Ask Dr. Norris: Am I too old for braces?

We have one important mission, here at Stone Oak Orthodontics: We strongly believe in developing a personal relationship with each patient, and providing the most comfortable path to a better life through a pleasing smile and dental health. Recently, our doctor and staff at Stone Oak Orthodontics read a fascinating statistic: the number of adults getting braces has actually climbed 24 percent since 1996! Yes, braces help make your pearly whites strong, healthy and perfectly-aligned, but perhaps another reason for the spike in adult braces is due to the fact that people want to look and feel great. In an age—and society—where looks matter as much as anything, adults are choosing—wisely, we might add—to invest in orthodontics. Orthodontic treatment with Dr. Norris can be successful at any age, and adults especially appreciate the benefits of a beautiful smile.

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

SureSmile® makes an appearance on ABC’s “The Doctors”

Last fall, on an episode of ABC's "The Doctors," Dr. Thomas Lee of Oxnard, California, was interviewed in front of a live audience and demonstrated SureSmile technology and discussed treatment benefits for orthodontists and their patients. Dr. Lee's 14-year-old patient, Nina, who had just completed SureSmile treatment, was part of the segment as well, and spoke positively about her SureSmile treatment experience.

SureSmile is a software program that facilitates the precise positioning of a patient’s teeth placement for orthodontic braces. This treatment decreases treatment time and the number of necessary office visits for patients by nearly half! Did you know Dr. Norris is a certified SureSmile provider? Give us a call and ask for more information!

Stone Oak Orthodontics present: Patriotic fun facts!

On Sunday, Dr. Norris and our staff at Stone Oak Orthodontics will be busy celebrating America's 234th birthday. And because we know our patients love fun facts, we thought we'd provide you with some fun facts about Independence Day! Speaking of patriotism, we invite you to head over to our Facebook page and check out our patriotic photos!!

- Independence Day was first celebrated in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776.

- An estimated 2.5 million people lived in America in July 1776. Today, an estimated 309 million people reside in the United States.

- The major objection to being ruled by Britain was taxation without representation, which meant that people didn't want to be taxed by a government that did not represent them.

- In 1941, Congress declared 4th of July a federal legal holiday. It is one of the few federal holidays that have not been moved to the nearest Friday or Monday.

- The stars on the original American flag were arranged in a circle to ensure that all colonies were equal.

- America's mascot, the bald eagle, can achieve speeds of up to 200 miles per hour when making a predatory dive. During a normal flight, bald eagles can travel up to 30 miles per hour.

- The American flag patch is backwards on U.S. Army uniforms. The reason? The blue field on the flag (the part with the stars) faces forward to symbolize carrying the American flag into battle.

- Someone who specializes in the history of flags is called a vexillologist.

- The word ‘patriotism’ comes from the Latin patria, which means ‘homeland’ or ‘fatherland.’

- According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, Americans consume over 150 million hot dogs during their Independence Day festivities.

- Speaking of food, there's a 1-in-6 chance the beef on your backyard this Independence Day weekend grill came from Texas. The Lone Star State is America's leader in the production of cattle and calves.

Have a great Fourth of July weekend everyone, and we'll see you next week!!

Dr. Norris and Stone Oak Orthodontics want to know: what are your summer plans?

It's finally summer here at Stone Oak Orthodontics, which means a season full of vacations, adventures and great memories is finally upon us. Whether you're headed to an exotic destination, barbecuing, hitting the open roads with family, or just having fun in the backyard here in San Antonio over the long summer, we'd like to hear all about it! Drop us a comment on our Facebook fan page and share your summer plans and adventures with our staff as the summer rolls along!

Happy (and safe) travels to all our patients and readers!

- Dr. Norris and team

Sleep disorders and treatment options in San Antonio, from Stone Oak Orthodontics

San Antonio orthodontist Dr. Robert Norris knows sleep disorders are fairly common, with some 50 to 70 million Americans being affected by some type chronic sleep disorder. Some of these progress to Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), which can cause loss of sleep among many other health problems. Snoring is one of the most easily identified symptoms of sleep apnea, and as the condition worsens it can lead to airway blockage, which can severely disrupt your sleep patterns.

Dr. Norris will tell you sleep apnea is considered a serious medical problem that if left untreated can lead to high blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart failure and stroke. It can also take a toll on your overall energy level, as sleep apnea causes an ongoing state of fatigue.

The following symptoms can indicate the presence of sleep apnea. If you notice one or more of these, give us a call at 210.402.3322, and our team at Stone Oak Orthodontics can refer you to a sleep apnea specialist here in San Antonio.

* Insomnia or difficulty sleeping
* Loud snoring at night
* Waking up at night short of breath
* Snorting or choking sounds during the night (indicating a restart of breathing)
* Headaches upon waking in the morning
* Falling asleep unintentionally during the day
* Extreme drowsiness throughout the day

We hope you enjoy the rest of Father's Day weekend!

At Stone Oak Orthodontics, access to your account any day, any time

Did you know that at San Antonio's Stone Oak Orthodontics, our patients enjoy access to their account 24 hours a day, seven days a week—all through our website? You may look up your appointments and all of your account details at your convenience, all from the comfort of your own home! You can even receive appointment reminders through email or text messages!

You may sign up for this convenient service on our website by clicking on the "Patient Login" button at the top of our homepage. Please give us a call if you have any questions about getting started!

Stone Oak Orthodontics want to know: what should we blog about?

As summer quickly approaches, our staff at Stone Oak Orthodontics strive to continue writing about important topics related to braces and your treatment with San Antonio orthodontist Dr. Robert Norris.

To help us continue blogging through the course of the hot Texas summer, however, we'd like your opinion: What would you like us to focus on our blog over the next few months? Perhaps there’s something you’ve wanted to ask Dr. Norris for a while and just haven't found the right opportunity? Give us your ideas by posting here or on our Facebook page!

We hope you have a great rest of the week!