Get to Know: Yolanda Manzano

We love our Texas Orthodontics family! Get to know more about one of our team members: Yolanda Manzano!

Favorites -
Book: Little Women

Movie: A Walk In the Clouds
Color: Purple
Artist: Pink

Candy: Snickers
Team: Dallas Cowboys

Her bucket list:
1. To read all of my books

2. To find someone special

3. To have my place clean for more than one day

Who would you choose to play you in a TV Show?

Julia Roberts

If someone wrote a book about you, what would the title be?
The Wild

Who inspires you?
My children – they are my world.

What is your dream vacation?
Sitting on a beach

What is one piece of advice you would like to share with others about life?
Don’t take things for granted

If you could witness one event (past, present, future) which would you choose?

The crowning of Princess Diana

What is your why?

My kids are the reason for my life and what keeps me going.

What is Hyperdontia?

Most children are born with 20 primary teeth and 32 permanent teeth. Some children are born with more than this amount, and we refer to this as hyperdontia. Primary teeth are the first set of teeth that develop in your child’s mouth. Permanent teeth take the place of primary teeth and by the time your child is 21, he or she should have 32 permanent teeth.  Anyone who develops more than 32 permanent teeth has hyperdontia. These extra teeth are known as supernumerary teeth. 

The causes of hyperdontia are not entirely figured out, but research suggests there may be a genetic factor involved. Hyperdontia is affects between one and four percent of the U.S. population. The majority of those with hyperdontia have only one extra tooth.

Hyperdontia can be treated by orthodontic treatments, but treatments vary on a case by case basis. Orthodontic treatment may definitely help, but tooth extraction is also a great way to take care of the issue.  We recommend that children receive an oral hygiene evaluation no later than age seven. This is a great way to see if your child has hyperdontia. 

Invisalign Teen makes orthodontics easy

Teens are busy people. Between tests, Homecoming, football games, practice and first dates, there leaves little time for metal braces and the extra time it takes to take care of them – that’s where Invisalign Teen comes in. Here are three reasons why Invisalign Teen makes orthodontics easy –

1. Eat like you want - When you have standard metal braces, there are a number of things that are off-limits such as gum, popcorn, sticky candies and whole fruits. With Invisalign Teen, the aligners are completely removable, allowing you to eat all of your favorite foods whenever you want. This also means you can easily keep brushing and flossing as you normally would for proper oral hygiene.

2. They’re completely clear – Looking back at photos from high school are awkward enough without metal braces gleaming back at you. With Invisalign Teen, you can have the confidence of knowing that your smile is improving without the physical reminder.

3. Enjoy life as a teen – Whether you play sports or a musical instrument, a mouth full of metal can hold you back from enjoying the things you want to. It’s hard to perform at your best knowing you could get hit in the mouth with a ball, or cut your lip trying to hit that note on the trumpet. Invisalign Teen helps you focus on doing what you do best—being a teen.

The Price of a Smile

Let’s face it, everyone wants a beautiful straight smile, but braces have always appeared, for some, to be financially unattainable. At Texas Orthodontics, we believe everyone deserves to have the confidence that comes with a perfect smile. How do we do that? With consistent prices that are affordable to begin with! For just $83 a month, we can get you in Standard Metal Braces ($3480 total)! We invite you to shop around and find a lower price.

Our Comprehensive Care Includes -

New Patient Appointment: $0

• Orthodontic diagnostic records
• Orthodontic examination by doctor(s)
• Consultation with doctor(s) regarding the diagnosis and an individualized orthodontic treatment plan, including an estimated treatment time

Comprehensive Orthodontic Treatment: $3480 (For Standard Metal Braces)

• All office visits
• All orthodontic appliances necessary to complete treatment (braces, expanders, arch wires, head gear, rubber bands, aligners, etc.)
• All orthodontic emergency appointments, if applicable
• All orthodontic progress orthodontic records
• Continual communication with your general dentist and any other dental specialists, as needed

Post-Orthodontic Treatment: $0

• Post-orthodontic records
• One set of retainers
• One year of post-orthodontic treatment office visits

We want to provide the most affordable orthodontic services with unsurpassed quality. So give us a call (210.354.3131) today!

