Covid Info

If you have any of these symptoms for any reason, please contact us to reschedule your appointment.

Watch for symptoms

People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness.

Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:

Even if you don’t think you have Covid19, if you have any of the above symptoms contact us to reschedule so we keep other patients safe and our team safe and the doctor safe so we can continue to serve others.

Question: Why were you guys closed for Two months?

New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo had deemed dental offices as non-essential For TWO MONTHS (April and May) and had prevented 100% of staff from being in the office to answer phones or help patients. Dr. Bilello has been working to set up our team to work from home to answer voice mail and text messages. Cuomo’s LAW only allowed for us to administer care for emergency procedures only. We were seeing emergency care patients daily in-person and providing elastics and replacement retainers/aligners during these two months via mail and curbside pickup. For Two Months, April and May appointments for removal of braces, placement of braces, new impression for retainer/aligner, and adjustment of braces/appliances were deemed non-essential by our New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. During that time Willful Violation of his Health Law (PBH 12-B) would result in Dr. Bilello being charged with a Criminal Misdemeanor, Up to $10,000 first violation, And/or one year of prison.

What do we do now when we come in?

Following CDC Guidelines we MUST proceed in a specific manner to keep all patients and team members safe.

Responsible person for the patient MUST fill out a questionnaire before coming in, fill out, and sign BOTH questionnaires via myOrthodontist app to be allowed to keep the appointment. When patients come in with an emergency, All must wear a mask or be turned away. If you do not feel well or family member sick, please contact us to reschedule your appt for 2 weeks. This is how it will be until there is no more Covid19 to keep everyone safe. We are using 254 nm UV-C light and disinfectants to kill viruses in the air/room/chair before a new patient is let in. Patients will keep their masks on until the doctor is ready to work on them. The temperature of the patient and any other guests that enter the building will be taken using a non-contact thermometer.

A patient, before treatment, will have to rinse with a small amount of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide from a small dixie cup, and swish for 10 seconds, and gently spit back into the cup that will be dumped and thrown away. This will make for a very clean environment for all patients, guests, staff, and Doctors so we can continue serving patients.

The Jackets that the doctors and staff wear will be sterilized against viruses using a special UVC closet between each patient. Masks will also go through this chamber to make sure there is no cross-contamination between patients.

A special HEPA filter fume extractor is being used when we remove the composite adhesive off patients’ teeth. This will make for a clean and safer environment for all patients and staff.

Parents may NOT all wait in the hallway because then people will be too close to each other. If a patient is new to the office, brand new procedure, or a very young patient, then the parent may come in and wait in the corner of the room. After everyone leaves the room, UV-C light will disinfect the air and areas of the room including the walls. Videochat or voice phone call will be the preferred method a parent can communicate with the doctor about treatment to keep the numbers of people in the office low.

If you are having an issue or problem and need to be seen ASAP, Please send an email to us if you have any problems that you can take a photo of and send it to us. info(at)glenridgeorthodontics(dot)com

Glenridge Orthodontics and Smile Today Orthodontics are here to assist you with any questions you may have. Below are Frequently Asked Questions which can offer guidance on many of the common situations you might encounter with your braces or Invisalign. If you are an existing patient please text message us at (844) 284-0234 as we can best keep track of your needs and we have your number and name in our computer system and can quickly bring up your information. IF you call one of our offices Smile Today Orthodontics at (516) 265 1535 or Glenridge Orthodontics at (718) 386 8728 PLEASE leave a voicemail.

Q:
I have a fever and/or a dry cough and I don’t feel well.

A: Please seek medical attention immediately. Call your medical doctor for instructions. If you think you may have been exposed to the Coronavirus, find more information from the CDC here. We will not see any patients that have a fever or any communicable disease even for a dental orthodontic emergency. We will not see any patients that have a family member that has a fever. This is best to keep everyone safe. When we do resume treating patients, we will check every patient’s temperature before working on them. Anyone with a fever should let us know beforehand and we would schedule your appointment 2-3 weeks later for the health of our society.

Q:
I have braces on now. What should I do?

A: Your braces treatment is still working, even with the disruption of routine! We will be contacting all patients to reschedule visits 8 weeks out. We can move the appointment sooner if the state law allows it. For now, continue keeping your braces clean, brushing and flossing regularly, and remember to avoid hard foods that could damage your braces. 

