Making Your Life Better with Orthodontics

The number one goal of orthodontic treatment is to give you or your child a good bite, meaning straight teeth that work well with the teeth in the opposite jaw. A good bite makes it easier for you to eat, chew and speak. It can enhance your dental health and your overall health, and may well improve your self-esteem. As a part of your comprehensive dental health care plan, orthodontic treatment can help you retain your teeth—and your smile—for a lifetime.

Let your smile express yourself! Nothing can show the world how happy you are quite like a beautiful smile. In fact, it’s one of the first things others notice about you, too. With orthodontics, you can be proud to flash your smile, because you’ll know that your smile truly represents your positive attitude.

Make your mouth healthy! Straight teeth aren’t just pretty, they’re healthy as well. Teeth that are properly aligned are easier to clean, reducing the amount of plaque buildup and risk for gingivitis. The cleaner you keep your teeth, the longer they’ll last!

Feel free to live your life! Orthodontics is easier today than ever before, with treatment options that fit your lifestyle and schedule. We can personalize your treatment to suit all of your needs!

Ask Dr. Cottingham: "What should I expect during my initial consultation?"

Great question! When you first come in for your initial consultation, Dr. Cottingham will conduct a comprehensive examination to assess your oral health. This will better enable us to determine the best treatment method for you.

Your orthodontic evaluation will consist of an oral and facial examination to assess your oral health. We will have you take intraoral and facial photographs as well as panoramic and cephalometric X-rays to help determine the proper orthodontic treatment method. Then, an impression of your teeth and bite will be taken to construct a model of your mouth. (This will help us when examining your diagnostic records).

Then, we will discuss your options with you. Our team feels it’s important to take the time to carefully examine your diagnostic records after your consultation so that we can more thoroughly prepare for your treatment at Cottingham Orthodontics. This additional preparation will ensure that you receive the best orthodontic care possible. At this time, we encourage you to ask us any questions you may have about your treatment.

If you are seeking orthodontic treatment for your child, our staff asks that both you and your child attend the initial consultation. We feel it is important that both you and your child completely understand the doctor’s recommendations before we proceed with treatment.

Give us a call today and schedule a consultation! We look forward to hearing from you!

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.

Share your winter break plans with us!

Happy Friday! Dr. Cottingham and team at want to know: what do your winter plans look like? Do you have any plans for an exciting family vacation? Are you hanging out around town? Catching up on sleep? Spending time with friends? Let us know!

Please feel free to share your exciting winter plans and experiences with us here or on our Facebook page! We would like to wish all of our patients and their families a safe and fun holiday season!

20 things that can ruin your smile, from Cottingham Orthodontics

At Cottingham Orthodontics, we know your smile is important. And we know you want to keep it sparkling and looking its very best during your orthodontic treatment. Recently, we came across an article that suggests at least 20 things that can ruin that perfect smile you havhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gife.

These include:

- Sports drinks
- Tobacco
- Coffee
- Soft drinks
- Citrus and acidic foods

Dr. Cottingham and our team encourage you to read the rest of the article and ask us here on our blog or during your next visit to our convenient Indianapolis or Avon office. For more tips or for general questions about your ongoing dental treatment, we invite you to ask us during your next visit! We also invite you to ask us on Facebook!

Don't skip on those regular checkups, especially in October!

Dr. Cottingham wants to know: Are you brushing and flossing daily properly during your orthodontic treatment? If the answer is yes, that’s great! But, don’t forget that it’s also important for you to visit your general dentist every 3-to-6 months in addition to brushing your teeth and flossing (and visiting Cottingham Orthodontics, of course). Regular dental checkups are important for maintaining good oral health, especially during orthodontic treatment.

It's the perfect time for a visit to the dentist. Why? Because not only is October National Orthodontic Health Month, it's also National Dental Hygiene Month!

Your general dentist can check for problems that might not be seen or felt, detect cavities and early signs of decay, treat oral health problems early and show you how to properly brush and floss your teeth.

During an oral exam your dentist can check the health of your mouth, teeth, gums, cheeks and tongue. Checkups will also include a thorough teeth cleaning and polishing. If you have not been to the dentist in the last six months, let us know during your next visit and we will provide a few great references here in Indianapolis, Avon or surrounding areas!

BOO! Check out our fall discount!

BOO! For those patients who begin their orthodontic treatment between October 1st and November 15th, Dr. Cottingham & team are proud to offer a $250 discount, which will be applied to the overall cost of your treatment. It’s a great way to get started toward a beautiful new smile before all the ghosts and goblins come out! Be sure to mention you have this spooky savings when you call to schedule your start appointment. See you soon!

