Help for Your Narrow Smile
Do you have a narrow smile, one that juts in front, or teeth that are overlapped, crooked, or stacked behind each other? Braces can help realign your teeth, but …
How to Achieve the Perfect Smile with a Complete Smile Makeover
Dentistry to correct smile flaws is relatively straightforward; each problem has one or more solutions. However, when a smile is extremely damaged, whether by trauma or incorrect growth patterns, …
Why You Should See a Dentist for Sleep Apnea
The gold standard for obstructive sleep apnea sufferers has long been the continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) machine, a cumbersome affair that requires wearing a mask to bed every …
5 Dental Problems Expanders Can Address
Has your dentist been bringing up the possibility of dental expanders as a solution for your or your child’s smile? You’re probably wondering what this entails, and if it’s …
Why Does My Jaw Feel Sore in the Morning?
Occasional jaw pain in the morning isn’t unusual, especially if you sleep on your side or rest against your hand. However, if it’s persistent and continues throughout the day, …
Understanding the Two Phases of Early Orthodontic Intervention
Your child’s crooked little toothy smile can look cute now, but what about when they get older? It’s estimated that only 35% of adults have a correctly aligned smile. …
4 Ways to Determine if You Have Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) plagues approximately 39 million US adults annually. Getting the right diagnosis and treatment is key to relieving symptoms that go hand in hand with OSA, …
When Are Expanders a Necessary Treatment?
A narrow jaw can contribute to a host of problems, from congestion to poor sleep. If your child has a narrow palate, expanders may be necessary to create room …
The Splint!
I was fitted for my splint and wore it DAY and NIGHT for about 6 months. I would go into Dr. Chapman’s office every couple of weeks to have …
The Need For Speed!
The Need for Speed – How many orthodontic patients ask “When will I get my braces off?” Orthodontic treatment is never, ever fast enough. We are limited by the …
An Update On My Braces!
Happy New Year! I am now in my 3rd month of wearing Insignia braces. The process has been surprisingly easy – I’ve only gone in to see Dr. Chapman and his …
Wearing Your Rubber Bands
Rubber bands and braces, they go together like pie and ice cream. Almost every orthodontic patient will wear rubber bands at some point in their treatment. What do they …
Happy Holidays To All!
You will notice big changes in our office starting next week. We have been preparing for the last 6 months to switch our practice management software and go paperless. …
Braces Problems On Summer Vacay! What To Do?
Summer . . . no school, lots of sun, sleeping in, going on vacation. It’s my favorite time of year, yours’ too? As our office is always striving to …
The Orthodontic BIG FOUR
Successful orthodontic treatment requires several factors to be accomplished in a predictable amount of time. The patient and orthodontic team must work together to accomplish our mutual goal of …
I’m Sporting Rubber Bands!
It’s been a while since my last post, but things have been progressing well! At my last appointment, Dr. Chapman told me it was time for me to wear …
Day One With Insignia Braces!
I am now the proud owner of a set of Insignia Braces! Insignia is the latest and greatest technology for braces. I was pretty nervous at my appointment yesterday, …
My Path To ChapmanSmiles
It all began with a car accident. Or at least, that is the way it felt. I was involved in an accident in 2010 in which I was rear-ended, …
You And Your Retainer – A Happy Marriage
Patients always want to know, “how long do I have to wear my retainers?” The standard answer is “forever.” Yes, retainers are for life, but the good news is, …
A Little More About Dr. Chapman
Welcome to my first blog about orthodontic treatment! My name is Gary Chapman, and I’m an orthodontist in Clackamas, Oregon. Before I begin discussing orthodontics, I thought I would …
Virtual Consultations Are As Easy As 1-2-3
We all have more to smile about these days! As our communities are slowly opening back up for business, we are all thankfully able to begin resuming some of …
Three Reasons Chapman Smiles is the Right Choice!
Deciding to have your teeth straightened is a big decision. Time, money and commitment to the process have to be considered, but one of your most important decisions is …
Is Invisalign the Right Treatment for You?
If you think your teeth are scarier than the headless horseman at Halloween, it might be time to talk to Dr. Chapman about getting started with Invisalign® orthodontic treatment. …
How Long Will It Take to Straighten My Teeth?
That’s a question we hear at almost every consultation. There’s no universal answer. Since every person’s dental issues are different, we create a plan that is specific to you. …
The Difference Between Invisalign and Spark Aligners
You’ve probably seen lots of commercials for Invisalign® and understand how clear aligners are an excellent way to straighten your teeth without the hassle of traditional braces. But did …
5 Cool Things You Didn’t Know About Clear Aligners
Orthodontia has radically changed over the last two decades. While once your only option to correct a variety of dental alignment problems was a bunch of metal, now there …
What Does a Smile Makeover Entail?
