Stone Oak Orthodontics, reminding you about the importance of regular dental checkups

Our staff at Stone Oak Orthodontics wants to know: is your child brushing his or her teeth twice a day? If yes, that’s fantastic! But, don’t forget that it’s also vital for your child to visit the dentist every six months in addition to brushing their teeth a couple times a day (and visiting Dr. Norris, of course). Regular dental checkups are important for maintaining good oral health. Your dentist can:

• Check for problems that might not be seen or felt
• Detect cavities and early signs of decay
• Treat oral health problems early
• Show your child how to properly brush and floss their teeth

During an oral exam the doctor will check the health of your child’s mouth, teeth, gums, cheeks and tongue. Checkups will also include a thorough teeth cleaning and polishing. If your child has not been to the dentist in the last six months, it’s time for you to schedule an appointment!

Ask us for a referral to a local dentist - plenty of great ones here in San Antonio!

SureSmile works its magic on the Science Channel! From Dr. Norris

Our staff recently found a really interesting clip of SureSmile technology on Brink: Science Channel. 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 Stone Oak Orthodontics. The SureSmile system's 3-D software lets Dr. Norris 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.

We'd love to know what you thought about the video! At Stone Oak Orthodontics, we love working with SureSmile technology. To learn more about SureSmile, please give us a call today.

Essay contest at Stone Oak Orthodontics!

With Mother's Day right around the corner, it's the time of year to celebrate our moms, aunts, friends or maybe a grandparent who has stepped in to be a mom to you.

Please write an essay and email it to us describing what makes her so special to you. One winner will be picked to receive a $100 gift card to the Woodhouse Day Spa. Please email your essays to ginger@stoneoakortho.com. Remember, all entries must be received by Saturday, May 8.

GOOD LUCK!

Help Stone Oak Orthodontics support America's troops

Our team at Stone Oak Orthodontics will be accepting donations for our troops during April and May. You may donate items such as disposable cameras, playing cards, trail mix, facial tissues, candy and much, much more. For a complete list of items, please head over to our Facebook fan page!

Please help Dr. Norris and our staff Support our Troops and enjoy the rest of your week.

This April, a reminder to play it safe! From Dr. Norris

Our staff has some good news to report this afternoon (and no, it's not an April Fools' joke!). A new study at Wayne State University reports that people with big, happy smiles may actually out-live those who don’t.

Dr. Norris has known for a long time that positive emotion has been linked to both physical and mental health, but researchers at the university did something quite interesting: they used information from the Baseball Register to look at photos of 230 players who began their baseball careers prior to 1950 and studied their smile intensity (wide smile, no smile or partial smile). The researchers then compared the players' smile ratings with data from deaths that occurred from 2006 through last year. The researchers then took into account other factors associated with longevity, such as body mass index, or BMI, career length and, believe it or not, college attendance.

The results? They found that players who weren't smiling died at the average age of 72.9 years. Players with partial smiles lived to be 75. Those with big, happy smiles, however, lived on average to be 79.9 years old!

The take-away from the new study? Smile now, smile often and you might just live longer! Have you perfected your smile by visiting Stone Oak Orthodontics lately? If not, give our team a call today at 210.402.3322.

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!