When Are Two Phases of Treatment Necessary? - Dr. Ron Wilson, DMD

Usually patients in orthodontic treatment already have their permanent teeth – but in some cases we have 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 these cases we will start early and do one round of treatment – phase one – while your child still has “baby teeth.” Phase one usually does not involve braces, but can include a different type of appliance that helps the jaw grow into place properly, such as a retainer. We’ll follow up with phase two usually a few years later, when your child's permanent teeth have come in. Phase two often does involve braces and sometimes headgear.

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 an orthodontist even sooner. For more information about two-phase orthodontics, or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Wilson please call 678-971-2461 in Gainesville or 678-866-3295 in Hoschton and visit our web site.

Never Judge a Book By Its Cover - Wilson Orthodontics, Gainesville GA

They say you should never judge a “book” by its cover; but, over the last few months I’ve realized that people seem to do just that without even opening the pages to see what’s inside. Our office, similar to an unopened book, was no exception to that rule! When our office in Gainsville was purchased two years ago by Dr. Wilson, we were in need of a major make-over; and, lucky for us, Dr. Wilson made it one of his first priorities. Realizing that our office may be at the mercy of judgmental onlookers, Dr. Wilson began plans for renovation, and now we are proud to say that our great change is almost complete!

Now that we’ve renovated our practice inside and out, Dr. Wilson wanted to make our practice a place worth visiting (or to stick with my original analogy, “a book worth reading”). He created a fun and rewarding patient incentive program that rewards patients for their cooperation and good hygiene. This program allows patients to earn tokens that they can eventually “cash in” for a spin on the mounted prize wheel in our office. The prize wheel is filled with an array of cool prizes. In addition, we’ve also added a UGA-themed game room to make a visit to the orthodontist feel more like home! Many staff members, patients, parents, friends, family members, and other area doctors have all weighed in with supportive, positive feedback; and, here’s what a few of them have to say about our “new look:”


“WOW, when did you guys do this? The last time I was here the office looked old, and now it’s brand new…I love it!”

“The new look if beautiful, so inviting and relaxing…I love it!”

“The office looks awesome; you needed this change, good job!”

“It’s great being able to watch TV while I’m waiting for my daughter.”

“Love the game room; what a great idea, I’m not going to get my son out of there!”

“I know I’m supposed to keep my teeth clean and stuff, but now it’s more fun ‘cause I might win a Wii System.”

“…what a great atmosphere!”

“What a great idea having the tokens for the patients to earn; my son is so excited to come in with clean teeth and wearing his ‘Got Tin?’ t-shirt so he can save up for a chance to spin the wheel.”


I could go on and on about all of the great things people now have to say about Wilson Orthodontics! At a recent open house Christmas party the positive feedback was off the charts! Everyone loved the new look and applauded all the hard work. Throughout this entire renovation I realized just how important it is that as an orthodontic practice we provide people with not only great smiles, but a welcoming, fun, modern office environment that they can feel comfortable spending time in.

They say you can’t judge a book by its cover; but, that doesn’t mean people won’t still pass judgments. In knowing this, we asked ourselves “why not make the ‘cover’ beautiful so that people will want to see what’s on the inside?” We would like to invite you to take a look around during your next office visit and see for yourself what’s new. Your orthodontic treatment is predictable, but the experience you have with us is one-of-a-kind!

If you’ve had a chance to visit our newly remodeled office please leave a comment and let us know what you think! We’d love to know about your experience.


-Pam Cole, Chairside Assistant
Wilson Orthodontics

Will Wilson Orthodontics Work With My Insurance Provider?

For orthodontics, fortunately insurance is easy to verify for our patients. Unlike general dentistry and medical benefits, "in" or "out" of network does not apply to orthodontic claims. There is usually a lifetime maximum benefit that can easily be verified by calling the 1-800 number on the back of your card. And, if you would like, our friendly staff will be glad to verify your benefits when you come into our office. We accept most all insurance carriers, and we will make every effort to ensure you recieve your maximum benefit.

Renovation of our Gainesville Office!

