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Welcome to McDonald Orthodontics in Keizer and Salem, OR. At our office, you’ll experience state-of-the-art orthodontic care, provided by Dr. John McDonald and our warm, friendly staff. We believe in professionalism with a strong emphasis on fun!
Dr. John has been part of the Salem community for decades, so he’s your neighbor as well as your orthodontist. At your first appointment, he will take time to learn about what you want to achieve. He’ll then create a unique treatment plan—one that works well with your family’s goals, time, and finances.
If you’re thinking about braces, you’ve undoubtedly visited orthodontists, perhaps product manufacturers, and websites offering advice about orthodontic treatment. Oftentimes, some important points are missed in that deluge of technical information. Here are some things you should think about before choosing an orthodontist.
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Early evaluation of children can allow Dr. John to identify many issues for which the complexity can be reduced with simple intervention. Treatment at an early age does not usually eliminate the need for comprehensive orthodontics, but it always reduces the complexity and difficulty of the final braces. In children ages 5-7, we can see all the baby teeth, as well as the developing permanent teeth.
The child is approaching a time of rapid skeletal growth and the loss of the remaining baby teeth. Treatment of many orthodontic problems requires harnessing this period of rapid growth so that the bite can be properly fitted together. Also, timing treatment to start just before the last baby tooth is lost can result in significant space creation and can sometimes prevent the need for extracting permanent teeth.
Rapid skeletal growth, known as the growth spurt, is eminent or already happening by this age. Many times, ideal orthodontic treatment requires harnessing this growth. Treatment of overbite (buck teeth), for example, relies mainly on catching the problem before the growth spurt. It cannot be emphasized enough how important treatment at this age is for orthodontic problems that involve significant overbite.
Even though your child has finished his or her growth spurt, there are still significant advantages to treating orthodontic problems before teens become full-fledged adults. Correcting orthodontic problems involves moving teeth within the jaw bones, and teenage jaw bones are still maturing, thus they are not nearly as dense as adult jaw bones.
It’s never too late to have the smile you’ve always dreamed of. Here at McDonald Orthodontics, we have treated many patients in their 70s and 80s who were thrilled with their new smiles. Of course, most adult patients fall in the 25 to 60-year-old age range, and with the multiple orthodontic options available today, orthodontics for adults has never been easier.
McDonald Orthodontics began offering Invisalign soon after it was introduced in 2004. Currently, Invisalign is one of many clear aligner treatments we work with. Clear aligner treatment has grown leaps and bounds over the years, and the capabilities of treatment have improved immensely. More and more difficult cases can be successfully completed using clear aligners.
If you’re looking for a great orthodontist in the Keizer or Salem area, consider Dr. John McDonald.
As a second-generation orthodontist, Dr. John grew up in the area and graduated from South Salem High School. He attended OHSU to earn his dental degree, then served as an officer in the US Army for four years. There, he completed a dental residency and served in both Korea and Germany. After returning to the States, Dr. John completed specialist certification to become an orthodontist. Today, Dr. John is one of the few board-certified orthodontists in the area. He is proud to be able to continue the practice his father, Dr. Terry McDonald, opened decades before.
If you’re looking for an experienced orthodontist who’s passionate about his craft, and who loves the Salem area and its people, you’ve found him. Dr. John welcomes you and your family to McDonald Orthodontics.
Orthodontics is as much a relationship with the office as it is a life-enhancing treatment to improve your smile. Every orthodontic office is unique in that it reflects the orthodontist and his or her treatment philosophies. At McDonald Orthodontics, our philosophy focuses on the end result: the best possible smile. We use a variety of techniques and systems to create a great smile, good bite, and healthy teeth. Choose your orthodontist like you would choose a friend or traveling companion. You are going to be working on your smile together for months or years. Make sure you choose someone who you really want you or your children to spend that much time with.
Experience counts. The average case takes 2 years to complete. This means it takes an orthodontist two years to get “experience” from the very first patient. It takes 10 years to have treated many different kinds of orthodontic problems to completion. While all orthodontists may seem alike, one with 15 or 20 years’ experience has far more wisdom than someone without.
Paying for braces is a big part of many people’s concerns and a big part of the relationship you develop with the office. At McDonald Orthodontics, we recognize the importance of this and therefore employ a full-time financial coordinator who will work with you and any insurance company or split-family situation that may be part of treatment. Our payment plans are the most flexible available, and you will always work with a staff member who answers directly to Dr. John about this important area of your care.
If you see something less than perfect in your child’s developing teeth, you should be concerned. A good rule of thumb is, if you notice crooked teeth, overbite, permanent teeth not coming in, etc., your child could benefit from a visit to McDonald Orthodontics. Parental instincts are usually right. You know what a good smile looks like, and you can see if your child is not headed down that road.
