Visiting your dentist during your orthodontic treatment will not only help keep your teeth and mouth healthy while you have braces, but will also help keep the rest of your body healthy. The fact is, every hour of every day in the U.S., someone dies of oral cancer, which is the sixth-most common diagnosed form of the disease. The five-year survival rate is only 50 percent, and oral cancer is one of the few cancers whose survival rate has not improved. Since April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month, we would like to take this opportunity to remind all of our patients about the importance of maintaining good oral hygiene while you’re undergoing orthodontic treatment.

Your dentist is specifically trained to diagnose, treat, and prevent oral health problems. Please let us now if you have any questions about your oral health during your next adjustment appointment. Take care of your teeth!

Orthodontic treatment for adults is becoming more and more common. In fact, the number of adults getting braces has actually climbed 24 percent since 1996! More adults than ever are realizing that orthodontic treatment is not just for kids, and can help improve the aesthetics and health of a smile of any age! In society where appearance matters and can help make the difference between getting a job or a promotion, adults are choosing wisely to invest in orthodontic treatment.

Some of the most common reasons our adult patients come to us considering orthodontic treatment include:

• Teeth that are crowded or spaced apart, sometimes as a result of tooth decay or gum disease
• Pain or pressure from crooked teeth or a misaligned jaw
• A bad bite or malocclusion, causing teeth to fit together incorrectly

Most of all though, adult patients come to our office seeking a healthier mouth and a more confident smile! Orthodontic treatment at our office can be successful at any age, and adults especially can appreciate the benefits of a beautiful smile.

As an adult patient, we recognize that you have different needs than our younger patients, and we will work with you to ensure you receive the most appropriate treatment and that your needs are met with understanding and respect from us.

If you’ve been thinking about getting that perfect smile, we would love to have you visit for a consultation. We understand you have a busy schedule, and will work with you to find a time that is convenient for you. Please visit our website or give our office a call to schedule your appointment today!

Valentine’s Day was yesterday, and there is a lot of candy making the rounds this week. It’s once again time to remind all our patients to be extra careful when choosing those candies and treats!

All those sweet, sour and sticky candies may taste great, but these treats are known to damage teeth, as well as braces if you’re wearing them! Did you know sour candies can be acidic to your teeth, and actually wear down the enamel that protects them? This can cause tooth decay and cavities! Sour and fruity candy, such as Starburst and Skittles, are the worst for your teeth since these candies have a low pH value, which is known to ruin enamel.

We recommend softer treats, such as soft chocolate or peanut butter cups, or melt-in-your-mouth foods. Those who indulge should make sure they brush and floss between teeth, as well as at the gum line.

All of us at Hilgers Orthodontics hope you had a great Valentine’s Day!

February is National Children's Dental Health Month, and Dr. Mike Hilgers and team thought we’d promote good oral hygiene among our patients with a few tips and tricks, courtesy of the American Dental Association.

• Teeth brushing techniques: It takes only two minutes to properly brush using short, gentle strokes and devoting extra attention to the gumline, areas around fillings and hard-to-reach areas such as the back teeth.

• Flossing: hold the floss snugly between thumbs and index finger and insert it between each of the teeth, making sure to go beneath the gumline and curving the floss around the base of each tooth.

• Snack wisely: choose healthy snacks such as cheese, fruits and vegetables and avoid crunchy, sticky, chewy candies that can stick to the teeth. If you eat these snacks, be sure to brush after doing so.

• Carbonated or sugary drinks: these drinks create acids that can damage the teeth when mixed with saliva, so they should be avoided altogether. If you’re going to drink one of these beverages, don’t sip on it throughout the day. Rather, drink it and then brush your teeth.

• Regular dental visits: in addition to seeing our team at Hilgers Orthodontics during your orthodontic treatment, you should visit your dentist for professional check-ups and teeth cleaning appointments about every six months.

National Dental Health Month aims to increase awareness about the importance of our patients' oral health. If you have any questions about keeping your mouth healthy, or about your treatment with Hilgers Orthodontics, please feel free to give us a call or ask us on Facebook!

At Hilgers Orthodontics, we know having an attractive smile puts a spring in your step—or two—as well as increases your self-confidence, no matter if you’re 14 or in your late forties. Smiling not only makes people happy and puts them in a good mood, doing it often can even help you live longer, according to previous studies!

