Author: Dr. Herman

Question: My daughter was going to another orthodontist and was two appointments away from completing treatment. I had to cancel her appointment due to a medical problem and the front desk staff refused to reschedule her to finish treatment or remove her braces without a note from her doctor. I transferred her care to you … Continued

Question: Since the ‘90s there have been several advances to help prevent cavities in children. How well have we done with winning the war with cavities in the last 20 years? Answer: For children with baby teeth (primary teeth) there has been a drastic reduction in cavities and a significant improvement in completing orthodontic treatment … Continued

Question: I noticed that you only use real patients in your ads that they look like they are from the Four Corners area. Other orthodontists in our area show ads using models from California or some other region. Why don’t they use real patients? Answer: I use my patients because I want the public to … Continued

Question: My son’s orthodontist was the discount guy, and I always saw new staff in the office. It made his care frustrating. After two years of bringing my younger son to your office, it has been the same staff every time. Why do you have better staff retention than the other doctor? Answer: I have … Continued

Question: You seem to take in a lot of transfer patients. Where do most of them come from? Answer: Overwhelmingly, most of my transfer patients come from the discount orthodontist who has multiple offices. These patients are unhappy with the services and/or the results. This dissatisfaction fits into four areas: financial arrangement disputes, rude staff, … Continued

Question: The discount orthodontist in town is so much lower than any other orthodontist for 100 miles. Why is that? Answer: There are reasons the discount orthodontist competes with rock bottom prices rather than results. You deserve better. If you compare the experience and trust level of the discount orthodontist to my office, the difference … Continued

Question: My dentist insists I should have my periodontal disease treated before I start treating my crooked teeth. You and your dentist informed me that the two problems are related, and it’s best to treat them at the same time. What is your plan based upon? Answer: Research shows periodontal disease is significantly more problematic … Continued

Question: My 9-year-old son’s dentist told me he has an impacted canine and that it might resorb the root of adjacent teeth. What causes a canine to become impacted and which teeth are at risk of resorption? Answer: If a canine is impacted (stuck) in the palate the cause is either genetics or an unknown … Continued

Question: My 12-year-old daughter has braces and suffers from puffy gums. She brushes regularly and has clean teeth. Why does she still have gingivitis? Answer: Your daughter probably does not have gingivitis. Instead, she most likely has gingival enlargement, also called “gingival hyperplasia.” Gingival enlargement is found in adolescent and teenage patients undergoing orthodontic treatment … Continued

Question: My dentist sent me to an orthodontist who wanted to extract teeth or use a palatal expander to correct my daughter’s crowding. He said treatment would take 2 1/2 years. My daughter just finished treatment with you, and her smile looks fantastic. There were no extractions, no palatal expander, and treatment lasted 20 months. … Continued