Love your smile? Tell the world all about it!

Located in Houston, Texas, Dr. David Skibell and our talented staff work hard to build beautiful smiles for patients of all ages.

Whether you've visited Dr. Skibell's office for a week, months or even years, we'd love to hear your feedback about how our office has fared during your orthodontic treatment! There are lots of ways you can share your thoughts about our practice, but we encourage you to head to our Google Local page and write a review there.

After all, reviews help Dr. Skibell create more beautiful smiles in Houston and surrounding communities. Thanks in advance, and we hope you have a terrific weekend!

You may write your review here.

Ask Dr. Skibell: Which foods should I avoid while wearing braces?

Thanks for the question. For the first day or so in your new braces, we'd like you to stick to soft foods. Avoid tough meats, hard breads and raw vegetables. Before long, you'll be able to bite a cucumber again. But you'll need to protect your orthodontic appliances when you eat for as long as you're wearing braces.

Foods you'll definitely want to avoid during your treatment at Tidewater Orthodontics include:

* Chewy foods: bagels, hard rolls, licorice
* Crunchy foods: popcorn, ice, chips
* Sticky foods: caramels, gum
* Hard foods: nuts, candy
* Foods you have to bite into: corn on the cob, apples, carrots
* Chewing on hard things (for example, pens, pencils or fingernails) can damage the braces. Damaged braces will cause treatment to take longer.

For some great and braces-friendly recipes, check out the Braces Cookbook or ask Dr. Skibell or one of our team members during your next visit.

Have a great weekend!

February is National Children's Dental Health Month!

At the office of Dr. David L. Skibell, February is National Children's Dental Health Month, as well as National Dental Health Month, and Dr. Skibell 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 Dr. Skibell 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 Dr. Skibell, please feel free to give us a call or ask us on Facebook!

When is two-phase treatment necessary? From Dr. Skibell

Typically, patients in orthodontic treatment at our Houston office already have their permanent teeth. But in some cases Dr. David Skibell has to start treatment earlier, even before the patient’s permanent teeth come in. We call this “two-phase treatment.”

When we have patients with clear developmental problems at an early age, it’s best to start work when they are young, before the problems get bigger and more difficult to treat. Examples include an upper or lower jaw that is not growing correctly, or a mouth growing in a way that doesn’t leave enough room for all the permanent teeth to come in.

In order to catch early problems, we recommend that children have an orthodontic check-up no later than age seven (and so does the American Association of Orthodontics). However, if your dentist or pediatrician sees any sign that early treatment might be necessary, he or she may recommend your child visit us even sooner. For more information about two-phase orthodontics, or to schedule a consultation, please give us a call.

Have a great weekend!

What are patients saying about Dr. Skibell and staff?

If you know Dr. David Skibell and our professional orthodontic team, you know we love getting patient reviews. In other words, we LOVE hearing from our patients! Take a look at what a few of them have said about our office!

"Dr. Skibell is very kind and he actually gets to know his patients, he does not seem like the other drs that I have been to as of late, that are there to see as many patients as possible. I love the fact that he talks to me when I am there, I have been to doctors that spend more time talking to their nurses about me than actually to me." ~ Amanda V.

"I was in search of an orthodontist and my coworker had referred me to Dr. Skibell. i heard nothing but good things about him, that i was finally convinced and started my son's treatment with Dr. Skibell. Dr. and staff are very caring and great."

"Dr. Skibell and his staff were wonderful ... Dr. Skibell and his staff were wonderful. The treatment plan was carefully explained in a way I could understand. All my visits were close to on time and the work done was absolutely professional. His assistants are excellent, too."

Here comes the Braces Brigade!

At Dr. Skibell's office, 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. The blog will serve as a source of guidance for others as the patients undergo orthodontic care.

Our staff 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 Houston office if you have any questions about the Braces Brigade or your own orthodontic treatment with Dr. Skibell!

Make 2011 the year to improve your oral health, from Dr. Skibell

Many of our patients and folks here in Houston 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. David Skibell 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 at our convenient Houston office 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, Dr. Skibell and team know that 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 us and schedule your complimentary 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 Dr. Skibell's office!