The dog days of summer are almost upon us, and what better time for us to ask our patients’ summer plans!

Whether you’re going camping, hitting America’s great open roads, visiting our nation’s capitol, or just staying in town and hanging out, we want to know how you’re all going to spending your summer! Please feel free to share your summer plans and experiences with us below or on our Facebook page!

We look forward to reading all about your summer adventures!

As the summer rapidly approaches, we strive to continue writing about important topics related to orthodontics and your treatment at our office.

To help us continue doing that through the course of the spring and summer, we would like to ask you, our readers: what’s on your mind? What would you like to know about the always-changing and exciting field of orthodontics? What would you like us to focus on our blog in the spring and summer months? Perhaps there’s something you’ve wanted to ask us for a while? Let us know by posting here, on our Facebook page, or during your next adjustment appointment.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Dr. Ray Zoka and our team at Zoka Orthodontics understand not everyone is always thrilled at the prospect of visiting their orthodontist. But at our Camarillo office, we strive to bring you the best and most comforting experience at each visit.

Our team at Zoka Orthodontics understand the importance of having a great smile and provide a unique professional experience for all patients.

Today, we’d like to know: What is it about Zoka Orthodontics that makes you comfortable or puts you or your child at ease? Is it something about our pleasant environment? Our courteous staff? Something about Dr. Zoka?

Let us know by posting here or on our Facebook page!

With spring here, many children, teens and adults will once again pick up the ball, bring the bat out of seasonal retirement, and lace up their cleats to hit the fields for the return of spring sports! April is National Facial Protection Month, and during this time, we urge our young athletes to play it safe when out on the field. According to the National Youth Sports Safety Foundation, children, high-school athletes and adults will have more than 5,000,000 teeth knocked out in sporting events this year.

We give patients a mouth guard per request and they are encouraged to wear it if they are involved in contact sports. This mouth guard is a loose fitting one that can be molded but not to tightly to the patients teeth. This would allow the teeth to move and at the same time protect them against injury.

Here are a few ways to ensure your or your child’s mouth’s safety this spring:

1. Wear mouth guards for contact sports such as baseball, softball, soccer and lacrosse.
2. Wear a helmet
3. Wear protective eyewear
4. Wear a face shield to avoid scratched or bruised skin
5. Be alert, even as a spectator

We hope that helps. Protective gear is vital for anyone engaging in tooth or mouth-threatening activities. If you have any further questions about any of these tips, please contact our office. Stay safe and have fun!

Rubber bands, or elastics, can be an integral aspect of orthodontic care, so if Dr. Ray Zoka has prescribed elastics as a part of your treatment, it’s important to follow the directions fully. Elastics help to align your bite or cause teeth to move in different directions and straighten more quickly. Dr. Zoka will instruct you how to hook one end to an upper bracket and the other end to a lower bracket so the rubber band goes vertically or diagonally from one bracket to another. The tension of the rubber band produces pressure on the bracket, which causes the teeth to move and straighten. This tension is also sufficient to correct an overbite or an under bite in the jaw.

If rubber bands are a part of your treatment plan, there are a few things to keep in mind. With rubber bands, you won’t be able to open your mouth fully, so they will have to be removed when you eat and reapplied after meal time. Many times, rubber bands are only needed at night, so you won’t need to worry about eating with them. Also, if you try to open your mouth too wide, your rubber bands might snap – so be careful!

Failure to wear your elastics full time or as instructed can lengthen your treatment time and may make it more difficult to achieve an optimal result. But don’t worry; your time in elastics will be well worth it when you see your beautiful, new smile.

With winter sports close to wrapping up and spring sports right around the corner, it’s a great time to remind the athletes that visit Zoka Orthodontics to protect their pearly whites while participating in sports and other physical activities. After all, children, high-school athletes and adults have more than 5,000,000 teeth knocked out annually, according to the National Youth Sports Safety Foundation.