If you’ve been hiding your smile because you have crooked teeth or gaps between your teeth, it’s time to consider orthodontic treatment at Hilgers Orthodontics. You’ll be pleasantly surprised to learn how quickly and efficiently today’s most advanced correction techniques can straighten your smile!

Don’t hide your smile any longer—give us a call today to schedule yours or your child’s complimentary orthodontic consultation. See you soon!

The year is almost over, so we wanted to ask what was memorable about 2011 for you, and what are you looking forward to in 2012? Do you have a new year's resolution, or any exciting plans for the coming year?

Have a safe and happy New Year, from Hilgers Orthodontics!

Hilgers Orthodontics is always family friendly! We treat adults, teens, and children - no matter what your age, we believe you deserve a great smile. Our warm, welcoming staff is touted for their skill and hospitality, and proudly serve Goodyear, Litchfield Park, Avondale and Buckeye.

Whether you’ve just come in for a consultation with Dr. Mike Hilgers or your family has been visiting our Goodyear office for years, we’d love to hear your feedback. You may write a review on our Facebook page or on our Google Places page!

Thanks so much in advance—your generous reviews help us build more beautiful smiles!

Dr. Mike and our entire team at Hilgers Orthodontics are family-friendly! We proudly treat adults, teens, and children - no matter what your age, we believe you deserve a great smile.

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

Well, 44 percent of folks out there chose 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.

Call us to schedule your orthodontic consultation! (623) 935-3908.

Have a great weekend!

It’s fall here at Hilgers Orthodontics, a time when all across the country, the leaves begin to change colors and the air becomes crisp.

Today we wanted to ask you, our wonderful patients, "How are you spending your time this fall?" Our team would love to hear about your favorite places for eating, shopping, and entertainment within the Goodyear area. We are interested in learning about what makes your community “yours.”

Feel free to post your responses on our Facebook page, or give us a call!

Great question! Besides Dr. Hilgers’ website, which provides a plethora of information about all things braces and Invisalign, we would like to point you to a helpful website: Our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO, have provided lots of important information about everything braces, including myths and facts of orthodontics, tips for a better orthodontic experience and cool webisodes about orthodontics.

We encourage you to check out AAO today and feel free to contact us if you have any questions here on our blog or on our interactive Facebook page.

Hope this helps,

Dr. Hilgers & Team

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 Hilgers 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 Invisalign 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, come visit either of our Goodyear, AZ offices for a complimentary consultation. We will show you around our state-of-the-art facilities and will perform a simple oral exam to determine which orthodontic treatments we recommend. We are happy to answer any questions you may have. We’re here to make you smile!

See you soon!

It's late August, which means most kids around Goodyear and Phoenix have started classes (or will soon). Dr. Michael Hilgers and our staff thought this might be a good time to remind all of our patients about the importance of scheduling your appointments in advance this fall. With school, clubs, sports and family/social functions to consider, we know that it can be challenging to find time to visit Dr. Mike's office 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 at (623) 935-3908 if you have any questions, or if you would like to schedule your fall appointment with Dr. Mike.

Have a great weekend everybody - we look forward to seeing you this fall!

The dog days of summer are upon us, and what better time for Dr. Hilgers and our team to ask our patients about their summer!

Whether you visited our nation’s capitol, went on a camping trip, visited the state fair or just stayed in town and hung out with friends, we want to know how you’re all spending your summer! Please feel free to share your summer plans and experiences with us below or on our Facebook page as the summer comes to an end soon for a lot of our patients at Hilgers Orthodontics!

We look forward to reading all about your adventures! Enjoy the rest of your summer!

By now, you’re probably familiar with our blog process: Each week, Dr. Mike Hilgers and our team write about important orthodontic topics and your well-being, including innovative orthodontic treatments Dr. Hilgers offers.

This week, we thought we’d step back and ask you, our wonderful patients: what’s on your mind? What would you like to know about the always-changing and exciting field of orthodontics? What would you like us to focus on our blog? Perhaps there’s something you’ve wanted to ask Dr. Mike for a while now? Here’s your chance! Let us know by posting here or on our Facebook page!

