The Process Of Clear Smiles

Whether you’re considering Invisalign treatment for yourself or someone else, knowing more about the entire process can help you be more confident in your decision to choose Invisalign.

During your initial consultation, you and Dr. Wentz will discuss your concerns in detail to determine if you are a good candidate for Invisalign. We will take x-rays, pictures and impressions of your teeth, which will be used to create a digital 3-D image. From these images, Dr. Wentz will map out a precise treatment plan, including the exact movements of your teeth and tell you the approximate length of treatment. While every case is unique to each patient, treatment typically takes approximately 12 to 18 months.

Based on your individual treatment plan, a series of custom-made, clear aligners is then created specifically for you. These aligners are made of a smooth, comfortable, BPA-free plastic that won't
irritate your cheeks and gums like traditional metal braces often do. Simply wear your aligners throughout the day and remove them when you eat or brush and floss your teeth. As you wear each set of aligners, your teeth gently and gradually begin to shift into place.

Approximately every two weeks, you will begin wearing a new set of aligners, advancing you to the next stage of your treatment. To monitor your progress, you will also have occasional checkups with our office, usually only every six weeks or so. For best results and a timely outcome, you should wear your aligners for 20 to 22 hours per day, throughout your entire treatment.

Wentz Orthodontics is an Elite Top 1% Provider for Invisalign.  This means that Wentz Orthodontics is part of the top 1% of all North American Invisalign providers and are among the most experienced. We have worked hard to provide our patients with the best Invisalign care for adults and teens, allowing us to become the only office in the south plains region to have the Top 1% provider designation. If you have any questions regarding the Invisalign process please contact our office today.

Lemonade Day Saturday, May 14th To Support Smiles For A Lifetime Foundation

Wentz Orthodontics and Lubbock Cooper Middle School are participating in Lemonade Day this Saturday! 

Stop by the Wentz Orthodontics office at 4013 84th Street on Saturday May 14th from 12-3:30.  

All proceeds will be donated to the Smiles For A Lifetime Foundation.  

Free Prizes: 

Every person who stops by will walk get a free prize! Prizes include phone adapters, earbuds, phone chargers, water bottles, chaptstick and toothbrushes!

It's National Truffle Day!

National Truffle Day is observed annually on May 2nd. On this day, the deliciously sweet truffle treat gets the spotlight.

This delicious treat is traditionally made with a chocolate ganache center coated in chocolate, icing, cocoa powder, chopped nuts or coconut. The truffle may be filled with other fillings such as cream, melted chocolate, caramel, nuts, fruit, nougat, fudge, toffee, mint, or marshmallow. 

To celebrate this day, we found a delicious recipe for you to make your very own Cake Batter Truffles.

Ingredients Needed
1/2 cup All purpose flour
1 1/2 cups Cake mix, yellow
1/2 cup Granulated sugar
1/3 cup Rainbow sprinkles
2 tsp Vanilla extract
2 tsp Veg oil or shortening
1 stick Butter
16 oz (8 squares) white almond bark
rainbow nonpariels (small round sprinkles)

For step by step recipe instructions, click here.These no back Cake Batter Truffles are fun to make and taste delicious. They are perfect for parties and are the answer to any your braces friendly cravings. Seriously, just make them. You can thank us at Wentz Orthodontics later!

Brace Yourself With This Flossing Tip

We know flossing is not always an easy task when you have braces. The struggle of getting between brackets can be tough not only on your patience but on your oral hygiene if it's not done correctly or regularly. Have you heard of the Waterpik water flosser?  If you're not familiar with this tool, read more and see how it may become your next best friend when you go to floss.

The Waterpik Water Flosser makes flossing with braces easier and more effective, and it comes with an easy to use orthodontic tip.  It has been clinically proven to work better for people with braces as it removes plaque around braces and improvevs gym health more than dental floss.

A lot of our patients have found that when they use a Waterpik they are able to flush out food particles stuck between their teeth. The water from the Waterpik can reach behind the brackets and wires and hit spots where your floss simply cannot reach. People suffering from gum disease also find Waterpik quite effective because of their ability to flush out bacteria from inside the deep pockets.

Watch this video to learn how to use a Waterpik Water Flosser.

If you have any questions about this, or any general questions or concerns about your orthodontic treatment, we encourage you to please ask us at your next appointment at Wentz Orthodontics!