The initial evaluation is at no charge, because Dr. John knows that catching orthodontic problems early is important. He wants to remove any hesitation a parent may have about bringing their child in for an initial visit. The first exam is comprehensive; it includes x-rays and photographs, and Dr. John will carefully explain your child’s orthodontic needs.
If you’re planning for your teen to wear braces, consider starting treatment so that it will be finished in time for senior pictures. While senior pictures may seem years away, orthodontic treatment can take anywhere from 12 to 30 months. Senior pictures are taken in the summer between junior and senior year, and into the fall of the senior year. For your senior to be braces-free for pictures (and to reduce the stress on Dr. John to finish ASAP to meet senior pictures deadline), your teen should start orthodontic treatment as early as possible in the high school years.
It’s never too late to have the smile you’ve always dreamed of. Here at McDonald Orthodontics, we have treated many patients in their 70s and 80s who were thrilled with their new smiles. Of course, most adult patients fall in the 25 to 60-year-old age range, and with the multiple orthodontic options available today, such as clear aligners (Invisalign), clear braces, traditional braces, and some other non-traditional braces treatments, orthodontics for adults has never been easier. In fact, adult orthodontics is so common that if you took a survey of 10 of your adult friends, you would probably be surprised at the number who have had braces as adults. One in three patients currently in treatment at McDonald Orthodontics is an adult age 20 or older.
Dr. John has experience with the wide variety of cases, and this comes from treating lots of adult patients. Many have had extensive dental work, or lost multiple teeth, or suffered extensive tooth wear due to grinding or a bad bite. Dr. John is experienced in all of these types of cases and furthermore, he is quite comfortable working with general dentists to create the best overall plan for dental care. Many adult cases require a combined effort, sometimes between multiple dentists and specialists, to ensure a great result. Dr. John especially enjoys the challenge and satisfaction that comes from treating such cases.
McDonald Orthodontics began offering Invisalign soon after it was introduced in 2004. Currently, Invisalign is one of many clear aligner treatments we work with. Clear aligner treatment has grown leaps and bounds over the years, and the capabilities of treatment have improved immensely. More and more difficult cases can be successfully completed using clear aligners.
On the other end of the spectrum, we treat simple cases at a much lower cost using digital scanning and printing of clear aligners in our office. Please call the office for your orthodontic evaluation to see if you’re a candidate for this treatment.
McDonald Orthodontics is a provider for most dental plans available in the area and most nationwide plans carried by large corporations. Our financial coordinator, Shana, has over 16 years’ experience in our office doing nothing but managing orthodontic insurance and payment plans.
Paying for braces is always a big question for parents and adults seeking orthodontic treatment. We offer interest-free, individualized, custom-tailored payment plans that fit within most anyone’s budget. Payment takes place over the course of treatment, so full payment is not required up front, as is often the case with other dental work. Our financial coordinator will work with any insurance company to maximize your benefits and ensure that you get full payment for your coverage. Shana is also experienced with flexible spending plans and HSAs, and she can help you maximize your benefits.
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We found it exciting patients increasing interest in orthodontics and eagerness to understand its principles. Moreover, more parents ask so many questions we appreciate, like when to take a kid for its first orthodontic visit. Indeed, there are many questions, but we wanted to prioritize some decision-influencing ones. But first, we must agree about orthodontics. The idea is to create a picture of what orthodontics is. Aligning teeth and repositioning the jaw helps patients get a functional occlusion which means their bite will improve, positively affecting other functions: It significantly enhances dental hygiene, which also reduces the chance of tooth
The best orthodontist in Keizer will tell you that braces treatment comes at a cost. You have to be very careful and consistent with the cleaning process, and you have to follow a quite restrictive diet to avoid damaging your appliance. However, they will also tell you how worth it is. Braces treatment will not only fix many of the misalignments present, but it will allow you to have a perfect, straight, and healthy smile for the rest of your life. While it can be tedious, patient compliance is crucial to getting the best results possible, so it’s best to
Wouldn’t it be nice if there were a cheap fix for misaligned teeth, such as DIY clear braces? Unfortunately, such a product is unlikely to ever exist due to the intricacies of orthodontics and the complexities of our teeth and jaws. There is a growing trend of “DIY orthodontics” that includes homemade remedies and made-to-order clear aligners that do not require supervision by a qualified dentist. While social media ads and YouTube videos purport to offer an alternative to medically sound orthodontic treatments, Dr. John McDonald strongly cautions against these unproven and potentially dangerous products. Professional orthodontic treatments are not
1855 West Nob Hill St, Suite 300
Salem, OR 97302
(503) 585-5400
(971) 239-5667
Wednesday: 8:00am to 4:30pm
Thursday: 8:00am to 4:30pm
164 Chemawa Rd N Keizer, OR 97303
(503) 585-5400
(971) 239-5667
Monday: 8:00am to 4:30pm
Tuesday: 8:00am to 4:30pm
