The cookie trays come out, someone brings a giant bowl of trail mix, and the group chat starts buzzing about a school chorus night or a church potluck in Weston or Sunrise. Then braces show up in the middle of it all. Teens want to eat what everyone else is eating, adults do not want to spend the night picking crumbs out of brackets, and parents want to avoid surprise repairs during the busiest weeks of the year. This is where Customized Care for Patients stops being a slogan and starts being the difference between “we’ll figure it out” and “we already have a plan.”
Sawgrass Orthodontics has two offices, one in Sunrise and one in Weston, and they see kids, teens, and adults for braces and Invisalign. Dr. Kristen and Dr. Penny both bring a conservative, individual-first approach to treatment planning, and that mindset shows up in the small, everyday details, including what you eat, how you clean, and how your appointments fit into a real schedule.
What Customized Care for Patients Looks Like Day To Day
A customized plan starts with the obvious stuff, like bite, spacing, crowding, and what needs to move. The day-to-day version is more personal than that.
It sounds like this in the chair:
- “School lunches are rushed. What foods do you actually eat on weekdays?”
- “Do you snack in the car between practices?”
- “Do you have a job where you talk all day and want something less noticeable?”
- “Do you want a removable option, or do you want something you never have to think about during meals?”
Dr. Kristen’s background includes advanced training after dental school, plus a craniofacial fellowship, and she’s known for a conservative style that focuses on what a patient actually needs, without pushing extras.
Dr. Penny’s care philosophy is built around tailoring treatment to the individual, and she grew up in South Florida after moving from Lima, Peru, with Spanish fluency that’s especially helpful in our community.
The First Visit Is More Than Photos And A Quick Look
Plenty of offices can tell you, “Braces will work.” A more useful appointment connects the treatment choice to your life. Here are a few things that often shape a plan in real ways:
Your Calendar Counts
It can be hard to juggle school schedules, sports, after-school pickups, and long workdays. A plan that matches your routine is easier to keep up with for months, not just the first week.
Your Food Habits Tell A Story
Someone who lives on crunchy snacks needs different coaching than someone who mostly eats soft foods. A teen who bites straight into candy apples at holiday festivals needs a different strategy than an adult who’s mostly worried about coffee stains and client meetings.
Your Mouth Scans Can Make Planning Clearer
Sawgrass Orthodontics uses the iTero Digital Impression System, which captures a 3D scan of teeth with a handheld wand instead of traditional impression trays.
Digital scans can make it easier to show patients what the plan is aiming to change, and the scans also help everyone stay on the same page when progress is checked over time.
How Dr. Kristen And Dr. Penny Personalize Food And Daily Habits For Each Patient
Food advice falls flat when it’s just a list of “don’t eat this.” Real life in Weston and Sunrise includes school lunches that get inhaled in ten minutes, snack bags in the car on the way to practice, and holiday tables where someone always shows up with something sticky, crunchy, or both. Dr. Kristen and Dr. Penny keep it practical by starting with what you already do, then adjusting it so your braces or aligners can keep doing their job without surprise problems.
They Start With Your Real Routine
Some patients are big on crunchy snacks. Others graze all day. Plenty of teens rotate through the same few lunch options because it’s fast and familiar. Adults might be sipping iced coffee through long work calls or grabbing quick bites between meetings in Sunrise or after-school pickup in Weston.
That’s why Sawgrass Orthodontics tends to ask questions that sound simple, but matter a lot:
- What do you eat Monday through Friday, not just on weekends?
- Do you snack while driving, or mostly at home?
- Do you chew ice, bite nails, or use your front teeth to tear open packaging?
- Do you have family gatherings where certain foods always show up?
Those details help them strategize the perfect plan for you, so you don’t leave feeling like you have to overhaul your whole life. This is one of the most helpful parts of customized care for patients, because the plan becomes doable, not just “technically correct.
Braces Patients Get Swap Ideas That Still Feel Normal
Braces are strong, yet brackets and wires still have limits. Hard and sticky foods can bend wires or pop brackets loose. Foods that pack into brackets also make cleaning take longer, especially after sugary snacks.
Instead of telling you to skip every fun thing, this style of care focuses on realistic swaps:
Love candy canes or peppermint? Do peppermint hot chocolate, peppermint yogurt, or a soft-baked treat with a little mint flavor.
Always at parties with chips and salsa? Grab softer options and break them into smaller pieces, or switch to a spoonable dip like guac or bean dip with small bites of soft tortilla.
Apples at school lunches? Slice them thin or choose applesauce cups for a bit.
Crusty bread at a potluck? Pull the softer inside pieces, cut them small, and chew slowly.
Popcorn during movie nights? Pick a softer snack that won’t leave sharp little pieces stuck around brackets.
Smaller bites reduce stress on brackets, softer textures reduce the chance of broken hardware, and less sticky foods cut down on the stuff that sits around brackets after you think you’re done eating.
Invisalign Patients Get A Strategy For Parties And Busy Days
Invisalign makes eating easier because trays come out. The trade-off is wear time. Dr. Kristen and Dr. Penny usually frame it around a plan you can repeat without overthinking. A realistic party routine looks like this:
- Eat and enjoy, then rinse with water right after.
- Brush when you can, especially after sweets.
- Trays go back in as soon as you’re done, not “after I hang out for a while.”
A small kit makes a big difference for teens bouncing between school events and family plans:
- Travel toothbrush and toothpaste
- Floss picks
- A case for aligners (napkins and pockets are where trays disappear)
Let’s Make Your Treatment Feel Doable
If braces or Invisalign have been on your mind, come see us for a free consult in Weston or Sunrise. Dr. Kristen or Dr. Penny will take a look, talk through what you’re hoping to change, and give you a plan in our Sawgrass Orthodontics office.
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