Recently, Dr. Zoka was asked about the importance of mouth guards:

"I do give my patients a loose fitting mouth guard," Dr. Zoka said. "They can also buy one from an athletic equipment store, like Sports Authorities or Big 5. We do not recommend molding the guard by warming it in a bowl of hot water until their teeth have been aligned and they are wearing elastics to correct their bite."

For more questions about mouth guards, please ask us below or ask Dr. Zoka during your next adjustment visit!

Today marks Presidents’ Day, a day known for celebrating of both George Washington’s and Abraham Lincoln’s combined Birthdays. Presidents’ Day was created in 1971, when President Richard Nixon combined the birthdays of two of our most well-known presidents into one single federal holiday. Presidents’ Day also marks a hard-earned day off from work and school for a lot of our patients at Zoka Orthodontics.

Here are a few fun facts about our nation’s presidents:

*Abraham Lincoln, our 16th president, carried letters, bills and notes in his tall stovepipe hat.

*George Washington is the first president to be featured on a postage stamp.

*Ronald Reagan, our 40th president, broke the so-called “20-year curse,” in which every president elected in a year ending in 0 died in office.

*Harry S. Truman was the first president to have his Inauguration and speeches televised.

*Abraham Lincoln was the tallest of the U.S. presidents measuring 6’ 4” tall.

*Virginia is the birthplace of more United States presidents than any other state, followed by Ohio and Massachusetts.

In the 1950s and ’60s, civil rights champion Martin Luther King, Jr. recognized the need to bring about social justice, strengthen America’s communities and move the nation forward. Today, thousands of people of all ages and races in California will spend their day building, giving and renovating our communities to help celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Do you have the day off? If so, what will you do to help your local community?

We’d love to know about your activities and events this MLK Jr. Day. If you have any video or pictures you’d like to share, please share them on our Facebook page!

Dr. Zoka and our entire team are proud of your work in our community! Happy MLK Day!

The year is almost over, so we wanted to ask what was memorable about 2011 for you, and what are you looking forward to in 2012? Do you have a new year's resolution, or any exciting plans for the coming year?

Have a safe and happy New Year, from Zoka Orthodontics!

In this season given to tidings of comfort and joy, and as Dr. Zoka and our team reflect on the year that was, we’d like to ask you, our wonderful patients: What do you love about the holidays this year? Being with your loved ones? A clean slate for 2012? Opening presents by the fireplace? All the delicious food? Also, what gift are you most looking forward to getting this year?

We’d love if you shared with us all the things you love about the holidays. Stay warm, and don’t forget to stay away from those sweets!

Happy Holidays from our entire team at Zoka Orthodontics!

Our staff at Zoka Orthodontics wanted to remind all our wonderful patients to be careful when they bite into their treats this evening. Remember, caramels, taffy, nuts, bubble gum, popcorn kernels and suckers are some of the foods you should be avoiding this Halloween! Indulging in these foods can break your braces and lengthen your treatment time!

Of course, Halloween doesn’t have to be completely treat-less. Our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists have provided a helpful list of tips and braces-friendly recipes for the Halloween Season.

We wish you all a safe, fun and happy Halloween!

Check out our Facebook page for some GHOULISH photos!

Happy Monday! Dr. Zoka just came back from a seminar In Seattle given by Invisalign parent company, Align technology . It was a western summit for Invisalign top providers, where recent technological and treatment advances was discussed. I also attended a seminar 3 weeks ago on the topic of using a new technique using an appliance called CarriereDistalizer to correct class II malocclusion.

We are also excited to announce we have a monthly guessing contest on different topics. This month’s guessing game is to guess the number of little eagle confetti in a small container. We have patients of the month contest in four different categories (oral hygiene, Headgear wear, most consistent, and most improved).

Come in and take a guess during your next adjustment appointment with Dr. Zoka!

The dog days of summer are upon us, and what better time for Dr. Zoka and team to ask our patients about their summer!