We are very excited about the renovation of our Gainesville office. This new renovation will bring our office up to date with the latest technology including everything from digital imaging to chair-side electronic charting. As always, we are striving to bring the latest technology into our office so that we may provide superior orthodontic care in a timely manner to our mutual patients. Our office renovation is taking place in stages so that we won’t interrupt our orthodontic care to our patients. We are on track to complete all stages of our renovation by the end of the year.

Interested in the Damon System? Ask Wilson Orthodontics!

Oral Health Affects Overall Health!

A healthy smile will give you a healthy life! Brushing 2 times a day for two minutes each time as well as flossing once daily are the most important things you can do to keep a healthy smile. Orthodontics will give your teeth the proper alignment which will make it easier to clean your teeth on a daily basis. Having straight teeth is kind of like building a foundation for a house. You wouldn't build a nice house without a good, solid foundation. The foundation that you need in order to keep a healthy smile starts with orthodontics. By having braces, it will make sure that your teeth are secured by healthy bone surrounded by healthy gums. Then, the everyday cleaning of your teeth will be a breeze!

Patients That Stand Out!

A couple of weeks ago, there were 5 patients that got together and made a "skit" and a "rap" about our practice. We were in the middle of seeing patients and they surprised me with their skit. The mother was filming the skit while they were perfoming it in front of all the other patients. Needless to say, I was very surprised! Our whole ortho team loved it and it set a positive tone for the rest of the afternoon. The skit was very touching and it really made us feel great that our patients would take the time to do something like that.

Halloween at Wilson Orthodontics

This Halloween at Wilson Orthodontics we had all kinds of characters at our practice! We had a clown, a lady bug, a pumpkin, an Umpa Lumpa, an Indian, and an oversized tourist. The Tooth Fairy was even there with Larry the Cable Guy! It was quite a celebration with lots of tricks and treats!

Our team members had a great time dressing up, really getting into character. Our practice went to lunch at Locos and had a costume contest for the best costume. Our winner was Cindy Brisco who came dressed as a package of peanut M&M’s®. She won a gift certificate for a relaxing day at the spa.

Check out our great pictures to see why Halloween at Wilson Orthodontics was such a blast!!






Be sure to visit our MySpace to see the full photo album!

Tooth Token Reward Program

I am very excited about our new “Tooth Token” reward program. The purpose of our Tooth Token Reward Program is for our younger patients to take “ownership” in the investment of the orthodontic treatment their parents are providing for them. As an incentive for our patients to have routine dental cleanings with you, their general dentist and team, and also for displaying good oral hygiene throughout treatment, we will reward them with our tooth tokens which they cash in for prizes during their orthodontic treatment. Our hope is that this behavioral modification incentive program will help our patients to have clean, healthy, and spot-free teeth upon completion of their orthodontic treatment. As always, we recommend that our mutual patient who are in active orthodontic treatment visit you to have 3 routine dental cleanings a year to insure healthy gums and teeth.

New Referal Pads!

You will soon be receiving our new referral pads with our new practice logo. These new referral pads have both office locations and maps conveniently located on one page as well as an easy checklist to help streamline your referral. I know we all stay very busy, so we tried to do everything we could to simplify this process for you. Please let us know when you need more referral pads or if you would like more in addition to what we have provided.

2nd Annual Wilson Orthodontics Blood Drive Thank You!

We would like to thank everyone that participated in our 2nd Annual Wilson Orthodontics Blood Drive! The blood drive was a huge success and we would personally like to thank each and everyone who donated. Each donor was entered in our annual drawing for a "free set of braces." This year's winner was Donna Shewbert. Donna is a dental hygienest at Dr. Kell Gallaher and Dr. Michael Vetters office 3 days a week and works with Dr. Joe Jackson 1 day a week. Congratualtions to Donna from Wilson Orthodontics!

We all expect blood to be there for us, but barely a fraction of those who can give do. Yet sooner or later, virtually all of us will face a time of great vulnerability in which we will need blood. And that time is all too often unexpected.

From its beginning, the American Red Cross has formed a community of service, of generous, strong and decent people bound by beliefs beyond themselves. The honor, spirit and resources of the American people comes forth with neighbors helping neighbors in need — during earthquakes, floods, fires, storms — and also for the deeply personal and often quiet disasters that require a gift of blood.

Two year anniversary of our satellite office!

