Fact or Fiction: Braces Edition

There are many legends and myths about orthodontics, some of which have become so commonplace that they are now believed to be legitimate. Well...guess what? Even if you know the guy who has the cousin who has the friend that the story happened to..it could be fiction!

Fiction: Only children and teens need to visit an orthodontist. 



Fact: Braces are not just for kids. More and more adults today are seeking the benefits of a beautiful, healthy smile. Health, happiness and self-esteem are vitally important at any age.

Fiction: Braces are just for cosmetic purposes and aren’t necessary for your overall dental health.

Fact: While braces can definitely help you get that beautiful smile, they aren’t just for cosmetic improvement. Well aligned teeth can facilitate good oral hygiene making it easier to prevent tooth decay and gum disease. In addition, resolving certain orthodontic problems with the use of braces can improve your ability to speak, chew, and even breathe. 

Fiction: Braces interfere with radio signals and electronic devices.

Fact: In theory any metal can act as an antenna, but braces are really bad ones. Radio signals are modulated electro-magnetic waves transmitted through the air. In order for these transmitted signals to travel well in air, they must be sent at high-frequencies. This is achieved through modulation. Even if someone's tooth could receive these frequencies, it would have to be decoded to actually hear real

messages.

 

Fiction: Wearing braces will increase your chances of being struck by lightning?

Fact: The chances of a person getting struck by are the same, with or without braces. In the U.S. in any one year, the chance you will be struck by lighting is 1 in 700,000 no matter what you are wearing.

Fiction: If there was a giant magnet overhead, anyone who is wearing braces would get stuck to it.

Fact: Braces are made of materials which are non-magnetic in nature. Therefore getting stuck to a giant magnet is highly unlikely...and really, where is this giant magnet anyways?

So fear no more, these are the hard facts...No matter what your friend's cousin's brother says.

The Harlem Globetrotters Are Coming to Town!

One of the most famous basketballs teams in the world are coming to Lubbock! The Harlem Globetrotters will show off their entertaining skills and trick for a fun-filled show.

The world famous Harlem Globetrotters have been entertaining crowds since 1926 with non-traditional style of playing basketball. The team has become a fixture in sports history and have been around for over 80 year, having played over 20,000 games.

The Harlem Globetrotters are on their 2015 “Washington Generals’ Revenge Tour.” The infamous Generals beat the Globetrotters nearly 50 years ago, and are on the hunt for a repeat.

Halftime entertainment will include the honoring of active, wounded or retired members of the military with the team’s Hometown Hero promotion. Nominations can be sent to harlemglobetrotters.com. A portion of the game will be played with a special camouflage basketball as a sign of respect to those who protect our country.

The Globetrotters’ roster features Lang, Big Easy Lofton, Ant Atkinson, Hi-Lite Bruton, Thunder Law, Bull Bullard, Firefly Fisher and Moose Weekes – plus female stars TNT Maddox, T-Time Brawner and Sweet J Ekworomadu.

WIN TICKETS

This show is sure to be fun for all and we want to give YOU a chance to attend. We are giving away 4 tickets to one lucky Wentz patient to attend the January 27th game at United Spirit Arena.

How do I win?

All you have to do is come by our office and fill out an entry form or email Tamara@wentzmail.com to enter to win.

This is an event you don't want to miss! To check out of Zeus of the Globetrotters on KLBK click here

Keep Your Teeth Healthy on the Road

Whether you are leaving your home for a weekend trip or go on vacation, you want to properly pack for your dental care. 

Even when you are not in the comfort of your own home don’t let your healthy teeth habits don’t fall to the wayside. Having a clean mouth is important. It gives you fresh breath and a nicer-looking smile. Brushing and flossing removes a thin sticky film of bacteria that grows on your teeth. This sticky film, called plaque, is the main cause of tooth decay and gum disease.

You can find pre-packaged kits for purchases at your local drugstores or even online. However, while under Orthodontic treatment you want to make sure your kit fits your needs.

Here are some of the items that need to be in your kit:

• Travel Toothbrush
• Toothpaste 
• Mouthwash
• Threader floss
• Rubber bands
• Mini Mirror

& in case of a dental emergency 

• Dental wax
• Cold pack
• Over the counter pain killers

Putting together a mini dental travel kit is the easiest way to support your healthy habits while on the road. Get a small bag that can easily fit in your carrier and fill it with all the items you need. Also, make sure you keep a Wentz Orthodontics contact card inside your kit just in case you have an emergency and need to contact our office. 

Floss Like a Boss

You eat the right foods, brush your teeth twice a day and make your regularly scheduled dental appointments so you're good right? WRONG. Your're missing a key component to have a healthy mouth, FLOSSING!

Flossing is important to your oral care routine, in fact the American Dental Association suggest that you floss at least once a day. Flossing and brushing your teeth go hand in hand. Flossing helps you reach areas in your mouth and between teeth that a toothbrush can't get to. Flossing regularly also helps remove plaque, prevents gum disease, prevents cavities from forming.

Flossing with Braces:

It may be a little more work to floss with braces, but it just take a little extra time and technique.

