Thinking About Improving Your Smile?

When you first start thinking about going to the orthodontist, it is normal to feel apprehensive. Whether you have been referred by your family dentist or chosen to seek out orthodontic care from us on your own, there are a few things you can do to prepare for your initial consultation at Wentz Orthodontics.

One of the best ways to prepare for an orthodontic consultation is to understand the options available today - orthodontic care is a lot more versatile than in the past. You can start preparing now by seeking out and understanding those options. With a few specific things in mind, you can be totally confident and prepared for your consultation. Our website is a great resource to begin your quest for knowledge! Click here!

Questions To Ask During the Consultation
Don’t be afraid to ask any questions you might have! Our entire team is here to help make this a truly wonderful experience for you. Here are a few things to consider:

• Is there an estimated length of time that I will likely require braces?
• Does it hurt getting braces? Is there anything I can do to prevent or minimize pain?
• How can I keep make sure to keep my teeth clean with braces?
• Are there foods that are off limits when I get braces?
• Do I have to stop playing my favorite sport or musical instrument during my treatment?
• How much will my treatment cost? Are there payment options?
• How often will I need to come in for checkups and other appointments?

Confidence throughout the Process
With answers to your questions, and an orthodontic team on your side, you can be confident about any necessary orthodontic treatment you require. We've proudly served our community for more than 25 years. We're excited to join you on your journey to a beautiful, healthy smile!

Four Flavorful Fall Smoothies

With Fall in full swing and with it the hectic holidays just a step further down the road, we thought we’d put together a list of a few fall-themed smoothies that can serve as a great (and easy!) breakfast or after school snack.

Pumpkin Banana Smoothie
If you’re a pumpkin fan, this smoothie is for you! While pumpkin is a trendy item, especially this time of year, what you might not know is pumpkin has both fiber and protein which makes for a healthy and filling smoothie.

• 2 tablespoons canned pure pumpkin
• 5 tablespoons milk
• 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
• 1 banana, frozen
• ½ teaspoon honey
• ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of nutmeg
• ¼ cup ice

Helpful tip: If you’re finding that you have several over ripened bananas that you aren’t able to eat in time, toss them in a freezer bag! Frozen bananas are the perfect addition to smoothies and help make preparation even easier for those hectic weekday mornings. 

Cranberry, Pear, & Orange Smoothie
That’s quite a mouthful, and trust us, you’ll love this nutrient-packed smoothie!  It chocked full of filling fiber from the pear, Vitamin C from the orange, and antioxidants from the cranberries. If you’re using whole cranberries for the first time, this smoothie might be a bit tart! Add a bit of extra honey to tone down the tart zing.

• ¾ cup cranberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1 pear, core removed & chopped
• 1 small orange
• ½ cup low-fat plain yogurt (or Greek yogurt)
• 1 teaspoon honey

Feeling adventurous? Add in any of the items below to give this smoothie even MORE flavor!

• A handful of fresh spinach
• A frozen or fresh banana
• A few frozen strawberries, blueberries, mango, or pineapple
• 1 teaspoon of chia seeds

Caramel Apple Smoothie
This smoothie is a great alternative to the traditional sticky treat and delivers all of the delicious flavor! Smoothie staples Greek yogurt and almond milk add filling protein and frozen banana adds plenty of sweetness.

• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 frozen banana
• ½ cup vanilla Greek yogurt
• ½ cup applesauce
• ¼  tsp caramel extract
• Caramel sauce & cinnamon for topping

Recipe swap: This recipe is very adaptable - the trick is to use what you have! Experiment with different types of milk and yogurt. If you don’t have caramel extract on hand, add a bit of caramel sauce right to the blender! Many of the applesauce pouches that are so popular with kids come in fun flavors too. The options are endless, have some fun with it!

Green Monster Smoothie
When you are ready to move on from using spinach in your green smoothies, Swiss chard is a great next step. Swiss chard has a delicate flavor and softer leaves that blend well in most blenders. It is actually in the same family (amaranthaceae) as spinach and beets!

• 2-3 cups Swiss chard, destemmed and roughly chopped
• 2-3 ripe bananas, fresh or frozen
• 1 tart green apple, chopped
• 1 medium whole grapefruit, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup white cranberry juice or water
• 2 cups ice

This recipe makes plenty, so freeze individual portions for those extra hectic mornings!

Calling All Expert Pumpkin Carvers!

We are SO excited to celebrate National Orthodontic Health Month with our annual

PUMPKIN CARVING CONTEST!

