Matthew B. Harrison, DDS, is a native of Camden, Arkansas, and has lived in Rogers since 2005. He graduated with high honors from both Ouachita Baptist University and The University of Tennessee College of Dentistry and has been practicing dentistry since 2002.Dr. Harrison also continues his studies with the Kois Center for Dental Excellence in Seattle on an annual basis. Prior to moving to Rogers, Dr. Harrison served for three years in the U.S. Army Dental Corps where he completed an Advanced General Dentistry residency at Fort Meade, Maryland.

During his year-long residency, Dr. Harrison received specialized training in endodontics (root canals), orthodontics, periodontics (gum treatment), pedodontics and oral surgery, including implant placement. He is also a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he served as the Brigade Dental Surgeon for the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division. Dr. Harrison is a member of the American Dental Association and the Arkansas State Dental Association. He and his wife, Laura, have one child. The Harrison family enjoys golf, reading, travel, Cardinals baseball and the Razorbacks. Dr. Harrison is currently accepting new patients.

Orthodontic care is a crucial part of maintaining the health, beauty, and function of your smile. Besides the aesthetic concerns, crooked teeth are more challenging to keep clean. This can increase your risk of developing cavities and gum disease.

A proper bite and straighter teeth can have many positive many benefits, along with improved oral hygiene. If youve been thinking about straightening your teeth, here are eight of the most frequently asked questions about orthodontics.

Orthodontic treatment focuses on diagnosing and treating alignment issues and improving oral function. By implementing customized appliances, orthodontics helps you achieve straighter teeth and a healthy bite.

While most dentists recommend orthodontics evaluation starting at around age seven, modern treatment options make care available for kids, teens, and adults. This allows your entire family to achieve a healthier smile at every stage of life.

Treatment time will vary from one person to another. The amount of time you will wear braces depends on your age and the complexity of your case. If you only have a few teeth that need to be straightened slightly, treatment can take as little as six months. Complex cases with multiple issues can take as long as two years to address effectively. Most orthodontic cases can be treated within 12-18 months.

Since everyones mouth is different, every treatment is unique. The price of your treatment will depend on the severity of misalignment, which option you select, and if you need other procedures, like an extraction. With insurance benefits, flexible spending accounts, and payment plans, you can probably find an option that works for your budget and your lifestyle.

The chances are high that your dentist or dental hygienist has been pushing you to floss daily every time you visit. If youre like most people, however, you probably dont manage to floss every day. You might not even floss at all.

Maybe its because flossing can be painful, time-consuming, and feel like an annoying chore that provides no immediate results. We all know flossing is essential, yet so few of us manage to do it regularly and keep it up daily year after year.

If youre looking for an option that can make flossing easier, devices that use water may work for you. Water flossing is done with a tool known as a water pick. This tool cleans your teeth and gums without physical contact using a concentrated stream of water to flush out plaque and bacteria. You can think of it as a sort of small pressure washer for your teeth and gums, and one which can be a lot more fun to use than dental floss!

A significant advantage of water flossing is that it is not as painful on your gums and doesnt cause bleeding as regular floss can. These benefits can help take the fear and stress out of flossing and lead to better dental hygiene habits.

Water flossers are simple to use and do a more effective job of cleaning your mouth than the piece of string that you might currently be using! Many users found that the water flosser reduced instances of gum disease and eliminated cases of bleeding almost entirely.

Most water flossing devices feature a hollow tube connected to a remote water reservoir, which holds a relatively large water supply, similar to the way a coffee maker works. The water flows down the hose and goes up into the pressure washing nozzle, where it sprays onto the teeth and gums in a concentrated stream. This is the most popular style of flosser, but there are also a few other options.

The second type of water flosser features a reservoir directly in the handle of the pressure washing tool, which allows the entire device to be self-contained and cordless. It may even contain a battery to eliminate the need for a power cord. One drawback of this water pick design is that you need to keep refilling the small water reservoir over and over again if you need more time to finish cleaning your teeth. This issue is not present with the remote reservoir style of water flossing machines.

There is also a third style of water flossing device which attaches directly to your bathroom faucet. This style is more challenging to work with and occupies your primary faucet, so it is not as popular.

Adjustable pressure is the first feature youll want to be on the lookout for. The ability to adjust the water stream pressure will give you a better level of control, which can both help improve cleaning effectiveness and reduce any mess caused by overspray from the hose.

Reducing the water streams pressure is also critical for those with sensitive gums or teeth and canker sores. By turning down the pressure, you can eliminate any potential pain caused by hitting sensitive teeth, gums, or sore areas with a powerful pressurized water stream. These adjustable pressure water flossers allow you to select an exact amount of water volume and pressure, making them much nicer to work with than those without this feature.

Interchangeable Spray Nozzle Tips: These differently designed tips can be optimized for people with braces to help clean in all the awkward and hard-to-reach places. They can also increase pressure, which can be helpful for those with stubborn plaque deposits.

Rotating Head: A rotating head design allows you to angle the spray head to reach spots that are difficult to access with a fixed spray head, making the tool more effective at cleaning plaque from all areas of the mouth.

After you have considered all of the above features, it is good to consider a few final things in your selection of a water flossing tool. These factors include, but are not limited to, price, size, and the ease and speed of changing or replacing batteries.

Regardless of which water flossing device you choose in the end, your dentist and dental hygienist will probably be pleased that you are cleaning your mouth more often and more effectively. Using a water pick can significantly reduce your risk of gum disease and instances of gum bleeding while also removing plaque and bacteria, which will lead to better overall dental health.