touch your braces.
2. It’s all about the angles. Brush the tops of your teeth and braces with your brush angled down toward where they meet. Brush the bottoms of your teeth and braces with your brush angled up.
3. The tooth, the whole tooth, nothing but the tooth. While the front surface of your teeth may seem like the most logical to clean, it’s equally important to clean the inner surface of your teeth (tongue side) as well as the chewing surface. And be sure to clean along your gum line – a key spot for plaque buildup.
4. Step 1: eat, step 2: clean. While you’re in treatment, it’s important to brush after every meal. Bits of food can easily get caught between braces and teeth, and these food bits interact with bacteria in your mouth to cause decay. The longer food is in contact with your teeth, the greater opportunity for plaque to form. If you are eating somewhere that you can’t brush, thoroughly rinse your mouth with water.
5. Like a Boy Scout, always be prepared. The easiest way to be sure you can brush after every meal is to get in the habit of taking a toothbrush, toothpaste and floss with you wherever you go. Designate a special container just for your teeth-cleaning tools and keep it in your purse, backpack, or laptop case.
6. Remove the moving parts. If you have elastic bands or headgear, remove these parts before you brush or floss.
7. Fluoride is your friend. Fluoride helps prevent cavities. Be sure to brush with fluoride toothpaste, and rinse with fluoride mouthwash.
8. Pointy brushes reach tiny places. Interproximal brushes (sometimes called proxa brushes or interdental brushes) are cone-shaped and come in very handy for reaching spots around your braces that standard brushes can’t.
9. Find the floss for you. Regular floss works for some patients, but others find it easier to work with a floss threader, which helps you get the floss into tight places. Other patients like an all-in-one product called Superfloss, which comes with a stiff end for easy threading, a spongy section for cleaning wide spaces, and regular floss for narrow spaces.
10. Make time for the pros. It’s your job to take care of the everyday cleaning. But make sure to visit your dentist regularly while in treatment, to get the deep, thorough cleaning that only a professional can provide. If you need help finding the right Dentist for you, feel free to contact our office - we’d love to help!

We hope these tips help! Feel free to call Hershey & Heymann Orthodontics with any additional questions or you can always comment on our Facebook page.

Happy Thanksgiving, from Hershey & Heymann Orthodontics

Our doctors and team would like to wish you a safe and happy Thanksgiving. It's a big food holiday, so be careful what you eat with those braces! If you have any stories or pictures to share with us, we'd encourage you to send them along or call our office and ask how.

Gobble Gobble!

Distinguishing the myths and facts about orthodontics

Trust us when we say Drs. Hershey & Heymann 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 , feel free to give us a call.

What do you enjoy most about fall?

It’s fall here at Hershey & Heymann Orthodontics, a time when all across the country, the leaves begin to change colors, the air becomes crisp, and families begin to make plans for Thanksgiving.

Today we wanted to ask you, our wonderful patients, "How are you spending your time this fall?" Our team would love to hear about your favorite places for eating, shopping, and entertainment within the Chapel Hill & Durham, NC areas. We are interested in learning about what makes your community “yours.”

Feel free to post your responses on our Facebook page, or give us a call!

Orthodontic fun facts

Everyone loves fun facts. Fun, fun, fun! The American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO, has come up with some fun facts about orthodontics that our team at Hershey & Heymann Orthodontics thought you might enjoy.

• There are nearly 4 million people in orthodontic treatment throughout the United States. Three out of four are younger than 18.
• The first mechanical treatment for correcting irregular teeth was suggested by Gaius Plinius Secundus (A.D 23-79).
• The American Association of Orthodontists is comprised of more than 12,000 members in the United States, Canada and abroad.
• The time required to complete orthodontic treatment ranges from 12 to 36 months depending on the nature and severity of the problem.
• Of the 160,000 dentists in the United States and Canada, 8,000 are practicing orthodontists.
• The cement that attaches the braces to the teeth is now made with a special fluoride-releasing substance.
• Wires activated by body heat used in today's braces originally were developed by NASA for use in the space program.
• In addition to alleviating or preventing physical health problems, orthodontics can boost self-esteem as treatment aligns teeth, jaws and lips.
• Famous orthodontic patients include: Dr. Joyce Brothers, Hale Irwin, Cher, Diana Ross, Phyllis Diller, Chelsea Clinton, Whoopi Goldberg, Daisy Fuentes and Brandi.

The Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools Walk for Education

The Hershey and Heymann team participated in the Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools Walk for Education last Saturday, and visitors to our tent at the post-walk carnival got some cool temporary tatoos. Thanks to everyone who stopped by! Check out all the photos on our Facebook page.

Have a happy, safe, and spooky halloween celebration everyone!

A Great Braces Friendly Halloween Recipe

Our team know how tempting this time of the year can be on our sweet tooth. With all of the caramel, candy corn, and lollipops that are often passed around to trick-or-treaters, we realize that it can sometimes be hard to find hard, chewy, sticky, and crunchy candy alternatives.

However, there is good news! Today, we would like to share a great braces-friendly Halloween recipe with all of our patients, courtesy of the American Association of Orthodontics, or AAO, and “The Braces Cookbook” by Pamela Waterman. This Spider Bites recipe is delicious, and provided that you remember to brush and floss after indulging, this is a cookie that won’t bite back!

Spider Bites

Ingredients:

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp. water
• 1 Tsp. vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup cocoa
• 1 Tsp. salt
• ½ Tsp. baking powder
• 1 package black rope licorice, cut into 1-inch pieces**
• 1 small tube of white (or color of choice) frosting
• Toothpicks

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine shortening, sugar, water, and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Add eggs into the mixture and blend. Slowly mix in flour, cocoa, salt and baking powder using low-medium speed. Drop tablespoon helpings of mixture onto ungreased cookie sheets and roll each helping into a ball.

Bake 9 minutes at 375 degrees. The batch should produce around three dozen cookies.

Let cookies cool for about 10 minutes. Then using a toothpick, create four small holes in either side of the cookie. Still using the toothpick, push one end of a piece of the cut licorice into each hole, creating the “legs” of the spider. Once all eight pieces are in place, create eyes or decorate at will using the white frosting. Then eat and enjoy!

**Licorice can sometimes stick to braces; parents should monitor

October is National Orthodontic Health Month

Can you believe October is already upon us? October happens to be National Orthodontic Health Month, and this month-long event is organized by our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO.

Many treats can cause havoc for trick-or-treaters who are going through orthodontic treatment, and these treats may cause damage that could prolong your treatment time. The AAO recommends patients avoid the following Halloween treats, or recipes with these ingredients:

• Caramel
• Nuts
• Popcorn (including un-popped kernels)
• Taffy
• Jelly beans
• Hard pretzels
• Licorice
• Bubblegum
• Taco chips
• Ice

If you happen to damage your braces, please give us a call immediately. Typically, small problems can be solved over the phone. Loose brackets or wires can usually be made more comfortable by applying some wax until the you can come into our office.

Our Team Participates in the Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk in Durham

Thanks to Hershey & Heymann Team members, Allison, Rhonda, Terri and Jennifer! Way to go ladies. They participated in the Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk this past Saturday, Sept. 18th in downtown Durham, where they were on the move to end Alzheimer’s. With more than 5 million Americans living with Alzheimer's,... and nearly 10 million more serving as caregivers, the time to act is now! Memory Walk is the nation's largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer care, support and research. Since 1989, Memory Walk has raised more than $300 million for the cause.

All Memory Walk donations benefit the Alzheimer's Association, the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer care, support and research. The mission of the Alzheimer's Association is to eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. So thanks again ladies for joining a nationwide community of thousands of people who are standing up and participating in the fight against this devastating disease. For more information on this cause go to www.alz.org .

