Pumpkin Cookie Pops

In a month full of sweet treats, it’s more important than ever to be mindful of your braces and/or your orthodontic appliances. As an alternative to Halloween candies that may be sticky, chewy and hard we have a fun recipe provided by the American Association of Orthodontist that you and your family will love.

Pumpkin Cookie Pops

(Adapted from www.pumpkinnook.com)

Ingredients:

• ¾ C unsalted butter, softened
• ½ C brown sugar, firmly packed
• ½ C canned or fresh cooked pumpkin
• 1 tbsp orange zest
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla
• 2 ¼ C all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• Pinch salt
• 20 wooden sticks (tongue depressors or Popsicle sticks work best)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine with electric mixer the butter, brown sugar and orange zest. Add the pumpkin, egg yolk, and vanilla. Mix. 
• Gradually add the flour and spices. Mix with your hands to create a soft dough. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Divide dough into two pieces. Roll out each piece to
• 1/4-inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut into pumpkin shapes with cookie cutters.
• Place on ungreased baking sheet and securely insert a wooden stick into the bottom half of each pumpkin cookie.

Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Decorate with favorite frosting

During Halloween it's important to stay away from hard, sticky, crunchy or chewy candy and snacks. These include caramel, gummies, licorice, taffy, bubblegum (even the sugarless kind), jelly beans and soft drinks. Sweets can cause cavities, which means brushing and flossing are more important than ever during the Halloween season. Orthodontic patients should be especially vigilant about brushing and flossing after consuming sugary or starchy foods. 

Morristown Orthodontics

161 Washington Street, Morristown, NJ 07960-3772 

202 South Orange Avenue, South Orange, NJ 07079

(973) 538-2171

Is It REALLY An Emergency?

Did you know that many things we consider an emergency are really things that are simply causing us temporary discomfort and can be resolved at home? It's true. Most orthodontic concerns, like, poking wires and mouth soreness can be fixed without scheduling an emergency appointment.

Here'sHow...

Poking Wire - Sometimes a poking wire can be safely turned down so that it no longer causes you discomfort. Try to tuck the wire back in and out of the way with the blunt end of a toothbrush, pencil eraser or Q-Tip. Orthodontic wax can always be used to cover any archwires that might be sticking out. Also...nail clippers can be used to clip a broken archwire that may be poking out if wax doesn't ease you comfort.

Loose Wire - Use Tweezers to re-insert archwires that have slipped out of the molar bracket. Place wax over it if there is any remaining discomfort.

 

Soreness - Warm salt-water rinses are helpful in relieving soreness. You may also take an over-the-counter pain reliever such as Tylenol or Advil as you would for a headache or similar discomfort. Carefully chewing on a half piece of sugarless chewing gum will help alleviate the pain and help your mouth feel "back to normal" much more quickly.

Even though you are careful, you may occasionally damage your appliances. We want our patients to be informed of problems that may occur, and understand how to solve them, at least temporarily, until it is possible to return to our office.

Please Remember:  If you are involved in contact sports, a TekFit mouth guard can be fitted over your braces for added protection.

Morristown Orthodontics

161 Washington Street, Morristown, NJ 07960-3772 

202 South Orange Avenue, South Orange, NJ 07079

(973) 538-2171

October is Orthodontic Health Month!

When you think October, you naturally think Halloween.
But did you know that October is also a time for celebrating Orthodontics?

Every year, the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recognizes October as a time to raise awareness of the benefits of orthodontic treatment.

If you have never been to an orthodontist before, you might not know what to expect. Meeting with Dr. Wadhwa and her staff is a great way to find out what kind of people you’ll be seeing during your treatment. This is also a time to get your questions answered and to learn more about what an orthodontist can do for you and your family.

Facts About Orthodontics:

• 100% of all orthodontists are dentists. About 6% of all dentists are orthodontists.
• Adults care about straightening their teeth too! Millions of people over age 18 are currently in orthodontic treatment.
• Approximately 4 million people in the United States have braces on their teeth right now!
• The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) suggests children should be seen by the age of 7?  Early intervention is sometimes needed to help guide growth and development of permanent teeth and jaw alignment.

If you have any questions about what foods are best during orthodontic treatment, feel free to ask during your next visit.We look forward to seeing you and your family this October!

End of Summer Art Contest

September 23rd marked the official end of summer and beginning of Fall. This is the time of the year when the blazing heat of the summer subsides, the autumn leaves covers grass fields and healthy foods begin to harvest. This year our office is celebrating the end of summer by offering our patients the chance to win a $50 iTunes gift card! 

https://www.facebook.com/MorristownOrthodontics

For any questions about our contest, which ends September 30th, give our office a call today!

Morristown Orthodontics

161 Washington Street, Morristown, NJ 07960-3772 

202 South Orange Avenue, South Orange, NJ 07079

(973) 538-2171

Retain Your Beauitful Smile

You’ve worked hard on improving on your smile and now it’s time for those braces to come off. But, you’re not finished yet there is still one more step to go until you have the beautiful, healthy smile you desire.

