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An Overdue Introduction

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Welcome to my dental blog.  Which I’ve had, but welcome to me actually writing it.

10359153_10152896763561800_2400321310519550711_nWho am I?  Dr. Owen Mandanas. I am a wife, a mother of two cool hockey playing young boys, a Filipina dentista who grew up in the Deep South (South Cackalackey), and a struggling vegan wannabe.  All in that order of importance… maybe.

First and foremost I love my family. Then my career as a dentist. And then sometimes I find time for myself.

As this is my dental blog, I will start this first overdue entry with the fact that I truly love being a dentist and hopefully I will write things in this blog that can help you with whatever dental problems or concerns you may have.

I’m not sure that you want to know my dental story (a little bookkeeping), but here goes…

In 2000 I graduated from Northwestern University Dental School in Chicago. I spent the first 8 ½ years of my career in Nome, Alaska. This was an incredible time in my life and I loved everything about it all.  What a huge change from 10 years of living in the Windy City!

I loved everyone I worked with in Nome- all of my dental assistants and the dentists with whom I spent hours working in village trips and in the hospital in Nome. I gained invaluable knowledge not just on dentistry and teeth, but on working hard (10-12 hour days on village trips) and treating people with respect. I don’t think I was really very good at it at first. The transition of a life in the city to a life in the Alaska bush translates to plenty of room for personal growth. But they welcomed me and taught me well,

Now I am in Anchorage, AK raising a family and nurturing a growing dental practice. It’s an amazing ride and hope that my dental insights can be of help to you!

What Is This Whole Ortho-tain Thing You Keep Talking About?

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shutterstock_210060295Wondering what this whole Ortho-tain thing is I keep mentioning? Well here is everything thing you need to know!

My Experience:
For the past three years of my 13 years of experience as a dentist, I am truly stunned by the results of the Ortho-tain appliance and am so excited to share it with the public. The Ortho-tain appliance can effectively prevent the need for orthodontics and straighten young smiles as early as possible. The best part about this appliance though is that it actually works!

So what exactly is this amazing product?
Ortho-tain is a mouthguard appliance that can straighten your teeth without brackets and wires. It is generally worn for just a few hours a day. It also gradually guides your child’s teeth in the correct position before severe crowding, unlike braces which mainly correct crowding.

Why have I never heard of it then?
The appliance has actually been around since the 1970’s but does not garner as much of a profit as braces do. I have actually had the pleasure of meeting with the Otho-tain creator, Dr. Earl Bergerson, a humble and caring orthodontist. He is very passionate about this product and is excited for it to increase the growth and development of oral health.

Will Ortho-tain work on young children?
I have placed the Ortho-tain appliance on children as young as 5 and 6 years old. It is actually ideal to start children on this appliance young because it guides the teeth into the correct placing, corrects cross-bites, overbites, and deep-bites, avoiding the need for costly braces.

Can I afford Ortho-tain?
Oh yes! This appliance is actually 1/3 to 1/2 the cost of traditional orthodontics.

Will my child need a retainer after treatment like they will after braces?
Nope! Your teeth are connected to your jawbones with a periodontal ligament. With normal braces, we wait for the adult teeth to come in crooked and twisted (after the ligaments are set), and then they must be untwisted. The ligaments are like rubber bands and they want to move back to where they were. This is a relapse and this is the reason people get braces over and over again. With Ortho-tain, the appliance actually guides teeth straight as the erupt in the first place, and the ligaments form and end up exactly where they need to be. It’s the most remarkable thing about the appliance!

Interested now that you know a little more about this amazing product, or maybe you’re still a little skeptical even? That’s alright, give me a call at (907) 276-5522 and I would love to tell you more about it and answer all your questions.