Staff Weekly Fun Fact: Registered Dental Assistant Marie

Dr. Norris and our team at Stone Oak Orthodontics is excited to present MARIE as our staff member of the week. Marie joined our team in March of 2006, and she is a Registered Dental Assistant. Marie enjoys working in the yard, excersing and listening to music. She and her husband, Michael, also enjoy entertaining family and friends. Be sure to say "hello" to Marie the next time you're in the office!

Share your smile with the Braces Brigade!

At Stone Oak Orthodontics, our patients want to get as much out of their treatment as possible. That includes asking a lot of questions and making sure they take care of both their appliances and oral health.

Would you like to learn more about what to expect during orthodontic treatment, from someone with firsthand experience? Well, our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recently developed the Braces Brigade blog, where past, present, as well as future orthodontic patients from coast to coast document their (or their child’s) orthodontic journeys. The blog will serve as a source of guidance for others as the patients undergo orthodontic care.

Our team at Stone Oak Orthodontics encourages you to visit the Braces Brigade blog to read these great and informative blogs—who knows, maybe you’ll learn a thing or two! As always, don’t hesitate to give us a call if you have any questions about the Braces Brigade or your own orthodontic treatment with Dr. Norris!

Cold and Flu Season is Here - Time to Replace Your Toothbrush!

Winter is upon us, and with it comes the dreaded cold and flu season. After recovering from your cold, Dr. Norris will tell you one of the most important steps you can take to avoid becoming reinfected is replacing your toothbrush!

Germs are known to linger on the bristles, and you risk prolonging your sickness by continuing to use the same toothbrush. Be smart - keep a spare, just in case! To protect your toothbrush from bacteria all year long, consider the following tips:

• Wash your hands before and after brushing
• Allow the brush to air dry after each use, harmful bacteria dies after being exposed to oxygen
• Store the toothbrush in an upright position to allow water to drain and dry faster
• Replace your toothbrush every 3-4 months. Worn bristles are less effective in properly cleaning your teeth, and can actually be damaging to teeth if used too long!

We hope these tips help! Feel free to call us at Stone Oak Orthodontics if you have any questions or ask us on Facebook.

Top ten tips for keeping your braces clean this holiday season

Keeping your teeth clean is more important than ever when you have braces. Food bits have more spots than usual to hide in your mouth, so you must be diligent in order to avoid bad breath, swollen gums, discolored teeth and cavities. If you remove plaque regularly during treatment, you'll experience better results and shorter treatment time. Keep plaque at bay with these top ten tips:

1. One tooth at a time. When you brush, take time with each individual tooth – at least 10 seconds each – and pay careful attention to the spots where your teeth touch your braces.

2. It’s all about the angles. Brush the tops of your teeth and braces with your brush angled down toward where they meet. Brush the bottoms of your teeth and braces with your brush angled up.

3. The tooth, the whole tooth, nothing but the tooth. While the front surface of your teeth may seem like the most logical to clean, it’s equally important to clean the inner surface of your teeth (tongue side) as well as the chewing surface. And be sure to clean along your gum line – a key spot for plaque buildup.

4. Step 1: eat, step 2: clean. While you’re in treatment, it’s important to brush after every meal. Bits of food can easily get caught between braces and teeth, and these food bits interact with bacteria in your mouth to cause decay. The longer food is in contact with your teeth, the greater opportunity for plaque to form. If you are eating somewhere that you can’t brush, thoroughly rinse your mouth with water.

5. Like a Boy Scout, always be prepared. The easiest way to be sure you can brush after every meal is to get in the habit of taking a toothbrush, toothpaste and floss with you wherever you go. Designate a special container just for your teeth-cleaning tools and keep it in your purse, backpack, or laptop case.

6. Remove the moving parts. If you have elastic bands or headgear, remove these parts before you brush or floss.

7. Fluoride is your friend. Fluoride helps prevent cavities. Be sure to brush with fluoride toothpaste, and rinse with fluoride mouthwash.

8. Pointy brushes reach tiny places. Interproximal brushes (sometimes called proxa brushes or interdental brushes) are cone-shaped and come in very handy for reaching spots around your braces that standard brushes can’t.

9. Find the floss for you. Regular floss works for some patients, but others find it easier to work with a floss threader, which helps you get the floss into tight places. Other patients like an all-in-one product called Superfloss, which comes with a stiff end for easy threading, a spongy section for cleaning wide spaces, and regular floss for narrow spaces.

10. Make time for the pros. It’s your job to take care of the everyday cleaning. But make sure to visit your dentist regularly while in treatment, to get the deep, thorough cleaning that only a professional can provide. If you need help finding the right Dentist for you, feel free to contact our office - we’d love to help!

Stone Oak Orthodontics supports our San Antonio community

Here at Stone Oak Orthodontics, it is very important to Dr. Norris and team that we support our San Antonio community, especially during the holiday season.

