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Investing in your smile is a decision you’ll never regret. Orthodontic treatment at Mack and Hansen Orthodontics located in Longview and just a quick drive from Marshall, Mount Pleasant, and Carthage Texas, will allow you to have the healthy, beautiful smile you’ve always wanted.

Throughout your smile journey you will be required to attend visits at our Longview office where your orthodontist, either Dr. Mack or Dr. Hansen, will make sure your braces are continually moving your teeth into the optimal position. Depending on your stage of orthodontic treatment, your wires may be replaced or adjusted to ensure proper alignment. These adjustments may cause you some temporary discomfort as your teeth move and your bite changed. Be sure to consult with your orthodontist, Dr. Mack or Dr. Hansen in Longview about the different ways to manage the soreness and irritation that can arise from orthodontic treatment.   But start with these easy, at-home tips to get comfortable right away.

Ice Water or Soft Cold Treats

Just as ice or cold packs can be used to help soothe sore muscles or joints on your body, drinking ice water or snacking on cold treats can help reduce the soreness that may occur with orthodontic treatment. Initially after a wire adjustment or other orthodontic procedure is when soreness can be experienced.   Ice cream, milkshakes, and smoothies are great examples of braces friendly cold treats that you can indulge in to help alleviate the discomfort!

Swish warm salt water

Your cheeks, lips, tongue, or gums may become irritated. Things that can cause this are new brackets, wires, attachments, aligners, or other orthodontic appliances placed at your appointment.  Rinsing with warm salt water for 60 seconds can help provide relief.

Use your orthodontic wax

In addition to the warm salt water rinse, use the orthodontic wax that we give you to smooth any part that is bothersome. Orthodontic wax is easy to apply and will act as a physical barrier between your cheek and your braces allowing the sore to heal.

Eat softer foods

If you are experiencing any discomfort after your orthodontic appointment, avoid foods that require a lot of chewing.  Instead, search for a softer food option, such as yogurt, soup, pasta, mashed potatoes, smoothies, or even ice cream.

Take over-the-counter pain reliever

If orthodontic discomfort persists, over—the—counter pain relievers can be used to alleviate soreness. These include Advil and Tylenol. Be sure to consult with your orthodontist, Dr. Mack or Dr. Hansen, about their recommendations of pain relievers for you or your child.

Be patient

The discomfort that arises from braces eventually will resolve as your teeth adapt to each adjustment. Your orthodontic journey might not always be pain free, but it will all be worth it when you achieve your healthy, beautifully aligned smile in the end.

For additional tips on how to relieve braces pain, consult Dr. Mack and Dr. Hansen.

Fun Times at the Orthodontist in Longview Texas

It’s only been a few months since Laney started her braces smile transformation and she already wants to be an orthodontist ?. We are here to support you in any way we can Laney!! ??? Thanks for being so awesome ?

You have to look ?? really close to see Jaydin’s Clear Braces she got yesterday ?. Congratulations Jaydin and welcome to the MH Ortho Family!! ???

We just wanted to give a big shout out and congratulations to one of our awesome patients and Kiki dancers, Bryce, for being recognized as Panther of the Month by Spring Hill ISD!! We are so proud of you and are grateful to have you as part of not only our MH Ortho family but also our community ?#heevenwearshisrubberbandstoo

More Trivia Tuesday Questions from your neighborhood Orthodontist

Happy Trivia Tuesday ??? !! Here are this week’s questions?. Let us know your thoughts!!
1️⃣ Does a palatal expander have the potential to help a child with breathing or snoring issues? Yes or No
2️⃣ What should you do if you get a tooth knocked out of the mouth? Put in a glass of water? Put it in a glass of milk?
3️⃣ Do braces attract lighting? ⚡️⚡️

It’s that time of the week again ???? #triviatuesday
1️⃣ Is it ok to bleach your teeth while you have #braces, or should you wait until you get them off?
2️⃣ True or False: Braces will set off a metal detector
3️⃣ What are the shapes of the wires orthodontists use with braces?
Round, square, and rectangular?
Round, square, and triangular?

And a Trivia Tuesday Answer Explained:

One of our #triviatuesday questions from last week came to us because a patient of ours had an adult tooth knocked out while riding bikes. Fortunately their parents did the right thing and placed the tooth back in the mouth within 30 minutes ??. Doing this significantly improves the chances of saving the tooth.

If this ever happens to you, pick the adult tooth up by the crown ? (not the root) and wash it briefly under cold water (do not wipe it off), and place it back in its socket in the mouth. Bite on a cloth or napkin to help keep it in place, and see your dentist as soon as possible.