September is Self-Improvement Month! From Cottingham Orthodontics

These days, Americans everywhere are putting greater emphasis on health, fitness and self-improvement, and more people are seeking orthodontic treatment to improve their smile. September happens to be Self-Improvement Month, and our team at Cottingham Orthodontics know that orthodontic treatment is an investment in self-improvement that will reap benefits for a lifetime. And, recent advances in orthodontia, such as clear braces and more effective brackets and wires, now make orthodontic treatment more palatable for many interested in obtaining that beautiful smile.

Not only does orthodontic treatment give you that beautiful smile, it can also benefit your dental and general health. If teeth are poorly aligned, removing plaque and tartar by brushing and flossing alone may be difficult. A poor bite may result in fractured or excessively worn tooth surfaces, and the extra stress caused by a poor bite may even result in problems with your jaw joints.

If you’ve been thinking about getting that perfect smile, please contact Cottingham Orthodontics at (317) 299-0576 and schedule your complimentary initial consultation. We look forward to working with you, your family, and all of your wonderful smiles!

Back to school with Dr. Cottingham

Now that many of the schools are back in session in the Indianapolis area, Dr. Cottingham would like to remind all of our patients about the importance of scheduling appointments in advance. With school, clubs, sports and family duties to consider, we know that it can be challenging to find time to visit Cottingham Orthodontics this fall. In order to accommodate all of our patients’ busy schedules, it is important that you plan ahead for your appointments so that we are able to provide you with an appointment time that is convenient for you.

As always, please remember to give us advanced notice if you’re unable to make your regularly-scheduled appointment. If we receive enough notice, we might be able to schedule another patient for that time. Feel free to give us a call if you have any questions, or if you would like to schedule your fall appointment.

We’ll see you soon and hope summer is winding down nicely for all our patients!

Does Dr. Cottingham have your summer contact info?

We hope you’re having a great week and a great summer so far! If you are planning on traveling with family this summer or think you might not be able to make it to your scheduled appointment with Dr. Cottingham, please let us know ahead of time so that we may be able to accommodate you, as well as schedule another patient during that time.

Also, we ask that you give us a call and let us know if you have any new phone numbers or if your contact information has changed! Please call us with any updates to phone numbers and addresses, so we may be able to reach you. Thank you! Enjoy the rest of your week!

Are you wearing your mouthguard this summer?

With summer in full force, our team at Cottingham Orthodontics thought today would be a great time to remind all our young athletes in treatment to take care of both their mouth and appliances while participating in sports – especially contact sports – this summer.
Only by using a mouth guard can kids with and without braces avoid serious sports injuries. The next time you’re in for a visit with Dr. Cottingham, we encourage you to ask us for a mouth guard! In addition, the American Association of Orthodontists has five quick tips for keeping kids safe during sport activities.

• Wear a helmet
• Stretch before and after a game or practice
• Wear protective eyewear
• Wear a face shield to avoid scratched or bruised skin
• Be observant, even as a spectator

We hope you’re enjoying your summer, and invite you all to share your summer photos on our Facebook page!

Love your smile? Tell the world all 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 Easter weekend! We look forward to reading your reviews!

How important is your smile? From Cottingham Orthodontics

At Cottingham Orthodontics, we strive to give you and your family the total orthodontic experience you expect, with the amazing smiles you deserve!

And, speaking of smiles, in a new poll conducted by Glamour Magazine, people were recently asked, “If you had to pick between having perfect teeth, eyesight or hair, which would you choose?

Well, 44 percent of folks out there are choosing teeth! In addition, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, or AACD, conducted a study and found that 99.7 percent of those polled believed a smile is an important social asset. Respondents said straightness, whiteness, cleanliness, as well as the sincerity and sparkle of a person’s smile were all important factors not only socially, but career-wise as well.

Please contact Cottingham Orthodontics at (317) 299-0576 and schedule your complimentary initial consultation. We look forward to working with you, your family, and all of your wonderful smiles!

"Celebration of Caring" Fundraising Gala

Last Friday, Dr. Cottingham attended the Peyton Manning Children's Hospital at St.Vincent "Celebration of Caring" Fundraising Gala on March 4th. In its fourth year, the event helped benefit programs and services at Peyton Manning's Children's Hospital at St. Vincent here in Indianapolis.

Check out more photos from the event on Dr. Cottingham's official Facebook page!

Cottingham Orthodontics, dispelling the myths about braces

Trust us when we say Dr. Cottingham knows there are a lot of myths and half-truths floating around these days when it comes to orthodontics. But, before you buy into those myths, we think you should get the facts first!

Our good friends at the American Association of Orthodontists have some excellent information on the myths and facts of orthodontics, and we encourage you to check them out before settling for rumors about braces!

If you have any questions about orthodontics or your treatment at Cottingham Orthodontics, feel free to give us a call!

