October is National Orthodontic Health Month

October not only brings cooling temperatures and falling leaves, but it also brings National Orthodontic Health Month. October is the perfect time for you to consider your options when seeking a straighter and healthier smile. During National Orthodontic Health Month, Kemp Orthodontics makes it a goal to raise awareness about the benefits of braces for children and adults for all our neighbors in the Franklin and Brentwood communities.

The American Association of Orthodontists advises that children age 7 and older be examined by an orthodontist for an orthodontic evaluation. This initial exam provides an early diagnosis and offers treatment options that guide your child’s growth and prevent more serious problems in the future. Kemp Orthodontics’ goal is to reduce treatment time in full braces and to provide the best and most stable results possible.

Since no two patients are alike, there is not a specific age that is best to begin orthodontic treatment. This means teenagers and adults are also strong candidates for orthodontic care. Misalignment of teeth, dysfunctional jaw or bite, and rotation of teeth are just some of the problems that can arise for patients in these age groups. Many adults are hesitant to begin orthodontic treatment for different reasons, but we assure you that we have different types of braces to fit the needs of everyone.

If you are interested in learning more about treatment at Kemp Orthodontics, contact us for an initial orthodontic exam and see the difference that a beautiful smile can make for you.

How much do braces cost?

One of the most common questions we get asked at Kemp Orthodontics is, “how much do braces cost?” Unfortunately, this simple question does not have a simple answer. The cost of braces varies from patient to patient and is determined by the treatment plan recommended by Dr. Kemp and Dr. Rice. Some of our patients have minor issues with their smiles that require more simple orthodontic treatment, and others have complex problems that may call for longer treatment time, more appliances, and possibly more phases of treatment.

Depending on the treatment Dr. Kemp or Dr. Rice will decide is needed; the fee will reflect the amount of work that needs to be done. The first step to discovering the cost of braces for a particular individual case is scheduling an initial exam at Kemp Orthodontics. We have an office in Franklin and Brentwood to make your visit more convenient if you live in the Williamson County area. Your initial exam is important in determining the cost of braces for your case because Dr. Kemp and Dr. Rice can make accurate treatment recommendations upon the clinical examination.

Our findings will include the cost of orthodontics and how long the treatment will take to complete. Give us a call today for a consultation and discover how quickly we can make you smile!

2016 Pumpkin Patch

Doctors Kemp and Rice and the entire Kemp Orthodontics team are excited to announce that they have partnered with the Cooper Trooper Foundation to sponsor The 2016 Pumpkin Patch, held each year in Franklin at the corner of Mallory Lane and Cool Springs Boulevard. The Pumpkin Patch is a major fundraising event in Franklin with 100% of the profit going to the Cooper Trooper Foundation to help families fighting childhood cancer. This year The Pumpkin Patch will be open from October 1 - 31. Each weekend the Patch will feature special activities, including face painting, inflatables, and games. In addition to these activities, Kemp Orthodontics is sponsoring a pumpkin carving contest we call "Carve out your Perfect Smile."

On specific weekends at The Pumpkin Patch, people who purchase pumpkins from the Patch will receive a free Kemp Orthodontics Pumpkin Carving Kit that they can use to create a beautiful smile on their Pumpkin Patch purchased pumpkin. To enter your pumpkin in the Kemp Orthodontics contest, simply carve out your Pumpkin Patch Pumpkin's perfect smile, then take a picture of the pumpkin, and load the photo to your favorite social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram) using the hashtags #ctfpumpkinpatch and #carveforKO. Contest entries must have these hashtags to enter the contest. All contest entries must be posted on the internet by midnight on Halloween, October 31. The winner of the contest will be selected by Cooper himself, and the announcement of the winner will take place on Friday, November 4, on the Kemp Orthodontics Facebook page.

The winner of the Carve out your Perfect Smile contest will receive a certificate for $1000 toward future orthodontic treatment at Kemp Orthodontics.

The Kemp Orthodontics team will be in The Patch on Saturday, October 29. Please come out and join us to buy pumpkins or just to say, "Hello." Welcome Fall to Franklin by coming out to The Pumpkin Patch and Carve out your Perfect Smile!

Kemp Orthodontics Raises the Roofs for Friends of Franklin Parks

In 1986 when Dr. Kemp opened Kemp Orthodontics, Williamson County featured wide open farmland and large areas of green space. Many of those farms had been worked by the same families for over 100 years. Since our opening day in 1986, we have seen many of those farms come to serve a new purpose as they became the neighborhoods filled with the homes of the many new families who have come to make their homes in Williamson County. Dr. Kemp and Dr. Rice are excited to welcome new families and new neighborhoods to our county. However, we are also mindful of the need to set aside some of our farmland so that the new families of the future can catch a glimpse of the natural beauty of Williamson County. To that purpose, Kemp Orthodontics is a proud sponsor of one of the central fund-raising initiatives of the Friends of Franklin Parks.