If you are unable to put the tooth back in the mouth right away, place the tooth in a glass of #milk and head to an emergency clinic or dental office so a dentist can place it back in the mouth. They may also place a splint or wire to help hold the tooth in a passive position. The prognosis is always guarded with a tooth that is knocked out, but the sooner you can get it back in the mouth, the better ??#spreadtheword #saveatooth #nowyouknow #dentaltrauma

Please let us know if you have any questions about orthodontic treatment. If you are looking for a Longview orthodontist and would like to learn how Dr. Spencer Mack and Dr. Andrew Hansen can help you get the smile you have always wanted with metal braces, clear braces, or invisalign please contact us. Our free consultation will allow you to discover what our orthodontists can do for you. We’re conveniently located in Longview, TX next to Longview Regional Hospital and are just a quick drive from Kilgore, Marshall, Gilmer, Henderson, Mount Pleasant and Carthage Texas.

Orthodontist Open After School

As you would expect, one of the most popular and sought-after appointment times at the orthodontist is after school. Here at Mack and Hansen Orthodontics we understand this and that is why we offer more after school appointments with our extend evening hours. On Tuesday and Thursdays we are open until 6 pm and as such offer many after school appointment options. We offer new patient consultations after school as well as regular orthodontic adjustment visits and appointments to get braces on after school as well!

If you would like an after-school appointment for your braces or invisalign adjustment/visit, please mention that to our scheduling coordinator when you call in for an appointment, or when you are scheduling your next visit with one of our clinical assistants.

Trivia Tuesday:

It’s Trivia Tuesday ??? Headgear Edition

1️⃣ If your 7 or 8 year old has an underbite, what type of headgear could help correct their bite? (Yes, there are different types of headgear): Cervical Pull Headgear or a Reverse-Pull Headgear (Facemask)?
2️⃣How many hours a day should a child wear their Headgear? 6-8 or 12-14?
3️⃣How long would early treatment with a “headgear”typically be for a child? 6-8 months? 12-14 months?

Let us know your answers!! ?

Trivia Tuesday: Primary (Baby) Teeth and Dental Development Edition.

We have some tough questions this week so let us know your answers and any questions you may have!!?
1️⃣If your child’s primary teeth don’t have spaces between them, does that mean they will have enough room for their adult teeth or that they will likely have crowding when they get their adult teeth??
2️⃣At the age of 9, how many adult teeth (on average) will a child have? 8 or 12 ?
3️⃣ Your child has an adult tooth right next to a baby tooth. Which one is typically going to be whiter? Adult tooth or primary tooth??

Trivia Tuesday: Rubber Bands Edition

1️⃣Can you wear rubber bands with Invisalign?? Yes or No?
2️⃣Can wearing my rubber bands as instructed by my orthodontist help me finish treatment on time⏰and even early? ?? Yes or No?
3️⃣ What is a typical force? amount of the rubber bands we give you to wear during treatment? 4-8 oz. or 12-16 oz.?

Adults Braces Cost, Braces Cost, and Invisalign Cost

Some of the most common questions we get asked by members of our community in Longview, Marshall, Gilmer, Kilgore and more is:

How much do braces cost?

How much do braces cost for adults?

How much does invisalign cost?

The short answer to these questions is: it depends on the complexity and duration of treatment needed.

Treatment complexity is the biggest factor that determines how much braces cost or how much adult braces cost. The same is true for invisalign. With any orthodontic case, it is difficult to fully asses the type and complexity of treatment that will be needed in order to transform a bite or smile.

Because of this, we are glad to be able to offer FREE orthodontic consultations for both braces and invisalign to all patients. Regardless of if you are coming in for one of our popular evening or after school orthodontic consultations, or one in the middle of the day, they are always FREE of charge.

At your orthodontic consultation we will take some diagnostic x-rays that help us see what exactly is going on with your bite and smile, as well as photographs. Our orthodontists, Dr. Mack and Dr. Hansen will also perform an exam to diagnose what all is going on in you or your child’s mouth.

After your free consultation our orthodontic treatment coordinator will go over with you what your options are and the different options we have for payment. We always offer low down payments, affordable monthly payment plans, and 0% interest on all of our already affordable orthodontic treatment options.

On top of that, since we are an in-netowrk orthodontist office, if you have orthodontic insurance you can expect to have an additional discount on top of our usual orthodontic treatment fees.

We would be happy to help answer any questions you may have about orthodontic treatment. If you would like to discover how Dr. Spencer Mack and Dr. Andrew Hansen can help you get the smile you have always wanted with metal braces, clear braces, or invisalign please contact us and request a free consultation to learn more about our affordable braces and invisalign clear aligners. We’re conveniently located in Longview, TX right by Longview Regional Hospital and are just a quick drive from Kilgore, Marshall, Carthage, Henderson, Mount Pleasant, and Gilmer.