Whether you visited our nation’s capitol, went on a camping trip, visited the state fair or just stayed in town and hung out with friends, we want to know how you’re all spending your summer! Please feel free to share your summer plans and experiences with us below or on our Facebook page as the summer comes to an end soon for a lot of our patients at Zoka Orthodontics!

We look forward to reading all about your adventures!

It’s summer here at Zoka Orthodontics, a season full of vacations, adventures and great memories. Whether you are headed to a barbeque, a camping trip, baseball game or just having fun in the sun, we want to hear about it! Leave a comment here on our blog or Facebook page and tell us about your summer!

Happy (and safe) travels!

At Zoka Orthodontics, we value the relationships we have developed with our patients in Camarillo, Ventura and surrounding communities. Even if you only see Dr. Zoka for your adjustment on a regular basis, did you know that you can now connect with us on Facebook?

There, we share office news and updates, and invite you to "Like" us! By Liking our page, you will receive updates from our office automatically in your news feed!

See you on Facebook and enjoy the rest of your week! We hope you had a wonderful Fourth!

We hope you’re having a great week and a great summer so far! If you are planning on traveling with family this summer or think you might not be able to make it to your scheduled appointment with Dr. Zoka, please let us know ahead of time so that we may be able to accommodate you, as well as schedule another patient at that appointment time.

Also, we ask that you give us a call and and let us know if you have any new phone numbers or if your contact information has changed! Please call us with any updates to phone numbers and addresses, so we may be able to reach you. Thank you! Enjoy the rest of your week!

If you recently completed treatment at Zoka Orthodontics, we’d like to congratulate you! Now that your braces have been removed, Dr. Zoka will provide—or has provided you—with retainers. After braces are removed, teeth can shift out of position if they are not stabilized. Retainers provide that stabilization. They are designed to hold teeth in their corrected, ideal positions until the bones and gums adapt to the treatment changes. Wearing retainers exactly as instructed by Dr. Zoka is the best insurance that the treatment improvements last for a lifetime. Here are some things to remember when you receive your retainers:

* Wear your retainers full time, until the doctor instructs otherwise. Wearing your retainers at night ensures that your pearly whites won’t relapse.

* Remove retainers when swimming or during any sporting activity in which the retainers could fall out and get broken or lost (cheerleading, basketball, etc.) or when you should be wearing a mouth guard (football, soccer, etc.).

We hope this helps! You can always contact our team if you have any questions!

With spring here, many of our patients at Zoka Orthodontics will once again pick up the ball, bring the bat out of seasonal retirement, and lace up their cleats to hit the fields for the return of spring sports! April is National Facial Protection Month, and during this time, Dr. Zoka and our dedicated team urge our young athletes to play it safe when out on the field. According to the National Youth Sports Safety Foundation, children, high-school athletes and adults will have more than 5,000,000 teeth knocked out in sporting events this year.

Here are a few ways to ensure your mouth’s safety this spring, courtesy of our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists:

1. Wear mouth guards for contact sports such as baseball, softball, soccer and lacrosse.
2. Wear a helmet
3. Wear protective eyewear
4. Wear a face shield to avoid scratched or bruised skin
5. Be alert, even as a spectator

We hope that helps. Protective gear is vital for anyone engaging in tooth or mouth-threatening activities. If you have any further questions about any of these tips, please give us a call. Stay safe and have fun!

Access to your account, 24/7. Sounds simple and convenient, doesn’t it?

Patients at Zoka Orthodontics enjoy access to their account 24 hours a day, seven days a week—all through our website. You can look up your appointments and all of your account details at your convenience, all from the comfort of your own home! You can even receive appointment reminders through email or text messages!

You, too, may sign up for this convenient service on our website by clicking on the "Patient Login" button on our homepage. Please give us a call if you have any questions about getting started! Or, you may ask Dr. Zoka and team on Facebook!