What’s on your mind?

As the summer progresses, our team at the office of Dr. Paula Baby and Dr. Jaime Rojas strive to continue writing about important topics related to orthodontics and your treatment at our office.

To help us continue doing that through the course of the summer, Drs. Baby & Rojas and team would like to ask you, our readers: what’s on your mind? What would you like to know about the always-changing and exciting field of orthodontics? What would you like us to focus on our blog in the summer months? Perhaps there’s something you’ve wanted to ask Drs. Baby or Rojas for a while? Let us know by posting here or on our Facebook page!

We hope you’re having a great week!

Breaking bad habits, from Drs. Baby and Rojas

At the office of Drs. Baby and Rojas, we know good dental health requires only a few minutes a day. We thought we’d provide some practical advice on how to improve your or your child’s smile between your visits with Drs. Baby and Rojas.

Start by brushing your teeth twice a day. Proper brushing techniques are an essential part of maintaining good oral health, as well as preventing gum disease. Brushing daily helps remove decay-causing plaque from tooth surfaces. Please consult Drs. Baby and Rojas if you would like us to review brushing techniques with you or your child. Flossing daily will also prevent plaque to build up between the teeth and prevent stains between your teeth. Research has shown the bacteria of gum disease has been linked to coronary artery disease, stroke, diabetes and memory loss. Lastly, we encourage you to throw away old toothbrushes and replace them every 2 or 3 months, or after an illness.

We hope this helps! If you have any further questions about any of these tips, please contact our convenient Wingham, Goderich and London offices or ask us on Facebook!

Biolase ezlase 940 Dental Laser

We are excited to announce that our office has recently purchased a new soft tissue laser for use with our patients to speed up treatment time.

The laser, called the ezlase 940, is the first dental laser to obtain clearance at the unique 940 nm wavelength, and enables Drs. Baby and Rojas to remove tissue and place brackets to teeth sooner in order to speed up treatment.

In the past, orthodontists would sometimes wait 6 months - one year for these teeth to fully erupt before placing brackets. Now we can drastically speed up treatment with laser tissue removal! The really great news about this laser is that it is one of the most high tech on the market. It also runs at a very specific wavelength that is far more comfortable for patients and uses and superior control of bleeding during dental procedures. Small and ultralight, the ezlase 940 enables Drs. Baby and Rojas to produce results and more comfortably than ever.

You can learn more about this process by giving us a call today or asking us on Facebook!

Tell us what's on your mind!

Week after week, Drs. Baby, Rojas and our team blog about important topics pertinent to orthodontic care and your well-being, including innovative orthodontic techniques we offer. This week, we thought we’d step back and ask you, our wonderful patients: what’s on your mind? What would you like to know about the always-changing field of orthodontics? What would you like us to focus on our blog? Perhaps there’s something you’ve been wanting to ask us for a while now? Let us know by posting here or on our interactive Facebook page!

So… take it away and we’ll try to answer any questions you may have!

Happy Valentine's Day!

February marks Children's Dental Health Month

Each February for the past 61 years, Children's Dental Health Month has helped raise awareness about the importance of oral health. Developing good habits at an early age and scheduling regular dental visits helps children get a good start on a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums.

For kids wearing braces, brushing and flossing can become more difficult, requiring extra time and vigilance to remove food particles that accumulate on and between the teeth and in braces. New options for braces such as Invisalign Teen, which is removable, make it easier for kids to maintain good oral health during orthodontic treatment.

If the health of your teeth is ignored during treatment with braces, the results can be significantly compromised. Drs. Baby and Rojas are both available and happy to explain why effective brushing and flossing is one of the most critical actions needed from patients during orthodontic treatment. Have you visited our Wingham, London or Goderich office lately? Give us a call and schedule an appointment! We also invite you to connect with us on Facebook!

Access to your account any day, any time

Access to your account, 24/7. Sounds convenient, doesn’t it?

