The 2010 holiday season is upon us, and our team at Elvebak Orthodontics would like to wish all our patients and their families the merriest of holidays and best wishes for the New Year. 
Folks with big smiles may actually live longer than those who don’t, according to a March 2010 study at Michigan’s Wayne State University. Dr. Elvebak has known for quite some time that positive emotion has been linked to both physical and mental health, but researchers at the university did something quite interesting: they looked at photos of 230 ball-players who began their careers in baseball prior to 1950 and studied their smile intensity (ranging from big smile, no smile or partial smile). The players' smile ratings were compared with data from deaths that occurred from 2006 through 2009. The researchers then took into account other factors that impact life longevity, including body mass index, career length and even college attendance.
If you recently completed treatment at Elvebak Orthodontics, we’d like to congratulate you! Now that your braces have been removed, Dr. Elvebak will provide—or has provided you—with retainers. After braces are removed, teeth can shift out of position if they are not stabilized. Retainers provide that stabilization. They are designed to hold teeth in their corrected, ideal positions until the bones and gums adapt to the treatment changes. Wearing retainers exactly as instructed by Dr. Elvebak is the best insurance that the treatment improvements last for a lifetime. Here are some things to remember when you receive your retainers:
There are so many ways you protect your teeth throughout your orthodontic treatment. You brush your teeth twice a day, floss regularly and protect your mouth and appliances from being damaged. But did you know there is another, often forgotten about, way to keep your teeth clean and healthy during your treatment? Fluoride – a mineral that helps prevent cavities and tooth decay – can help keep your teeth strong! Fluoride comes in two varieties: topical and systemic. Topical fluoride is applied directly to the tooth. Topical fluoride includes toothpastes and mouth rinses. Systemic fluorides are swallowed in the form of a dietary supplement.
Hey parents! Focusing on your kids' teeth and oral health so much that you're neglecting your own? If you've been thinking wistfully about having your own set of perfect teeth, our staff at Elvebak Orthodontics can help! We are specially trained to offer an adult-friendly option for straightening teeth called Invisalign.
Here at Elvebak Orthodontics, we are very thankful for all of our amazing patients! Our doctor and team would like to wish everyone a fun and safe Thanksgiving. We also want to remind everyone to brush and floss after indulging in the big meal.
Every two years, orthodontists from all around the world, come to Las Vegas, Nevada for the International Invisalign Ortho Summit, which is hosted by Align Technology. The conference is a time for the doctors to catch up with colleagues and to discuss the latest improvments and techniques associated with Invisalign. 
Many parents assume they must wait until their child has all of his or her permanent teeth to see Dr. Elvebak 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?
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 and the Damon System, 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.
Would you like to turn your Halloween candy into cash? Dr. Elvebak would like to invite all of our patients to participate in the Elvebak Orthodontics 4th Annual Candy Buy Back.
Dr. Elvebak and our team would like to remind all of our patients that we still want to get "BOOED" this month! Don't forget to show us your Halloween spirit this week for a chance to win a booootiful $25 Halloween treat.
Keeping your teeth clean is more important than ever when you have braces. Food bits have more spots than usual to hide in your mouth, so you must be diligent in order to avoid bad breath, swollen gums, discolored teeth and cavities. If you remove plaque regularly during treatment, you'll experience better results and shorter treatment time. Keep plaque at bay with these top ten tips: 
Did you know that October is National Orthodontic Health Month? Drs. Elvebak and Jamesen 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.
As creating healthy and beautiful smiles is our mission here at Elvebak Orthodontics, Dr. Elvebak and our team enjoy hosting patient contests to promote good oral hygiene. Congratulations to Zach Seider and Rachael Jansky, the winners of our most recent Good Brusher Contest! We hope that you both enjoy your prize and keep up the great brushing.
Everyone loves fun facts. Fun, fun, fun! The American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO, has come up with some fun facts about orthodontics that our team at Elvebak Orthodontics thought you might enjoy. 
Dr. Elvebak and our team loves interacting with our patients online, which is why we would like to give everyone a chance to write on our Facebook page for our fall contest. Now through Halloween, if you write "boo" on our Facebook wall you will be entered into a drawing to win a booootiful $25 cash treat. We look forward to reading all of your comments!
Are you brushing and flossing daily properly during your orthodontic treatment? If yes, that’s great! But, don’t forget that it’s also important for you to visit your general dentist every 3-to-6 months in addition to brushing your teeth and flossing (and visiting Elvebak Orthodontics, of course). Regular dental checkups are important for maintaining good oral health, especially during orthodontic treatment.
It used to be that people were terrified to see the orthodontist. And Dr. Elvebak understands that some patients are still nervous. But fear not! The days of fear and loathing when driving to an orthodontist appointment are gone! And it’s all due to technology. That’s right, technology has allowed orthodontists everywhere to zero in on patient care and comfort.
The team at Elvebak Orthodontics understands the importance of being outside during the warm months of summer. So we are starting a series on outdoor activities and how to be safe while having fun in the sun. This week we talk about mouth guards, what they are, when to use them, the works. If you have any additional questions, give us a call at Elvebak Orthodontics. We'd love to hear from you!
From your very first visit to Elvebak Orthodontics, Dr. Elvebak and our professional staff strives to provide superior treatment in a pleasant, friendly atmosphere. We thought we’d ask you, our wonderful patients: Have you been especially impressed by Dr. Elvebak's work? Did our team go out of their way to make your day? Are you in love with your new smile?
