Braces, all the cool kids do it!

Braces today are “cool” and—many would say—even “fun.” These were among the findings of a 2010 nationwide survey of moms whose children are going through or have had orthodontic treatment. New technologies like advanced computer software, color options, and even popular celebrities—Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Danny Glover, Serena Williams—sporting stylish braces are making orthodontic treatment more comfortable, fashionable and cool for today’s teens.

The study, conducted on behalf of our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists for February’s National Children’s Dental Health Month, found 86 percent of moms reporting that braces are cooler today than when they were children. Sixty-nine percent of moms also said wearing braces makes their children feel cool, and 81 percent reported their children’s experience with orthodontic treatment as either positive or extremely positive.

Different color options and the ability to change colors, for example, provide exciting ways for young patients to customize appearances. That enthusiasm helps them to feel good about their orthodontic treatment with Dr. Weiss, and may contribute to the success of treatment.

Has your child or teen visited Weiss Orthodontics for a consultation? If not, please give us a call and let us help your child begin the journey to a gorgeous smile!

Staying connected with Weiss Orthodontics

If you know Dr. Weiss and team, you know we embrace anything technology-related. That includes the innovative treatments we offer and the social networks which we are a part of. That includes our Facebook fan page, where we're currently focusing most of our new media efforts.

For social media to work, however, we understand that conversation is vital, and that’s why we invite you to join in and tell us what’s on your mind. Although social networks such as Facebook and Twitter are hugely popular these days, we know they’re unpredictable and ever-changing.

While Dr. Weiss and team take a little time to research how to best use social media, we thought we’d ask you, our loyal patients: How would you like us to use our social networks? What would you like us to share on our blog? Send us your thoughts or post them on our Facebook wall!

Have a great weekend!

Does Dr. Weiss have your current contact info?

There is a nasty weather ahead this fall and winter! Please help Dr. Weiss and our staff get prepared by calling us and letting us know if you have any new phone numbers or if your contact information has changed!

At times of power outages and inclement weather, we need to be able to get a hold of you. Please contact us with any updates to phone numbers and addresses, so we may be able to reach you. Thank you and Happy Holidays from Dr. Weiss and staff!

Weiss Orthodontics want to know: How was your Halloween?

November is here, and—believe it or not—we’re almost in full holiday mode! But before we forget about the spooky month that just wrapped up, we’d like to know how you celebrated Halloween! What did you wear? How much candy did you get? Did you have fun?

If you have any photos or videos that you would like to share with us, please send them our way or feel free to post them on our Facebook page! We hope you all had a happy and safe Halloween! Also, what are you up to this month? Anything exciting happening in your life? If so, we’d love to hear all about it.

Before you go: Have you been in for a dental checkup lately? It’s important that you see your general dentist as well as visiting Weiss Orthodontics during your orthodontic treatment. If you have questions about your treatment or just want some general information, give us a call or stop by for a visit at our Memphis or Millington office!

Ask Dr. Weiss: What foods should I avoid?

There are a variety of foods Dr. Danny Weiss wants you to avoid while you're wearing braces. Most foods can damage braces, but certain foods can bend the wires or break the brackets on your braces. If you have braces, you should avoid starch, sugar and gummy foods, as these foods can be difficult to remove during brushing. Foods that are high in sugar and starch causes plaque, cavities and tooth decay.

Avoid tough meats, hard breads and raw vegetables such as carrots and celery. Before long, you'll be able to bite a cucumber again. But you'll need to protect your orthodontic appliances when you eat for as long as you're wearing braces.

Foods to Avoid
• Chewy foods: bagels, hard rolls, licorice
• Crunchy foods: popcorn, ice, chips
• Sticky foods: caramels, gum
• Hard foods: nuts, candy
• Foods you have to bite into: corn on the cob, apples, carrots
• Chewing on hard things (for example, pens, pencils or fingernails) can damage the braces. Damaged braces will cause treatment to take longer.

If you have any questions on which foods you should be avoiding and why, we invite you to give us a call or ask Dr. Weiss or our staff during your next visit! Happy Monday!

Ask Dr. Weiss: what, exactly, is a Temporomandibular Disorder?

At Weiss Orthodontics, we know thousands of folks in Memphis suffer from chronic facial and neck pain, as well as recurrent headaches. In some cases the pain is due to Temporomandibular Disorder, or TMD.

Your temporomandibular joints, or jaw joints, connect your lower jawbone to your skull. These joints get quite a lot of use throughout the day as you speak, chew, swallow and yawn. Pain in and around these joints are very unpleasant and may even restrict movement.

Should you notice any of these symptoms - pain in the jaw, constant headaches, muscle spasms, locked jaw or clicking/popping in the jaw - let us know by giving us a call! Dr. Danny Weiss and team can help advise you as to whether they indicate the presence of TMD, and what sort of treatment is appropriate for you.

We hope you're having a relaxing weekend!

Weiss Orthodontics, reminding you Mother's Day is coming up!

Mother's Day -- which falls next Sunday, May 9 -- is special to all of us, isn't it. Everyone looks forward to this day to let our mom know how special she is to us. As you know, the day is observed by giving gifts, visiting our moms or taking them out to celebrate. Tell Weiss Orthodontics, what are you planning on you mom's special day on Sunday?

Out of ideas? Then check out this helpful video about clever, inexpensive Mother's Day gift ideas. Whatever you come up with, we're sure mom is going to love it!

Did you make a difference today? From Dr. Weiss

Whether lending your helping hand to plant trees or grasses or getting out to volunteer in various projects in Memphis or Millington, today was our opportunity to get involved in making our year-round impact in the community. Dr. Weiss wants to know: Did you make a difference today? Tell us, what did you accomplish? How long have you participated in helping our community and planet?

At Weiss Orthodontics, we support Earth Day, which marks its 40th anniversary today and is designed to inspire awareness and appreciation for our environment and ecosystem. If you’d like to join the millions of people around the world who are making small but important changes to help sustain our ecosystem, try these helpful environmental tips, courtesy of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA.

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Retainers, retainers, retainers...

If you recently completed treatment at Weiss Orthodontics, we’d like to congratulate you! Now that your braces have been removed, Dr. Weiss will provide—or has provided you—with retainers. After braces are removed, 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 by Dr. Weiss 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 the doctor instructs otherwise. Wearing your retainers at night ensures that your pearly whites won’t relapse.

* 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.

* Retainers are breakable, so treat them with care. If retainers are lost or broken, give us a call immediately.

* 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 (football, soccer, etc.).

We hope this helps! You can always contact our team if you have any questions!