This October, November, and December our office donated to our local food bank. We also recently donated to the Bulverde Animal Humane Society and Guide Dogs of Texas. For more information on Stone Oak Orthodontics and our commitment to our community and charitable organizations be sure to visit the Community page of our website.

Celebrities wear braces, too!

Did you know that back in 2002, Tom Cruise had braces? At this time, he was 40 years old and filmed Minority Report, Austin Powers in Goldmember and the Last Samurai. Check out his smile in Jerry Maguire, Rain Man or The Firm and compare to the post-braces Tom Cruise in Valkyrie or Tropic Thunder. The fact is, movie stars need to look their best for the silver screen, and it wouldn't be possible without orthodontists like Dr. Norris.

In fact, lots of Hollywood stars have had orthodontic treatment. Check out this slideshow of famous faces with braces. If you’ve thought about getting the perfect smile you’ve always wanted, please give us a call!

Ask Dr. Norris: Why the Damon® System?

Something big is happening in the orthodontics world, and it’s no other than Damon braces, which allow your teeth to move more comfortably and easily than traditional braces. With the Damon System, achieving that perfect smile will be faster and easier than you ever thought possible.

Here’s why Damon® is better:
With the new Damon braces, we can achieve terrific results and finish your treatment faster. Depending on your case, this may mean saving many months of treatment! After analyzing your specific needs, we will be able to provide you with a treatment plan that will have you smiling soon! Because Damon braces are very precise and effective, we can reduce the need for many of the time-consuming and complicated procedures that are used with traditional braces. Because Damon braces work more efficiently, fewer adjustments are required. As a result, your appointments will be faster and fewer in number. Due to the unique design of this new braces system, we can move your teeth into their correct positions with much less discomfort than traditional braces. Also, Damon braces are small, very comfortable, and easy to keep clean.

Dr. Robert Norris is a certified Damon System provider. To learn more about the Damon System or your treatment here at Stone Oak Orthodontics, please give us a call.

Halloween safety tips, from Stone Oak Orthodontics

Trick-or-treat! In the spirit of October’s sweet and spooky holiday, Halloween, Dr. Norris would like to remind all of our patients to be safe while celebrating with friends and family. The American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO, has provided trick-or-treaters with some tips for a ghoulishly good time.

A few Halloween safety guidelines:
• 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

Many treats can cause havoc for trick-or-treaters who are going through orthodontic treatment. If you happen to damage your braces, please give Dr. Norris and our staff a call immediately. Typically, small problems can be solved over the phone.

Dr. Norris invites patients to our 2010 Candy Buy Back!

Would you like to turn your Halloween candy into cash? Dr. Norris would like to remind all of our patients and their families to be mindful of how sticky treats can impact children's teeth and their orthodontic treatment. So, in an effort to promote a safe and healthy Halloween, Dr. Norris will buy back the candy you collect this year!

You're Invited to our 2010 Candy Buy Back

Who: All of our patients, friends and family

What: For every pound of wrapped candy that you bring in to our office, you will receive $1 and we will donate $1 to the Bulverde Animal Shelter. All candy will also be donated to our troops overseas.

Where: Stone Oak Orthodontics

When: Tuesday, November 2, 2010 from 5-7pm

Why: To earn cash for your Halloween candy, raise money for the Bulverde Animal Shelter, donate candy to our troops overseas, and avoid damage to your braces that could prolong treatment time!

A great braces-friendly fall recipe! From Stone Oak Orthodontics

Fall is here, and sometimes we here at Stone Oak Orthodontics just feel like a hot delicious meal is in order. Our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) made an appetizing (and braces-friendly!) fall dish that is sure to delight. Let us now what you think of this great fall recipe!




Pasta Pomodorini

Ingredients:
• ¾ pound spaghetti or spaghetti
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• ¼ cup sliced garlic
• ½ teaspoon finely minced Calabrian chilies, or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 pint small cherry tomatoes, stems removed, crushed between your thumb and forefinger
• Sea salt, preferably gray salt
• ½ cup fresh basil leaves, each torn into 2 or 3 pieces
• Wedge of Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta. While the pasta cooks, heat the 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over moderate heat. Add the garlic and cook until the slivers are golden brown and crisp, then add the chilies and cook for about 30 seconds. Raise the heat to high and add the tomatoes. Simmer briskly to soften the tomatoes and thicken the juices, about 3 minutes. Season with salt. When the pasta is al dente, scoop out about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta. Return the pasta to the warm pot off the heat. Add the sauce and the basil and mix well. Add some of the reserved cooking water if the pasta seems dry. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl and grate Parmesan over the top to taste. Drizzle with a little more olive oil. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Enjoy this great fall dish and have a great week!