We are also excited to announce our two year anniversary of our satellite office location in the Hoschton/Braselton area. This location allows us to provide further convenience to our patients in that area. Also, our new website is http://www.wilsonbraces.com. We encourage you to visit our website for current updates and programs that we are offering to our patients.

Congratulations to our new Employee of the Quarter here at Wilson Orthodontics!

Sonya Hinnant

Sonya is one of our chair-side orthodontic assistants and has worked in our office for over 28 years. She is from Gainesville, Georgia, and has lived in the area her whole life. She recently married her husband, Kyle, and has a son named Brandon. Her activities include running, aerobics, reading, shopping, and driving for Meals on Wheels.

• Favorite thing about the practice of orthodontics: Making New Smiles!

• Favorite thing about working with Dr. Wilson: Well, I think he's a pretty awesome boss! Nice, easy-going, and a good orthodontist

• Favorite thing about your job: Bonding 7-7 from the beginning.

Sonya's husband, Kyle, is getting his braces put on next week. He is very excited about taking this next big step and is looking forward to his new smile.

2nd Annual Wilson Orthodontics' Blood Drive!

Donate blood for the 2nd Annual Wilson Orthodontics' Blood Drive!

October 7, 2008
10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
1220 Sherwood Park Dr.
Gainesville, GA 30501

Giving blood enters you in our drawing to win a
FREE SET OF BRACES!!

Call 678-971-2461 to reserve your spot!

Having Fears of Orthodontic Work?

I understand that visiting the dentist or orthodontist may not be what most people would choose to do. In our office, our ortho team will guide you through each step of treatment so that you will know exactly what to expect.

We provide a nice relaxing atmosphere for our patients: From a warm waiting room with flat screen TV's and a game room for the kids, to a treatment area that is full of the latest advancements in orthodontic technology making treatment as comfortable as possible.

After visiting our office, you will leave with a warm feeling that will make visiting the orthodontist seem fun!

Field and Wilson Orthodontics is now Wilson Orthodontics

First of all, I would like to thank you for the support of our office you have provided over the past two years. You have all been very generous in welcoming me back into the community where I grew up. It truly is very exciting to be back in my hometown practicing what I love, orthodontics.

As you know, with any practice transition, the exiting of the senior doctor eventually takes place. I feel extremely fortunate to have been specifically chosen by Dr. Field as his successor. Our transition has been a very smooth experience, and I am excited to announce that “Field and Wilson Orthodontics” is now just “Wilson Orthodontics.” We still have the friendly, professional staff that Dr. Field had, and we will remain in the same location in Gainesville where Dr. Field’s office has been for over 30 years.

Why a Healthy Smile keeps YOU Healthy

A healthy smile will give you a healthy life! Brushing 2 times a day for two minutes each time as well as flossing once daily are the most important things you can do to keep a healthy smile.

Orthodontics will give your teeth the proper alignment which will make it easier to clean your teeth on a daily basis.

"Having straight teeth is kind of like building a foundation for a house. You wouldn't build a nice house without a good, solid foundation."

The foundation that you need in order to keep a healthy smile starts with orthodontics. By having braces, it will make sure that your teeth are secured by healthy bone surrounded by healthy gums. Then, the everyday cleaning of your teeth will be a breeze!

Wii Smile: Our new patient referal contest!

Introducing "Wii Smile"

Tell your friends about us!

I would like to introduce our new “Wii Smile” referral incentive program at Wilson Orthodontics. Each time a patient referral comes to our office and begins full treatment with us, your name goes into our drawing for a Nintendo Wii System! We will draw twice a year for our Wii winner! NOTE: In order to receive credit for your patient referral, you must submit your referral on our website:

http://www. wilsonbraces. com

Your name will be entered into the drawing on a “first come first serve basis” per patient. There is no limit to the number of patient referrals you can submit to Wilson Orthodontics. Your name will be entered into the drawing as soon as the patient begins full treatment. Just click on our “Token Reward Program” tab at the bottom of our homepage and follow the directions to submit your referral. The next Wii drawing
will be December 15, 2008...Just in time for Christmas!!

Thanks and Good Luck!!!

We pride ourselves on receiving referrals from our patients and dental colleagues. The greatest compliment an orthodontic practice can receive is the referral of a friend or family member, and we thank you!