The first step to flossing is getting the floss under the wire that connects the braces together. A floss threader will help you get the dental floss underneath your archwires. Dental floss with a stiff end is also available. It is pre-cut and is very easy to insert underneath archwires.

Once the floss is under the archwire it can be wrapped around the tooth on one side. The floss is then pushed up toward the gum line and then pulled down toward the wire. This should be repeated four to five times to ensure all plaque is removed. Be careful not to put too much pressure on the wire as you pull down. Then wrap the floss around the neighboring tooth. Once both teeth are done, the floss is pulled out and the process repeated for the next two teeth.

While under orthodontic treatment you should be flossing after every meal. It's easy for food to caught between wires and it is important that you clean it out as soon as possible. Check out this video clip below which displays the proper way to floss.

To learn more about brushing and flossing please visit the Oral Hygiene on our website.

Charlie's Coat Drive

We would like to send a great big THANK YOU to everyone who stopped by our office and donated coats to Charlies Coat Drive, but do you know the story behind this very special coat drive?

Charlie Pitner on KLBK "This Morning"

Charlies Coat Drive was started 3 years ago by an extrodinarty young boy who want to help others. Charlie Pitner, 9, started this coat drive when he was only in kindergarten. Where did such a young boy get such a great idea? The radio. "I was listening to the radio one night and they were doing a coat drive where you had to pledge $40 a month," Charlie said. He wanted to give to the coat drive, but his mother said they would not be able to make the pledge. After seeing how eager her son was to help she suggested to her church that they should help Charlie start his own coat drive. Now a third-grader at Northridge Elementary School, Charlie has helped get many donate new and gently worn coats to those in need.

We are glad Wentz Orthodontics has the opportunity to be a drop-off location for such a great cause! We couldn't have made such a great contribution to the coat drive without our lovely friends and patients, we appreciate you all.

To watch Charlie's KLBK news interview please visit EverythingLubbock.com

7 is the Magic Number.. For Early Intervention

Many people may think it is best to wait until adolescents to seek orthodontic care however, the earlier you seek treatment the better. Actually 7 is the perfect age for an evaluation.

Photo provided by poorrichardsnews.com

7 years old may sound too early to be thinking about orthodontic treatment, but it proven that early treatment is important for ensuring positive treatment results. 7 isn’t just a number Dr. Wentz came up with. The AAO (American Association of Orthodontist) recommends that all children receive a check-up by age 7. By the age 7, some of the permanent teeth have erupted, so that most children have a mix of adult and baby teeth. At this stage of mixed dentition, we can spot potential orthodontic problems related to jaw growth and eruption of adult teeth. Some growth-related orthodontic problems are easier to correct when they are identified early while the facial bones are still growing.

Will my 7 year old need to get braces right away?

No, an early examination does not mean immediate treatment is necessary. After your initial examination we may just need to monitor your child periodically to see how teeth and jaw continue to develop. If your child is not ready for treatment he/she will entered into the Wentz Thumbs Up Club.

The Wentz Thumbs Up Club provides a way for our office to communicate with each patient’s family about upcoming events and contests or new technologies within our office via our website’s link to The Wentz Thumbs Up Club or the quarterly newsletter. 

If your child has reached the right age for an orthodontic examination schedule an appointment today. Here at Wentz Orthodontics we want to focus on the oral dental health of each patient and your child would no exception, contact us today!

Foods Your Braces Should Avoid

Orthodontic treatment brings out the best smile in our patients here at Wentz Orthodontics, but with treatment come a lot of changes. From your smile to oral hygiene habits there is change. Be that as it may, one of the most drastic changes patients experience is what you can and can not eat.

Certain foods can do damage to your orthodontic appliances (ie; braces). It is important for you to avoid sticky, chewy, hard and crunchy foods. Hard foods can break or damage wires and brackets, and sticky foods can get caught between brackets and wires.

Here are examples of food we want all of our patients to avoid:

• Gum (sugar-free or regular)
• Licorice
• Sugar Daddies
• Toffee
• Caramels
• Starburst
• Ice
• Nuts
• Hard taco shells
• French bread crust/rolls
• Corn on the cob
• Apples and carrots (unless cut into small pieces)
• Bagels
• Chips
• Jolly Rancher
• Pizza crust
• Uncooked carrots (unless cut)

In the meantime here are some examples of food you CAN enjoy:

• Dairy - pudding, soft cheeses
• Breads – sliced lunch bread, soft tortillas, pancakes, muffins w/o nuts, biscuits
• Grains – noodles, pasta, soft-cooked rice
• Meats/poultry - soft-cooked chicken, meatballs, lunch meats
• Seafood - fish w/o bones, tuna, salmon, crab and crab cakes
• Vegetables - mashed potatoes, peas, yams, steamed spinach, beans
• Fruits - applesauce, bananas, fruit juice
• Treats - ice cream w/o nuts, milkshakes, smoothies, Jell-O, cake
• Other – eggs, hot dogs, hamburgers, chili, beans and much more

Be mindful of what you war or you might have to make a visit to our office sooner than expected.