At the office of Dr. Baby and Dr. Rojas, we embrace new technology, whether it is through the innovative orthodontic treatments we offer, our high-tech web site and social networks, or our modern offices.

Did you know that patients at our office have access to their account 24 hours a day, seven days a week—all through our website? You can look up your appointments and all of your account details at your convenience, from the comfort of your own home, which is especially helpful during the holidays! And, because we know folks sometimes forget, you can even receive appointment reminders through email or text messages!

You, too, can sign up for this convenient service on our website by clicking on the "Patient Login" button on our homepage. Please give us a call if you have any questions about getting started or ask us on Facebook!

Drs. Rojas and Baby, your local Insignia™ providers

Let's say you're getting braces soon. While you’re excited about finally having that great, gorgeous smile, you may be nervous about wearing wires and brackets for two or more years. Well, Drs. Baby and Rojas would like to tell you about an orthodontic system that makes straightening your teeth with braces a lot faster and easier compared to conventional orthodontic treatment. It’s called Insignia, and it’s changing the way people feel about their braces.

While traditional orthodontic treatments take two or more years, it’s not true for Insignia. Through the use of Insignia’s sophisticated 3-D imaging, treatment planning, and customized braces with customized precision archwires, Drs. Baby and Rojas can reduce treatment time compared to that of conventional braces.

In addition to shortening treatment times, the greater efficiency of the Insignia system at London Braces also helps reduce the number of wire changes and adjustments you’ll need, and that means fewer trips to our office. The Insignia system’s 3-D software lets Drs. Baby and Rojas analyze how to effectively and efficiently align your teeth. Through this software, personalized archwires are designed to move your teeth into proper alignment smoothly and directly, reducing the number of maintenance visits. Unlike traditional orthodontics and their “one size fits all” approach, Insignia Advanced Smile Design customizes braces and wires to you. The result is a radiant smile that reflects your individuality.

Give us a call and ask us about this revolutionary treatment! Our offices are conveniently located in Wingham and London, Ontario. We provide orthodontic care for the following communities: London, Wingham, Lucan, Exeter, Clinton, Goderich, Seaforth, Kincardine, Hanover, Brussels, Lambeth, Middlesex County.

Enjoy the rest of your week!

All the cool kids do it!

Braces today are “cool” and—many would say—even “fun.” These were among the findings of a 2010 survey of moms whose children are going through or have had orthodontic treatment. New technologies such as Insignia, Damon System and Invisalign, 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, 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 Drs. Baby & Rojas, and may contribute to the success of treatment.

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

Oral Health and Overall Health, from Drs. Baby & Rojas

Our team knows that while in orthodontic treatment, it is important to maintain proper oral health. According to a recent study by the British Columbia Dental Hygienists' Association, periodontal disease is linked to not only your oral health, but also the health of other body functions.

It is commonly known that proper oral health is important for many everyday functions, such as eating, talking, and kissing. New correlations have now been found linking poor oral health and cardio-vascular disease, diabetes, respiratory problems, and other systemic diseases. "Patients who have had previous infections of the heart valve may need antibiotics before having dental work done," says Cardiologist Dr. Nisha D'Mello of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute.

Have you been brushing, flossing, and visiting us for your regularly scheduled appointments? If not, give us a call! Also, be sure to visit your general dentist every six months for an oral exam to check the health of your mouth, teeth, gums, cheeks and tongue.

Have a great week!

-Drs. Baby & Rojas

What’s on your summer reading list?

With summer in full swing, some of us at Drs. Baby & Rojas office ave been thinking more and more about the importance of reading. Sure it’s easy to keep putting off reading, but reading during the summer is a vital step in brain development—and it's fun!

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 can also ask a local librarian!

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

Meet Lindsay, Team Member at our London, ON Office!

