John Schneider, Jr., D.D.S., LLC

Orthodontics

Stepping into the office of Dr. John Schneider, Jr., feels less like a visit to the orthodontist and more like a visit to the home of a good friend. And that’s intentional.

The inviting atmosphere is designed to appeal to patients of all ages. Children enjoy the cartoon characters by Disney and Warner Brothers, as well as a new game room equipped with Play Station, X-Box, Pac Man and Wii Sports games. Adults—who, interestingly, make up close to 40 percent of Dr. Schneider’s patient population—also enjoy the game room and viewing his collection of Eastern Shore (and other) art.

In January 2010, Dr. Schneider moved into a new office, fully equipped with the most advanced diagnostic x-ray equipment, including state-of-the-art 3D imaging capability.

“If your smile is not becoming to you, you should be coming to us!”

For many years, orthodontics (braces) bore the reputation of being painful, expensive and generally unpleasant. Over more than 40 years of practicing orthodontics, Dr. Schneider has seen great advances in the specialty. He was a pioneer in promoting the Damon System, a high-tech method for treating patients more effectively and with less discomfort than ever before. “My chair-side assistant had Damon braces,” Dr. Schneider says, “and I wore braces, too, as an adult.”

The Damon System produces a beautiful, natural smile without the friction and pressure usually associated with traditional braces. Damon braces seldom require extraction of teeth. The system uses a slide mechanism to hold the wire, which allows teeth to move more freely, quickly and comfortably and requires fewer adjustments. Clear braces can now be used to make treatment more discreet, without sacrificing excellent results. Dr. Schneider says with a smile, “If your smile is not becoming to you, you should be coming to us!”

“A major benefit of orthodontic treatment is the marked improvement in dental and facial aesthetics,” Dr. Schneider explains. “We say ‘brace lift’ instead of ‘face lift’ because we can broaden the arches to give a more beautiful smile and, at the same time, take out the ‘crows’ feet’ and shadows on the sides of the mouth.”

From a functional point of view, when teeth are out of line, they cannot chew properly; therefore, food is not fully digested. This makes the stomach and intestines work harder. An improper occlusion (bite) also increases the risk of developing painful temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder.

In choosing his vocation, Dr. Schneider followed in the footsteps of many family members, including his father, who were dentists. He jokes that he grew up listening to a recording under his pillow every night that said, “Be an orthodontist. Be an orthodontist.” He earned his degree in dentistry from Georgetown University in 1966 and went on to achieve specialty certification in 1969, under the direction of the American Association of Orthodontists.

Dr. Schneider and his staff place great importance on accessibility and good communication. “Patients appreciate that we are in constant contact with them and they don’t have to go begging for answers,” he says. “We enjoy giving our patients a healthy, beautiful smile and hope our patients enjoy a pleasant experience when they come to see us.”

John Schneider, Jr., D.D.S., LLC
4 Caulk Lane, Suite C
Easton, MD 21601
410-822-7440

www.schneiderorthodontics.com

Pictured from left: Dr. John Schneider, Sally Schneider, Lisa Fretz and Debbie Petix
Photography: Steve Buchanan