--From Dr. Norris and staff

A few Invisalign® tips from Dr. Norris

Many people know that Invisalign is a great solution to braces if you don't want to experience the look and feel of traditional metal braces. What few people know, though, is that just like traditional braces, Invisalign requires proper care to work effectively. Good oral hygiene is highly important, even when you are wearing something in your mouth that you can take out to eat with. It's still likely that your aligners can build up plaque if not treated properly.

When wearing your Invisalign aligners, Dr. Norris wants you to ask yourself the following questions:


1. Am I eating with my aligners on? - These aligners are removable and should be taken out when you eat.

2. Am I drinking anything other than water with my aligners on? - Though it's not necessary for you to take out your aligners while you drink, think about how sticky soda is. If you take out your aligners when drinking a soda, you have a better chance of keeping your aligners clean.

3. Am I brushing before putting the trays on? - The aligners have both an inside and outside. Keeping the outside clean is easy. Keeping the inside clean is also simple: just make sure you've brushed your teeth before putting the trays on.

These are all very simple steps, and ultimately, they help to keep you building good oral habits. If you have any questions about Invisalign or your treatment here at Stone Oak Orthodontics, give us a call!

Why do you love Stone Oak Orthodontics?

Dr. Robert Norris and our highly trained orthodontic staff strives to create beautiful smiles one at a time, while maintaining a personal relationship with each patient. Stone Oak Orthodontics provides the most comfortable path to a better life through a pleasing smile and dental health.

Whether you’ve just come in for a consultation or your family has been visiting our office for years, we’d love to hear your feedback. We encourage you to tell us by heading to our Facebook page or by giving us a call!

Thank you,

-Stone Oak Orthodontics

Have you seen the sneak preview of the NEW Stone Oak Orthodontics office?

If you haven't had a chance yet, be sure to visited our Facebook page to see all of our photos from the NEW Stone Oak Orthodontics office! We're excited to open soon, so that we can start seeing patients at our new location.

Ask Dr. Norris: What can Invisalign® do for my oral health?

When considering treatment options, patients often ask us how Invisalign treatment is so different than traditional braces. Well, there are more reasons to smile about Invisalign with Stone Oak Orthodontics than you may know. Invisalign is a series of removable aligners that are nearly invisible, and besides straightening your teeth, can improve your oral health. Here’s how:

Healthy gums: Straight teeth allow a close fit for gums. This lessens the gum stress that is caused by crowded or widely spaced teeth, thus also reducing red and swollen gums.

Easy cleaning: Invisalign is removable, therefore brushing and flossing is easier and you are able to maintain a healthy mouth. These habits are vital to avoiding tooth decay, plaque and even gum disease.

Improved speech and chewing: Properly-aligned teeth don’t have the discomfort or compound speech impediments that can be caused by crowded teeth or a deteriorating jawbone.

If you have any questions about Invisalign, just ask Dr. Norris the next time you’re in for an appointment. Or, you may post your question on our Facebook page! You can also read this article for more information on Invisalign and your oral health.

Stone Oak Orthodontics announces our 2010 Patient Appreciation Party!

Have you had a chance to RSVP to the Stone Oak Orthodontics 2010 Patient Appreciation Party? If not, this is an event that you won't want to miss! We are reserving the Palladium Theater to show two different 3-D films. There will also be juggling, a balloon artist, and caricatures for all of our patients! Be sure to RSVP to the event with Ginger at ginger@stoneoakortho.com or by giving our office a call.

You're Invited to:

Who: All of our patients!

What: 2010 Patient Appreciation Party

Where: Palladium at the Rim

When: 10:00am on Saturday, September 25, 2010

Why: To celebrate all of our amazing patients!

Dr Norris at the 2010 SureSmile® Conference

Have you seen this great video of Dr. Norris at the 2010 SureSmile Conference? While learning about the new high-tech braces, which are revolutionizing the orthodontic industry through digital 3-D imaging, he was able to take a short break for some recreational activity!

Next time you're in the office for an appointment, be sure to let us know what you think of this fun video! Also, don't hesitate to give us a call if you have any questions about SureSmile or orthodontic treatment options at Stone Oak Orthodontics.

Have a great week!

-Dr. Norris and team

Did you know that Stone Oak Orthodontics is eco-friendly?

At Stone Oak Orthodontics, our team makes a commitment to sustainable orthodontics. In 2007, our office began work to fulfill Dr. Norris’ commitment to make his office completely “green.” He signed up for the volunteer renewable energy option with CPS Energy, known as Windtricity. In April 2008, Dr. Norris completed a solar energy project at our practice by installing 80 solar panels.

Did you know that Dr. Norris has been featured in the Antonio Express-News numerous times for the eco-friendly practices of Stone Oak Orthodontics? For more information, just visit our website to learn more about our environmental values.

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!

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!