My name is Lindsay and I graduated from the dental assisting program at George Brown College in 2009. I have been working in the dental industry for the past year but have recently begun working in orthodontics, which I have come to love. I am one member of the team who greets you as you enter our London office, books your appointments and helps you to find the answers that you are looking for. I live in London and spend most of my free time with my wonderful husband and our friends. If I am not in the office, it is hard to say where I will be as my husband and I love to travel.

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. Keep plaque at bay with these top ten tips:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Remove the moving parts. If you have elastic bands or headgear, remove these parts before you brush or floss.

Fluoride is your friend. Fluoride helps prevent cavities. Be sure to brush with fluoride toothpaste, and rinse with fluoride mouthwash.

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.

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.

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.

Hope these tips help!


--Drs. Baby & Rojas

Placing a Temporary Anchorage Device

Check out how simple and painless the placement of a Temporary Anchorage Device is. In the first video, Dr. Rojas prepares this patient for their TAD, and then places it in the second video! At the orthodontic practice of Drs. Paula Baby and Jaime Rojas, we use TADs to achieve precise control over how your teeth move into place during orthodontic treatment. TADs are an effective and painless technology that has made orthodontic treatment easier than ever! Give our London, Wingham, or Goderich offices a call to learn more, or visit our web site!

Temporary Anchorage Device Removal Video

One of the coolest new technologies that we offer at our London, Wingham, and new Goderich orthodontic offices are TADs (Temporary Anchorage Devices). These are so useful because they allow us to create individual adjustments of teeth during orthodontic treatment, which can greatly affect your overall result!

TADs are tiny screws made out of titanium alloy that are attached to the bone between the roots of the teeth and can be placed in the bone in the roof of the mouth as well. Since there are no nerve endings in this area, there is typically little or no discomfort for patients. Ask us about TADs during your next visit!

More About Orthodontics From Drs. Baby & Rojas

There are so many questions about orthodontics that we never ask, so Drs. Jaime Rojas and Paula Baby took some time to explain the most common concerns.

At what age should orthodontic treatment occur?

Orthodontic treatment can be started at any age. Many orthodontic problems are easier to correct if detected at an early age before jaw growth has slowed. Early treatment may mean that a patient can avoid surgery and more serious complications. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that every child first visit an orthodontist by age seven or earlier if a problem is detected by parents, the family dentist or the child's physician.

What is Phase I and Phase II treatment?

Phase I, or early interceptive treatment, is limited orthodontic treatment (i.e. expander, Herbst, Facemask, headgear, or partial braces) before all of the permanent teeth have erupted. Such treatment can occur between the ages of six and ten. This treatment is sometimes recommended to make more space for developing teeth, correction of crossbites, overbites, underbites, or harmful oral habits. Phase II treatment is also called comprehensive treatment, because it involves full braces when all of the permanent teeth have erupted, usually between the ages of eleven and thirteen.

Would an adult patient benefit from orthodontics?

Absolutely!! Orthodontic treatment can be successful at any age. Everyone wants a beautiful and healthy smile. Between 30-40% of our patients are adults.

How does orthodontic treatment work?

Braces use steady gentle pressure to gradually move teeth into their proper positions. The brackets that are placed on your teeth and the arch wire that connects them are the main components. When the arch wire is placed into the brackets, it tries to return to its original shape. As it does so, it applies pressure to move your teeth to their new, more ideal positions.

How long does orthodontic treatment take?

Treatment times vary on a case-by-case basis, but the average time is from one to two years. Actual treatment time can be affected by rate of growth and severity of the correction necessary. Treatment length is also dependent upon patient compliance. Maintaining good oral hygiene and keeping regular appointments are important in keeping your treatment time on schedule.

Do braces hurt?

The placement of bands and brackets on your teeth does not hurt. Once your braces are placed and connected with the arch wires, you may feel some soreness of your teeth for one to four days. Your lips and cheeks may need one to two weeks to get used to the braces on your teeth.

Will braces interfere with playing sports?

No. It is recommended, however, that patients protect their smiles by wearing a mouth guard when participating in any sporting activity. Mouth guards are inexpensive, comfortable, and come in a variety of colors and patterns.

