Carlson Orthodontics congratulate our fall contest winners!!

Congratulations to our fall contest winners. They are:
Teddy Payne (top photo)in Duluth and Andrew Petersen (bottom) in Cloquet.

They each guessed the exact number of toothbrushes in the jar in our office: 317

Our next contest will be announced soon!! Stay tuned!

--The team at Carlson Orthodontics

Patient reviews for Dr. Carlson!

We love getting reviews from our patients and recently, Carlson Orthodontics, serving Duluth, Cloquet and surrounding areas, has been receiving some great patient testimonials! Check out what our current patients are saying about Dr. Carlson and his team!

"Thorough, friendly(!), informative, professional and courteous staff. Everyone is confident and respectful not only to patients but to each other. That says a lot in my book!" ~ Leslie W.

"So nice/caring/understanding. The staff is all so sweet, I was so nervous today and everyone was helpful making sure all of my questions were answered. I have waited a very long time to have braces put on, I covered my face to hide my smile. Walking in knowing that my dream of having straight teeth is finally coming true. Thank You from the bottom of my heart!!!" ~ Michele S.

"I think he is keeping up with the ever-changing times very well. Makes it easy and convenient for the patient." ~ Holly R.

"My son is a new patient but we love that the staff (team) is so friendly! Love your marketing approach... I have never seen so many happy kids in a waiting room before - it appears that your patients look forward to going to the orthodontist...this is awesome!" ~ Brett A.

"He is very nice and he makes it so fun and easy to come to the orthadonist. I was kind of nervous at first but Dr. Carlson made me feel right a home! And I like the contests and the tooth brushing station was a great idea!" ~ Brooke N.

Dr. Carlson and team want to know: How was your Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving has once again come and gone, but the calories remain. Dr. Carlson and his team want to know: What did you do? Where did you go? Anything exciting? Also, what are you up to in December? We’d love an update!

If you have any stories or pictures to share with us, we'd encourage you to send them along or call our offices and ask how.

--The team at Carlson Orthodontics

Braces 101, from Carlson Orthodontics

Should you need to call Carlson Orthodontics in case you sustain any damage to your braces, we can help you more effectively if you can tell us exactly which piece is in trouble! Here’s a handy diagram and corresponding list of all the parts that make up your braces.



Elastic Tie: Tiny rubber band that fits around the bracket to hold the archwire in place.

Archwire: The main wire that acts as a track to guide the teeth along. It's changed periodically throughout treatment, as teeth move to their new positions.

Loop in Archwire: Frequently used for closing space left by an extraction. Many archwires don't have a loop.

Bracket: Small attachment that holds the archwire in place. Most often, a bracket is cemented directly onto the tooth's surface, eliminating the need for a band.

Headgear Tube: Round, hollow attachment on the back bands. The inner bow of the headgear fits into it.

Coil Spring: Fits between brackets and over archwire to open space between teeth.

Tie Wire: Fine wire that is twisted around the bracket to hold the archwire in place.

Band: A thin ring of metal fitted around a tooth and cemented in place. The band provides a way to attach the brackets to the tooth.

Hook: Welded or removable arm to which elastics (rubber bands) are attached.

Elastic (Rubber Band): Small rubber band that is hooked between different points on the appliance to provide pressure to move the teeth.

Hope this helps! Give us a call if you have any questions!

--Dr. Carlson and team

Even the stars struggle with crooked teeth! From Carlson Orthodontics

We at Carlson Orthodontics know everyone struggles with little imperfections. Making crooked teeth straight, stained teeth sparkling white and chipped teeth smooth is part of what I do as an orthodontist. The sense of renewed self confidence that comes to my patients after having some sort of reconstructive work is what makes our job worthwhile.

Consider Katherine Heigl, award-winning actress, and considered by many the Grace Kelly of our day. She describes struggling with crooked teeth her whole life until finally there came a point when she said "enough is enough!" She decided to do something to straighten her teeth.

We think you will enjoy this clip. Please feel free to leave comments, tell us what you think! Have you ever struggled with this same problem? Have you felt the relief of smiling to reveal a straight, bright smile after hiding crooked ones for so long? Contact us so we can hear your story, or help you create a new beautiful smile and a story of your own!

Keeping you safe this cold & flu season, from Carlson Orthodontics

Traditionally cold and flu season starts in Fall, but this year it seems to have started much earlier and with the number of patients canceling appointments because of flu and H1N1 symptoms Carlson Orthodontics taking additional precautions to help prevent the spread of germs.

To promote a healthy and clean environment, we give a great deal of attention to sanitation and sterilization in our office at all times as well as following all requirements for sterilizing instruments and work surfaces.

For the protection of our doctor, other patients and staff, we always ask that patients reschedule their appointments if they have any type of cold or illness that can infect others.

Maintaining and protecting oral hygiene equipment is also important this flu season. To protect your toothbrush from bacteria follow these steps:

• Wash your hands before and after brushing
• Allow the brush to air dry after each use, harmful bacteria dies after being exposed to oxygen
• Store the toothbrush in an upright position to allow water to drain and dry faster
• Replace toothbrush after every cold or flu or every 3-4 months when bristles appear worn

Hope this helps! Stay healthy!

--Carlson Orthodontics

How is Dr. Carlson doing? Let us know!

Whether you have visited Carlson Orthodontics for a week or for years, we’d love to hear your feedback about your experience with Dr. Carlson and his team! Now with the Internet, it’s even easier to write your thoughts and share them with the world. We'd want to encourage you to write a review of us. It only takes a moment!

You can write a review here.

Thank you and have a great week!

--Dr. Carlson and team