Your Halloween Candy Can Earn You Lonestar Bucks!

Looking for a way to earn a few extra Lonestar Bucks? Bring your leftover Halloween candy into Wise Orthodontics and we will buy it back from you! Every one pound of candy will earn you five Lonestar Bucks. To sweeten the deal, we will buy back up to five pounds! That’s 25 Lonestar Bucks to add to your wallet, and you know what that means – treating yourself to some great prizes!

Take an active role in your orthodontic treatment and be rewarded for being healthy this Halloween!

Want to keep some of your Halloween candy? Contact us to find out which sweets are safe for your teeth and which sweets to sell!

Baby Teeth – and Gums – Need Special Care!

One question we hear all the time is “When should I start brushing my baby’s teeth?”

You should begin regular cleanings even before your baby has teeth. After each breast feeding – or bottle-feeding – use a clean, damp washcloth to gently rub your baby’s gum tissue. You can wrap the material around one finger to make it easier to remove any food bits from your baby’s mouth.

When your baby’s first tooth comes in switch to a baby toothbrush. Look for special baby toothbrushes in your drugstore – they have just a few bristles and are very soft. There are even brushes shaped like finger puppets that fit over the tip of your pointer finger! All you need at this point is water – no toothpaste yet.

After a few more teeth appear, you can start using toothpaste, but you only need a tiny bit, and make sure it doesn’t contain fluoride for the first three years. From the beginning, have your little one practice spitting the toothpaste out after brushing. That way, he or she will already have the good habit of spitting when you switch to fluoride toothpaste, which should never be swallowed.

If you have any questions about caring for your baby’s teeth, please contact Dr. Wise at 214-705-2602 in Frisco or 972-439-1391 in McKinney.

Ghosts, Goblins, and National Orthodontic Health Month!

Trick-Or-Treat! October is National Orthodontic Health Month! In honor of October’s sweet and spooky holiday, Halloween, the American Association of Orthodontists has provided trick-or-treaters with some tips and treats for a ghoulishly good time!

BOO! Spooky recipes for a “braces friendly” Halloween


Frightfully Fabulous Cupcake Sandwiches

Ingredients:
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup warm water
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup superfine sugar
2 cups cake flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 can of chocolate frosting or store-bought chocolate mousse
1 container of whipped topping

Assorted “braces-friendly” candy pieces such as chopped peanut butter cups, chocolate bars and melt-in-your-mouth candies.


Halloween Safety Tips

* Young children should always be accompanied by an adult

* Carry a flashlight

* Wear a light-colored or reflective costume

* Choose face paint over masks for young ghosts and goblins

* Have an adult inspect all treats before the children dig in

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Fill a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners and set aside.

Combine cocoa powder, water, and mix until smooth. Fold in mayonnaise. (Make sure cocoa mixture is not to hot to prevent breaking of mayonnaise). Add vanilla and whisk until smooth.

In mixer, combine sugar, cake flour, baking soda and salt and mix slowly until well incorporated. Add wet cocoa mixture, mix on medium-high until well blended. Scrape down the sides and blend for 30 seconds.

Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 way full of batter. Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool on rack.

Slice each cupcake in half, horizontally, and serve the halves with chocolate mousse or frosting, whipped topping, and assorted candy pieces. Kids build the sandwiches by spreading one-half of a cupcake with mousse/frosting or whipped topping, sprinkling on candy pieces and placing the other half of cupcake on top.

Makes 12 sandwiches.


CLICK HERE to visit our web site; and have a happy National Orthodontic Health Month!

What’s so Special About an Orthodontist Anyway?

I often find our patients wondering about the difference between an orthodontist and a dentist. Well, I started out in dental school and got a DDS (dental) degree, just like your dentist. But after dental school, I decided he wanted to learn more about orthodontics, which is one of nine specialties in the dental field. So at that point I decided to stay in a school for a few more years to become an expert in orthodontics, which focuses on tooth and jaw alignment and bite problems such as overbites and underbites.

Other dental specialties you may have heard of include endodontics (focusing on the soft tissue inside your teeth), periodontics (focusing on the gums and other tissues surrounding your teeth) and prosthodontics (focusing on restoring and replacing damaged teeth).

Isn’t it nice to know there’s a dental expert to help you through any type of treatment your teeth, jaw and gums might need?

Katherine Heigl Struggles with Crooked Teeth.

Everyone struggles with little imperfections. Making crooked teeth straight, stained teeth sparkling white and chipped teeth smooth is part of what I do as an orthodontist. The sense of renewed self confidence that comes to my patients after having some sort of reconstructive work is what makes my job worthwhile.

Consider Katherine Heigl, award winning actress, and considered by many the Grace Kelly of our day. She describes struggling with crooked teeth her whole life until finally there came a point when she said "enough is enough!" She decided to do something to straighten her teeth.

I think you will enjoy this clip. Please feel free to leave comments, tell me what you think! Have you ever struggled with this same problem? Have you felt the relief of smiling to reveal a straight, bright smile after hiding crooked ones for so long? Contact us so we can hear your story, or help you create a new beautiful smile and a story of your own! Please feel free to call us at 214-705-2602 in Frisco or 972-439-1391 in McKinney.

Regular Checkups are Important

Even with braces it's important to remember to still visit your dentist every six months for a regular checkup and teeth cleaning! At Wise Orthodontics and Stonebridge Orthodontics we will work closely with your dentist to make sure you get the brightest, healthiest smile possible. Regular dental checkups are important for maintaining good oral health. Even during your orthodontic treatment, your dentist can examine your mouth, teeth, gums, cheeks and tongue to check for problems you might not see or feel including cavities and tooth decay.

Before beginning any orthodontic treatment remember to schedule a dental checkup with your dentist for any neccessary dental work you may need. Then, once you begin your orthodontic treatment remember to continue scheduling reglar dental checkups every six months!

Clear Braces!

Clear Aesthetic Braces feature a comfortable, smooth, sculptured and translucent design. No more "tin grin." The natural beauty of your teeth will shine through with every smile.

INVISALIGN
Dr. Wise is an Certified Invisalign Provider.

Consider Invisalign to get the beautiful straight teeth you've always wanted - without braces. A complimentary consultation with Dr. Wise can determine if Invisalign is right for you.

What is it?
Invisalign uses a series of invisible, removable, and comfortable aligners that no one can tell you're wearing. So you can smile more during treatment as well as after. Invisalign is made with 3-D computer imaging technology, and has been proven effective. More than 70% of orthodontists in the US and Canada are certified to treat with Invisalign.

Why would I want it?
Not only are the aligners invisible, they are removable, so you can eat and drink what you want while in treatment, plus brushing and flossing are no problem. They are also comfortable, with no metal to cause mouth abrasions during treatment. And no metal and wires usually means you spend less time in your doctor's office getting adjustments. Invisalign also allows you to view your own virtual treatment plan when you start, so you can see how your straight teeth will look when your treatment is complete.

How does it work?
You wear each set of aligners for about 2 weeks, removing them only to eat, drink, brush, and floss. As you replace each aligner with the next in the series, your teeth will move - little by little, week by week - until they have straightened to the final position Your doctor has prescribed. You'll visit Dr. Wise about once every 6 weeks to ensure that your treatment is progressing as planned. Total treatment time averages 9-15 months and the average number of aligners worn during treatment is between 18 and 30, but both will vary from case to case.