Give us your best shot, and Dr. Mike will try to answer any question you may have!

Hilgers Orthodontics and our friends at Hilgers Pediatric Dentistry want to thank everyone for coming out to our 4th of July Celebration at Goodyear Ballpark!! Goodyear, Arizona and Litchfield Park, Arizona.

Hilgers Orthodontics and our good friends at Hilgers Pediatric Dentistry want to thank the schools that participated in our Dental Health Education Program!!

Many parents here in Goodyear think they must wait until their child has all permanent teeth, only to find that treatment would have been much simpler if started earlier. Some orthodontic problems are easier to correct while the jaw is still growing. So, the American Association of Orthodontists recommends that every child have an orthodontic check-up no later than age seven.

What’s so special about age seven? Enough permanent teeth have arrived for an orthodontist to make a determination about whether any problems are present. The first molars have come in, providing an opportunity to check for malocclusion, or “bad bite.” Also, the incisors have begun to come in, and problems such as crowding, deep bites, and open bites can be detected, Dr. Mike says.

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

Early evaluation, of course, may signal a need for early treatment. For some children, early treatment can prevent physical and emotional trauma. Aside from spurring on years of harmful teasing, misaligned teeth are also prone to injury and detrimental to good oral hygiene. So if your child is nearing age 7, give us a call at Hilgers Orthodontics to schedule an appointment.

It’s that time of year again…cold and flu season! To promote healthy and clean environment in our office, we give a great deal of attention to sanitation and sterilization at all times.
For the protection of other patients and Dr. Hilgers and his 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 your toothbrush is also important to stay healthy during this flu season. To protect your toothbrush from harmful bacteria follow these simple 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 so your toothbrush will dry faster
• Replace your toothbrush after every cold or flu or every 3-4 months when bristles appear worn
Hope this helps all of our patients or potential patients to stay healthy!!

If you recently completed treatment at Hilgers Orthodontics, we’d like to congratulate you! Now that your braces have been removed, Dr. Michael Hilgers will provide—or has provided you—with retainers. After braces are removed, teeth can shift out of position if they are not stabilized. Retainers, however, always provide that stabilization. They are designed to hold teeth in their corrected, ideal positions until the bones and gums adapt to the treatment changes. Wearing retainers exactly as instructed by Dr. Mike is the best insurance that the treatment improvements last for a lifetime.

To learn more about the advantages of wearing retainers after your orthodontic treatment with Dr. Mike, please read this helpful article about retainers from KidsHealth or give us a call!

It's that time of year again...cold and flu season! To promote a healthy and clean environment here at Hilgers Orthodontics, we give a great deal of attention to sanitation and sterilization in our Goodyear office at all times, as well as following all requirements for sterilizing instruments and work surfaces.

For the protection of other patients, Dr. Mike Hilgers and our 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!

- The Hilgers Orthodontics team

Hey parents! Focusing on your kids' teeth and oral health so much that you're neglecting your own? If you've been thinking about having your own set of perfectly-aligned teeth, Dr. Mike Hilgers and our staff at Hilgers Orthodontics would love to help! Dr. Hilgers is specially trained to offer an adult-friendly option for straightening teeth here in Goodyear called Invisalign.

This course of treatment consists of a set of clear aligners that are molded to fit your teeth using a proprietary technology. You wear them all day and night, except for meals, brushing, and flossing – when you can easily slip them out to make eating and cleaning a snap! And, because they're clear, your teeth will be steadily straightening – and no one will know it but you!

Please give us a call at (623) 935-3908 to set up a consultation with Dr. Mike. Happy Friday!!

Dr. Mike Hilgers wants to know: is your child brushing his or her teeth twice a day as recommended during their treatment? If yes, he thinks that's fantastic! But, it’s also important for your child to visit the dentist every six months in addition to brushing their teeth a couple times a day (and visiting Hilgers Orthodontics as recommended by Dr. Hilgers during your treatment). Our staff will tell you regular dental checkups are vital for maintaining good oral health. Your dentist can:

• Check for problems that might not be seen or felt
• Detect cavities and signs of tooth decay
• Treat oral health problems early
• Show your child how to properly brush and floss their teeth, even during their orthodontic treatment

During an oral exam, your dentist will check the health of your child’s mouth, teeth, gums, cheeks and tongue. Checkups also typically include a thorough teeth cleaning and polishing. If your child has not been to the dentist in the past six months, it’s time for you to schedule an appointment!

