Our Blog

Parent’s Point of View 

Excellence will carry on 

Going into this appointment, I felt like I was close to the finish line. The appointment was to remove attachments. After the attachments were removed, I was relieved. It was a good feeling; smooth again. 

Once the attachments were off, Dr. Kubo made a mold of my bottom and top teeth. From the flavor of mint, to the texture of the mold, it was an interesting process. The mold was created for the final tray. The mold would be sent out and within the week, it would arrive.  

Dr. Kubo put the final tray on. It felt sturdier. The tray was similar to the other trays, but more solid. This would sustain and maintain the position of the smile and preserve all of the hard work. 

It was a great feeling to know that we had made it to this point. I was very pleased with the process and the outcome. 

Before I left the office, I asked one of the staff how long she had been in her position; 19 years. It showed. She was consistently professional, dedicated, and competent. She then looked at me and said with a smile, “They are great doctors.” I nodded with affirmation. She said, “It’s a special place here.” Yes it is. It has been for two generations and it will continue to be for every person who walks through the doors of Kubo Orthodontics. 

Believe in the value of legacy. Recognize people who are loyal to those who are good. Respect organizations who stand by a value system, which includes heart, competence and trust. Support those who have maintained everything we need in this world; awareness, kindness, and a heart for others. 

Through orthodontic care, the Kubo legacy makes an impact for each individual. A ripple effect will continue over time. A smile is everlasting. But beyond that, our children need to see and experience great people. When there is a model for how to act, and how to serve; our youth absorb every bit of it and will pay it forward. It is simply, humanity at its best. Model excellence; and excellence will carry on for generations to come. 

Liao Company is a Central Valley Company which offers content marketing for organizations, businesses, and corporations. www.liaocompany.com liaocompany@gmail.com 

Teenager’s Point of View 

Almost like a friend is my orthodontist ~ With every appointment it just gets more and more pleasant 

The next time I came for an appointment, the procedures were exactly the same. I came this time to get my molds for my final retainers. 

When I sat down, I swished my mouthwash and relaxed until Dr. Kubo got there. He always makes sure to ask how we are doing and get to know us even more than he already does. He really keeps in mind the patients and their life. 

It’s almost like a friend is my orthodontist. 

This also makes me less tense and more relaxed when he is working on my teeth. I trust him more because I know he cared about us and his other patients. 

For the mold, he got a plastic container the size of my mouth so it would fit my teeth. They had different types of tastes and they would fill it and stick it in my mouth. After a bit, they would take it out and my teeth would be molded into it. 

After the mold was made, Dr. Kubo told me that my retainers would be here, in less than a week. I was shocked at how soon it would be. 

He said that I would come back next time and get fitted for my retainer. The retainer would keep my smile just the way it is. 

With every appointment, it just gets more and more pleasant.

Memorial Day is not only a federal holiday in the United States, but it is a day of observance and remembrance of those who died in service. Originally known as Decoration Day, this solemn day has been marked on calendars since the end of the American Civil War as a day to commemorate both the Confederate and Union soldiers who fought and died in the war.

Marking the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers, wreaths, or other tokens has been practiced throughout history, but it wasn't until the mark of the end of the Civil War that a special day was decided upon as the one to spend in remembrance. By 1890, every state in the country was observing Decoration Day. It wasn't until 1967 when the name formally changed from Decoration Day to Memorial Day, in order to encompass all fallen American soldiers in all wars and conflicts. In June of 1968, Congress moved the official date of Memorial Day to the last Monday in May in order to create a three day weekend.

Today, while there is certainly an air of remembrance on Memorial Day, it has become more a day of spending time with family, friends, and other loved ones. This day is also heralded as the start of summer, with many schools finishing for the year around this time. Our team at Kubo Orthodontic Group remembers it as a day to take solace and remembered those lost.

Traditional observances of Memorial Day are still held, and they often involve raising the American Flag then lowering it to a half-staff position until noon, and then raising it once again to its full height afterwards. The flag is lowered to remember those who've lost their lives while in service to their country, and then it is raised to signify our willingness to not let their sacrifice be in vain.

From community parades in the Fresno, CA area, backyard cook-outs, and fireworks to formal ceremonies, Memorial Day is commemorated in many different ways. No matter how you choose to spend this day, take a moment to remember those who've lost their lives in an effort to preserve our freedom.

