The importance of retainers, from Stone Oak Orthodontics

If you recently completed treatment at Stone Oak Orthodontics, we'd like to take this moment to congratulate you! Now that your braces have been removed, Dr. Norris will provide - or has provided you - with retainers.

After braces are removed the teeth can shift out of position if they are not stabilized. Retainers provide that stabilization. They are designed to hold teeth in their corrected, ideal positions until the bones and gums adapt to the treatment changes. Wearing retainers exactly as instructed is the best insurance that the treatment improvements last for a lifetime. Here are some things to remember when you receive your retainers:

* Wear your retainers full time, until Dr. Norris tells you otherwise.
* Take your retainers out when eating...and always put retainers in their case! (Most appliances are lost in school lunch rooms or restaurants.)
* Clean retainers thoroughly once a day with a toothbrush and only a small amount of toothpaste. Use warm but not hot water.
* When retainers are not in your mouth they should ALWAYS be in a retainer case.
* Initially, you may find it difficult to speak. Practicing speaking, reading, or singing aloud to get used to them quicker is a good idea.
* Retainers are breakable, so treat them with care. If retainers are lost or broken, give us a call immediately.
* Try to remember to bring your retainers to your appointments at Stone Oak Orthodontics.
* Retainer replacement is expensive...with proper care they will last for years!
* Remove retainers when swimming or during any sporting activity in which the retainers could fall out and get broken or lost (cheerleading, basketball, etc.) or when you should be wearing a mouth guard (lacrosse, soccer, etc.).
* Keep retainers away from hot water, your pockets and other places where they can get damaged.

We hope this helps! You can always contact our staff by calling (210) 402-3322 if you have any questions!

Patient question for Dr. Norris: Am I too old for braces?

Of course not! Recently, our staff at Stone Oak Orthodontics read a fascinating statistic: adults getting braces has jumped 24 percent from just 14 years ago! In fact, did you know one of every five patients in orthodontic treatment is over the age of 21?

In an age—and society—where looks matter as much as anything, and at a time when evenly-aligned teeth might be the difference between getting a job or a promotion, adults are choosing to invest—wisely—in orthodontics. While orthodontic treatment is often associated with teens, adult orthodontics and braces at our San Antonio office can achieve amazing results for adult patients. With treatments such as Invisalign, you can have your teeth straightened less noticeably. After the initial examination and diagnostic records, Dr. Robert Norris will be able to determine the best possible treatment for your individual needs. At your consultation, Dr. Norris can outline the treatment plan, time of treatment expected, and financial arrangements. A large percentage of our patients are adults, and they agree that it's never too late to improve their greatest asset: THEIR SMILE!

If you’ve been thinking about getting that perfect smile, Dr. Norris and our team would love to have you visit for a consultation. Give us a call to set one up!

The SureSmile® advantage at Stone Oak Orthodontics

Does the thought of having braces for two entire years bring you down? Dr. Robert Norris and our dedicated team at Stone Oak Orthodontics understand that one of the biggest concerns for orthodontic patients with braces is the length of their treatment. But you’re in luck, because Dr. Norris specializes in SureSmile, high-tech braces that are revolutionizing the orthodontic industry. Through the use of SureSmile's sophisticated 3-D imaging, treatment planning, and customized precision archwires, Dr. Norris can reduce treatment time compared to that of conventional braces. There are three steps. First, Dr. Norris identifies the initial tooth position with the patented OraScanner, a wand with a tiny camera attached. The OraScanner creates a precise 3-D digital model of your mouth, which is then uploaded into software that lets Dr. Norris view your mouth and teeth from any angle. Next, the SureSmile system allows us to create your entire treatment plan prior to treatment, using special computer software to analyze the 3-D model of your mouth and develop a custom archwire treatment. Finally, SureSmile’s robotic technology bends Shape Memory Alloy archwires, which can “remember” your prescription.

Fewer Office Visits

In addition to shortening treatment times, the greater efficiency of the SureSmile system also helps reduce the number of wire changes and adjustments you'll need, and that means fewer trips to the orthodontist. The SureSmile system's 3-D software lets your orthodontist analyze how to effectively and efficiently align your teeth. Through this software, personalized archwires are designed to move your teeth into proper alignment smoothly and directly, reducing the number of maintenance visits.

Less Overall Discomfort

Anyone who has worn braces will probably tell you that wire adjustments and changes were the least favorite part of the process because they usually caused discomfort. Fortunately, the SureSmile system is engineered to maximize therapeutic efficiency of each wire, significantly reducing the number of adjustments needed. This means fewer episodes of discomfort over the course of your treatment here at Stone Oak Orthodontics.

If you’re considering orthodontic treatment, or would like to learn more about SureSmile technology, please give us a call.

Ask Dr. Norris: When are two phases of treatment necessary?

Usually patients in treatment at Stone Oak Orthodontics already have their permanent teeth – they are pre-teens, teens and adults. But in some cases we have to start treatment earlier, even before the patient’s permanent teeth come in. Dr. Robert Norris and our team call this “two-phase treatment.”

When we have patients with clear developmental problems at an early age, it’s best to start work when they are young, before the problems get bigger and more difficult to treat.

Examples include:
• An upper or lower jaw that is not growing correctly
• A mouth growing in a way that doesn’t leave enough room for all the permanent teeth to come in
• A severe malocclusion, or bad bite, which means the jaw doesn’t fit together correctly

In these cases we will start early and do one round of treatment – phase one – while the patient still has their baby teeth. Phase one usually does not involve braces, but can include a different type of appliance that helps the jaw grow into place properly. We’ll follow up with phase two usually a few years later, when permanent teeth are in place. Generally phase two involves standard braces.

In order to catch early problems, Dr. Norris recommends that children have an orthodontic check-up no later than age seven (and so does the American Association of Orthodontics). However, if your dentist or pediatrician sees any sign that early treatment might be necessary, he or she may recommend your child visit Stone Oak Orthodontics even sooner.