Age 7 is the magic number for an orthodontic check-up, from Dr. John C. White

Many parents assume they must wait until a child has all of his or her permanent teeth to visit Dr. White, only to find that treatment would have been much easier if started earlier. Consequently, the American Association of Orthodontists recommends that every child have an orthodontic check-up no later than age seven.

Ok, so what’s so great about age seven, you ask? Enough permanent teeth have arrived for an orthodontist to make a determination about whether any problems are present. The first molars have come in, providing an opportunity to check for malocclusion, or “bad bite.” Also, the incisors have begun to come in, and problems such as crowding, deep bites and open bites can be detected.

Orthodontic evaluation at an early age provides one of two positive outcomes: For some, early identification or problems will lead to easier or shorter orthodontic treatment in the future. For others, a healthy prognosis will provide immediate peace of mind.

Early evaluation, of course, may signal a need for early treatment. For some children, early treatment can prevent physical and emotional trauma. Aside from spurring on years of harmful teasing, misaligned teeth are also prone to injury and detrimental to good oral hygiene. So if your child is nearing age 7, give us a call at Braces by White to schedule an appointment.

Summer Fun with Dr. White!

Its summer here for Dr. White and team, a season full of vacations, adventures and great memories. Whether you are headed to a barbeque, a camping trip, or just having fun in the sun, we want to hear about it! Leave a comment on our blog and tell us about your summer!

Happy Travels,

-From Dr. White

Patient Reviews for Dr. White, Orthodontist in Hudson, OH

Check out the fantastic reviews our patients have saying about Dr. White!



I spoke with our son and he said that he like the way that Dr. White spoke to him. It made him feel important. That is awesome! Since our appointment with Dr. White our son has taken the time to brush his teeth with so much more care. I feel like he is really looking forward to getting his braces on, plus having a much nicer smile. Thank you. ~ Jonathan C.

I love how Dr. White makes you feel comfortable and how he listens to you and doesn't just say this is how we are doing it. He takes the time to see what you think and what you want done. ~ Paul W.

Dr. White is friendly. He makes all of us feel at ease. I like his approach in that he isn't overly aggressive and is not only concerned about the health of my children but also understands the financial impact of his recommendations. EVERYONE on the staff is helpful and friendly too! ~ Abby M.


Dr. White is so smart and very friendly to us. Plus how friendly and helpful the staff is. And the offices are very clean and nice. ~ Justin S.

He is great with the kids and our son was very scared at first. Dr. White was able to talk to our son and it was much better . I could not calm him down when he got his expander and Dr. White was a great help!! ~ Joshua W.

Nifty"Eggs"periment from Dr. White

Summer is drawing near. If the little ones aren’t at camp, you may run out of ideas to keep them occupied. Why not use a fun and simple science experiment to focus their attention for a while? Dr. White found one that includes a lesson about why it’s important to brush teeth to make plaque go away.

Gather the items you will need for this experiment:

* 1 hard-boiled egg with the shell on
* 12 ounces of Coke, Pepsi or other dark-colored cola
* 1 container large enough to hold the cola and egg
* 1 plastic bowl
* 1 toothbrush
* 1 drop of fluoride toothpaste
* Clean-up supplies

Explain to your child that plaque is a sticky layer of germs that collects on her teeth. If she doesn’t brush, plaque can cause serious problems for her teeth, for example holes in the teeth (cavities) or swollen gums (gingivitis). Tell her that you are going to do an experiment to see how plaque coats her teeth, and why brushing twice a day is important for healthy teeth and gums.

Conduct the experiment:

1. Make the comparison between the white color of the egg and the white color of your child's teeth.

2. Place the egg into the container and pour the cola over it, so that it completely covers the egg.

3. Let the egg sit in the cola for 24 hours.

4. Remove the egg from the cola. The egg will be stained and yellowish.
5. Explain to your child that the colored layer that has appeared on top of the eggshell is just like the layer of plaque that occurs on her teeth.

6. Place the egg in the plastic bowl and give your child the toothbrush with the drop of toothpaste on it.

7. Let her brush the "plaque" off of the egg. The yellowish film will disappear, exposing the white eggshell. Explain that the same thing happens when she brushes her teeth.

Dr. White Talks About Xylitol Gum

We get questions all the time at Dr. White's office about different kinds of gum. So we wrote down some of the most common ones and got Dr. White to give us his professional opinion.

What kind of gum is best to chew?

Any kind of gum is fine to chew as long as it is sugarless and you only chew one stick at a time.

I have hear a lot about Xylitol gum, is that okay to chew?

Xylitol gum is a fine gum. Again, the important factor is if it is sugarless.

Is it okay to chew gum for extended periods of time?

Prolonged gum chewing can be a problem for your jaw. If you chew between one half hour to one hour a day, you should be fine. Anything longer than that and you might run into problems for the joint. As a general rule, I tell my patients that once the flavor is gone, chuck the gum. Who wants to chew flavorless gum anyway?

Hope this helps! If you have any more questions about gum, please contact us at Dr. White's office!

Is Invisalign Really Customized for Each Patient? - Dr. John White

Yes, it is, and that’s part of what makes it work. To find out if you are the right candidate for Invisalign treatment, the first thing we do is to take an impression of your teeth as they are now and digitize it. Using special software, we look at the current positioning of your teeth and compare it to the way your teeth should look.

Next we use special software to map out the exact path your teeth will take from the beginning of your treatment to the end. Based on the results, a set of custom aligners are created just for your teeth. Throughout the course of treatment, you will be required to wear these clear, removable aligners one at a time; each one moving your teeth closer and closer to their final, perfectly aligned position. And since the aligners are virtually invisible, nobody around you will even know you are wearing braces!

Dr. John White is a certified Invisalign provider. If you have questions about Invisalign, or would like to find out if you are a candidate for Invisalign treatment, give us a call at 440-792-5670 in Northfield or 330-931-4232 in Hudson.

When Are Two Phases of Treatment Necessary?

Usually patients in orthodontic treatment already have their permanent teeth – they are pre-teens, teens and adults. But in some cases we have to start treatment earlier, even before the patient’s permanent teeth come in. We call this “two-phase treatment.”

When we have patients with clear developmental problems at an early age, it’s best to start work when they are young, before the problems get bigger and more difficult to treat.

Examples include:
• An upper or lower jaw that is not growing correctly
• A mouth growing in a way that doesn’t leave enough room for all the permanent teeth to come in
• A severe malocclusion, or bad bite, which means the jaw doesn’t fit together correctly

In these cases we will start early and do one round of treatment – phase one – while the patient still has their baby teeth. Phase one usually does not involve braces, but can include a different type of appliance that helps the jaw grow into place properly. We’ll follow up with phase two usually a few years later, when permanent teeth are in place. Generally phase two involves standard braces.

In order to catch early problems, we recommend that children have an orthodontic check-up no later than age seven (and so does the American Association of Orthodontics). However, if your dentist or pediatrician sees any sign that early treatment might be necessary, he or she may recommend your child visit our office even sooner.