Grab your art supplies and enter to win some pretty amazing prizes! Good luck to all of you & thank you for supporting Wentz Orthodontics. We LOVE our community!

Brushing With Braces

Having a clean mouth is very important. 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. We're sure you've noticed that it is much harder to keep your teeth clean with braces. Food becomes caught in the brackets and between your teeth. Brushing after meals and flossing will help prevent plaque from forming and should become part of your daily schedule. Here’s a few things you need to know to make brushing a little easier.

Types of toothbrush you can use:
Soft toothbrush
Soft toothbrushes are toothbrushes with soft, gentle bristles. When shopping for a toothbrush you will notice they are labeled either “extra soft,” “soft,” “medium,” or “hard.” Extra soft is your best option for braces.

Electric toothbrush
An electric toothbrush, also known a power toothbrush, either battery powered or the kind you plug into the wall to recharge. Electronic toothbrushes clean teeth more effectively than traditional ones. Since you don't need to brush as hard with an electric toothbrush to get the same results, you are also less likely to injure your gums or inner cheeks.

How to brush: 

• Prepare to brush. Make sure to take off elastics, and any other removable parts of your orthodontic appliance.
• Clean your braces. Use your brush at a 45-degree angle to clean around the wires and pins of your braces. Brush from the top of each wire and then from the bottom. 
• Brush your teeth. Clean each tooth individually. First, place your brush at a 45-degree angle to the junction between the tooth and the gum, then apply gentle pressure as you move in a circular motion. Do this for about 10 seconds. Use the same brushing action on all outer and inner tooth surfaces, tilting the brush as needed to better reach the insides of smaller front teeth.

Don't forget! You still need to see your dentist twice a year for your regular dental cleanings. If you are having any trouble brushing your teeth let us know about it during your next visit. We're always happy to give you tips on keeping your Wentz Orthodontics smile shining bright!

Braces For Kids

The American Association of Orthodontics recommends an orthodontic evaluation at the age of 7. This is the recommended age because typically the first of the adult teeth appear, and when some of the more important problems of dental development can require treatment. Treatment for young children is usually aimed at dealing with functional problems that immediately threaten the health of the teeth. The conditions that we treat in early childhood are problems of tooth eruption, crossbite, overcrowding, jaw growth problems, snoring, thumb sucking, tongue thrust and open bite.

Orthodontic issues can develop very early in childhood, which is why early treatment is important for a number of specific conditions to prevent damage to the adult teeth or to limit the effects of a developing growth problem. One of our guiding principles at Wentz Orthodontics is to keep the amount of treatment required to produce a great smile to an absolute minimum. For more information on orthodontic treatment for children, click here to visit our website or give us a call.

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.

August Recipe

Here is everything you need to know to make your own rainbow smoothie! Enjoy!

Ingredients

RED LAYER

• 1 frozen banana
• 1/2 cup greek yogurt, vanilla or plain
• 1/2 cup frozen raspberries
• 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
• water or liquid for blending

ORANGE LAYER

• 1 frozen banana
• 1/2 cup greek yogurt, vanilla or plain
• 1/2 cup frozen peaches
• 1 small orange
• 1/4 cup frozen mango
• water or liquid for blending

YELLOW LAYER

• 2 frozen bananas
• 1/2 cup greek yogurt, vanilla or plain
• 1 cup frozen pineapple
• water or liquid for blending

GREEN LAYER

• 2 frozen bananas
• 1/2 cup greek yogurt, vanilla or plain
• 1 handful (or more) spinach
• 1 cup frozen pineapple
• water or liquid for blending

BLUE LAYER

• 2 frozen bananas
• 1/2 cup greek yogurt, vanilla or plain
• 1 cup frozen pineapple
• small amount of blue food coloring
• water or liquid for blending

PURPLE LAYER

• 1 frozen banana
• 1/2 cup greek yogurt, vanilla or plain
• 1 cup frozen mixed berries
• water or liquid for blending

MAGENTA LAYER

• 1 frozen banana
• 1/2 cup greek yogurt, vanilla or plain
• 1/2 cup sliced beets
• 1 cup frozen strawberries or raspberries

FOR EACH SMOOTHIE
Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Add more liquid to help it blend if it's too thick.
Transfer the smoothie to a bowl or container, rinse the blender and prep the next smoothie.

TO ASSEMBLE THE RAINBOW SMOOTHIE
Carefully layer each color smoothie in glasses in rainbow order. If desired, blend the smoothie using a straw or stir stick. Top each smoothie with a toothpick filled with leftover fruit.