Thomas Flanagan, DDSis an accredited orthodontist. This means he has completed an advanced post-doctoral course, accredited by the American Dental Association, of at least two academic years in the specialty of orthodontics after four years of general dentistry training. Dr. Flanagan received his dental training at Emory University, where he graduated in the top of his class. He returned to the Chattanooga area and practiced general dentistry for five years before returning to Emory University for his post-doctoral training in orthodontics.
Dr. Flanagan is originally from Atlanta, Georgia, but moved to Chattanooga in 1975 to attend the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He earned a degree in Engineering and completed the additional pre-dental requirements during his four years there.
He was also captain of the wrestling team and ranked in the top 10 wrestlers in the country in his weight class. He was honored as the senior UTC athlete with the highest GPA and voted by the faculty as the single graduating senior who contributed the most to UTC during his four years in attendance.
In 1978, he married the former Susan Eady of Chattanooga and had three daughters: Beth, Katie, and Jennifer. Dr. Flanagans devotion to and enjoyment of his orthodontic career has rubbed off on his daughters, as two have chosen to follow in his footsteps and pursue a career in dentistry.
Dr. Flanagan is no stranger to hard work and knows the commitment it takes to be a leader in the orthodontic field. He has served in various positions within the Tennessee Dental Association, including president of the Chattanooga Area Dental Society and the Tennessee Association of Orthodontists. He also maintains memberships with the American Association of Orthodontists, American Dental Association, and the Lookout Study Club.
His work experience in the general dentistry field, coupled with his engineering background, gives him an edge in managing difficult cases and appliance designs to achieve the best overall dental health and esthetics.
Since opening his orthodontic practice in 1990, he has dedicated himself to creating outstanding smiles for his patients using the latest technology available and making your overall orthodontic experience the best it can be.
We are especially interested in making all our patients feel right at home! We put your needs first to achieve efficient and comprehensive treatment. Our staff is trained and skilled, and we strive to provide energetic and fun-loving service to each patient.
Each member of our treatment team is a registered assistant, and our office staff has years of experience in treating patients with the highest level of care. We strive to stay abreast of the very latest in technology and advances by regularly attending continuing education courses and seminars.
Its more important than ever to brush and floss regularly when you have braces, so the teeth and gums are healthy during orthodontic treatment. Patients who do not keep their teeth clean may require more frequent visits to the dentist for a professional cleaning. Adults who have a history of gum disease should also see a periodontist during orthodontic treatment. Watch the two videos below on the proper care of braces during orthodontic treatment.
What can you eat? Lets talk about what you shouldnt eat! For the first day or so, stick to soft foods. Avoid tough meats, hard breads, and raw vegetables. Before long, youll be able to bite a cucumber again. But youll need to protect your orthodontic appliances when you eat for as long as youre wearing braces.
When you get your braces on, you may feel general soreness in your mouth and teeth may be tender to biting pressures for 3 5 days. Take Tylenol or whatever you normally take for headache or discomfort. The lips, cheeks and tongue may also become irritated for one to two weeks as they toughen and become accustomed to the braces. We will supply wax to put on the braces in irritated areas to lessen discomfort.
To successfully complete orthodontic treatment, the patient must work together with the orthodontist. The teeth and jaws can only move toward their corrected positions if the patient consistently wears the rubber bands or other appliances as prescribed. Lack of cooperation following instructions and damaged appliances lengthen the treatment time so please follow instructions.
To successfully complete the treatment plan, the patient must work together with the orthodontist. The teeth and jaws can only move toward their corrected positions if the patient consistently wears the rubber bands, headgear or other appliances as prescribed. Damaged appliances lengthen the treatment time.