December 2012 Sharefish Mission Trip

Vinson Orthodontics is excited that Sharefish took a mission trip in December 2012 to Village of El Carrizo in Honduras.  It was an opportunity to spend time with the villagers and make upcoming plans for 2013.  Sharefish is excited to announce that they have hired their first Honduran employee, a young lady named Lizzy.  She will be the liason between the families and children in El Carrizo and Sharefish.  When the people of El Carrizo were asked where they needed help most, their unanimous answer was an education for their children.  Lizzy will be an incredible key in the success of the educational process of the children and families in the village.

Sharefish is also excited to announce that they have purchased a small piece of land( about 8 acres) in El Carrizo to build a community learning center.  This would be a place that could focus on their efforts to reach deeper into the community through a center with books, computers, games and other learning tools to enhance the educational opportunities for the children.  This piece of land was purchased through donations but they still need help with donations to build and fill the community center with materials.  Once the community center is built, it will be aptly named APRENDE CONMIGO (Learn with Me).  

Please take the opportunity to learn more about the three children (Carlos, Angela and Yelsin) that Vinson Orthodontics is sponsoring.  There will be opportunites to reach out to these children and their communities at our office in the upcoming year.  We also hope to visit and meet these three children in the upcoming year.

For more information or to make a donation, please visit www.sharefish.org or watch the video below.
 
http://youtu.be/Kprgst01lns

Happy New Year!
Vinson Orthodontics  
   

 

$500 Referral Rewards Winner

We are so excited to announce our 2012 Referral Rewards Program winner:  Kylie S!! 

Vinson Orthodontics would like to thank each and every person who participated in our Referral Rewards Program for 2012.  The participation in this program has been over the top and we are delighted and honored to provide the incredible gift of a beautiful and healthy smile to everyone who comes through our doors.  It is our top priority to give you the best orthodontic care in an extraordinary way!!  We LOVE what we do and would love to share it with you.

We invite you to participate again in the Referral Rewards Program for 2013.  The opportunity is available to all of our referring families and to those who visit our office for a referral.

Please ask our office for details and pick up some extra referral rewards cards the next time you come into our office!!

Best of Luck in 2013!!

What happens if I lose or break my retainer?

If I lose or break my retainer, why do I have to have another mold taken? Why can't they just just use the mold from the previous retainer?

Yes you will need to have another mold taken.  To further explain the answer to this question it is important you know exactly how the mold is used...A mold is used at our office to make a stone model of your teeth. A retainer is then made off of that stone model. The stone is very brittle and when the fabricated retainer is pulled from it pieces of the model break off. The model is no longer usable after that and is then thrown away.  Another reason is if your teeth have shifted even the slightest bit from where they were when the initial model was taken, the new retainer will not fit.

Katie- orthodontic assistant at Vinson Orthodontics

  Sharefish

    Get Involved: Be a Sharefish at Vinson Orthodontics

Vinson Orthodontics is excited to have the opportunity to sponsor three children from El Carrizo, Honduras through Sharefish, a local non-profit organization.  Angela, Yelsin and Carlos are now able to attend school and receive necessary resources for their families to ensure that they have the food and supplies they need to stay in school.

What is Sharefish?

Sharefish was started by 5 Raleigh “gringos” after mission trips to Honduras, one of the poorest countries in the world.  They witnessed children living in a perpetual cycle of poverty.  These children are unable to attend school as their families are unable to afford the materials.

Looking for ways to make a lasting impact, this small group created an organization to improve education, nutrition, housing, medical and economic opportunities in these impoverished communities.  Sponsorships are created to put kids in school, build libraries to increase literacy and provide basic medical education.

How can you help?

Dr. Vinson and our team invite you to participate in opportunities and events at our office throughout the year to reach out to these children and their community.  Information regarding these events will be available at our office , through our staff members and on our website. 

Explore sharefish.org to find out more about sponsorships, donations or to be inspired to find your own way to be a Sharefish.  Just share a little, that’s all it takes to make a lasting impression.

Have a Splendid Day!

Vinson Orthodontics

Me Fine Angel Tree - Hope for the Holidays 2012

Vinson Orthodontics is excited to support the Me Fine Foundations Angel tree again this year!  Me Fine is a local non-profit that assists families with children fighting critically or terminally ill conditions at Duke and UNC's Children's Hospitals. 

How can you help?
Pick a tag off our Angel tree and purchase the item. You can drop it back off to our office and we will make sure that the gifts are delivered to Me Fine for distribution to the families for the holidays.

For more information, please visit www.mefinefoundation.org.

iRock iTunes Facebook Post a Video Contest

So what are you waiting for?  Our patients can just post a video on our facebook page telling us why you love braces, our office, our team or Dr. Vinson.  Once you post the video, just stop by our office and get your $10 iTunes gift card!  Pretty simple, huh???

Check out our Facebook page!!

What is a Mara Appliance?

MARA is an acronym for Mandibular Anterior Repositioning Appliance


It is a overbite/overjet corrective appliance. The mara has a lower bar with bands that are cemented on the Lower first molars. The top has two bands that are cemented on the Upper first molars, then we place what are called elbows into the top of the mara. Once those are placed the patient then has to learn how to move there lower jaw forward. Patients typically have this appliance in for right around a year. It may look bulky. Dr. Vinson has asked many paitents about how long it took to get use to it they say about a week. We ask the patient to try and stay to soft foods for the first couple of days.



Here are a few images of what a mara looks like:







Here is a video of how a mara is placed and used.




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Y9ShR-La4s

Daisha - Clinical Assistant at Vinson Orthodontics