Will braces interfere with playing musical instruments?

No. However, there may be an initial period of adjustment. In addition, brace covers or wax can be provided to prevent discomfort.

Should I see my general dentist while I have braces?

Yes, you should continue to see your general dentist every six months for cleaning and dental checkups, or more frequently as recommended.

Got more questions? Give us a call at our office! We'd love to hear from you.

Join us in Helping Brittnei and the Children of Haiti!

Earlier this year we introduced you to Brittnei Berrisford. As some of you know she is headed back to God's Littlest Angels orphanage in Haiti in less than a month. Brittnei would appreciate our help. She is looking for donations of the items listed below to bring with her to the orphanage. Starting March 30th there will be a box located at the London office for donations that you wish to bring in. Wingham and Goderich patients are welcome to bring their items to those locations as well. Thank you so much for your continued support. Brittnei and the children of Haiti are very grateful.

• infant Tylenol
• diapers
• bandages
• triple-antibiotic ointment
• crib sheets
• baby cereal and fruit puree
• baby lotion
• soap
• diaper cream
• toothpaste
• toothbrushes
• shoes and sandals
• candles
• rope
• work gloves

--Drs. Paula Baby & Jaime Rojas

Our New Goderich Office!

We are so excited to announce that Drs. Baby & Rojas will soon have a new office in Goderich, in addition to our existing London and Wingham offices. The new location is at 33 West St. Goderich, Ont. N7A 2K5, and is currently the practice of Dr. Beath. We are looking forward to working with the patients of Goderich and surrounding areas, and will be sharing photos as soon as we have them available!

Stay tuned!

Your turn! From Drs. Baby & Rojas

Week after week, we blog about important topics pertinent to orthodontic care and your well-being, including innovative orthodontic techniques we offer. This week, we thought we’d step back and ask you, our wonderful patients: what’s on your mind? What would you like to know about the always-changing field of orthodontics? What would you like us to focus on our blog? Perhaps there’s something you’ve been wanting to ask us for a while now? Let us know by posting here or on our interactive Facebook fan page!

So… take it away and we’ll try to answer any questions you may have!

Vancouver Olympians from London

While we are proud of all our Canadian Olympians, we wanted to specially congratulate the athletes from London and surrounding areas. If you've been following the Vancouver Olympics broadcast at all, then you are probably aware that Christine Nesbitt, who is from the London area, has won a gold medal for the 1000m long track speed skating event!

Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue also won the very first Canadian gold medal for the ice dancing event. Scott and Tessa are both London!

Have you been watching the Olympics? What is your favorite event?

--Drs. Baby & Rojas

A Thank You Letter from the London Food Bank

We wanted to share with you a wonderful letter that was sent to our office from the London Food Bank. This good news is thanks to all of your contributions. As you can see, it really has made a difference!


Dear Dr. Baby, Dr. Rojas and staff,

Thank you for your recent food donation to the London Food Bank.

As we experience the cold winter months the number of client visits will rise as individuals may experience the other financial challenges of heating winter clothing costs. Often our clients will pay those bills first which leaves them with very little or no money to spend on food. This is an experience common to many of our clients.

The generous citizens of London and the surrounding area, through the efforts of the London Food Bank, have in the past fed on average, approximately 2500 families per month. Throughout 2009, we saw a significant increase in the number we are assisting. We have been helping on average over 3000 families each month with our highest month being 3377. The number of individuals helped in 2009 was approximately 85,000 and roughly 35,000 of them were children and youth under the age of 18. We anticipate that this increase will unfortunately be the new norm.

Individuals can use the services of the London Food Bank once a month. Most of our clients, in fact 75%, use the food bank four times or less in a year. It is this statistic that demonstrates to us that the individuals who use this food bank do so because they need to, not because they want to.

With sincere gratitude,

Donna Speller
Human Resources
London Food Bank