UC Smiles Ortho Blog

The field of orthodontics is one that is continuously advancing with new, more effective ways of providing patients with a smile that is as perfect as possible. Self ligating braces is just one of the many newer treatment options that have improved upon the traditional system of braces. While self ligating braces still use metal brackets and wiring that are placed on the teeth, they feature a special clip mechanism that replaces the elastic bands that you would find on other metal braces. So what kind of difference does a simple clip make when it comes to creating a new smile? At UC Smiles Orthodontics, we’ve worked with countless patients for more than five years to create new, healthy smiles, and are proud to offer self ligating braces as an option to more effective meet the needs of our patients. To learn more about how self ligating braces work and how they compared to traditional braces, continue reading below.

When all you want is a bright and healthy smile, you may wonder why you have to go to two separate offices for your appointments; one for your orthodontist, and one for your dentist. If both work on your teeth, what’s the real difference between the two, and why can’t everything be done by one person? While dentistry and orthodontics are similar since they have to do with your oral health, there’s a very good reason why you have two highly trained professionals working on your smile instead of just one. Below we’ll take a closer look at what the difference is between a dentist and an orthodontist.

Orthodontic treatment prepares your child for the future by helping him/her achieve and maintain a healthy, beautiful smile. While we work with patients of all ages to get straighter teeth, here at UC Smiles Orthodontics, starting your children early on their orthodontic treatment will give them an advantage in the long run. In fact, the American Association of Orthodontics recommends that your child see an orthodontist by the time they reach the age of seven.

You’re probably all too familiar with the foods and drinks that are notorious for making your smile look a little less white than it used to be. Coffee, wine, dark berries, and soda can all have pigment that can penetrate your teeth and leave visible stains. While it may be a pain to avoid or limit all of these foods, did you know that there are foods out there that can whiten your smile naturally? At UC Smiles Orthodontics, it’s our goal to make sure you keep that smile of yours healthy and radiant, so if you’re worried about having stained or discolored teeth, try working some of these foods into your daily diet.

When you visit UC Smiles Orthodontics, you’ll be glad to know that you’ll always be getting the best when it comes to compassionate orthodontic care from a San Antonio orthodontist. Not only are we glad to go above and beyond when it comes to exceptional orthodontic treatments, such as Invisalign and braces, but we’re also here to make sure that your treatment is as convenient as possible. Since the holiday season is quickly arriving, we’d like to help out in making them a little more delicious with this simple recipe that’s perfect for those patients who are wearing braces.

The minute a patient’s braces are put on, he or she starts looking forward to the very day when they get to come off. We get it – it’s a compilation of excitement and joy of getting to see the finished result of the new smile and the relief of finally getting to take them off. The first thing our patients typically want to do when their braces come off is to run and show off for as many people as possible as soon as they can. So what better way to reach an audience than Instagram? As your providers of braces in San Antonio and Universal City, we at UC Smiles Orthodontics have come up with a few captions you can use to accompany your new pictures.

As your providers of Stone Oak and San Antonio self-ligating braces and clear ceramic braces, we at UC Smiles Orthodontics are equipped to give you a better smile. While most people consider orthodontics because they just want to have a smile that looks good, a beautiful smile can actually do more than just look good – it can make you feel great as well. There’s a common link between the act of smiling and actual feelings of happiness.

When you’re looking for efficient and high-quality braces and other orthodontic treatments in San Antonio, TX, we encourage you to visit us at UC Smiles Orthodontics. As orthodontic professionals, we’re fully capable of giving each and every one of our patients a safe and efficient orthodontic treatment that’s customized to their individual needs. We feel that it’s important to stress that point because there’s a new orthodontic development that’s taking place which we’d like to teach you, and also warn you, about. This development is a new type of orthodontic treatment that’s known as direct to consumer braces.

If you're just getting started with wearing your braces, then congratulations: you're starting on a journey towards a gorgeous new smile that'll last a lifetime! But you'll need to be careful, as the care you take of your appliances during the orthodontic treatment period is critical to the success of your treatment. At UC Orthodontics, we want to make every part of treatment easier – so here's a list of 6 useful tools you need to keep your braces clean.

At UC Smiles Orthodontics, we're proud to provide expert orthodontic treatment to patients of all ages throughout the Stone Oak, TX area. But while we may treat patients of all ages, the kinds of treatment we provide for those patients can differ greatly. You may already know it's never too late to straighten your smile and that sometimes it's best to start orthodontic treatment early on – but what's the difference between adult orthodontics and early orthodontic treatment, anyway?

As a leading provider of San Antonio Invisalign, many of our patients here at UC Smiles Orthodontics choose to use clear, removable aligners to improve their smiles. If you’re just beginning your Invisalign treatment, you may be wondering how you should clean your aligners. It’s very important to maintain a good oral hygiene routine so your aligners are clean and odor-free. Failing to clean your aligners properly after eating and drinking can result in discoloration and a buildup of bacteria. The good news is that you can enjoy clean Invisalign aligners by following these do’s and don’ts.

