Dear Parents and Patients,
As mandated by the CDC and government authorities*, ALL in-person orthodontic appointments will be after May 15, 2020 due to COVID-19 physical distancing mandates.
Please disregard any confirmation reminders that you may have received if your original in-person appointment was between now and May 15, 2020.
For the health and safety of our community, Staff are NOT in the office until further notice, but Dr. Lim is checking messages remotely from home 10am-5pm Monday-Friday and providing VIRTUAL VISITS from your submitted photos.
For Invisalign patients:
If you have only 4 packages (or less) remaining at home, then please wear your CURRENT SET ONLY WHEN SLEEPING starting tonight. Save your last (and previous) sets as backup sets. Only change to another set if the previous set has an issue such as tearing in half. Nighttime wear will make the aligners last longer and prolong the life of the last aligners until further notice.
If you are a new patient awaiting your delivery of your first Invisalign aligners, then we may be able to arrange for you to pickup your aligners with written and video instructions.
Video of Invisalign wear Instructions: https://youtu.be/of5GI9lWcVU
For Braces patients:
Please be reassured that your braces are still working as long as they are in your mouth. Your original treatment time estimate will remain the same for the majority of our patients.
If you have a loose brace that is not hurting (but is annoying), then place wax on the area to make a soft cushion on top of the brace to reduce the annoyance. Or, you may leave the brace alone.
If you are an existing braces patient with an orthodontic "emergency" (something hurting), then do WHATEVER is necessary at home to relieve the pain including use of a clean nailclipper (or straight cutter) to clip the wire or use of a pencil (eraser end) to push in a poking wire.
Example videos include:
Use of a clean straight cutter https://youtu.be/eByBsZrusmI
Use of a clean nailclipper https://youtu.be/6n5RCO4ymDk
Use of a tweezer to replace a wire https://youtu.be/VYFAci6vdIs?t=5
For all other patients with questions:
please email us anytime WITH photos please as seen on page Virtual Visit.
I am available online for Virtual Visits (virtual orthodontic appointments / teledentistry). Details on how to send photos BEFORE a Virtual Visit (or any other orthodontic requests) are listed on our website oaksortho.com/virtualvisit/ Take photos WITH AND WITHOUT the appliances in their mouth before I can provide you a more accurate response.
Thank you for your flexibility as we move through these unique times together. Lastly, this will pass. We will overcome these challenging times. We wish you the best health. Stay safe.
Best regards,
Roger Lim, DDS, MS
Diplomate, American Board of Orthodontics
oaksortho.com
*From the California Dental Association: "Given the gravity of this health care crisis and national emergency, CDA implores dental practices to suspend all dental care with the exception of emergency cases that present as life-threatening."