Reno Dentist - Dr. John Bocchi

Northern Nevada Children’s Cancer Foundation Fundraiser

Here at Sierra Smiles, we think it is important to give back. From Jan 5th – Jan 31st. our office will be collecting donations for the Northern Nevada Children’s Cancer Foundation.  We have a jar up front where we hope patients will donate towards the cause.  We are counting the total on Jan. 31st and Dr. Bocchi will match the donation up to $300. If you aren’t scheduled for an appointment, we would love for you to stop by!

Sierra Smiles: A look back at 2011

2011 was a busy year for our office, and we wanted to share the most memorable moments with you. Thank you to the Sierra Smiles family for all your support, cheers to a new year!

Our 3rd Annual Patient Appreciation Party was a blast!

We would like to thank everyone who voted Dr. Bocchi as “Northern Nevada’s Best Dentist” in 2011! On behalf of the entire staff, we are so honored!

“Rainshadow Charter High School” Special Edition on Ch. 2 with Kristen Remington.

Dr. Bocchi Honored as” Top 20 Under 40″

Sierra Smiles “Flying Doctors” Special Edition on Channel 2 Nightly News with Kristen Remington.

Scott’s Invisalign Journal: Part 2

The Invisalign trays went on very easily and I could immediately feel the pressure on my teeth.  I knew they were working right away moving my teeth to their final destination.  At that moment the curiosity set in. How the heck do I get these off? Is it normal to have a bit space within the tray and my teeth? Dr. Bocchi assured me I would be a pro at taking off the trays in no time and that it is normal to have a small space inside the trays.  Dr. Bocchi placed small “buttons” on my teeth that will act as the anchors to allow the trays to move my teeth in the right direction.  After taking a final look, Dr. Bocchi sent me on my way. The whole process took about an hour. I walked out the door thinking…”Wow, I am going to have straight teeth”.

My wife and I had dinner plans the same evening with some friends, and we all beat her to the restaurant. I showed our friends, who could barely see my aligners even when I was pointing right at them. We decided to see how long it would take my wife to notice my invisible braces. We sat and talked for 20 minutes before she finally remembered to ask me how it went! She hadn’t noticed my Invisalign trays at all! They really are inconspicuous. The only thing that gives them away are the buttons on my top canine teeth, which protrude ever so slightly. But my wife had to squint to see the aligners. After we had a few laughs, we went around the table and ordered food and drink. I wondered if I could drink wine with my aligners in. My wife ordered a glass, and I took a sip.

Tune in to the next installment of Scott’s Invisalign Journal for more!

Reno Community Shows Extraordinary Courage While Fires Burn

It was a perfect storm of hurricane winds, downed power lines and crazy terrain that turned a small brush fire into a destructive blaze that burned 2,000 acres.

The fire was first reported early Friday morning at 12:22 a.m. Many people we talked to were watching the report on the news, but didn’t think much of it, heading to bed shortly after hearing the initial news. High winds and fire made airborne embers grow the blaze at an uncontrollable rate, and blew into neighborhoods more than a mile apart with fire crews scrambled to keep up. The fire destroyed about 30 homes and seriously damaged another half-dozen, forced 10,000 Reno’ites to evacuate and left a city smoldering. According to the RGJ, 74-year-old man died of a heart attack during the evacuation Friday morning. One firefighter with the U.S. Forest Service suffered first and second degree burns and two dozen others were treated for minor injuries.

We at Sierra Smiles want to thank the brave firefighters, rescue units and ordinary citizens who stepped up during Reno’s time of need. We are convinced you single handedly saved hundreds of homes and possibly lives, not to mention our practice. Dr. Bocchi, Sierra Smiles staff, friends and family scrambled to load dental equipment before the fire reached our office. The winds switched at the last minute, heading south of the office. Portions of the park to the West of us burned pretty thoroughly, as you can see from these pictures.

It was a scary run, and we are still having issues trying to get everything back up and working. We count ourselves lucky to have evaded the worst, but more importantly, that we live in a community that responds to crisis the way our brave neighbors, friends, family and perfect strangers did last Friday. We are forever proud of you and your efforts. Between the economic hardships we’ve endured, UNR budget cuts, the air race accident, the bike gang shooting at the Nugget, the Freight House shooting, losing people like JK Metzker and now this fire, Reno has endured one hell of a 2011. In light of these tragic incidents, we will continue to keep our head up, move forward and know we live in one of the best places on earth.

Scott’s Invisalign Journal: Part 1

I am 28 years old and have never needed braces before. Lately, my teeth have decided to shift into uncomfortable positions and my bottom front row now collide with the back of my top row. This caused chipping and very uncomfortable changes. I found myself developing a slight speech impediment to keep from bumping my teeth together, and I began biting my cheeks and tongue more often (on accident). I knew it was time for a change. This was the first time I have been anxious heading to Sierra Smiles. They are more like a spa than a typical dentist office! With spa water waiting at the door, the friendliest staff around, paraffin hand waxes, herbal neck wraps and noise canceling headphones, I have always been very comfortable at my favorite dentist. But in this case, I didn’t know what to expect!

The process was very simple. I had come in to Sierra Smiles a few weeks prior, to take x-rays, pictures and impressions of my teeth, which Invisalign uses to create a digital 3-D image of them. From these images, Dr. Bocchi mapped out a precise treatment plan, including the exact movements of my teeth. Using this same technology, he was able to show me a virtual representation of how my teeth will move with each stage of treatment. It was really cool. Then the information gathered was sent to Invisalign so they could create my trays and get me started! Then, 2-3 weeks later, I was on my way to see them.

I was met at the door by Christina, always smiling and happy to see me. They were ready for me and I was immediately seen to my room. Bonnie came in and started explaining what we would be doing. She preps me for Dr. Bocchi and answers my questions. “How long will it take before my braces are on today?” I asked. “About 30-45 minutes, it’s very easy and not painful in anyway.” Bonnie replied. “Do I have to take the trays out when I eat?” Bonnie was very knowledgeable and understanding as I rattled off questions like a 6 year old on his first visit to the zoo. “You will want to take them out, and we prefer you brush after your meal before you put them back in, but sometimes that isn’t possible and that is ok too.” “How long can I leave the trays off?” I asked. “A total of 2 hours a day, but the less the better.” answered Bonnie. Then Doc arrived. Dr. Bocchi greets me and we proceed to chat about life and a little football as well. He makes sure I’m comfortable and checks to see if I have any questions before we start. “I think Bonnie has me covered, but I’m sure I will have more as we go along here.” I replied. We got to work. Dr. Bocchi begins by cleaning the teeth that will hold the “buttons” for the trays. These buttons act as guides for the trays I have to wear during the process. They are painless and take less than 20 minutes to attach. Based on your individual treatment plan, a series of custom-made, clear aligners have been created specifically for you. These aligners are made of a smooth, comfortable BPA-free plastic that won’t irritate your cheeks and gums like traditional metal braces often do. I simply wear them throughout the day, and remove them when I eat or to brush and floss my teeth. As you wear each set of aligners, your teeth gently and gradually begin to shift into place. With my buttons in place, I was ready to pop in my trays for the first time!

They went on very easily, and my teeth immediately felt….

Tune in for pictures and updates on my progress in the next installment of Scott’s Invisalign Journal!