Our Blog

Thinking About Mail-In Orthodontics? Read This First!

Wouldn’t you love to simply take a selfie, and/or impression of your teeth or get your teeth scanned, and receive aligners that straighten your teeth in a few months without even leaving your home? Sounds too good to be true, huh? This is exactly the type of convenience offered and advertised with direct-to-consumer orthodontics. Companies like SmileDirectClub, Smilelove,

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Are You Cleaning Your Braces with the Right Toothbrush?

You’re just starting orthodontic treatment and it’s time to brush your teeth. Do you brush with a manual or electric toothbrush? The truth is that either type of toothbrush does an effective job of cleaning the teeth. For those of you not convinced, we’ve listed some features and benefits of each so you can decide for yourself. Benefits

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5 Tips for Going Back to School with Braces

Bummed out that summer is almost over? At Boyd Orthodontics in Columbia, Elgin, and West Columbia, SC, we feel this is a great time of year to revisit the basics of caring for your teeth during orthodontic treatment. Starting a healthy routine at the beginning of the school year will go a long way towards achieving a beautiful,

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6 Fun Smartphone Apps To Improve Your Oral Hygiene

We use our smartphones for almost everything in our lives. From setting alarms to wake up, to tracking our workouts, calories and calendars, we keep our phones close to us at all times. That being said, it comes as no surprise that our phones can be used to help improve our oral hygiene as well. To help establish or

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Spread the Word – October is National Orthodontic Health Month

October means something a little different to our team at Boyd Orthodontics because this is National Orthodontic Health Month. During October, orthodontic offices all over the country work together to promote their services and inform the community about the important work we do. Our goal is to draw attention to the fact that everyone needs to be evaluated

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Fun Halloween Costume Ideas for Braces

It’s that time of year again! Halloween is just around the corner and we at Boyd Orthodontics are here to get you ready. For those currently in braces, you may be wondering how you can stand out with your costume without letting your orthodontic treatment get in the way. Fear not! Here are five fun costume ideas you can

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What Happens When We Swallow Gum?

Orthodontist Dr. Richard E. Boyd and his talented orthodontic team want to dispel an urban legend about chewing gum: if you swallow a wad of gum, it does not sit in your stomach for seven years. In most cases, actually, not even seven days. Chewing gum, although not meant to be swallowed, passes harmlessly through the digestive system

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How to Survive Thanksgiving with Braces

If you’re a fan of food like we are (and really, who isn’t?), then Thanksgiving just might be one of your favorite holidays. Not only do you get to spend time with the ones you love, but you can also eat all the foods you might not get to eat as often. So how do you enjoy the

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Are You Over Brushing Your Braces?

Have you ever had that awkward experience when you drink a cold beverage and immediately feel a sharp pain in your teeth? You’re not alone. In fact, one in eight people has this same problem with tooth sensitivity. So what’s the cause? Believe it or not, tooth sensitivity such as this doesn’t have anything to do with cavities

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