A great braces-friendly spring recipe! From Round Rock Orthodontics

Winter is almost over, 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. Dr. Gates and team want you to remember a healthy diet provides essential nutrients and helps you achieve the best possible result from your orthodontic treatment here at Round Rock Orthodontics.

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!

Ask Dr. Gates: Who really benefits from braces?

Braces aren’t just for pre-adolescents and teenagers anymore! Dr. Paul Gates will tell you that anyone, at any age, can benefit from orthodontic treatment, whether it’s correcting a problem not treated in your younger years, or catching a problem early.

To ensure the best overall treatment, the American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO, recommends that children receive an orthodontic consultation as early as age seven. In as little as eighteen months, you could have a brilliant, straight new smile! Visit Dr. Gates for a consultation, and learn how timing of treatment, the right procedures, and the right orthodontist, can restore your or your child's smile. We happily treat patients of all ages, and understand the special benefits of beginning orthodontics in the early teen years.

As for adults, we recently read an interesting fact: the number of adults getting braces has actually climbed 24 percent since 1996! In fact, one of every five patients in orthodontic treatment is over 21.

If you never received orthodontic treatment when you were young, don’t worry! You’re never too old for a beautiful smile. Call us today for your initial consultation and learn why Dr. Gates is the trusted family orthodontist giving Round Rock, Texas, and surrounding areas something to truly smile about!

Mouth guards, orthodontics and sports with Dr. Paul Gates

We're not too far from springtime! The spring months, however, bring an increase in outdoor activities and a greater chance of kids damaging their precious mouths and pearly whites. If you play sports, it's important that you consult Dr. Paul Gates for special precautions, such as wearing a mouth guard. A protective mouth guard is advised for playing spring sports such as baseball and soccer. Be sure, however, to avoid mouth guards that custom form to your teeth as these will resist any tooth movements Dr. Gates is trying to achieve.

In case of any accident involving the face, check your mouth and the appliances immediately. If teeth are loosened or the appliances damaged, please schedule an appointment with Round Rock Orthodontics. And don’t forget to ask us—Dr. Gates will provide a mouth guard for any patient in active treatment.

Only by using a mouth guard and other forms of facial protection can kids with and without braces avoid serious sports injuries. Please give us a call if you have any questions about mouth guards or your treatment at Round Rock Orthodontics.

When should you call Dr. Gates and Round Rock Orthodontics?

Our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) have put together this helpful list for your advantage. Here are some early warning signs indicating it’s time to check in with us:

1. Early or late loss of baby teeth
2. Difficulty of chewing or biting
3. Mouth breathing
4. Finger sucking or other oral habits
5. Crowding, misplaced or blocked-out teeth
6. Jaws that shift, make sounds, protrude or retrude
7. Speech difficulty
8. Biting the cheek or biting into the roof of the mouth
9. Protruding teeth
10. Teeth that meet in an abnormal way or don’t meet at all
11. Facial imbalance or asymmetry
12. Grinding or clenching of teeth

Do any of these warning signs fit you? If so, give Dr. Gates and his team a call today!

--The team at Round Rock Orthodontics

"How can I benefit from orthodontic treatment?"

Braces aren’t just for pre-adolescents and teenagers anymore, Dr. Gates says! Anyone, at any age, can benefit from orthodontic care; whether it is correcting a problem not treated in your younger years, or catching a problem early.

To ensure the best overall treatment, the American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children receive an orthodontic consultation as early as age seven. If a problem is evident, taking action early can spare a lot of treatment and expense down the road.

If you never received orthodontic treatment when you were young, don’t worry! You’re never too old for a beautiful smile. Set up an appointment at Round Rock Orthodontics for a consultation and find out how adult orthodontics will transform your smile, and your life!

--From Dr. Gates and team