Love your or your child's new smile? Tell us about it!

At Cottingham Orthodontics, we are dedicated to helping you achieve a healthy beautiful smile that gives you the comfort and confidence you deserve! Dr. Karen Cottingham and our staff are committed to making your orthodontic experience a positive one.

Whether you've visited our Indianapolis or Avon offices for a week, months or even years, we'd love to hear your feedback about how our office is faring! There are lots of ways you can share your thoughts about our practice with the rest of the world, but we encourage you to head to our Google Places page and write a review there.

If you wish, you may also review Dr. Cottingham and team on our Yelp page.

Thank you in advance, and we hope you had a wonderful weekend! We look forward to reading your reviews!

Presidents’ Day Fun Facts with Cottingham Orthodontics!

Monday marks Presidents’ Day, a day known for celebrating of both George Washington’s and Abraham Lincoln’s combined Birthdays. Presidents’ Day was created in 1971, when President Richard Nixon combined the birthdays of two of our most well-known presidents into one single federal holiday. Presidents’ Day also marks a hard-earned day off from work and school for a lot of our patients at Cottingham Orthodontics.

Here are a few fun facts about our nation’s presidents:

*Abraham Lincoln, our 16th president, carried letters, bills and notes in his tall stovepipe hat.

*George Washington is the first president to be featured on a postage stamp.

*Ronald Reagan, our 40th president, broke the so-called “20-year curse,” in which every president elected in a year ending in 0 died in office.

*Harry S. Truman was the first president to have his Inauguration and speeches televised.

*Abraham Lincoln was the tallest of the U.S. presidents measuring 6’ 4” tall.

*Virginia is the birthplace of more United States presidents than any other state, followed by Ohio and Massachusetts.

Ask Dr. Cottingham: How long does orthodontic treatment take

Your smile is totally unique, so the time you’ll need to spend undergoing orthodontic treatment will also be unique. Generally, orthodontic treatment will take about two years, and this is for good reason. During this time, your teeth will slowly move into their desired positions, leaving you with a great smile with as little discomfort as possible. Rushing treatment can result in a less than perfect smile with a greater chance of tooth movement after your treatment is complete. At Cottingham Orthodontics, we don’t want to waste your time with treatment that won’t retain your smile for the rest of your life.

Of course, treatment time will vary depending on your specific situation. Very minor tooth movement may only take a few months to correct, while serious malocclusion (poor bite) may need more than two years to correct. Only Dr. Cottingham will be able to accurately estimate the time your treatment will take. But trust us—it’ll all be worth it in the end!

Has your child or teen visited Cottingham Orthodontics for an orthodontic consultation? If not, please give us a call and let us help him or her begin the journey to a gorgeous smile!

Ask Dr. Cottingham: When should my child come in for a consultation?

Great question! Dr. Karen Cottingham and our staff know that sometimes, parents assume they must wait until their child has all of his or her permanent teeth to visit Cottingham Orthodontics for a complimentary consultation, only to discover treatment would have been much easier if started sooner. In fact, our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists recommend that every child has an orthodontic check-up no later than age seven.

You’re probably thinking: “Ok, so what’s so great about age seven? Enough permanent teeth have arrived for Dr. Cottingham to make a determination about whether there are any problems. At that age, the first molars have come in, providing an opportunity for Dr. Cottingham to check for malocclusion, or what we call “bad bite.”

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

We want to assure you that Dr. Cottingham gives very realistic evaluations at that age, and in fact, most cases can wait. At our office, parents will always get a fair evaluation and only the most necessary of cases will require treatment.

If your child is nearing his or her seventh birthday, we encourage you to visit our office for a consultation. Please give us a call at our convenient offices in Indianapolis or Avon to schedule an appointment.