Austin Orthodontics announces the opening of a second office location

Austin, TX orthodontist Dr. Nelson is excited to announce that we are now building a second office location to better serve our patients. The new Austin Orthodontics office will be conveniently located in far Northwest Austin, TX at 6611 Sitio Del Rio Blvd, very close to our current temporary location. Our team at Austin Orthodontics is excited for the opportunity to better serve our Northwest Austin patients and their families.

Don't hesitate to give us a call if you have any questions about our new office location, or if you would like to schedule a consultation with Dr. Nelson.

A braces-friendly Halloween recipe, from Austin Orthodontics

In celebration of National Orthodontic Health Month, Dr. Nelson would like to share a great braces-friendly Halloween recipe with all of our patients, courtesy of the American Association of Orthodontics, or AAO, and “The Braces Cookbook” by Pamela Waterman. This Spider Bites recipe is delicious, and provided that you remember to brush and floss after indulging, this is a cookie that won’t bite back!

Spider Bites

Ingredients:

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp. water
• 1 Tsp. vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup cocoa
• 1 Tsp. salt
• ½ Tsp. baking powder
• 1 package black rope licorice, cut into 1-inch pieces**
• 1 small tube of white (or color of choice) frosting
• Toothpicks

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine shortening, sugar, water, and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Add eggs into the mixture and blend. Slowly mix in flour, cocoa, salt and baking powder using low-medium speed. Drop tablespoon helpings of mixture onto ungreased cookie sheets and roll each helping into a ball.

Bake 9 minutes at 375 degrees. The batch should produce around three dozen cookies.

Let cookies cool for about 10 minutes. Then using a toothpick, create four small holes in either side of the cookie. Still using the toothpick, push one end of a piece of the cut licorice into each hole, creating the “legs” of the spider. Once all eight pieces are in place, create eyes or decorate at will using the white frosting. Then eat and enjoy!

**Licorice can sometimes stick to braces; parents should monitor

Why do you choose Austin Orthodontics?

At Austin Orthodontics, serving Austin, TX and surrounding areas, it is our personal philosophy that orthodontic treatment should be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. From the moment that you walk in the door of Austin Orthodontics, Dr. Nelson and team strive to make our patients' experience as pleasant as possible with convenient scheduling, insurance inquiries, and after-hours care. Today, we would love to hear about your experience at Austin Orthodontics.

Whether you or your family has been visiting our office for weeks, months, or years, we’d love to hear your feedback. You can write a review here. Or, you can tell us by posting on our Facebook page or by giving us a call!

October is National Orthodontic Health Month!

Did you know that October is National Orthodontic Health Month? Dr. Nelson and our team know how tempting this time of the year can be for your sweet tooth. With all of the caramel, candy corn, and lollipops that are often passed around to trick-or-treaters, we know that it can sometimes be hard to find hard candy alternatives.

However, there is good news! Today, we would like to share a few braces-friendly holiday foods with all of our patients, courtesy of the American Association of Orthodontics, or AAO. These treats are delicious, and provided that you remember to brush and floss after indulging, these foods will not cause damage to your beautiful smile.

Orthodontic-Friendly Treats
• Soft, melt-in-your-mouth chocolates
• Peanut butter cups
• Milk shakes
• Gelatin
• Peeled, thinly sliced apples
• Ice cream

Dr. Nelson and our team think that braces are pretty cool, do you?

Braces today are “cool” and—many would say—even “fun.” These were among the findings of a 2010 nationwide survey of moms whose children are going through or have had orthodontic treatment. New technologies such as Invisalign, advanced computer software, color options, and even popular celebrities—Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Danny Glover, Serena Williams, and Justin Bieber—sporting stylish braces are making orthodontic treatment more comfortable, fashionable and cool for today’s teens.

The study, conducted on behalf of our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists for February’s National Children’s Dental Health Month, found 86 percent of moms reporting that braces are cooler today than when they were children. Sixty-nine percent of moms also said wearing braces makes their children feel cool, and 81 percent reported their children’s experience with orthodontic treatment as either positive or extremely positive.

Different color options and the ability to change colors, for example, provide exciting ways for young patients to customize appearances. That enthusiasm helps them to feel good about their orthodontic treatment with Dr. Nelson, and may contribute to the success of treatment.

Has your child or teen visited Austin Orthodontics for a consultation? If not, please give us a call and let us help your child begin the journey to a gorgeous smile!