Everybody's Brushing with Dr. Cram!

Everybody's brushing now-a-days! Check out this fun children's video!

All About Dr. Cram from Red Deer Orthodontics

What makes Dr. Cram stand out from the competition is his personable and friendly approach to orthodontics. His employees love his "sense of humor," his "down to earth" personality, his "dedication to patients," his "cartoon voices," and the "fun caring environment" that he creates. He has superior qualifications and stays abreast of the ever-evolving field of orthodontics by attending continuing education courses. He is currently the president of the Canadian Association of Orthodontics.

Dr. Cram is a member of and frequently holds position in the following national and international professional organizations.


--Alberta Society of Orthodontists (ASO)
--President of the ASO (1992-1993)
--Canadian Association of Orthodontists (CAO)
--President of the CAO (2008-09)
--American Association of Orthodontists (AAO)
--Pacific Coast Association of Orthodontists (PCSO), a component of the AAO
--World Federation of Orthodontists (WFO)

Is Invisalign Really Customized for Each Patient? -- Dr. Cram

Yes, it is, and that’s part of what makes it work. To find out if you are the right candidate for Invisalign treatment, the first thing we do is to take an impression of your teeth as they are now and digitize it. Using special software, we look at the current positioning of your teeth and compare it to the way your teeth should look.

Next we use special software to map out the exact path your teeth will take from the beginning of your treatment to the end. Based on the results, a set of custom aligners are created just for your teeth. Throughout the course of treatment, you will be required to wear these clear, removable aligners one at a time; each one moving your teeth closer and closer to their final, perfectly aligned position. And since the aligners are virtually invisible, nobody around you will even know you are wearing braces!

Dr. Cram is a certified Invisalign provider. If you have questions about Invisalign, or would like to find out if you are a candidate for Invisalign treatment, give us a call at Red Deer Ortho.

Gummy Tummy -- Red Deer Orthodontics

We know the rumors going around – mostly among young people – that once you swallow a piece of chewing gum it will stake a claim and take up residency in your stomach for at least seven years! We really hate to take all the fun out of the mystery, but the truth is that chewing gum, when swallowed, will enter the stomach and move through the digestive system just like any other piece of food and leave the body long before seven years! So, if you ever have accidentally swallowed a piece of gum, there is no need to worry!

This being said, gum does not have any dietary benefits, so while it’s not harmful to swallow, you still want to avoid swallowing it. If you are a gum-chewer, make sure you chew sugarless gum, because gum with sugar can lead to cavities. Sugarless gum still has the same amount of flavor, but with less cavity causing ingredients. You see, when the bacterium in your mouth breaks down sugar, what’s left behind is acid. This acid eats away at the enamel coating of your teeth, causing holes that we call cavities. Cavities can lead to other long term mouth problems if they are not treated in time, so it is best to try and avoid overexposing your teeth to too many harmful substances. And give us a call at Red Deer Orthodontics to come in and talk about your teeth.

Happy (sugar-free) gum chewing!

Age 7 is the Magic Number for an Orthodontic Check-Up

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

What’s so great 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.

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 Red Deer Orthodontics to schedule an appointment.