Parent’s Point of View 

Mother Nature always wins - Mid course correction 

Just when I thought I was at the finish line; there was more. In orthodontic care, there is a dependency on Mother Nature. And as Dr. Kubo stated, “Mother nature always wins.” With our modern technology, there is an expectation for change and movement, but the unknown element is the influence of Mother Nature. It is never black and white, even with advanced technology and state of the art trays, braces, and retainers; Mother Nature is on its own timeline. We don’t know exactly how quickly or slowly our teeth will move even when we are consistent and disciplined. We can only estimate. And as I moved through this process, I learned that Mother Nature drives how long this process takes; it is the unknown factor in this puzzle of a process. 

When I was scheduled for this appointment, I did not know what to expect. When we went to the private room, it was like the first visit and it reminded me of how far we had come from the very first visit. I was pleased with the progress thus far. Dr. Kubo examined my teeth and was pleased as well. The amount of detail in the examination and next steps was methodical. There was confidence in where we were; next steps were clarified. Standards and expectations were beyond average. This was clearly the way Dr. Kubo and his office staff operated; every step of the way. Through numerous office visits and observations throughout a one-year period, it was evident that professionalism was the standard for every patient that walked through the doors. 

Although Dr. Kubo was pleased, his standard was to continue to improve. Little did I know that this was a mid-course correction appointment. Evaluate, assess, recommend. The evaluation determined that we would continue with a few more sets of trays to achieve optimal results; high standards. The assessment and recommendation was that it would be worth it to extend time and allow teeth to move with Mother Nature. Just good enough was not enough; isn’t that what every patient desires and deserves? 

Even though I knew this would mean a few more weeks of living with trays, I knew the payoff would be worth the effort. In everything we do, we need reliable evaluation, feedback and mid-course correction. And sometimes we need to recognize that Mother Nature is on its own timeline; so stay the course with patience and consistency. 

Liao Company is a Central Valley Company which offers content marketing for organizations, businesses, and corporations. www.liaocompany.com liaocompany@gmail.com 

Teenager’s Point of View 

Fully satisfied with my smile ~ couldn’t ask for a better one 

I went in again for an appointment to take my brackets off. This was a very exciting time for me because I finished my sets and was super excited about the final result. 

Dr. Kubo made it very pleasurable and easy. He said that I can continue to fine tune things and make my teeth even more straight or I can take them off. He said it does not cost anything to continue to want my smile even more improved than it was; it would just mean continuing the process. 

In the end, I decided that I was happy with my smile that I had and I got to take them off. 

It made me feel better that Dr. Kubo gave me options and I could make the final decision whether I wanted to go longer or take them off. 

I am fully satisfied with my smile and I couldn’t ask for a better one. 

The procedures for the appointment were the same. Once I got in my room I got to take my mask off and swish some mouthwash just for precautions; and then they got to work. The only people allowed to take the mask off were the patients. Everyone kept their face masks and protection on for both my safety and theirs. 

To take off the brackets, Dr. Kubo got a small drill and drilled them off. Some of them could be picked at, and they would fall right off; but he was very thorough and made sure that my teeth were nice and smooth just as before. 

The job was flawless and didn’t hurt a bit.

You can probably see how teeth straightening can make your smile more attractive, but you might be wary of how Invisalign Teen treatment works. If you’re like most teens at our Fresno, CA office, you love hanging out with your friends, and you don’t want to be different, watch what you eat, or worry about how you look. Invisalign Teen has several benefits over traditional metal braces that can make your treatment easier.

People won’t know you’re wearing them.

Invisalign Teen consists of clear trays that are virtual impossible for others to see. Chances are, the only people who know that you are getting your teeth straightened will be your family and any of your friends whom you choose to tell. You won’t need to answer to “Tinsel Teeth” and “Metal Mouth” as some of your classmates with metal braces do.

You can eat what your friends eat.

You take your Invisalign Teen aligners out of your mouth for meals and snacks, so you can eat just like you normally would. You don’t need to worry about food getting stuck in your braces or leading to a bracket popping off. Unlike with braces, you can enjoy the following foods with your friends during Invisalign Teen straightening treatment:

• Popcorn at the movies
• Trail mix with dried fruit when you’re hanging out together
• Ribs and chicken wings at a party
• Eating a peanut butter sandwich, apple, and carrot sticks for lunch

You can take care of your teeth more easily.

It would be a shame if you took the trouble to straighten your teeth and then found out that you had developed tooth decay while wearing braces. This is less of a problem with Invisalign Teen aligners because they are removable. You can brush and floss your teeth as normal just by taking the trays out of your mouth.

Getting straighter teeth can be a serious confidence-booster in the long run, and with Invisalign Teen, the treatment isn’t that bad. You can wear these clear aligners without letting people know that you’re straightening your teeth, and they won’t interfere with your diet or dental hygiene.