Dr. Wilson & Ortho Team!

Tooth brush of the future?

Stumbling upon this toothbrush or rather tooth sponge of the future that Brazilian designer created a tooth sponge... That's right this tooth sponge is supposed to hold water, massage your gums, and polish your teeth!

Just think an electric tooth sponge that is comfortable for all ages, might even be fun!

So I am interested to see if this fancy new device makes it to our markets.

Our Community

Gainesville, Ga is a great place to raise a family. I feel lucky to be practicing in the same hometown where I grew up. The Hoschton/Braselton area is a new and upcoming area where our newest office is located. With football season on the horizon and the smell of fall in the air, I'm excited to attend some of our local high school football games. Many of our patients are football players and cheerleaders for the various schools in the community and I look forward to supporting them this fall. We are currently remodeling our Gainesville office to have a University of Georgia game room. Since we are only 45 minutes away from Athens, there are many Georgia football fans. We hope this new addition will give our patients siblings something to do and look forward to while they wait.



One of the things that I do to give back to our profession is volunteer for "Good News at Noon".

(Prepares and serves lunch the first Wednesday of each month for 50-100 disadvantaged people... read more) This is basically a local place in Gainesville where doctors, dentists and pharmacists volunteer their time to the people in the community to provide services to them at no charge. The emotional reward is worth more than anything else that I could imagine doing for a fee. Since many of the dentists are closed on Fridays, this is usually the day that we give back our time.

One of the favorite places that I like to eat in Gainesville is Poor Richards. This is a local restaurant that has been around for many years and continues to be one of the favorite places to eat in Gainesville. My wife and I go there at least once a week.

Wilson Orthodontics: Tracey Taylor

Wilson Orthodontics would like to congratulate Trey Taylor for being nominated as our “employee of the quarter”. Trey is our patient communication coordinator, and she also works as a chair-side orthodontic assistant. She has worked in our practice since 1998 and has over 26 years of orthodontic experience. She is from Dahlonega, Georgia, and has lived in Gainesville since 1998. She is married to Joey and has two sons, Zach and Chase, and a daughter, Ansley. She is very active in the local school system.

• Her favorite thing about the practice of orthodontics: Seeing great smiles and watching children, teens, and adults who would not smile in the beginning, just smile and light up after treatment.

• Her favorite thing about working with Dr. Wilson: He truly cares about his patients and is always interested in what they do.

• Her favorite things about your job: Working with families to help bring great smiles to them and their children.

Again, congratulations to Trey on all her hard work and dedication to our patients!

What I love about my job!

Practicing orthodontics has been a blessing that I truly feel honored to do on a daily basis. Not only are we able to create beautiful smiles, but we have the opportunity to build self-confidence in our patients. It is absolutely amazing to see someone who is shy and not very outspoken before treatment to become someone who is very outgoing and social in many situations after treatment. It is almost as if we are releasing their "inner beauty" if you will. You know, people are very self-conscious about their smiles...especially when they have alignment issues, missing teeth, "gapped" teeth, etc. In todays society when self-image is ever so important, giving our patients a beautiful and perfect smile gives them reason to smile. Here at Wilson Orthodontics, we are giving our patients just one more tool to take their dreams and aspirations to the next level.
Ron D. Wilson, D.M.D., P.C.

What I have learned.

Bonnie-Lynne and I attended the Damon Forum in Scottsdale, Arizona. This was a very beneficial continuing education course where we learned many new techniques that we were able to apply to our practice. One of the lectures that we attended was titled "Torque Selection". This class was basically designed to enable us to have more tools in treatment planning for our patients. Orthodontic brackets have different "torques" in the slots of the brackets that can be used in specific patients depending on their initial malocclusion. These torque selections can be treatment planned before initial bracket placement that will decrease the overall treatment time that a patient is in braces. The Damon Forum began about 5 years ago with around 50 orthodontists and staff members and is an annual meeting that has gained widespread popularity. This year the forum had over 3000 orthodontists and staff members in attendance and next year is expected to have over 5000 in attendance. We are pleased to offer the latest treatment techniques here at Wilson Orthodontics for our patients. I highly recommend the Damon Forum for anyone orthodontist who is looking to advance their treatment efficiency and treatment results for their patients.