Countdown to Christmas 2015

Wentz Orthodontics is blessed to be a part of an amazing community. As we enjoy participating in several local events throughout the year, Christmas time is no exception. Recently, Dr. Wentz and Dr. Reeves were featured on the KCBD Countdown to Christmas! We are so proud of the feature that we want to share it again, for those of you who may have missed it!

The Countdown to Christmas 2015 is not only a great way to get involved in the community, but there are some amazing prizes for you to win! Be sure to register this year and try your luck on the $300 MasterCard Gift Card Wentz Orthodontics gave as a contest prize! We hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

It's National Orthodontic Health Month!

Orthodontic Health Month is about creating awareness about the importance of orthodontic health to patients and our surrounding communities. We want our patients to understand the health and lifestyle benefits of orthodontics. Here are a few common questions and answers regarding orthodontics we've answered for you. 

What is Orthodontics?

Orthodontics is the branch of dentistry that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of dental and facial irregularities. The technical term for these problems is “malocclusion,” which means bad bite. The practice of orthodontics requires professional skill in the design, application, and control of corrective appliances, such as braces, to bring teeth, lips and jaws into proper alignment to achieve facial balance.

What Causes Orthodontics Problems?

Most malocclusions are inherited, and some are acquired. Inherited problems include crowding of teeth, too much space between teeth, extra teeth, congenitally missing teeth, and a wide range of discrepancies of the jaws, teeth, and face. Acquired problems can be caused by trauma, thumb or finger sucking, airway obstruction by tonsils and adenoids, dental diseases, and premature loss of baby or adult teeth. Many of these problems affect not only the alignment of teeth but also facial development and appearance as well.

At What Age Should My Child See An Orthodontist?

The American Association of Orthodontics recommends that your child be evaluated by age seven. An orthodontic screening no later than age seven enables the orthodontist to detect and evaluate problems that exist, advise if treatment will be necessary, and determine the best time for the treatment. Early detection of any orthodontic problems is important in order to take early corrective action and avoid more difficult treatment later.

Can Adults Have Braces?

Age is not a factor in considering orthodontic treatment for adults. Any adult in good general health with healthy gums and good bone support for the teeth is a candidate for orthodontic treatment. About 25% of our orthodontic patients are adults, and that number is still growing!

As we take time to bring awareness to orthodontics this month we want to remind you if you have any questions regarding orthodontics to contact us. Dr. Wentz and our staff love answering all your questions, so feel free to ask!

Wentz Orthodontics

4013 84th Street

Lubbock, TX 79423

(806) 792-7223 

(806) 794-8124

Shoes for Orphans Souls

“It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” -Mother Teresa

In an effort to help those who are most deserving we have teamed up with Buckner International, a Texas based non-profit, to provide shoes to children around the world. There are so many things you can do to help other and providing new shoes is just one way for us as a community to give back the blessings we have earned.

You may be wondering why shoes are the focus of this campaign, but whether you realize it or no not shoes are important to our day to day lives. Here are why shoes are so important to these recipients.

New shoes are important to health: 
Buckner International serves many developing countries. In these countries children don’t have shoes so they must walk around barefoot. In many cases children are walking around barefoot in health hazardous environments, which put them at risk for illness. New shoes help protect children from potentially harmful diseases or injuries that can occur when walking with no shoes.

New shoes are important to education:
Many schools around the world require students wear shoes to attend, for children whose don’t have the luxury of having shoes this poses a threat to their education. Learn is important and everyone should have the opportunity to get an education.

New shoes are important to providing hope:
Children from disadvantaged families and children of orphanages typically share everything including shoes. A new pair of shoes means a lot to these children, it is something of their own which can make a child feel extra special.

Buckner International asks specifically for shoes for the simple fact that is vital to provide children who have so little with durable shoes in their best condition. These children deserve so much this is just a little gesture to show that there are people in the world who care.

We are proud to say that until April 30th, 2015 we will be an office dropout station for the Shoes for Orphans Souls Campaign. As and added “Thank You” to any patient of Wentz Orthodontics who donates a pair shoes will be entered to win a $200 gift card to Cardinals Sport Center. For more info please email tamara@wentzmail.com

Join us in supporting this great cause! For more information about this wonderful campaign visit shoesfororphansouls.com