April is National Facial Protection Month! From Dr. Danny Weiss

With spring here, many children, teens and adults will once again pick up the ball, bring the bat out of seasonal retirement, and lace up their cleats to hit the fields for the return of spring sports! April is National Facial Protection Month. During this time Dr. Weiss and our dedicated team urge our young athletes to play it safe when out on the field. The video above from our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists demonstrates a few ways to ensure your mouth’s safety this spring.

We hope this video helps. Protective gear is vital for anyone engaging in tooth or mouth-threatening activities. If you have any further questions about any of the tips offered in the video, please contact Weiss Orthodontics. And remember to have fun and stay safe!

Your turn! From Weiss Orthodontics

By now, you're probably familiar with the drill: Week after week, our team at Weiss Orthodontics write about important topics pertinent to orthodontics and your well-being, including innovative orthodontic techniques Dr. Weiss offers. This week, we thought we’d step back and ask you, our great patients and readers: what’s on your mind?

What would you like to know about the always-changing field of orthodontics? What would you like us to focus on our blog? Perhaps there’s something you’ve wanted to ask Dr. Weiss for a while now? Let us know by posting here, and have a great rest of the week!

-- Dr. Weiss and team

A great braces-friendly spring recipe! From Dr. Weiss and Weiss Orthodontics

Winter is almost over (really!), and the weather is finally starting to get warmer. Our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) made an appetizing (and braces-friendly!) spring dish that is sure to delight. Remember, a healthy diet provides essential nutrients and helps you achieve the best possible result from your orthodontic treatment.

Soy Simmered Chicken Wraps
Ingredients:
• 3 boneless chicken breast halves
• 2 large onions, chunked
• Small flour tortillas (pkg. of ten) wheat or white
• (optional: 10-16 oz. of cooked chopped broccoli)
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup water
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 1/8 teaspoon ginger
• 2 Tablespoons peach or apricot jam
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch

Directions

In a slow cooker, or a large pan on the stove, layer the onions and the chicken breast. Allow at least three hours in the slow cooker on medium, or at least one hour on the stove—the longer the better, but you don’t have to do anything to it while it cooks. Spoon out the chicken onto a cutting board, and with a knife and fork, shred the chicken as finely as you’d like. In a small saucepan, stir all sauce ingredients together over medium heat until the mixture starts bubbling, then let it simmer for five minutes on low heat to thicken. In a serving bowl, stir sauce and onion into chicken; if you’d like, add cooked chopped broccoli. Makes about six to eight servings.

Enjoy this great spring dish and have a great rest of the week!

-- Dr. Weiss and team

Ask Dr. Weiss: Am I too old for treatment?

Who’s afraid of being spotted in braces? Not adults, apparently. Recently, our staff at Weiss Orthodontics read a fascinating statistic: adults getting braces has jumped 24 percent from just 14 years ago! Yes, braces help make your pearly whites strong, healthy and perfectly-aligned, but perhaps another reason for the spike in adult braces is this: people want to look and feel great. 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 in orthodontics. Orthodontic treatment with Dr. Danny Weiss 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. Weiss would love to have you visit for a consultation. Please give us a call to set one up!

Weiss Orthodontics, supporting National Nutrition Month

March has arrived, and that can only mean one thing: it’s National Nutrition Month. Every March, Dr. Danny Weiss and thousands of orthodontists and dentists celebrate National Nutrition Month. This March, Dr. Weiss and our team want you to think diabetes, obesity and periodontal disease, and how healthful eating and physical activity may improve periodontal health.

Dr. Weiss and team know small changes really can make a big difference, and the American Dietetic Association (ADA) has some advice on ways to start improving your diet this March:

• Focus on fruits and vegetables: Add a serving each day to one meal and increase it every few weeks. Adding more of these foods into your diet is important whether you buy frozen, fresh or organic.

• Think fresh, think local: From farmer’s markets to community-supported agriculture, you have many options to find new, fresh foods here in Memphis and Millington.

• Make every calorie count: When you are choosing between options, focus instead on the one with more of the vitamins and nutrients that you need. Sometimes, foods with fewer calories aren’t always the healthiest options.

• It’s tempting, but…: If you have a sweet tooth, have fruit and yogurt for dessert. If you crave a snack in the afternoon, enjoy some trail mix or nuts.

• Expand your horizons: Try a fish you’ve never eaten before or find a new vegetable recipe. By testing yourself, you might find new healthy favorites to add to your regular grocery list.

If you have additional questions about periodontal disease or keeping yourself and your mouth healthy, please give us a call!

What puts you at ease at Danny Weiss DDS?

Dr. Danny Weiss understands not everyone is always thrilled about visiting their orthodontist. But at Weiss Orthodontics, we strive to bring you the best and most comforting experience at each visit. We’d like to know: What is it about Danny Weiss DDS that makes you comfortable or puts you at ease? Is it something about our pleasant office environment? Our friendly professional staff? Do you love Dr. Weiss?

Let us know by posting here or by giving us a call!

Orthodontic fun facts, from Dr. Weiss

Everyone loves facts. The American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO, has come up with some fun facts about orthodontics that our team thought you might enjoy.

• There are nearly 4 million people in orthodontic treatment throughout the United States. Three out of four are younger than 18.
• The first mechanical treatment for correcting irregular teeth was suggested by Gaius Plinius Secundus (A.D 23-79).The American Association of Orthodontists is comprised of more than 12,000 members in the United States, Canada and abroad.
• The time required to complete orthodontic treatment ranges from 12 to 36 months depending on the nature and severity of the problem.
• Of the 160,000 dentists in the United States and Canada, 8,000 are practicing orthodontists.
• The cement that attaches the braces to the teeth is now made with a special fluoride-releasing substance.
• Wires activated by body heat used in today's braces originally were developed by NASA for use in the space program.
• In addition to alleviating or preventing physical health problems, orthodontics can boost self-esteem as treatment aligns teeth, jaws and lips.
• Famous orthodontic patients include: Dr. Joyce Brothers, Hale Irwin, Cher, Diana Ross, Phyllis Diller, Chelsea Clinton, Whoopi Goldberg, Daisy Fuentes and Brandi.


--Dr. Danny Weiss