Dr. Krista Hirasuna grew up on the Monterey Peninsula. As the daughter of a general dentist, she spent many summers working at her fathers practice. She attended Santa Clara University and graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. She worked at Lockheed Martin for one year as a circuit design engineer before discovering that this career was not fulfilling and lacked the chance to influence individual lives directly.

Dr. Hirasuna left engineering to pursue a career in dentistry at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). During her dental training, she received the award for Exceptional Interest in the Development of the Oro-Facial Complex by the American Association of Orthodontists. In addition, her instructors recognized her achievements in scholarship, leadership, and community service with the Elizabeth Fuhriman Gardner award, the highest honor given by the UCSF School of Dentistry. She was also elected into the dental honor society, Omicron Kappa Upsilon.

Continuing her studies at UCSF, Dr. Hirasuna received two degrees simultaneously, a Postdoctoral Certificate in Orthodontics and a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Oral and Craniofacial Science. During residency, she researched the use of lasers to remove residual orthodontic composite, or the cement that adheres braces to teeth. She published three articles in peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Hirasuna also presented her research at a national level, and she was awarded the Joseph E. Johnson Clinical Award by the American Association of Orthodontists.

Dr. Hirasuna is married to her college sweetheart, John, and they are the proud parents of a beautiful daughter and handsome son. They enjoy outdoor activities, and especially those that include their family. They also enjoy traveling, cooking, and wine tasting, as well as snowboarding and hiking.

No. All orthodontists must be licensed to practice, but at this time only 1 in 3 orthodontists have continued on to complete Board Certification. The American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) certification process signifies a unique achievementa significant step beyond the two to three years of advanced education required for a dentist to become a specialist in orthodontics. The process requires the orthodontist to demonstrate actual accomplishments in patient care with detailed case reports on the treatment provided for a broad range of patient problems. Board certification is a voluntary achievement that all orthodontists do not choose to pursue. In order to become board certified by the ABO, an individual orthodontist is thoroughly interviewed by a highly respected panel of examiners to demonstrate their orthodontic knowledge, clinical skills and judgment.

One. The American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) is the only certifying board in the specialty that is recognized by the American Dental Association. The ABO was founded in 1929 and is the oldest specialty board in dentistry. The boards purpose is to elevate the quality of orthodontic care for the public by promoting excellence through certification, education and professional collaboration.

Successful completion of the examination process demonstrates the orthodontists highest commitment to excellence in orthodontics to both the orthodontic profession and the general public. It represents a commitment by a licensed specialist that he/she has the necessary knowledge base and skills to treat patients to the highest of standards. It exemplifies a practitioners commitment to continue to keep abreast of the latest advances in patient care, and to continue to deliver these latest advances to patients. Many orthodontists see it as a demonstration of their dedication to the specialty and the highest level of personal achievement.

Since the establishment of the ABO in 1929, the certification process requirements have continued to adjust to the demands of the specialty. Today, the process involves a thorough Written Examination (240 questions) covering all areas of information which an orthodontist should be knowledgeable. Successful completion of this board exam allows the orthodontist to proceed to the Clinical Examination where they present detailed case reports from their practice/residency, demonstrating a history of excellence in patient care. These cases are evaluated by a panel of examiners and later discussed during an oral examination where the applicant is tested on a wide variety of academic and clinical topics. After successful completion of these examinations, the orthodontist has officially achieved Board Certification, for a time-limited period. The orthodontist must go through Certification Renewal every 10 years to maintain their certification status by demonstrating this continued level of patient care.

Our excellent team consists of highly qualified professionals with years of experiencein the orthodontic and related fields. We are proud of ourteam memberstraining, expertiseand continuing education, and the manner in which we work together to help you in every way we can.

At Orthodonticsof San Mateoour whole team is committed to providing you with the best care possible in a warm, caring environment. All of our team anticipates that your experiences here will be successful and every member of the team puts much emphasis on you and your needs to ensure that your encounters in our office are pleasant for you.

When you are visiting our office, our attention to detail, our outstandingtechnical skills, our friendly, helpful attitude and our knowledge of orthodontics are all designed to make youfeel comfortable and secure knowing you are being taken care of efficiently and effectively.

Please alwaysfeel free to ask us questions and offer suggestions. Most of ourteam has experienced orthodontic treatment at Orthodonticsof San Mateo, and thus, canoffer first-hand opinions and details on the procedures they haveexperienced.

Elia has been with Orthodontics of San Mateo since her internship in 2003. She is our Administrative and Treatment Coordinator and loves working with people. Elia takes pleasure in assisting our new patients at their initial visit and helping them to achieve healthy, attractive smiles. She appreciates the outdoors and enjoys going on walks with her husband and kids. Elia had her teeth straightened with aligners and now wears her retainers part-time to hold her orthodontic correction. Elia is also a Registered Dental Assistant.

Melanie began working as our Scheduling Coordinator in July of 2020. Her past experiences in various healthcare settings, including the hospital as a nursing student and the pharmacy as a pharmacy technician, have helped shape the way she interacts with patients. A San Mateo native, Melanie went to all local institutions; she attended Turnbull Learning Academy (now College Park Elementary), Borel Middle School and Aragon High School. In 2013, she graduated from College of San Mateo with an Associates Degree in Social Science. When she is not working, she loves to spend time with her family, husband and friends. She has always loved to draw, and in her free time, draws pencil portraits of her loved ones. She is a lover of all animals, especially dogs and cats, and is also passionate about nature, spiritual and holistic health, and astrology.

Katherine is our Treatment Coordinator. She graduated from San Francisco State University with degrees in both Child and Adolescent Development and Psychology. While at San Francisco State University, she participated in the Denmark Study Abroad Program where she discovered her passion for traveling and photography. During her free time, she enjoys reading, watching movies, and spending time with family. Katherine graduated from braces a while ago and wears retainers daily to keep her teeth nice and straight. Katherine looks forward to helping patients achieve the goal of having a happy, healthy, vibrant smile.

Cassieis originally from New York. She joined Orthodontics of San Mateo in 2021 as our Financial Coordinator. Cassie has over 30 years experience in Orthodontics and she is also Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) certified. Cassie loves watching patients confidence grow as their smiles improve. She enjoys spending time with her two dogs and crafting on her free time.

Misty has been an Orthodontics of San Mateo team member since 2007 and is dedicated to orthodontics and dentistry. She is native to San Mateo and attended local schools (Sunnybrae Elementary, Borel Middle School & Aragon High School). As a Registered Dental Assistant with over twenty years of experience in orthodontics, Misty is ever so happy working with kids and adults at Orthodontics of San Mateo. She is a great team player and says she loves the whole orthodontic team and being with them. She is a proud mother of three children, a beautiful granddaughter & a handsome grandson.

Ana was born and raised in San Mateo, CA. She attended local schools: Sunnybrae Elementary School, Borel Middle School, and San Mateo High School. She became a Registered Dental Assistant shortly after graduating from the Dental Assistants Program at the College of San Mateo in 2020. She loves helping her fellow coworkers and the patients at Orthodontics of San Mateo. In her free time, she loves spending quality time with her family and husband, especially by watching new movies altogether.

Elbais a lady with a beautiful heart who loves children and people especially Dr. Hirasuna and the orthodontic team and all the great patients. Elba first came to our office as a dental assistant intern from ROP. Previously she worked in a dental laboratory fabricating crowns and bridges and partial and full dentures. Now she is in charge of our in-office lab and assists in the operatory. As Elba is from El Salvador, she speaks Spanish as well as English. She likes to read, go to the gym and shop. She has two children and four delightful granddaughters.

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 video 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.