Welcome to Bonham & Bonham Orthodontics
COVID-19 related info: together we can all make it through !
Let us start by thanking everyone who sent well wishes to us and the team these last few days during this uncertain time. It is much appreciated to know you care about us as much as we care about you!
Due to these unprecedented and rapidly changing circumstances, we know you might have some questions about the COVID-19 pandemic and how it may affect your orthodontic care. Here is FAQ to help you gain some amount of clarity in this part of your life. We are here to support you and will continue to find new ways to provide you with the highest quality orthodontic care.
Is Bonham & Bonham Orthodontics currently closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic?
Our physical offices are closed, but our practice is still very much virtually open! We are available by text, email, and in some cases via phone, virtual appointments, and FaceTime to keep your Orthodontic treatment moving! Thus, we are still very much open and are going to continue to give everyone we meet more reasons to smile! However, due to nature of the COVID-19 pandemic and the sweeping recommendations of numerous health and government officials including the American Dental Association, we have closed our physical offices for the time being to all elective procedures for the safety of our community. Elective procedures are defined as any procedure that does not involve treating a medical emergency to preserve life.
How long will our physical offices be closed?
Our physical offices are currently closed and we are not certain at this time when we will be able to reopen. As you know, things change rapidly and we will keep you posted as soon as we know we can reopen. We are frequently assessing the situation and will be very transparent with next steps. We will reach out to you to reschedule when that time comes. Our team will be available to assist patients by email, text, virtual checkups, and even FaceTime if needed from 9am-1 pm Monday – Thursday. Please do not leave messages on the main office phone number as there may not always be a person to check them. For true orthodontic emergencies, call our office main phone number and follow the directions on the office message.
To help keep our outgoing lines open for our team to handle patient concerns, we ask that you send us a text by replying to our appointment reminder txt message or email our team at info@mauibraceplace.com for the fastest response.
How will this inconvenient delay affect my orthodontic treatment?
We are happy to report that your orthodontic treatment is still active and your tooth movement is progressing during this time. Because of the newest advancements and technology in the braces, wires, and aligners we use, we routinely extend intervals between appointments 10 weeks (and in rare instances 16 weeks) normally, so this “forced” postponement is just doing what we would do anyway. In fact, many times we schedule interim checks and adjustments with you for our own peace of mind, to relieve any wire discomfort you may be having or encourage the elastics wear, or just to have a chance to talk with you to check on your progress.
How should I proceed if I am wearing braces or an appliance?
Please make sure you keep good oral hygiene by brushing and flossing three times a day. Also remember, DO NOT eat forbidden foods to avoid any breakage. If wearing any elastics, continue to do so as directed. Your braces will continue to straighten your teeth all day and night. Proper elastic wear will continue to correct your bite. We will be able to advance your treatment once we reopen.
How should I proceed if I am wearing Invisalign aligners?
Please make sure to keep wearing your active aligners as instructed to continue the progress of your treatment. Make sure if we have prescribed that to you use your chewies and bite and hold to seat the aligners in areas where you may see visible space between your tooth and the aligner. For best use, bite into your chewie for 10 seconds and work it around your teeth lightly biting holding for a 10-minute session. We may schedule a virtual appointment to check on your progress and if its ok we may send you additional aligners.
If you no longer have aligners to continue to your next week, it is perfectly fine to reduce your last aligner wear to nighttime only wear to ensure that your teeth stay in position and make your aligner last longer. Keep your aligners clean and avoid all drinks other than water while wearing them. When our office reopens, we will make a new digital scan for new aligners.
If you are currently in “passive” aligners between phases and are awaiting your new trays, please switch to wearing your passive aligners only at night and switch only if one breaks or starts to get gross!
Always remember to wash your hands before placing and removing your aligners or elastics.
What should I do if I am scheduled to start treatment soon?
We are excited for all our patients to take this big step, and look forward to seeing your new smile when it is finished. We are hopeful that this schedule alteration will be short. When this situation has stabilized, we are going be ready for you!
What about getting my braces off?
Although dental care is very safe for patients and providers with standard universal precautions and hospital level sterilization protocols, cleaning teeth and the removal of orthodontic bonding materials produces aerosols that can possibly contain biological material. A deferral of removing braces is a good practice at a time like this. Always brush and floss thoroughly to maintain your dental health as we await the passing of this situation. We will resume removal of braces when we are advised that it is safe to do so. We realize that this is a major inconvenience for those of you who are excited to get your braces off and see your new amazing smile, and we thank you in advance for understanding that this is simply out of our control — like many things in our lives at this time.
I have a new patient exam or an observation appointment coming up. What should I do about that?
This is where the beauty of modern technology comes in. We are looking into options to have some virtual appointment set up so we can still visit with you about your orthodontic needs. We will let you know as soon as we have it ready, so that when all of this is pandemic is over we will be ready jump right in and help you to create that amazing smile that inspires confidence and achieve the best bite.
If you are a candidate to have these types of appointments done virtually, one of our team members will discuss this with you. For those of you who would still prefer do have these done in person, we will maintain all appointment records within our computer system, and will reschedule these appointments appropriately when the community situation returns to normal.
We are told to wash our hands frequently; how should we handle wearing aligners, retainers, elastics, etc?
It is important to continue wearing your aligners and your rubber bands to maintain your treatment progress, or your treatment result if currently wearing retainers. Follow recommendations by washing your hands thoroughly with soap and water before and after removing or placing your aligners, retainers, or elastics. These items can also be washed or cleaned in a diluted soap and water solution. An old toothbrush is ideal for this purpose. After cleaning the appliance, rinse thoroughly in cold water to minimize the soapy taste, just like when doing the dishes.
I lost or broke my retainer or aligner. What should I do?
It is always important to wear your retainers after your treatment is complete. Call the office and leave us a voice mail or write us an email. One of our team members will call you to see how we can proceed.
Will patients be allowed in the office at all? Is there anyone there?
Not at this time. Our physical offices are temporarily closed however, until then our office is very much open virtually. We are here to help keep your treatment moving and to help in any way we can!
I have a poking wire or other irritation that is bothering me. What do I do?
Call us! We will instruct you on the best resolution to the problem. We will try to help you with an easy fix at home. In the event of a true emergency situation involving severe pain or discomfort, this could involve a quick VIP trip to the office for a fix in a private setting where you would be the only patient in the office.
We will continue to email any updates we have, but also follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bonhamandbonham.orthodontics/ or our website for the most up to date information as we will continue posting.
Mahalo nui for your understanding and patience, and we are truly grateful that you have chosen to support our small business. We wish you all good health, and we can’t wait to see you again in person real soon! Until then, we look forward to continuing to serve you with the same level of customer service you have come to expect virtually!
Drs Paul and Aurelia Bonham and Team
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Most people think smiles are important in making lasting impressions. We believe your smile is powerful! We are passionate in creating beautiful smiles and wonderful experiences. Husband and wife Dr. Paul and Dr. Aurelia Bonham and their amazing team feel privileged to serve the families of Maui. We treat each patient as part of our ohana.
Get to know us!
At Bonham & Bonham Orthodontics, we use the newest technology for our patients, including Damon® Smile self-ligating braces and Invisalign® clear aligners, which means improved comfort, faster treatment, and fewer appointments!
Contact our Kahului, Maui orthodontic office today to schedule an appointment! We offer convenient hours for you and your family, with before and after school appointments Mondays through Fridays.