When you’re looking for San Antonio braces or other orthodontic treatments, we at UC Smiles Orthodontics are proud to provide you with the best. As your trusted San Antonio orthodontist, we strive to go above and beyond to offer you excellence in orthodontic care. It’s our goal to see you end up with the healthiest smile possible, which is also why we recommend keeping up with a strong oral hygiene regimen. A vital part of this regimen includes flossing. While we’re all familiar with how dental floss works, there’s a newer, advanced device, known as the Waterpik, that’s also excellent at removing food from between the teeth. You may be wondering which one of these methods is better. Floss and Waterpiks each have their pros and cons.

UC Smiles Orthodontics ensures that patients of all ages receive the orthodontic care they deserve. From treatment during childhood to treatment in adolescence and adulthood, our orthodontist Dr. Bebe will take the time and care to recommend the best orthodontic treatment for your situation and lifestyle. If you bring your child into our San Antonio or Universal City office for an orthodontic evaluation, Dr. Bebe may recommend early orthodontic treatment.

When it comes to orthodontic treatment methods, two of the most popular orthodontic appliances used today are conventional braces and Invisalign. While both of these treatment methods work in the same basic way by applying consistent pressure to the teeth to move the teeth into the desired position, there are several key differences between the two. Below is a brief comparison between San Antonio braces and Invisalign which can help you decide which treatment method you’d prefer to ask Dr. Bebe about at your first visit with us.

With Halloween soon approaching and the treat eating imminent, as your local San Antonio orthodontist, we want all of our patients to enjoy Halloween while protecting their orthodontic appliances from damage. If you have braces, there are certain foods you should avoid to prevent breaking a bracket or wire. However, Dr. Bebe has picked out a delicious recipe that’s braces-friendly and allows for a fun celebration of Halloween!

Orthodontic treatment is an important investment, so you’ll want to be sure you’re taking care of your orthodontic appliances to get the best results from wearing metal or clear braces. Dr. Bebe and her orthodontic team at UC Smiles Orthodontics want you to achieve a perfect smile, so we encourage you to take care of your teeth, gums, and braces to avoid damaging your orthodontic appliances, suffering from an orthodontic emergency, and prolonging your orthodontic treatment time.

Just because you wear braces doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy a delicious springtime treat. Your favorite San Antonio and Universal City orthodontics team understand the struggle you feel when surrounded by sticky, gooey, and crunchy candies throughout the different seasons and holidays. That’s why we have compiled a couple of our favorite springtime recipes to share with you this month, so you can enjoy a sweet snack without the guilt of damaging your braces.

Each year, the month of February is recognized by the American Dental Association (ADA) as National Children’s Dental Health Month. This is done to help in increasing oral health awareness and promoting healthy smiles for children.

Candy canes, peppermint swirls, peanut butter cups, caramels and so much more are all Christmas candies in abundance during the holiday season. The holidays are known for tempting goodies and sweet treats but that doesn't mean your kids need to end up at the dentist after the holidays with cavities.

For most children, October means one thing: Halloween candy. For orthodontists, it’s a month for embracing a beautiful, healthy smile in honor of National Orthodontic Health Month. After all, we all know that Halloween treats tend to play tricks on patients. That’s why UC Smiles Orthodontics offers our patients and the entire community five timely tips to protect braces, aligners and other orthodontic “appliances” while protecting teeth from decay.

It's that time of the year again when kids are beginning to become excited about the upcoming school year. UC Smiles Orthodontics serves patients from all over, including Universal City, Stone Oak and San Antonio. These include middle schools like Barbara Bush Middle and Kitty Hawk; as well as high schools like Randolph Field or Ronald Reagan High. Therefore we'd like to offer a few tips for our school-aged patients wearing new braces as they head back to the classroom.

Summer is here, and kids everywhere are joyfully looking forward to endless afternoons of freedom, friends, and fun in the sun. But summer isn't just a time for decompressing - summer is also one of the best times of the year to begin orthodontic treatment. For this blog, we'll look at a few of the reasons that make summer such an excellent time for braces.

April is National Facial Protection Month. As we return to outdoor sports and other activities, April is an appropriate time to remind you about the importance of taking a few precautions to preserve your teeth and be protected from dental and facial injuries. Whether at a practice, at a game, or simply enjoying some fun in the neighborhood, it's important to play it safe. That is why we here at UC Smiles Orthodontics would like to remind everyone of the importance of wearing the proper protection when playing in sports and other physical activities.

Hi everyone! So Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and here at UC Smiles Orthodontics, we are getting into the spirit by spreading love all around the office and towards our fantastic patients. For those of you who may not be aware already, we are currently holding our Valentine’s Day Hershey’s Kiss Contest!

UC Smiles is more than just an orthodontic practice for people in Stone Oak, Universal City, and San Antonio. We see ourselves as an integral part of these communities and look to better them by contributing our expert knowledge in the field of orthodontics. Through these blogs, we hope to discuss various topics both widely known and obscure in the orthodontic field and will format them in a way that everyone can understand!