Orthodontist in Crestview, FL: What Families Near Eglin AFB Should Know About Sims Orthodontics
If you’re looking for an orthodontist in Crestview, Florida, here’s what you should know about Sims Orthodontics before you call. We’re the only owner-doctor orthodontic practice in Crestview. The other orthodontic options in town are either corporate-owned or operated by a dentist rather than a board-certified orthodontist. For a treatment relationship that lasts 12 to […]
Orthodontics for Military Families in Pensacola and Crestview: TRICARE, Eglin AFB, and What You Need to Know
Military families make up a significant part of who we are at Sims Orthodontics. In Crestview, roughly 75% of our patients are connected to the military: active duty service members, spouses, and children of the men and women stationed at Eglin Air Force Base, Hurlburt Field, and Duke Field. In Pensacola, we serve families from […]
Loose Bracket? Here’s Exactly What to Do (From a Pensacola Orthodontist)
It happens. You’re eating dinner, biting into something you probably shouldn’t have, and you feel something shift in your mouth. Or you wake up and notice a bracket that’s spinning on the wire instead of sitting flush against your tooth. First: don’t panic. A loose bracket is almost never a true emergency. Second: don’t ignore […]
A Day in the Life of Dr. Clay Sims: What It’s Actually Like to Run an Orthodontic Practice in Pensacola
People sometimes ask me what a typical day looks like. The honest answer is that no two days are identical, but there’s a rhythm to it that I’ve come to genuinely love after 15 years of practice in Pensacola. I grew up in Gulf Breeze, went to Gulf Breeze High, and now I treat the […]
How to Take Care of Braces: The Complete Guide from a Pensacola Orthodontist
Taking care of braces isn’t complicated. But it does require more attention than brushing without braces, and the consequences of doing it poorly are real. White spots, cavities, swollen gums, and extended treatment time are all things that happen when hygiene slips during orthodontic treatment. The good news is that with the right technique and […]
White Spots After Braces: What Causes Them, How to Prevent Them, and What to Do If You Have Them
White spots are one of the most common concerns patients bring up when they’re considering braces, and one of the most common disappointments when they don’t take hygiene seriously during treatment. You spend 18 months working toward a straight smile and then the braces come off and there are white squares on your teeth where […]
What to Eat with Braces: The Complete Guide from a Pensacola Orthodontist
Getting braces is exciting. The first few days less so, mostly because your teeth are sore and you’re suddenly reading the ingredients on everything you’re about to eat. The food rules with braces are not complicated, but they matter. Breaking a bracket or bending a wire means an unplanned trip to the office, a delay […]
Signs Your Child Needs Braces: What to Watch For at Home and at the Dentist
Most parents aren’t orthodontists. You’re not supposed to know exactly what to look for when your child’s teeth are coming in. But there are signs, some obvious and some easy to miss, that tell you it’s time to call an orthodontist and get a professional opinion. I’m Dr. Clay Sims, a board-certified orthodontist with three […]
What to Expect at Your First Orthodontist Appointment at Sims Orthodontics
A lot of people put off calling an orthodontist for years. Not because they don’t want a better smile, but because they don’t know what they’re walking into. Will it be a hard sell? Will they push treatment I don’t need? Will I leave with a bill before I’ve decided anything? Those are fair concerns […]
Adult Braces and Invisalign in Pensacola: You’re Never Too Old
My oldest patient is 86 years old. Her mother lived past 100, and she figured she had a good 20 years left to enjoy a smile she’d always wanted to fix. So she came in, we talked about her options, and she started treatment. I love that story because it says everything I want adults […]
