AAO

We love October, and not just for the changing weather and Halloween excitement! It’s National Orthodontic Health Month.

Every year, the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recognizes October as a time to raise awareness of the benefits of orthodontic treatment. The AAO is the largest, oldest professional association for orthodontists in North America, and is comprised of more than 16,000 members – Drs. Geller and Cohen included!

In a month full of hard, sticky, crunchy, and chewy treats, it’s more important than ever to encourage patients to be kind to their teeth during treatment. If you have braces, try to avoid caramel, taffy, bubblegum, and candy with nuts. If you can’t keep yourself away from the sugar, opt for softer candy such as peanut butter cups or other melt-in-your-mouth treats.

As always, remember to brush and floss after consuming sugary foods. Exposing your teeth to sweets increases your risk of cavities, and allowing it to sit there can lead to decalcification, the loss of calcium from the teeth.

If you have any questions about what foods are best and worst during orthodontic treatment, feel free to ask during your next visit!

Fall is here, and sometimes we here at Geller and Cohen Orthodontics just feel like a hot delicious meal. Our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) made an appetizing (and braces-friendly!) fall dish that is sure to delight. Drs. Mark Geller and Glenn Cohen would like to remind you that a healthy diet provides essential nutrients and helps you achieve the best possible result from your orthodontic treatment.

Pasta Pomodorini

Ingredients:
• ¾ pound spaghetti or spaghetti
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• ¼ cup sliced garlic
• ½ teaspoon finely minced Calabrian chilies, or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 pint small cherry tomatoes, stems removed, crushed between your thumb and forefinger
• Sea salt, preferably gray salt
• ½ cup fresh basil leaves, each torn into 2 or 3 pieces
• Wedge of Parmesan cheese

Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta. While the pasta cooks, heat the 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over moderate heat. Add the garlic and cook until the slivers are golden brown and crisp, then add the chilies and cook for about 30 seconds. Raise the heat to high and add the tomatoes. Simmer briskly to soften the tomatoes and thicken the juices, about 3 minutes. Season with salt. When the pasta is al dente, scoop out about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta. Return the pasta to the warm pot off the heat. Add the sauce and the basil and mix well. Add some of the reserved cooking water if the pasta seems dry. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl and grate Parmesan over the top to taste. Drizzle with a little more olive oil. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Enjoy this great fall dish and have a great week!

Braces aren’t just for pre-adolescents and teenagers anymore! Dr. Geller and Dr. Cohen 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. 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 for a consultation and find out how orthodontics will transform your smile, as well as your life!

At Geller and Cohen Orthodontics, our patients want to get as much out of their treatment as possible. That includes asking a lot of questions and making sure they take care of both their appliances and oral health. Would you like to learn more about what to expect during orthodontic treatment, from someone with firsthand experience? Well, our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recently developed the Braces Brigade blog, where past, present, as well as future orthodontic patients from coast to coast document their (or their child’s) orthodontic journeys. The blog will serve as a source of guidance for others as the patients undergo orthodontic care.Our team at Geller and Cohen Orthodontics encourage you to visit the Braces Brigade blog to read these great and informative blogs—who knows, maybe you’ll learn a thing or two! As always, don’t hesitate to give us a call if you have any questions about the Braces Brigade or your own orthodontic treatment with Drs. Geller and Cohen!

Many parents assume they must wait until their child has all of his or her permanent teeth to see Dr. Geller and Dr. Cohen for a consultation, only to discover treatment would have been much easier if started earlier. Did you know the American Association of Orthodontists recommends that every child have an orthodontic check-up no later than age seven?That’s right—seven. Ok, so what’s so great about age seven, you ask? Enough permanent teeth have arrived for Drs. Geller and Cohen to make a determination about whether any problems are present. The first molars have come in, providing an opportunity to check for malocclusion, or “bad bite.” Also, the incisors have begun to come in, and problems such as crowding, deep bites and open bites can be detected.Orthodontic evaluation at an early age provides one of two positive outcomes: For some, early identification or problems will lead to easier or shorter orthodontic treatment in the future. For others, a healthy prognosis will provide immediate peace of mind.Early evaluation, of course, may signal a need for early treatment. For some children, early treatment can prevent physical and emotional trauma. Aside from spurring on years of harmful teasing, misaligned teeth are also prone to injury and are detrimental to good oral hygiene. So, if your child is nearing his or her seventh birthday, give us a call at Geller and Cohen Orthodontics to schedule an appointment.

Trick-or-treat! In celebration of National Orthodontic Health Month, Dr. Geller and Dr. Cohen would like to share a great braces-friendly Halloween recipe with all of our patients, courtesy of the American Association of Orthodontics, or AAO. This Spooktacular Pumpkin Cake is delicious, and provided that you remember to brush and floss after indulging, this treat will not cause damage to your beautiful smile.

Spooktacular Pumpkin Cake

Ingredients:

1 pkg. yellow or white cake mix
½ cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
¾ cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg
¼ cup water (add 2 tbl. of water if eggs are small)

Directions:

Put cake mix in a large bowl. Make an indentation in the center and pour in the oil and one egg. Mix using mixer, then add the rest of the eggs one at a time, beating after each one.

Add pumpkin, sugar, spices, and then water.

Bake in greased and floured tube pan in 350 degree oven for 60-70 minutes (depending on oven calibration). Cool before removing from pan.

If you know Dr. Geller and our team at Geller Orthodontics, you know we embrace continuing education and adding innovative treatments to our repertoire. That includes reading and being up-to-date on all the latest treatment options and attending important seminars and conferences. One of those important conferences was this weekend's AAO Annual Session in Washington D.C.

Dr. Geller attended this all-important conference, meeting with orthodontists and dental experts across North America and discussing effective treatment options. After all, Geller Orthodontics strives with each and every patient to be the orthodontic team that provides the highest level of orthodontic and personal care in Plano and Dallas.

In addition to being a member of the American Association of Orthodontics, Dr. Geller is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics and has served as president of Southwestern Society of Orthodontists, Texas Association of Orthodontists, Greater Dallas Association of Orthodontists and the Plano Dental Society. Dr. Geller is also an active member of the Texas Orthodontic Study Club, Dallas County Dental Society, Baylor College of Dentistry, Alpha Omega Dental Fraternity and is a Fellow at the International College of Dentists.

Isn't it comforting to know you have a complete dental expert taking care of your perfecting your smile? Happy Monday!

Wouldn’t you believe it, it’s almost springtime! The spring and summer 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. Geller for special precautions. A protective mouth guard is advised for playing spring sports such as baseball and soccer. Be sure to avoid mouth guards that custom form to your teeth as these will resist any tooth movements we are 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 Geller Orthodontics. And don’t forget to ask us—Dr. Geller 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 Geller Orthodontics.

Dr. Geller knows there are quite a few myths about orthodontists circulating around these days. Before you buy into those myths, you should get the facts! Dr. Geller and our team came across a great site that helps set the record straight. Our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists have some excellent information on the myths and facts of orthodontics. We encourage you to check them out today!

If you have any questions about orthodontics or your treatment here at Geller Orthodontics, feel free to give us a call.