Ask Wenger Orthodontics: What’s so bad about nail biting?

We’ve all heard that biting your nails is an awful habit, but you many wonder- really- what’s so bad about it? Recently, our team at Wenger Orthodontics found an interesting article that discusses how biting your nails affect your teeth and oral health.

Nail biting, also known as Onychophagia, is a common habit among various age groups, including primarily children, teens and young adults. Nail biting is generally triggered by stress and most often decreases with age. That being said, nail biting is unsanitary, unattractive, as well as unhealthy for your teeth!

Here’s why:

• It’s unsanitary. Your nails are dirty, almost twice as dirty as your fingers! Hence, biting your nails is just asking for germs and bacteria.
• No good things come to your teeth. Nail biting causes your teeth to constantly be chewing, which is not good for them. This excessive motion wears your teeth down faster than a non-nail biter’s and puts a large amount of stress on your front teeth- contributing to teeth misalignment.
• Braces don’t love it either. Braces already put pressure on teeth, nail biting ads unnecessary pressure, further stressing your teeth and weakening their roots.
• It can be costly. Nail biting can result in up to $4,000 in additional dental bills over one lifetime, according to the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD). Yikes!

What can you do about it?

Now that you know how harmful nail biting can be, it’s time to take action to break your nail biting habit. Try to be conscious of your fingernails and to keep them looking good- this will help you resist the temptation. Ask one of our doctors or visit the article for tips on how to break a nail biting habit.

Good luck!

Your friends at Wenger Orthodontics

What’s so special about an orthodontist?

"Dentists, Orthodontists, they're all the same right?" We hear our patients asking this question as they wonder about the difference between an orthodontist and a dentist. Before becoming an orthodontist, Drs. Terrence Wegner, Ryan Wenger, and Reid Wenger all started out in dental school and earned a DDS (dental degree), just like your dentist. After dental school however, they decided to learn more about orthodontics, which is one of nine specialties within the dental field. So he stayed in school for a few more years and became an expert in orthodontics, which focuses on tooth and jaw alignment and bite problems like overbites and under bites.

Other dental specialties you may have heard of include endodontic (focusing on the soft tissue inside your teeth), periodontic (focusing on the gums and other tissues surrounding your teeth) and prosthodontic (focusing on restoring and replacing damaged teeth).

Isn't it nice to know there's a dental expert here to help you through any type of treatment your teeth, jaw and gums might need? If you have any questions or want to schedule your next visit with Wenger Orthodontics, give us a call.

Invisalign at Wenger Orthodontics: How does it work? [Video]

Perhaps you've wondered how Invisalign treatment at Wenger Orthodontics manages to straighten teeth without using traditional metal braces? The Invisalign system is a state-of-the-art system of clear, removable aligners that we proudly offer at our office in Mayfield Heights, Ohio. If you've been wanting to straighten your teeth but are unsure about going through traditional orthodontic treatment, please give us a call to learn if Invisalign is the right treatment for you!

Wenger Orthodontics' Great Social Media Adventure

Isn’t social media great? Drs. Terrence Wenger, Ryan Wenger, Reid Wenger, and team love connecting with our patients online, whether it’s by sharing news on our blog or communicating ideas on our interactive Facebook fan page. For social media to work, conversation is vital, and that’s why we invite you to join in and tell us what’s on your mind. Although social media is hugely popular these days, we know it is unpredictable and ever-changing.

While we’re taking a little time to research and decide how to best use social media, we thought we’d ask you, our loyal patients: How would you like us to use our social networks? What would you like us to share on our blog? Send us your thoughts or give us a call!

--The team at Wenger Orthodontics

Connect with the Braces Brigade!

At Wenger 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 Wenger Orthodontics encourages 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 Dr. Terrence Wenger, Dr. Ryan Wenger or Dr. Reid Wenger!

Safety first this winter! From Wenger Orthodontics

Winter is officially here, and with it comes not only the holiday season, but also sometimes unpredictable and inclement weather. This week, Drs. Terrence Wenger, Ryan Wenger, Reid Wenger and our team would like to share a few winter safety tips that we found on the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry website. These tips include everything from what to wear outdoors to tips for winter snow sports. Enjoy!

• Older babies and young children should generally be dressed in one more layer of clothing than an adult would wear in the same conditions
• Several thin clothing layers will keep an infant or child dry and warm. Warm boots, gloves, mittens, and a hat are necessities!
• A cold air humidifier, saline nose drops, and petrolatum will help a child that suffers from winter nosebleeds.
• It is important for children to wash their hands frequently, and to use the bend of their elbow if they need to sneeze or cough to prevent the spread of colds and flu.
• Never ski or snowboard alone. Adults should supervise young children participating in winter sports.
• When sledding, it is preferable to separate young children from older children, and to avoid crowded areas.
• The AAP recommends that children under age 16 not operate snowmobiles and that children under age 6 never ride on snowmobiles.

We hope that these tips help keep you and your loved ones stay safe and sound this winter season. Please give us a call if you have any questions, or if you would like to schedule your next appointment at Wenger Orthodontics.

Write a Review of Wenger Orthodontics

Whether you visited Dr. Terrence Wenger, Dr. Ryan Wenger, or Dr. Reid Wenger, we’d love to hear your feedback about your experience with Wenger Orthodontics! Now with the Internet, it’s even easier to write your thoughts and share them with the world. We want to encourage you to write a review of us. It only takes a moment!

You may write a review here or on our Facebook page.

Thank you!

--Wenger Orthodontics