On August 20, 2016, Kemp Orthodontics will serve as the Premier Sponsor for the annual “Raise the Roofs” afternoon at Harlinsdale Park near downtown Franklin. Harlinsdale was the former home of the Harlin family and was well known for its role in horse raising and horse-centered events. This year’s Raise the Roofs will feature many horse-centered events including a polo match. Food will be offered by many of Franklin’s best-loved restaurants, and there will be live music.

Join Kemp Orthodontics as we Raise the Roofs to preserve our parks and green space of beautiful Williamson County. Who knows – you might even see the Doctors in their work boots working in the horse barn!

Meet Dr. Alec J. Rice

We recently welcomed Dr. Alec J. Rice into the Kemp Orthodontics team. Dr. David H. Kemp is excited to announce that on Monday, 20 June 2016, Dr. Alec J. Rice joined Dr. Kemp and his team at Kemp Orthodontics as an associate orthodontic practitioner. Dr. Rice is a native of Carmi, Illinois, a rural agricultural community located about 3 hours north of Nashville.

He completed his Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology and minor degree in Chemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, earning the highest academic honor of Bronze Tablet. Dr. Rice attended dental school at Southern Illinois University located in Alton, Illinois, near the St. Louis metroplex, where he earned his Doctorate of Dental Medicine degree. He graduated at the top of his dental class earning the prestigious Alpha Omega award and was inducted into the Omicron Kappa Upsilon dental honor society.

Following dental school, Dr. Rice decided to pursue his passion for orthodontics and chose to continue his education by specializing in the field. Dr. Rice completed his orthodontic residency at one of the top orthodontic residency programs in the country at Texas A&M Health Science Center Baylor College of Dentistry located in Dallas, Texas, where he spent three years as an orthodontic resident treating orthodontic patients to earn his Master of Science degree in Oral Biology and Certificate in Orthodontics.

Throughout his orthodontic residency, Dr. Rice enjoyed working with orthodontic patients of all ages and was able to interact with the renowned craniofacial team at Dallas Children’s Hospital, with emphasis on orthodontic cleft lip and cleft palate treatment.

Dr. Rice is looking forward to becoming an active member of the Franklin and Brentwood communities. In his spare time, Dr. Rice enjoys hiking, fishing, kayaking, working on his uncle’s agriculture farm, basketball, baseball, golf, cycling, attending church, and coaching/umpiring youth sports.

Learn About Clarity Advanced At Kemp Orthodontics

At Kemp Orthodontics, Dr. Kemp wants to be sure his patients have beautiful smiles both during their treatment as well as after their treatment. To reach that goal, Dr. Kemp has chosen to treat his patients with the most aesthetic and technically advanced bracket on the market. Clarity Advanced Ceramic braces are the solution to those seeking clear brackets while undergoing orthodontic treatment.  These clear ceramic brackets blend with your smile as they match the color of your teeth. Most patients and their families prefer the look of Clarity Advanced Ceramic braces over traditional metal braces, and these braces are a popular treatment alternative offered at Kemp Orthodontics.

Who are Clarity Advanced Ceramic braces for?

Clarity Advanced brackets are a great choice for all Dr.Kemp’s patients, whether adults, teenagers, or children. These ceramic braces are practically invisible and provide just the perfect choice for all patients who are looking to improve their smiles while wanting to avoid the noticeable differences that metal braces may draw attention to their mouth. Many of our adult patients tell us that Clarity Advanced brackets give them a more professional look in comparison to metal braces.

Teenagers are drawn to Clarity Advanced brackets for this same aesthetic reason.  Many teenagers who feel insecure about their smiles don’t want the look of metal braces because they are self-conscious about their teeth.  Although traditional metal braces are effective, most teenagers choose Clarity Advanced brackets over metal braces a majority of the time if presented with the option.

Another interesting reason some patients choose Clarity Advanced brackets is that some of the younger crowd love the way colored elastics really show off against their pearly white teeth and brackets. At Kemp Orthodontics, we love to show our support of our local teams by helping them show their school colors with their elastics, and those colors really pop against the Clarity Advanced brackets.

Clarity Advanced Ceramic Braces are virtually unnoticeable, making them perfect for patients of all ages who are looking for the confidence and freedom to smile on any occasion. At Kemp Orthodontics, you can choose the clear alternative without any additional charges. For more information, please contact Kemp Orthodontics today and schedule a consultation. Click here to contact us online or call us at 615-790-7027.

Break the Habit

Babies are born with a reflex to suck any object placed in their mouth. This behavior helps during the first few months of establishing feeding, and disappears at around 4 months.

Thumb sucking however, is not reflexive, and is believed to be a self-soothing practice. There are usually no ill effects from thumb sucking in early childhood, and most children naturally give up the habit somewhere between 2-4 years of age. However, if thumb sucking continues past the age of around 7 when adult teeth are coming through there can be misalignment of front teeth, or possibly jaw problems.

It is important to be careful when breaking this habit.  Children often use this as an emotional crutch. Punishment and nagging is not the best approach. Do some research and be patient with your child when working on breaking the habit.