Dr. Liz Razdolsky Michalczyk & Dr. Yan Razdolsky Chicago Orthodontists

Dr. Liz Razdolsky Michalczyk & Dr. Yan Razdolsky Chicago Orthodontists Technological advancements continue to improve the way in which orthodontic treatment is provided. Our Purpose:

To Inspire. To Innovate. To Create. To Restore.

▫️ Forever Smiles Orthodontics | Braces, Invisalign & Complex/Surgical Craniofacial Disorders⁣⁣
▫️ Diplomates of American Board of Orthodontics⁣⁣
▫️ Creating Forever Beautiful Smiles since 1985
▫️ Complimentary consultation
📍Buffalo Grove, Chicago Here at Forever Smiles in Buffalo Grove, Dr. Yan Razdolsky and our team use the best, modern techniques in combination with the most successful, tried-and-true methods to obtain optimal results for each and every patient. Our Mission:

To provide the most efficient and effective orthodontic care, in a fun environment, and to treat people with dignity and respect. To make a difference within the communities we serve.

02/09/2026

We don’t just inherit eye color or hair texture 👀

Genetics also influence tooth size, jaw structure, bite alignment, enamel strength, saliva quality, and how the body responds to oral bacteria 🧬🦷 That’s why crowding, overbites, cavities, or gum issues often appear in families.

While genetics set the foundation, habits, environment, and oral care shape how these traits develop.

From an orthodontic perspective, monitoring growth and bite development helps guide alignment and function when needed. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends an orthodontic checkup around age 7, when growth patterns become clearer 📅

Orthodontic care can support healthy alignment and bite function at many stages of life, not only in early childhood.

If dental patterns run in your family, a personalized orthodontic evaluation can help determine the best approach ✨ Book a complimentary consultation with the Forever Smiles team today!

02/04/2026

Millie Bobby Brown’s smile has evolved since her Stranger Things debut in 2016. When we saw her as Eleven, her smile was bright, but she had natural imperfections, like slight misalignment and uneven canines.

With her busy filming schedule, it’s likely that Millie enhanced her smile with veneers - a popular choice for improving the shape, symmetry, and brightness of teeth. Veneers are thin, custom-made shells that cover the front surface of your teeth, offering a quick, flawless smile with minimal downtime.

However, veneers are purely cosmetic - they enhance the look but don’t address alignment or bite issues. Orthodontic care remains essential for a healthy smile foundation. Without proper alignment, cosmetic enhancements like veneers can wear down, chip, or break over time.

Orthodontics is about health, stability, and long-term results. If your smile isn’t quite right, orthodontic treatment is the first step toward lasting improvement.

Thinking about enhancing your smile? Book a complimentary consultation with the Forever Smiles team - we’ll make sure your smile is ready for whatever comes next.

02/02/2026

If you’ve watched The Middle, you probably remember this moment 😂 Funny on TV… but let’s clear something up in real life.

👉 We don’t keep kids in braces for 8 years. Ever. In fact, kids are typically in braces for no more than about 2 years.

What people sometimes call “years of braces” is actually orthodontic treatment done in phases, not continuous braces.

🦷 Phase 1 orthodontics (usually ~12-15 months)
Done while a child still has baby teeth to:
• Correct crossbites or underbites
• Guide jaw growth
• Create space if the jaw is too narrow
Using appliances like expanders or orthopedic headgear.

⏸️ Break / retention phase
After Phase 1, there’s often a pause while permanent teeth finish erupting. No braces here, just monitoring and retention.

🦷 Phase 2 (if needed)
Braces are placed later only if permanent teeth come in crooked. This phase is usually shorter and more efficient.

Every treatment plan is personalized, and the goal is healthy, stable results - not keeping kids in braces longer than necessary.

Thinking about braces or Invisalign? Book a complimentary consultation with the Forever Smiles team! 😊

01/30/2026

Thumb sucking may start as a simple habit, but if it continues past age 4 or 5, it can lead to dental issues like an open bite.

One effective solution from an orthodontic standpoint is habit-breaking appliances. These custom-made devices gently discourage thumb sucking by making it uncomfortable.

If we don’t correct this while your child is still growing, surgery could be the only option later.

Early care and intervention are key to preventing long-term dental problems. If you’re concerned about thumb sucking and its effect on your child’s smile, book a complimentary consultation with the Forever Smiles team.

01/26/2026

Why age 7 matters for your child’s smile?

Around age 7, most children have a mix of baby teeth and permanent teeth. This is an important stage because it allows orthodontists to see how the smile is developing, even if everything looks fine on the surface.

At this age, orthodontists can spot early signs of things like crowding, bite issues (overbite, underbite, crossbite), or jaw growth concerns. Catching these early doesn’t mean treatment starts right away. In many cases, it simply means monitoring growth and planning ahead.

Sometimes, small early steps can help guide natural growth and make sure permanent teeth have enough room to come in properly. This can reduce the need for tooth extractions or surgery later on.

Book a complimentary consultation for your child with the Forever Smiles team. With 30+ years of experience, you’ll get clear answers and a plan you can trust.

01/21/2026

An early stage cavity is usually a tiny, non cavitated enamel lesion (often a white spot). Minerals have started to leach out, but there is no hole yet.

Remineralize means you are helping enamel rebuild mineral content, mainly calcium and phosphate, so that weak spot can harden and behave more like normal enamel again.