Q:
What should I do if I run out of rubber bands?

A: If you happen to run out of elastics, if compliance was reported very good in the most recent visits, if you are feeling very healthy, we can arrange for you to pick up another bag of elastics or mail them to you on a case by case basis. If you lost the bag of elastics or not have been reported as wearing your elastics, we will not provide you with another one unless the responsible person for the patient agrees to monitor the patient for compliance.

Q:
A braces wire or bracket is poking out, and it is irritating my gums and/or
cheeks.

A: Email us a CLEAR photo that clearly shows the problem you are having.

Q:
My retainer broke/got lost but your office is closed. What should I do?

A: Please first read our retainer instructions https://smiletodayortho.com/retainer-instructions. Please contact us if your retainer is broken or lost. If the problem can been seen, please email a photo of the issue you are having.

Q:
A bracket broke on my braces.

A: If the bracket is causing any discomfort email us a clear photo of the problem.

Q:
I have Invisalign: what should I do if I run out of aligners?

A: When the aligner fits well use your last pair of aligners at night only if there is no pain on your teeth until we re-open and can bring you in for an appointment. If there is any pain from wearing the aligners, you have not finished treatment with that aligner and must wear more than 22 hours a day until no pain. If the aligner does not fit perfectly then wear the aligner for about 22 hours a day. By washing your aligners with soap and water you will ensure they stay perfectly clean.

Q:
I lost my Invisalign/ SureSmile aligners.

A: When losing the Invisalign/ SureSmile aligners you must wear your last tray in order to prevent the teeth from further shifting. If you lost all of your trays, contact us to set up a replacement of aligners.

Q:
My aligners no longer fit/they are irritating my mouth.

A: If they are no longer comfortable, and the aligner is irritating a certain area of your cheek or gum you can trim the retainer at home with a scissor or a file. If your aligner does not fit due to lack of wear, we suggest wearing the aligner 22 hours a day in hopes of shifting back your teeth.

Q:
My attachment/button broke.

A: If your broken attachment does not interfere with wearing your aligners, then continue wearing as prescribed and we can fix the attachment at a later date. If a button breaks, stop wearing your rubber bands and continue wearing aligners as prescribed. Your aligners will still work. If you stop wearing your aligners, your teeth will shift back to being crooked.

Q:
Can my new aligners be shipped to me?

A: In certain cases, we may be able to ship new aligners to your home. There will be an additional fee occupied with shipping your trays, please contact our office for specific instructions. If you are feeling well you can stop by the office and we will arrange to give you the additional aligner.

Q:
I feel my teeth shifting and I’m concerned.

A: Please take a CLEAR photo of the issue you are having and email it to us. While an interruption of orthodontic care is not ideal, a short-term break will not cause any lasting damage to your teeth, and will simply pause your progress.

Q: I want to start a new treatment but your office is closed.

A: We are still accepting
new patients! You have several options.

Q:
I have questions about my payments or insurance.

A: To reach one of our insurance and financial specialists, please text, call, and leave a voicemail or email us.

Q:
If I lose my insurance due to unexpected job loss, what should I do?

A: Our office is committed to helping all our patients afford braces & Invisalign. We will work with you to ensure continuity of care, including lowered monthly payments, assistance with navigating new insurance, and grace periods while you adjust your financial situation. We are dedicated to the communities we serve, and we understand this is an uncertain time for many families.

Q:
When will your closed offices re-open?

A: We are open now. We will limit how many patients are in our office at any given time in the future until we can confirm no risk to other patients or staff.

Q:
Do you do mail-order aligners? Can I do that instead of Invisalign?

A: Existing patients we can mail aligners to them. If a new scan is needed, we will have to wait to see what the government’s rules are for that visit. If you would like to discuss clear aligner therapy and are a new patient, You can call Smile Today Orthodontics at (516) 265 1535 or Glenridge Orthodontics at (718) 386 8728 for assistance, please make sure to leave a voice mail and a representative will schedule a future appointment for you when the government allows us to resume routine visits. We can start you right away on safe, healthy, and effective clear aligners under proper supervision!