Three-Cheese Macaroni Extravaganza, a hearty and braces-friendly winter recipe!

It’s chilly outside, and sometimes nothing satisfies the team here at Wenger Orthodontics more than a hot meal. Our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) made an appetizing (and braces-friendly!) winter dish that is sure to delight. Remember, a healthy diet provides essential nutrients and helps you achieve the best possible result from your orthodontic treatment.

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked macaroni noodles
• Water for boiling noodles
• (optional: 1 or 2 onions, chopped)
• (optional: 1 to 2 Tablespoons margarine for sautéing onions)
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (fresh is best, but the canned type works too)
• ½ cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
• ½ cup shredded mild or sharp cheddar cheese
• 1½ cups milk
• ½ cup bread crumbs or dry stove-top stuffing

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. In a medium pot, boil macaroni in water until you can just cut it with the side of a fork; drain and set aside. In a medium saucepan, sauté the onions in the margarine until they are clear and tender. In a 3-quart greased casserole, stir together the macaroni and milk. Sprinkle with the cheeses and onion, then stir it all together. Sprinkle the bread crumbs on top. Cover and bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees. Serves six to eight.

The benefits of a beautiful smile

Drs. Terrence, Ryan and Reid Wenger and our team know having an attractive smile puts a spring in your step—or two—as well as increases your self-confidence, no matter if you’re 14 or in your late forties. Smiling not only makes people happy and puts them in a good mood, doing it often can even help you live longer, according to previous studies!

If you’ve been hiding your smile because you have crooked teeth or gaps between your teeth, it’s time to consider orthodontic treatment at Wenger Orthodontics. You’ll be pleasantly surprised to learn how quickly and efficiently today’s most advanced correction techniques can straighten your smile!

Don’t hide your smile any longer—give us a call today to schedule yours or your child’s orthodontic consultation.

Wenger Orthodontics, reminding you to protect your mouth this winter

With winter sports under way for a lot of our patients, Wenger Orthodontics thought it would be a good time to remind our young athletes wearing braces to take care of both their mouth and appliances while participating in contact sports (and non-contact sports) this winter.

More than half of the seven million sports and recreation-related injuries that occur each year are sustained by youth between ages 5 and 24. Sixty-seven percent of parents say their child does not wear a mouth guard, yet, 70 percent say their biggest fear when their child plays is that they will get hurt. Despite the risks, many kids are still not wearing mouth guards and facial protection during games and practices.

Many people think a mouth guard is effective just to protect your teeth. But research has shown mouth guards can also reduce lower jaw impact that causes concussions. Our staff at Wenger Orthodontics encourage you to head over to the American Association of Orthodontists’ website for a quick primer on the importance of mouth guards and facial protection.

We hope this helps you remember to always wear a mouth guard and other forms of protective gear when participating in winter sports! We encourage you to give us a call if you have any questions or ask us on Facebook!

Happy New Year from Wenger Orthodontics!

At Wenger Orthodontics, the New Year is a time to look back to the past, and more importantly, forward, to the coming year. Our wish is that our patients continue to keep their teeth healthy, as well as wear their rubber bands, headgear and appliances as prescribed during their treatment.



We look forward to meeting those patients who are planning to begin their orthodontic treatment this year—we think it's a great resolution!



Happy New Year from Drs. Terrence, Ryan and Reid Wenger and all of us at Wenger Orthodontics!