Why did I want to become an orthodontist? Well, my brother decided that he wanted to be a medical doctor at a very young age. At that time I was the little brother who followed my brother on whatever path he was on – good or bad! However, wanting to NOT be a copycat, I declared that I was going to be a dentist. This was at age 7. The idea struck me through high school so I met with my dentist and he led me through how to prepare for my future. It is said that the hardest step in building a career is the FIRST STEP. As author Andy Andrews says, “Make a decision, and then make it right.” In other words, I believe we are all divinely guided so I go with my gut feeling – my intuition. Dental school seemed like a good fit academically and…

THANKSGIVING TRADITIONS COME in all shapes and sizes. From the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to breaking the wishbone to getting together with those wacky yet lovable relatives, traditions vary from family to family, and that includes the families of our practice’s team members! Unusual Thanksgiving Traditions Dr.McSurdy enjoys brining the turkey before he roasts it. In the past, he has also tried to deep fry a turkey (in 45 minutes) in the freezing cold. Lastly, he enjoys having a turkey bowl with his neighbors. Dr. Pavlow loves anything and everything associated with brussel sprouts! Not only does her family love eating them, but we decorate the house with fresh brussel sprouts, brussel sprout salt and pepper shakers, brussel sprout hot plates, brussel sprout serving pieces Favorite Thanksgiving Memories Dr.McSurdy’s favorite memories on Thanksgiving include it snowing on Thanksgiving (twice), watching football with a fire in the fireplace (every year), eating dinner…

If your dentist informs you that your child has congenitally missing teeth, it is important to have an orthodontic consultation as soon as possible. This is especially true if there are missing front teeth. Why Should You Seek Orthodontic Assistance for Cogenitally Missing Teeth? Why is this so important? Often, orthodontically, we can substitute primary teeth into missing permanent teeth positions. Also, often we can move permanent canines into the missing incisor positions. In this manner, we can prevent your child from having noticeably missing tooth spaces, and we can help to normalize the emergence pattern of the permanent teeth. Getting Orthodontic Treatment For Your Teenager If your child is already a teenager, then orthodontically we idealize missing tooth spaces so that an appropriately ideally sized prosthodontic tooth can be placed by your dentist. In this way it is virtually undetectable that a missing tooth situation exists. An orthodontic consultation…