The importance of retainers, from Hershey & Heymann Orthodontics

If you recently completed treatment at Hershey & Heymann Orthodontics, we’d like to congratulate you! Now that your braces have been removed, we will provide—or have provided you—with retainers. After braces are removed, teeth can shift out of position if they are not stabilized. Retainers 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 is the best insurance that the treatment improvements last for a lifetime. Here are some things to remember when you receive your retainers:

* Wear your retainers full time, until the doctor instructs otherwise. Wearing your retainers at night ensures that your pearly whites won’t relapse.
* Take your retainers out when eating...and always put retainers in their case! (Most appliances are lost in school lunch rooms or restaurants.)
* Clean retainers thoroughly once a day with a toothbrush and only a small amount of toothpaste. Use warm but not hot water.
* When retainers are not in your mouth they should ALWAYS be in a retainer case.
* Retainers are breakable, so treat them with care. If retainers are lost or broken, give us a call immediately.
* Remove retainers when swimming or during any sporting activity in which the retainers could fall out and get broken or lost (cheerleading, basketball, etc.) or when you should be wearing a mouth guard (football, soccer, etc.).

We hope this helps! You can always contact our team if you have any questions!

All the cool kids do it!

Braces today are “cool” and—many would say—even “fun.” These were among the findings of a 2010 nationwide survey of moms whose children are going through or have had orthodontic treatment. New technologies, advanced computer software, color options, and even popular celebrities—Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Danny Glover, Serena Williams—sporting stylish braces are making orthodontic treatment more comfortable, fashionable and cool for today’s teens.

The study, conducted on behalf of our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists for February’s National Children’s Dental Health Month, found 86 percent of moms reporting that braces are cooler today than when they were children. Sixty-nine percent of moms also said wearing braces makes their children feel cool, and 81 percent reported their children’s experience with orthodontic treatment as either positive or extremely positive.

Different color options and the ability to change colors, for example, provide exciting ways for young patients to customize appearances. That enthusiasm helps them to feel good about their orthodontic treatment with our team, and may contribute to the success of treatment.

Has your child or teen visited Hershey & Heymann Orthodontics for a consultation? If not, please give us a call and let us help your child begin the journey to a gorgeous smile!

Invisalign Teen's "Make Me Smile" Challenge

Think you can make someone smile in 30 seconds or less? Then check out Invisalign Teen's "Make Me Smile" Challenge! Here's how it works:

Each month, a new challenge will be issued on the Make Me Smile Challenge web site. It is up to you to record a video response to the challenge, and upload it on the site. Videos can only be 30 seconds long, but you can enter as many times as you wish!

There are three challenges total, and the first has already begun! At the end of each round, a judge will chose a winner to receive an Apple iPad! A grand prize will be awarded at the end of the three challenges to send you and a friend to Hollywood!

We've included the contest dates below, but be sure to check out Invisalign Teen's web site for more information, and GOOD LUCK!

Challenge 1: August 17 – September 13, 2010
Challenge 2: September 14 – October 1, 2010
Challenge 3: October 12 – November 9, 2010

Celebrities get braces, too!

Did you know that back in 2002, Tom Cruise had braces? During this time, he was 40 years old and filmed Minority Report, Austin Powers in Goldmember and the Last Samurai. Check out his smile in Jerry Maguire, Rain Man or The Firm and compare to the post-braces Tom Cruise in Valkyrie or Tropic Thunder. The fact is, movie stars need to look their best for the silver screen, and it wouldn't be possible without orthodontists like Drs. Hershey & Heymann.

In fact, lots of Hollywood stars have had orthodontic treatment. Check out this slideshow of famous faces with braces. If you’ve thought about getting the perfect smile you’ve always wanted, please give us a call!

Regular checkups are essential in maintaining good oral health

Are you brushing your teeth and flossing during your orthodontic treatment? If yes, that’s great! But, don’t forget that it’s also important for you to visit your dentist every six months in addition to brushing your teeth and flossing (and visiting our office, of course). Regular dental checkups are important for maintaining good oral health.

Your general dentist can check for problems that might not be seen or felt, detect cavities and early signs of decay, treat oral health problems early and show you how to properly brush and floss your teeth.

During an oral exam your dentist can check the health of your mouth, teeth, gums, cheeks and tongue. Checkups will also include a thorough teeth cleaning and polishing. If you have not been to the dentist in the last six months, let us know during your next visit and we will provide a few great references in the greater Chapel Hill and Durham areas!