Dr. Cottingham at the "Celebration of Caring" Fundraising Gala

Dr. Cottingham will be attending the Peyton Manning Children's Hospital at St.Vincent "Celebration of Caring" Fundraising Gala on March 4th. Now in its fourth year, the event will benefit the programs and services at Peyton Manning's Children's Hospital at St. Vincent in Indianapolis. Besides Peyton, Ashley, and famed father Archie Manning in attendance, four-time Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year Kenny Chesney is scheduled to perform, along with an appearance by sportscaster Bob Costas.

The event will also serve as the grand opening of the new JW Marriott Indianapolis, the largest JW Marriott in the world!

For more information about the event, which will be held at the JW Marriott in downtown Indianapolis, please call (317) 338-5090 or visit give.stvincent.org.

We will have photos available shortly after the event on our Facebook page!

Complimentary Consultations at Cottingham Orthodontics

At Cottingham Orthodontics, we are not only a doctor and orthodontic team, we are also parents, patients, and people with needs and concerns just like you. We understand what you expect from us, and we are dedicated to helping you achieve a lifetime of healthy, beautiful smiles!

One of our commitments is meeting with you to help you explore all or the options available to you or your child. We offer complimentary consultations for those interested in orthodontic treatment. During this time, you'll have time reserved with Dr. Karen Cottingham, who will assess your particular needs as well as discuss treatment options available and answer any questions you may have. We place a high value on making sure you have complete information before beginning treatment.

If you have been thinking about obtaining the dazzling smile you’ve always wanted, we invite you to give us a call!

We look forward to working with you, your family and all of your wonderful smiles!

- The team at Cottingham Orthodontics

Here comes the Braces Brigade!

At Cottingham Orthodontics, we know our patients want to get as much out of their treatment as possible. That includes asking a lot of questions and making sure they take care of both their appliances and oral health.

Would you like to learn more about what to expect during orthodontic treatment, from someone with firsthand experience? Well, our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recently developed the Braces Brigade blog, where past, present, as well as future orthodontic patients from coast to coast document their (or their child’s) orthodontic journeys. Check out this week’s post from Whitney!

Our team at Cottingham Orthodontics encourages you to visit the Braces Brigade blog to read these great and informative blogs—who knows, maybe you’ll learn a thing or two! As always, don’t hesitate to give us a call at our Indianapolis or Avon office if you have any questions about the Braces Brigade or your own orthodontic treatment with Dr. Cottingham!

SMILE, and you might live longer! From Cottingham Orthodontics

Great news! Folks with big smiles may actually live longer than those who don’t, according to a 2010 study at Wayne State University in Michigan. Dr. Karen Cottingham and our staff have known for quite some time that positive emotion has been linked to both physical and mental health, but researchers at the university did something quite interesting: they looked at photos of 230 ball-players who began their careers in baseball prior to 1950, and studied their smile intensity (ranging from big smile, no smile or partial smile).

The players’ smile ratings were then compared with data from deaths that occurred from 2006 through 2009. The researchers then took into account other factors that impact life longevity, including body mass index, career length and, yes, even college attendance.

The results? Researchers found that players who weren’t smiling in the photos died at the average age of 72.9 years. Players with partial smiles lived to be 75. Those with big smiles, however, lived on average to be 79.9 years old!

Our take-away from the new study? Smile now, smile often and you might just live longer! Have you been perfecting your smile by visiting Cottingham Orthodontics at our Indianapolis or Avon office on a regular basis during your orthodontic treatment?

Make 2011 the year to improve your oral health, from Cottingham Orthodontics

Many of our patients and folks here in Indianapolis consider the beginning of a new year a time to not only reflect on the year that was, but also to set personal goals for the upcoming year. How are you planning to improve your health and happiness in 2011? Dr. Karen Cottingham and our team recommend that you make a New Year’s resolution to benefit your oral health!

It’s important that New Year’s resolutions are reasonable and attainable, and that they improve your overall quality of life—for example, did you know that flossing every day is the very best way to prevent periodontal, or gum disease during your orthodontic treatment? Using a straw when drinking sugary beverages can also help prevent cavities while you’re wearing braces. There are many small steps that you can take to prevent cavities, oral infections and bad breath.

Be sure to give us a call if you need a few suggestions on ways to improve your oral health, or visit this helpful article from our friends at the Academy of General Dentistry. After all, we know your oral health is about more than just a beautiful smile.

If your resolution is to attain a great-looking smile, we’d love to help! Please contact Cottingham Orthodontics at (317) 202-1873 and schedule your initial consultation. We look forward to working with you, your family and all of your wonderful smiles!

Happy New Year from all of us at Cottingham Orthodontics!