Once your braces are removed it is possible that you teeth will want to return back to their original positions. To prevent all the hard work by you and Dr. Wadhwa have put towards correcting your smile from going down the drain, you must wear your retainer. Retainers, like the name states, retain your teeth in their new positions. What type of retainer you must depends on the retention plan set specifically for you.There are 3 types of retainers commonly used during the retention phase of treatment. The three type of retainers are Hawley, Fixed and Clear retainers.

Hawley Retainer:

The Hawley retainer is the most commonly used appliance for post-braces treatment. This retainer is available for both the upper and lower arches. It is often referred to as wire retainer for its design, wires attached to plastic body.

Fixed Retainer:

The Fixed retainer is a non-adjustable appliance that consists of a metal wire bonded to the back of the teeth. There is an advantage to this non-adjustable retainer. Unlike removable retainers that can be forgotten and lost this fixed retainer doesn’t have that issue. Though it cannot be removed it is not permanent and can be broken or detached from your teeth if you are not careful.

Clear Retainer:

Clear retainers are removable clear retainer. Made from a cast of your teeth, it’s worn to retain the corrected position of teeth. Unlike the wire retainer, this clear retainer allows for total discretion. At first, it must be worn for 24 hours and then it only has to be worn at night.

Remember, your retainers are an important part of getting the smile you want. So once we’ve picked the retainer that is right for you it is important that you wear your retainer as instructed.

Morristown Orthodontics

161 Washington Street, Morristown, NJ 07960-3772 

202 South Orange Avenue, South Orange, NJ 07079

(973) 538-2171

Our Technology: iTero Digital Scanner

Apple just released the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6 plus and iPad Pro, sending the tech world into frenzy. However, did you know in the past years there have been major technology advancements in the world of orthodontics?

One of the most advanced products, and used by Dr. Wadhwa and our staff is the iTero digital scanner. We utilize a digital scanner that allows us to capture digital images of your teeth and bite rather than using uncomfortable, unpleasant-tasting, messy and sometimes inaccurate impressions.Using a digital scanner allows us to create computer generated models of teeth within minutes. Unlike digital techniques, traditional techniques involve using multiple materials and steps. Patients view digital scanning as a much more comfortable process. There is much more room for efficiency and accuracy when using digital scanning. Also it is possible for the doctor to send impressions to the lab via email rather than sending them through mail.

Digital scanning benefits include:
• Improved image/impression quality for better-fitting restorations
• Less chair time
• No need for distasteful impression materials that cause some patients to gag
• More comfortable, less anxious experience for patients and the dental team
• Reduced possibility of impression-taking errors and elimination of material inaccuracies for fewer restoration mistakes
• Patients tend to appreciate the new technology and state-of-the-art dental care, so they become more engaged in, and better informed about, the treatment process because they can see their impressions on-screen chair-side.
• The scan of the teeth being restored, as well as the opposing teeth and bite, can be completed in just three to five minutes.
• The digital impression can be stored electronically indefinitely, which saves space, contributes to efficient record keeping, and supports a paper-free environment.
• Green dentistry and eco-friendly aspects include eliminating the need for disposable plastic trays and impression materials, which otherwise would be polluting landfill space; digital data is eliminated with the "delete" button.

To learn more about the techniques used in our office call us today and schedule an appointment.

Morristown Orthodontics

161 Washington Street, Morristown, NJ 07960-3772 

202 South Orange Avenue, South Orange, NJ 07079

(973) 538-2171

What Can I Eat?

Braces are used as a treatment to bring out your best smile. And with that comes a lot of changes to your mouth including your daily oral hygiene activities and eating habits.

While you have braces you will want to avoid certain types of foods. Basically we advise our patients to avoid anything sticky, chewy, hard and crunchy.

Here’s a list of foods you will need to avoid during your braces treatment:

• Hard Candy: Hard candy like Jawbreakers, Jolly Ranchers and Life Saver can break, damage  or knock off your wires and brackets.
• Popcorn
• Nuts
• Ice
• Taffy
• Sticky Candy: Sticky candy like caramels and Starburst can pull off the brackets as
  
  well get caught between the brackets and wires causing a gooey mess as well as tooth decay.
• Hard Chips
• Carrots
• Apples
• Hard/Thick Bread
• Gum: All types of gum are bad for your braces, even sugar-free gum. The reason for this is that gum sticky which causes the chewing gum to get attached to your wires/brackets and is
  hard to remove.
• Large/Hard Pretzels
• Corn on a cob

It is important to not consume these foods, because eating anything sticky, chewy, hard or crunchy can damage your braces which could make your treatment longer than expected. We want you to have the best experience during your treatment. If you have any questions about what foods you should avoid contact us today!

Morristown Orthodontics

161 Washington Street, Morristown, NJ 07960-3772 

202 South Orange Avenue, South Orange, NJ 07079

(973) 538-2171