Many people in Plano and Dallas, TX know that Invisalign is a great solution to braces if you don't want to experience the look and feel of traditional metal braces. What few people know, though, is that just like traditional braces, Invisalign requires proper care to work effectively. Good oral hygiene is highly important, even when you are wearing something in your mouth that you can take out to eat with. When wearing your Invisalign aligners, Dr. Elvebak wants you to ask yourself the following questions:
Do you want to win a Dr. Elvebak t-shirt? It's easy...Refer a friend or family member from now till the end of the year and it's yours! Thank you to all of our patients that have been sending us photos, we love the one that we just received from Shannnon! There are three different t-shirt designs that patients are able to choose from. You can take a look at all of our amazing patient photos on our Facebook page to see which t-shirt design is your favorite! 
With warm weather and the kids out of school, summer is a great time for families and friends to vacation together. Recently, our staff at Elvebak Orthodontics came across an interesting article from ParentsAsk.com that outlined five important tips for summer travel with children. We strongly encourage you to give this article a read if you’re heading out with the family this summer. Here are even more tips you can use to ensure your vacation packing—and the traveling itself—goes as smooth as possible!
If you recently completed treatment at Elvebak Orthodontics, we’d like to congratulate you! Now that your braces have been removed, Dr. Elvebak will provide—or has provided you—with retainers. After braces are removed, teeth can shift without stabilization. Retainers provide that stabilization. They hold teeth in their corrected, ideal positions until the bones and gums adapt to the treatment changes. Wearing retainers exactly as instructed by Dr. Elvebak is the best insurance that your new smile will last a lifetime.
Summer is finally here, as are all of the fresh fruits and vegetables that your diet craves. Our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) made an appetizing (and braces-friendly!) summer dish that is sure to become a family favorite. Remember, a healthy diet provides essential nutrients and helps you achieve the best possible result from your orthodontic treatment.
It's June already! Where does the time go?
Braces aren’t just for pre-adolescents and teenagers anymore! Dr. Elvebak 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. 
Keeping your teeth clean is more important than ever when you have braces. Food bits have more spots than usual to hide in your mouth, so you must be diligent in order to avoid bad breath, swollen gums, discolored teeth and cavities. If you remove plaque regularly during treatment, you'll experience better results and shorter treatment time. Keep plaque at bay with these top ten tips: 
Did you know that back in 2002, Tom Cruise had braces? During this time, he was 40 years old and filmed Minority Report, Austin Powers in Goldmember and the Last Samurai. Check out his smile in Jerry Maguire, Rain Man or The Firm and compare to the post-braces Tom Cruise in Valkyrie or Tropic Thunder. The fact is, movie stars need to look their best for the silver screen, and it wouldn't be possible without orthodontists like Dr. Elvebak! 
Last week, the Elvebak Orthodontics team and our friends at Grin Pediatric Dentistry donated 1000 toothbrushes and floss packs to the Helping Haiti event, which collected and sent hygiene packs for earthquake relief in Haiti. The hygiene kits included bandages, combs, toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, soap, hand towels, wet wipes, and shampoo.
Who’s afraid of “metal mouth” and the appearance of braces? Not adults, apparently. Recently, our staff at Elvebak Orthodontics read a fascinating statistic: the number of adults getting braces has climbed 24 percent since 1996! Yes, braces help make your pearly whites strong, healthy and perfectly-aligned, but perhaps another reason for the spike in adult braces is this: people want to look and feel great. In an age—and society—where looks matter as much as anything, and at a time when evenly-aligned teeth might be the difference between getting a job or a promotion, adults are choosing—wisely, we might add—to invest in orthodontics. Orthodontic treatment with Dr. Elvebak can be successful at any age, and adults especially appreciate the benefits of a beautiful smile.
Week after week, our team blogs about important topics pertinent to orthodontic care and your well-being, including innovative orthodontic techniques we offer. This week, we thought we’d step back and ask you, our wonderful patients and readers: what’s on your mind? What would you like to know about the always-changing field of orthodontics? What would you like us to focus on our blog? Perhaps there’s something you’ve wanted to ask us for a while now? Let us know by posting here or on our interactive Facebook fan page!
"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 Dr. Elvebak started out in dental school and earned a DDS (dental degree), just like your dentist. After dental school however, Dr. Elvebak decided he wanted 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.
Dr. Elvebak and our entire team are excited to announce the arrival of Dr. Erin Jamesen to our team!
Many parents assume they must wait until their child has all of his or her permanent teeth to visit Elvebak Orthodontics, only to discover treatment would have been much easier if started sooner. Did you know the American Association of Orthodontists recommends that every child have an orthodontic check-up no later than age seven?
At Elvebak Orthodontics, we embrace new technology, whether it is through the innovative orthodontic treatments that we offer, our high-tech web site and social networks, or our modern offices conveniently located in Plano and Dallas.
Usually patients in orthodontic treatment already have their permanent teeth – they are pre-teens, teens and adults. But in some cases we have to start treatment earlier, even before the patient’s permanent teeth come in. Dr. Elvebak calls this “two-phase treatment.” 
Traditionally cold and flu season starts in Fall, but in 2009 it seemed to have started much earlier and with the number of patients canceling appointments because of flu symptoms the team at Elvebak Orthodontics is taking additional precautions to help prevent the spread of germs. 
Last week, we discussed the advantage of Invisalign treatment at Elvebak Orthodontics. Today, the team thought we'd address alternative methods to traditional braces ...for teenagers.
Yes, it is, and that’s part of what makes it work, Dr. Elvebak says. To find out if you are the right candidate for Invisalign treatment, the first thing we do is to take an impression of your teeth as they are now and digitize it. Using special software, we look at the current positioning of your teeth and compare it to the way your teeth should look. 
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