Two out of five Americans don’t see their dentist as often as they’d like. Even more are unhappy with the health and appearance of their smile. Your smile is …
It’s Not Just Snoring: The Dangers of Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is estimated to affect up to 14% of people worldwide, but many cases go undiagnosed. If you or your partner snores persistently through the night, …
Adjusting to Life Without Braces
Adjusting to getting braces is harder than adjusting to life without them, but getting them taken off can come with its own unique challenges. It’s important to take care …
The Importance of Early Orthodontic Intervention
Orthodontic problems like misaligned bites, crowding, and narrow palates tend to appear when a child is young, and often manifest as their baby teeth come in. Early intervention orthodontics …
My Jaw Pops: Do I Have TMJ Dysfunction?
If you’ve ever stretched your jaw wide during a yawn, you might have heard it click as you shut your mouth. That was your temporomandibular joint, or TMJ. While …
How to Accelerate the Process of Straightening Your Teeth
There have been many advancements in the realm of tooth straightening over the past few decades. Traditional metal-and-wire braces take years to yield results. Clear aligners can return a …
What Can a Smile Makeover Fix?
There are plenty of reasons you might feel self-conscious about your mouth: gapped or crooked teeth, a misaligned bite, and yellowing are all common complaints. Cosmetic dentistry can correct …
Do I Need Braces or Clear Aligners?
Since clear aligners hit the market with Invisalign®, braces have been swept under the rug as the inferior option. While many people prefer the look and feel of invisible …
Understanding Phase 1 Early Intervention
A child’s smile can light up a room. However, if the grin reveals overcrowding, you might experience some real concerns. Only 35% of adults have a smile in correct …
How Does At-Home Accelerated Orthodontics Work?
Orthodontics has improved over the past few decades, and it’s easier than ever to correct your teeth. With accelerated orthodontics, you can reduce the months of wearing braces or …
What Can Be Done About My Popping Jaw?
When dealing with disorders of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), you need a comprehensive diagnosis. From there, you can identify what factors are contributing to your TMJ pain and begin …
I Have Tooth Erosion: Can You Help?
Your teeth are extraordinarily strong; able to withstand immense pressure and friction from decades of biting, chewing, and grinding. However, your teeth are still subject to wear-and-tear, especially if …
Understanding the Different Types of Early Intervention
For some children, problems with the bite or spacing of teeth appear well before the eruption of adult teeth. In such cases, early intervention can save a lot of …
6 Problems that Invisalign® Corrects
More than 10 million people have corrected their teeth with Invisalign®, and every year more men, women, and teens opt for these clear aligners over traditional braces to give them the …
Will My TMJ Resolve on Its Own?
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders can cause a lot of pain, discomfort, and even urgent situations when your jaw locks into place and won’t open or close fully. Fortunately, a …
Why It’s Imperative to Treat Your Sleep Apnea
It’s estimated that 14% of people around the globe have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but for many, their condition goes undiagnosed for years while their well-being suffers. It’s not …
Is Accelerated Orthodontics As Good As Traditional?
Dentistry has come a long way in the past few decades, and that includes the specialty of orthodontics. Traditional braces used to be quite an ordeal, but today’s versions …
Why Would My Child Need Expanders Before Braces?
If your child’s jaw isn’t sufficiently broad to let new teeth come in without them butting up into each other, they could have a narrow palate. If your child’s adult …
Clear Aligners vs. Braces: Which is Better for My Teen?
Clear aligners like Spark™ and Invisalign® completely changed the landscape of teeth straightening. Before these options were widely available, the only way to get straighter teeth was with traditional braces. …
Nighttime Grinding and TMJ Pain: What’s the Connection?
Over 11 million people have experienced TMJ pain of some kind, and there’a a notable overlap between patients with TMJ disorders and people who grind their teeth. If you …
3 Reasons to Worry About Crowded Teeth
A narrow palate is the most common cause of crowded teeth. A child with a narrow palate that doesn’t widen sufficiently before adult teeth start to come in can end up …
Ask These Questions Before Considering Accelerated Orthodontics
Do you have an imperfect smile but can’t stand the thought of spending years in traditional braces? Accelerated orthodontics helps the process of tooth straightening go a lot faster …
Brush And Floss Your Teeth And Gums Well EVERYDAY
Everybody knows that you need to brush and floss your teeth well to keep them in good shape. Modern diets contain a lot of sugar which leads to decay …