If you don't have a general dentist in Goodyear or nearby communities, please ask and we'll be happy to provide one!

What are some of our patients saying about Dr. Mike Hilgers and staff lately? Just see below! We are thrilled to be working with so many fantastic patients - have a great weekend!

"Everyone that we have talked to in the office has been extremely nice. It is making what could be an extremely scary experience a fun and exciting experience for both of my kids!" ~ Lance Y.

"They are extremely friendly and knowledgeable. They answered all our questions and made my daughter even more excited about getting braces. The environment is very welcoming. =)" ~ Heather T.

"Dr. Hilgers is extremely friendly and knowledgable." ~ Timmy P.

"Very impressed by the way they treat their patients. My grandson is a patient there and I have taken him to a couple of appointments and was very impressed on how things are done there. So that's what prompt me to take Blyss there." ~ Patricia A.

As summer quickly closes in, our staff at Hilgers Orthodontics strive to continue writing about important topics related to braces and your treatment with Goodyear orthodontist Dr. Mike Hilgers.

To help us continue blogging through the course of the long, hot Arizona summer, however, we'd like to get your opinion: What would you like us to focus on our blog over the next few months? Perhaps there’s something you’ve wanted to ask Dr. Mike or team for a while and just haven't found the right opportunity/time? Give us your ideas by posting here or on our Facebook page!

We hope you have a great week!

There are so many ways you are already protecting your teeth throughout your treatment at Hilgers Orthodontics. You brush your teeth twice a day, floss regularly and protect your appliances from being damaged. But did you know there's another way to keep your teeth sparkling and healthy during your treatment?

Fluoride.

Yes, the mineral that helps prevent cavities and tooth decay, can help keep your teeth strong! Fluoride comes in two varieties: topical and systemic. Topical fluoride is applied directly to the tooth. Topical fluoride includes toothpastes and general mouth rinses. Systemic fluorides, however, are swallowed just like a dietary supplement. Orthodontists just like Dr. Mike Hilgers use in-office fluoride treatments to help protect the oral health of adults and children undergoing orthodontic procedures.

Fluoride used in Dr. Hilgers' office is often times stronger than in toothpaste or mouthwash, but is available at some drug stores or a pharmacy (ask Dr. Hilgers or team how to purchase professional strength fluoride). A fluoride treatment typically takes just a few minutes. Dr. Hilgers may also prescribe a fluoride product such as mouthwashes, gels or antibacterial rinses for in-home treatment.

When choosing your own fluoride product, be sure to check for the American Dental Association’s (ADA) seal of approval. Products marked with the ADA seal of approval have been carefully examined and have met the criteria of the ADA for safety and effectiveness.

Whether you have visited Hilgers Orthodontics for a week or for years, we'd love to hear your feedback about your experience with Dr. Mike and team. Because Hilgers Orthodontics has plenty of online listings where you 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 of your time!

You may write a review here, and we hope to post some soon!

Thank you and have a great weekend. Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!

Malocclusion, or what Dr. Mike Hilgers and our staff call “bad bite,” is the improper alignment of teeth and/or jaws. You see, when your teeth and jaws are not properly aligned, it may impact your bite, the ability to properly care for your teeth, your gum tissue health and, yes folks, even your appearance.

Dr. Mike will tell you that untreated malocclusion can - and does - lead undesirable mouth problems, including tooth decay, gum disease, or even chipped and cracked teeth. The most common solution for malocclusion, of course, is orthodontic treatment. The actual course of treatment, including the length of time you will require braces, will be determined by the severity of your malocclusion. The goal of your treatment at Hilgers Orthodontics is to move your teeth into the proper position and correct any misalignment in the jaw.

You can be sure that Dr. Mike uses the most advanced technology in the field in order to ensure that you receive the best possible results from your treatment. If you have any questions about malocclusion, please give us a call and we’ll try to answer any questions you may have! Dr. Hilgers is Goodyear's trusted, experienced orthodontist, who genuinely cares about his patients!

Happy May Day!