What do you love about Hershey & Heymann Orthodontics?

From your very first visit to Hershey & Heymann Orthodontics our doctors and team strive to provide superior treatment in a pleasant, friendly atmosphere. We thought we’d ask you, our wonderful patients: Have you been especially impressed by our work? Did our team go out of their way to make your day? Are you in love with your new smile?

Whether you’ve just come in for a consultation or your family has been visiting our office for years, we’d love to hear your feedback. Or, you can tell us by posting on our Facebook page or by giving us a call!

Thank you,
The team at Hershey & Heymann Orthodontics of Durham and Chapel Hill, NC

Ask Hershey & Heymann: Why is it so important to have straight teeth?

Some people wonder why Chapel Hill and Durham orthodontists Drs. Hershey & Heymann and our team work tirelessly to give our patients straight teeth. Of course it’s nice to have a smile full of evenly aligned teeth, but did you know that straightening your teeth can keep them healthier? Straight teeth lead to better oral hygiene, increasing your chances of keeping your own natural teeth for a lifetime!

Straight teeth are less prone to decay, because they collect less plaque—the sticky colorless substance that forms on our teeth and leads to tooth decay; and they are easier to keep clean!

If you’re wondering whether your teeth might cause problems because they are out of alignment, please give us a call to set up a consultation. Our doctors can help you decide whether or not you will benefit from orthodontic treatment.

Hershey & Heymann Orthodontics helping you avoid heat exhaustion this summer

With the heat wave sweeping through the majority of the Eastern Seaboard this summer, we want you to be extra careful when you’re out and about. A couple of weeks ago, Good Morning America ran a segment on the many ways you can protect yourself from heat exhaustion, heat stroke and other heat-related conditions this summer. And, here are a few summer safety tips from our friends at WebMD.

Dr. Hershey, Dr. Heymann and team encourage you to watch this short clip and remember to always have a bottle of water handy when heading out! We hope you’re having a GREAT summer!

What’s on your summer reading list?

With summer in full swing, some of us at Hershey & Heymann Orthodontics wanted to remind all our patients about the importance of reading. Sure it’s easy to keep putting off reading this time of year, but reading during the summer is a vital step in brain development and warding off the dreaded “summer slide.” Plus, it's fun!

Today, we thought we’d ask: What's on YOUR summer reading list? What are some of your all-time favorites? Out of ideas for great summer reads? Ask us for suggestions, and our staff would be happy to provide a few suggestions. You may also ask a local librarian for some ideas or check out these summer reading ideas that we came across today, courtesy of Barnes & Noble.

Happy reading! Be sure to share with us your summer picks or your all-time favorites on our Facebook page!

The advantage of Invisalign Teen™ at Hershey & Heymann Orthodontics

We know image is everything. At an age when image is so important, the thought of having metal brackets and wires constantly attached to teeth may intensify the already-delicate confidence of today's teens. But... not to worry! There is a clear alternative to traditional braces! The team at Hershey & Heymann Orthodontics thought we'd remind you that Invisalign Teen™ gives you a whole new way to wear braces for a "clearly" amazing smile!

So how does Invisalign Teen work, you ask? Much in the same fashion as Invisalign, but with a few added characteristics tailored specifically to teenagers’ lifestyles. For instance, Invisalign Teen is designed with “compliance indicators” that fade from dark to light during the two week period that particular tray is used and once it has faded teens know to change trays. Each aligner comes with up to six free individual replacement aligners in case the original aligner ends up lost or broken. Another big benefit for the patient!

The treatment period for Invisalign Teen varies from nine to 18 months. If your teen is considering orthodontic treatment, please contact us and we’ll answer any questions you may have about Invisalign Teen.

Is your child in the “Gator Grills” Club?

For younger patients who are not quite yet ready to start their orthodontic treatment, we have developed a fun program called "Gator Grills". This complimentary program allows us to monitor patients until they are ready to start treatment, and enables them to enter our Gator Grills Club.