If you put toothpaste on your floss, it gets fluoride right between the teeth, where these early lesions often start, helping weakened enamel pull minerals back in and resist acid better.

So does it go away? At the early stage, it can stop and even reverse because the enamel surface is still intact. If there is already a hole, remineralization cannot fill it, and you usually need a filling.

Add this trick to your oral health routine once a day, ideally at night. ✅

01/19/2026

Using your teeth to open bottle caps became a “cool” habit. But it’s not, and especially not a safe one.

When you use your teeth to open a bottle, the force is concentrated on a small area of enamel. Unlike chewing, this twisting pressure can crack enamel and spread into deeper layers of the tooth that can’t heal. In more serious cases, it can loosen a tooth or cause fractures that lead to tooth loss.

Dental work is especially vulnerable. Crowns, veneers, and fillings can break or come loose under this kind of strain.

If the cap slips or a tooth chips, sharp edges can injure the gums, lips, or tongue. The unnatural movement can also strain the jaw joint, contributing to pain, clicking, or long-term TMJ issues.

Take care of your teeth! And share this with the one who thinks their mouth is an opener 😁

01/18/2026

Snoring is never just “cute.”

About 10% of children snore regularly, and about 2 to 4% have obstructive sleep apnea. When this happens night after night, it can mean up to 20% less oxygen reaching the brain, which disrupts deep sleep, impacts behavior and learning, increases cavity risk, and can even alter jaw and facial growth.

❗️Why this happens:
If the airway is blocked or inefficient due to enlarged tonsils or adenoids, chronic allergies, or underdeveloped jaws, kids often shift to mouth breathing. Mouth breathing bypasses the nose’s role in filtering, humidifying, and warming the air.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children who frequently snore be evaluated for obstructive sleep apnea. When indicated, the diagnostic test is an overnight sleep study (polysomnography).

What you can do next:
• Book an airway and sleep breathing evaluation with your pediatrician (they may refer you to ENT, pediatric sleep, or a pediatric dentist)
• Ask about allergies and whether tonsils or adenoids could be involved
• If recommended, consider myofunctional therapy to support healthier breathing patterns
• Encourage nasal breathing day and night when possible

Save this post!

01/12/2026

🚽💨 What really happens when you flush with the lid open?

Scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder studied public, lidless toilets using lasers and high-speed cameras.

❗😳The shocker: every flush sends a cloud of tiny aerosol particles 5–6 feet into the air in under eight seconds, stays in the air for minutes, and drifts across the room before settling on nearby surfaces, including…toothbrushes.

Moist bristles can hold onto whatever lands on them, sending those particles straight into your mouth the next time you brush. Once there, they can disrupt oral bacteria, irritate gums, and increase exposure to germs.

Simple ways to protect your family’s oral health:
• Close the lid every time you flush
• Keep toothbrushes as far as possible from the toilet

Make flushing the toilet with the lid closed your New Year’s resolution 💙

01/09/2026

Braces removal might look easy online, but it’s a precise clinical procedure.

Each bracket is bonded to enamel with a strong dental adhesive, and orthodontists use special instruments that gently flex the base of the bracket so it releases without pulling on the tooth or chipping the enamel.

The removal sequence also matters. Brackets are taken off in a specific order to avoid unnecessary force on the teeth and to prevent bending wires, injuring gums, or causing sensitivity.

DIY removal (with any tool or technique) can chip enamel, loosen teeth, injure gums, and leave adhesive behind that traps plaque. It can also affect the bite and undo months of alignment.

Once your braces come off, we clean the adhesive, polish your teeth, and scan for the retainers you’ll wear at home.

So maybe let TikTok handle recipes… and we’ll handle the braces 😅

01/07/2026

This timelapse shows the incredible process of how braces slowly shift teeth into alignment, condensed into less than 30 seconds. ⏱️🦷

What normally takes months or years happens here in one smooth transformation: teeth rotate, move, and settle as wires and brackets apply gentle, constant pressure, reshaping a smile millimeter by millimeter until everything lines up.

But orthodontic treatment is not only about looks. Aligning teeth and the bite can:
1️⃣ make brushing and flossing easier
2️⃣ support healthier gums
3️⃣ improve chewing comfort
4️⃣ help reduce uneven wear over time
5️⃣even create subtle facial balance changes, since teeth and jaws support the lips and smile

Send it to someone who’s thinking about orthodontic treatment!

12/31/2025

2025 gave us so many moments to celebrate at Forever Smiles.

We had dozens of braces-off moments, welcomed new kids, teens, and adults starting their smile journeys, and even had a few of our own team members begin treatment too.

We also shared our knowledge this year - hosting The Chicago Orthodontic Forum - and continued growing through advanced trainings and ongoing education. And yes, our office recently went through a refresh to make every visit feel even more comfortable, welcoming, and stress-free.

We stayed connected with our community too, and we still remember the sweetest visit from Border Tails Rescue.

Thank you to every family who shared a piece of their year with us.

If we were a part of your 2025, please drop a heart 💙 in the comments.

✨ Here’s to even more smiles in 2026.

Address

600 W Lake Cook Road, Ste 150
Buffalo Grove, IL
60089

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 6:30pm
Tuesday 10am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 10am - 6:30pm
Thursday 9am - 5:30pm
Friday 7:30am - 12:30pm

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