Congratulations, Ellie and Kara! They were the August Hygiene Card Contest winners at our Celina office.

Drs. Thomas Ahman, Joseph Janowski, and Matthew Mayers would like to congratulate Ellie and her hygienist, Kara, at Dr. Willmann's office. They were the winners of our August Hygiene Card Contest at our Celina, OH office! Thank you, Ellie, for seeing your family dentist for cleanings and check-ups! Regular checkups are essential in maintaining good oral health, especially during orthodontic treatment.

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 in your area. As always, feel free to give us a call if you have any questions, or if you would like to schedule your next appointment at Orthodontic Associates. We would love to hear from you!

Orthodontic Associates welcomes the new school year with extended hours!

Here in Lima, Celina, and Ottawa, OH, kids and parents are beginning to stock up on pencils, spiral notebooks, and binders because it’s back to school time! To better accommodate the changing schedules of our patients, our team at Orthodontic Associates will be introducing extended hours at our office. Once a month, Drs. Ahman, Janowski, and Mayers will be hosting Saturday hours from 8am to 12pm this fall and winter. Because it is more challenging to work around school, sports, and after school activities, we want to remind our patients about how important it is to plan in advance for your orthodontic appointments!

Next time you're visiting our Lima, OH office, be sure to check out our new interior remodeling! If you take a look around you may notice the fresh coat of paint, new flooring, and decor changes. Let us know what you think! As always, feel free to give us a call if you have any questions or if you would like to schedule your next appointment.

All the cool kids do it! From Orthodontic Associates

Braces today are “cool” and—many would say—even “fun.” These were among the findings of a 2010 nationwide survey of moms whose children are going through or have had orthodontic treatment. New technologies, advanced computer software, color options, and even popular celebrities—Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Danny Glover, Serena Williams—sporting stylish braces are making orthodontic treatment more comfortable, fashionable and cool for today’s teens.

The study, conducted on behalf of our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists for February’s National Children’s Dental Health Month, found 86 percent of moms reporting that braces are cooler today than when they were children. Sixty-nine percent of moms also said wearing braces makes their children feel cool, and 81 percent reported their children’s experience with orthodontic treatment as either positive or extremely positive.

Different color options and the ability to change colors, for example, provide exciting ways for young patients to customize appearances. That enthusiasm helps them to feel good about their orthodontic treatment with our doctors, and may contribute to the success of treatment.

Has your child or teen visited Orthodontic Associates for a consultation? If not, please give us a call and let us help your child begin the journey to a gorgeous smile!

Six reasons to visit Orthodontic Associates this summer!

Our team at Orthodontic Associates knows that summer is a time when folks are putting off visiting the orthodontist due to the nice weather, vacations, and other obligations. However, our team has six good reasons why you should visit one of our Lima, Celina, or Ottawa, OH offices today! Here's why you shouldn't wait to give us a call today to schedule your summer orthodontic checkup:

1) Outstanding customer service is our top priority. We will communicate with you at every level of care.

2) Experienced, knowledgeable, friendly doctors. Drs. Ahman, Janowski, and Mayers have over 35 years of experience and all of them complete over 40 hours of continuing education every year.

3) Multiple office locations and convenient office hours. We have three convenient locations, in Lima, Celina, and Ottawa, OH and provide convenient office hours that work with your busy schedule, including limited Saturday hours!

4) Orthodontic Treatment for Adults. As an adult, you want the most aesthetic option to straighten your teeth and enhance your smile. We offer Invisalign and In-Ovation C clear braces for our adult patients.

5) Phase One Orthodontic Treatment for Children. Some orthodontic problems are best treated with early phase treatments, before the age of 10, and can't be treated later. You may be able to shorten your time in braces if these problems are taken care of early.

5) Flexible Financing options. We offer many convenient payment plans, including a low-down-payment option.

Have a great weekend,

-Orthodontic Associates

How to turn an expander in the mouth, from Dr. Janowski

Has your orthodontist said that it's time to turn your palatal expander? Watch this great video to see how Dr. Janowski instructs patients to turn their expander. The palatal expander "expands" (widens) your upper jaw by putting gentle pressure on your upper molars each time an adjustment is made. Please give us a call if you have any questions about your palatal expander. Or, ask Dr. Janowski, Dr. Ahman, or Dr. Mayers the next time you're in for an appointment!

Have a great week!

-Orthodontic Associates

Drs. Ahman, Janowski, and Mayers, wishing you a happy Parents' Day!

Our team at Orthodontic Associates wants to know, do you and your family have any plans for this weekend? If you didn't know already, the third Sunday of every July is Parents' Day! According to the Congressional Resolution, this holiday is a time for recognizing, uplifting, and supporting the role of parents in the rearing of children, similar to Mother's and Father's Day.

Our team at Orthodontic Associates would like to wish you a safe and happy Parents' Day! Thank you to all of the amazing parental role models in our community! If you have any stories or pictures to share with us, we encourage you to share them on our Facebook page.

Have a great weekend,

-Orthodontic Associates

Featured patient reviews for Orthodontic Associates!

Once in a while, our staff at Orthodontic Associates like to highlight patient reviews that make us really proud to do the work we do: creating beautiful smiles in Lima, Celina ane Ottawa. Here's what two of our patients had to say about their treatment:

"Dr. Joseph Janowski: Just starting the process with my daughter, but the office is great! Pleasant atmosphere; helpful staff; very relaxing environment overall. Really puts the patient (and parents) at ease." ~ Randi

"Scene & Service: So clean, decorated really nice, bright, spacious. Assistants are well at their jobs. Cheerful. Knowledgable. Dr.'s are great. My TMJ is getting resolved after so many years. They have monthly drawings. On time. Seats are facing out the windows which is really nice, you can watch whats going on outside instead of being bored inside.. It's great!!!" ~ Anonymous

Thanks for writing in! We're glad to have helped create such a beautiful smile for you both! We encourage all our patients to contribute your own thoughts about our office!

Orthodontic Associates want to know: Are you suffering from sleep disorders?

Sleep apnea, a condition in which folks repeatedly stop breathing at night, can occur as many as 20 to 30 times an hour. Drs. Ahman, Mayers and Janowski will tell you sleep apnea is considered a serious medical problem that, if left untreated, can lead to high blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart failure and stroke.

There are two kinds of sleep apnea: obstructive apnea and central apnea, and the preferred method of treating the condition is a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device, which includes a mask, tubes and a fan. A CPAP device uses air pressure to push your tongue forward and open your throat, allowing air to pass through your throat.

The following symptoms can indicate the presence of sleep apnea. If you notice one or more of these, give our team a call as soon as possible.

* Insomnia or difficulty sleeping
* Loud snoring at night
* Waking up at night short of breath
* Snorting or choking sounds during the night (indicating a restart of breathing)
* Headaches upon waking in the morning
* Falling asleep unintentionally during the day
* Extreme drowsiness throughout the day

Have a great week everyone! We hope you had a GREAT Fourth of July weekend!

Tell Orthodontic Associates what’s on your mind!

Week after week, our creative staff at Orthodontic Associates blog about important topics pertinent to orthodontic treatment care and your well-being, including innovative techniques we offer at our convenient offices in Lima, Celina and Ottawa.

Today, however, we thought we’d step back and ask you, our wonderful patients and readers: what’s on your mind? What would you like to know about the always-changing field of orthodontics? What would you like us to focus on our blog in the coming months? Perhaps there’s something you’ve wanted to ask us for a while now? Let us know by posting here or on our Facebook fan page!

So… take it away and our doctors & staff will try to answer any questions you may have! We hope you're having a stress-free and relaxing summer!