Members receive complimentary exams and x-rays, as needed to monitor their growth and development. Each member receives their very own personalized membership ID card, and can enter for a chance to win an iPod every three months, just for coming to appointments on time! Members who wear their ID badge to the appointment will even earn another entry to win the iPod!

Congratulations to our recent “gator grill” winners Ally & Karsyn! Way to go ladies, just keep up the good work! Our next iPod drawing will be on 08/23/10. Give us a call for more information!

The Third Annual Hershey & Heymann Orthodontics Patient Appreciation Day

Invite a friend and join us at the movies, August 28th 10:00 a.m. at Wynnsong Movie Theater off Martin Luther King Parkway in Durham.


In honor of our third annual Patient Appreciation Day, we are inviting all of patients to invite a friend and join us at the movies again this year. This year we will have two movies playing at the same time, one is Step UP 3D (rated PG13) and the other is Nanny McPhee & the Big Bang (rated PG). The movies will be playing at the Wynnsong Movie Theater off Martin Luther King Pkwy at 10:00a.m. We’re asking everyone to drop their kid(s) off between 9:30-9:45 p.m., so there’s plenty of time to get everyone signed in and get them their popcorn and drink. (Each person will receive a small popcorn and drink, there will be no other concessions sold)

Both movies will be over by 11:30, so we ask that you pick your children up no later than 11:45 before other movies start playing. Each person attending the movie must have a permission slip with emergency contact names and numbers in our office prior to the movie date! We hope to see you all there, and again we APPRECIATE YOU!

Smile--June is National Smile Month!

Now that we’re in June, our staff at Hershey & Heymann Orthodontics thought we’d tell you June is National Smile Month, and a good time to remind all our patients to practice good oral hygiene between your visits to us and your general dentist.

Below are a few simple steps you can take to improve your oral health so that you may celebrate National Smile Month for many, many years to come:

* Brush at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
* Floss everyday to clean between your teeth and braces.
* Reduce your intake of sugary foods and drinks during your orthodontic treatment
* Visit your dentist regularly (every 6 months)!

If you have questions about any of these tips, we encourage you to give us a call.

Meet Our Orthodontists

Dr. Barbara Hershey's passion for orthodontics brought her to the University of North Carolina to receive her masters of public health and her masters of orthodontics, after completing her BS and her DDS at the University of Minnesota. After years of professional training, she opened her practices in Durham and Chapel Hill when she fell in love with the area and decided to make Chapel Hill her home. She knew then these were the communities she wanted to be a part of and serve.

Dr. Hershey enjoys building lifelong relationships with patients of all ages knowing that she excels at providing them fantastic smiles while creating a sound and healthy bite. When Dr. Hershey isnt creating spectacular smiles, she enjoys spending time with her daughter, Ali, and her son, Trip. She also enjoys cooking, gardening, and reading medical journals.


Dr. Gavin Heymann was born and raised in the Chapel Hill / Durham area. He graduated from Chapel Hill High School and then pursued his undergraduate education at UNC Chapel Hill, where he earned a BS in Biology. He then attended the UNC School of Dentistry where he graduated at the top of his class in 2005. He remained at UNC for his specialty training in orthodontics, where he received the Andrew McArthur Brooks fellowship, and earned a master's in science and an orthodontic certificate from one of the most well respected orthodontic programs in the world. Dr. Heymann joined Dr. Hershey in practice in August of 2008, and aspires to continue the tradition of excellence in service to patients and exceptional clinical quality with the latest technology that Dr. Hershey has been providing for three decades.

Dr. Heymanns favorite part of his job is the opportunity to meet so many different people and form relationships with them during the course of their treatment. Outside of the office Dr. Heymann enjoys spending time with his family and friends. Dr. Heymann met his lovely wife, Anne, while they both were in college at UNC, and they enjoy skiing, hiking, traveling, and cheering for the Tar Heels. Their beautiful daughter, Helen, was born in September of 2009. The Heymanns love the Chapel Hill and Durham communities and are active in their church, Christ United Methodist in Chapel Hill, as well as other civic organizations.