Tell Dr. Mike your story! Why do you choose 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.

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 can write a review on our Facebook page or on our Google listing!

Happy Friday!

Ask Dr. Mike: Which foods should I be avoiding?

Great question. There are a variety of foods Dr. Michael Hilgers wants you to avoid while you're wearing braces. Some foods can occasionally damage braces, but certain foods can bend the wires or even break the brackets on your braces. If you’re wearing braces, you should avoid starch, sugar and gummy foods, as these foods can be difficult to remove during brushing. Foods that are high in sugar and starch tend to cause plaque, cavities and even tooth decay.

Avoid tough meats, hard breads and raw vegetables such as carrots and celery. 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 should Avoid
• 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.

If you have any questions on which foods you should be avoiding and why, we invite you to give us a call at (623) 935-3908 or ask one of our team members during your next visit at our convenient Goodyear office! We also definitely encourage you to check out this helpful article about eating with braces, courtesy of Parenthood.com.

Have a great rest of the week!

Kids getting braces at a younger age, from Hilgers Orthodontics

Dr. Michael Hilgers will tell you that braces were originally considered to be best appropriate for teens. But these days, kids as old as seven are beginning their orthodontic treatment. Because preadolescent kids are typically not self-conscious, our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists suggest it could be a good idea to start early.

Experts, however, say it depends on the treatment required. Some children who get braces at an early age end up in a second phase of treatment, and end up having braces well into their teenage years despite starting young.

Most orthodontic treatment begins between ages nine and 14, and the folks at AAO estimate most orthodontic treatment lasts from one to three years, with two years being the average. It’s important, however, that children be screened no later than age seven for Dr. Mike to assess what the best age for treatment is.

Hope this helps! Give us a call at (623) 935-3908 if you have any questions about your child’s orthodontics treatment at Hilgers Orthodontics! We hope you had a WONDERFUL Labor Day weekend!