Braces Myths Debunked

Some time ago, a TV show called Braceface hit television screens in the U.S. and Canada. The main character, Sharon Spitz had a mouthful of silver braces like many teens do today, though her set was a little unique. Because of the metal in her mouth, she picked up radio and telephone frequencies and was often smacked in the face by her locker which flew open because it was attracted to the magnets on her teeth. Wait, magnets on her teeth? Thanks Sharon for making people across North America believe that braces are magnetic. That’s just one of the crazy myths that are out there about braces. Below are some of the most popular and widespread orthodontic rumors that people believe.

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            Braces are magnetic. We mentioned this one above, but it’s worth clarifying one more time. The metals used in braces are absolutely not magnetized. If you wear braces, you will not get stuck to your locker or band instrument.

·         Braces will set off metal detectors. This is simply not true. Travel via plane all you want. You won’t have any trouble getting past security because of your braces.

·         Braces will pick up radio transmissions. Seriously, who even came up with this one? Braces will absolutely not pick up any kind of wireless frequencies.

·         If two people with braces kiss, their wires will get stuck together. Well, we sure hope not! The wires used in braces are so small that them becoming latched on to something else is extremely unlikely. The food you eat poses a greater threat.

·         Having braces makes you more likely to get struck by lightning. Well, this one is actually true—just kidding! Your odds are exactly the same as those who don’t wear braces. Don’t believe anything else for a second!

When it comes to braces, don’t believe all the rumors and horror tales. Sure, they make for pretty great TV, but there’s no truth to them. Instead, if you are truly concerned, do some research or give us a call. We’d be happy to set the record straight just like your teeth!

                                                                                

Animal Dental Facts

We know a lot about teeth. Really. A lot. Something we don’t know a lot about is animal teeth! Check out some of these awesome animal dental facts! Some of these even surprised our staff!

Dogs have 42 teeth while cats have 30 teeth.

Rabbits, squirrels and rodents teeth never stop growing. They keep them worn down by gnawing on hard food like bark.

A crocodile replaces its teeth over 40 times in a lifetime.

An elephant’s tooth can weigh over six pounds!

"Long in the tooth," meaning "old," was originally used to describe horses. As a horse ages, their gums recede, giving the impression that their teeth are growing in length. The longer the teeth look, the older the horse.

Can you think of some more interesting animal dental facts?

Why do I have bad breath?

Perhaps you just got finished eating the biggest garlic meal you’ve ever encountered, or just work up from an epic nap – either way, your breath is probably less than friendly. The technical term for bad breath is halitosis and over 90 million people suffer from it. It’s caused by bacteria on your gums and tongue which produces a malodorous sulfur compound from the decay of food particles and other debris in your mouth. Outside of food and sleep, what else could lead you mouth to host such an atrocious stench? There might be a couple of reasons –

Halitosis is a side effect of gum disease, diabetes, kidney failure, a medical infection or a liver malfunction. Stress, snoring, dieting, age and hormonal changes can also have an effect on your breath.

Dry mouth could also be the cause of your bad breath. Without the cleansing and rinsing action of saliva, the bacteria in your mouth sticks to your gums and tongue, producing the sulfur compound created from the food particles in your mouth. A mouth breather will wake with a dry mouth or someone on a lot of medication may also suffer from medication xerostomia. Both instances invite halitosis without proper cleaning of teeth, gums, tongue and sides of cheeks.

Your dentist can help detect any physical problems that contribute to bad breath and will help determine the source of halitosis. Regular cleanings and proper oral hygiene techniques can obviously help alleviate most unpleasantries.

From ada.org