Friday, July 31, 2015

Countdown to the Classroom

The 2015-2016 school year is almost here! Are you prepared?
Photo provided by fuseink.com

Getting ready for a new school year can be daunting. To make the process a little easier, here are some tips to help ensure your child is prepared for the new year. 

Get Talking: Begin talking about school well before the first day back. Talk about the new friends they will meet, the new things they will learn, etc. Plan back to school shopping trips and discuss your child’s “signature style” for the new year. What was cool last year is probably not cool this year. You might be thinking skinny jeans when in reality tie-die and neon are back in style (but let’s hope not, for everyone’s sake).

Get Organized: There are tons of things to organize before the first day of school, from purchasing school supplies, clothes and school shoes to arranging after-school sports practices, signing forms and planning car pools. Start organizing these things now…don’t wait till the last minute. Get the kids involved in the organization process… have them prepare shopping lists, make calendars, etc. Organization is fun people! Show us a person who doesn’t love a label maker and we’ll show you a person who is sad 99% of the time. 

Get Back Into the Routine: If your child had specific routines during the last school year, it’s a good idea to reintroduce those before the first week of school. This will help ease them back into their normal schedule while also ensuring that their first week back isn’t too overwhelming. Remember that bed time that magically didn’t exist over the summer? Well, guess what kids…its back. Get used to it, because sleep is important. 

In the days and weeks immediately preceding the first day of school, make an effort to find out some basic information about what awaits your child. For example: 
  • What will their daily schedule be like?  
  • What time does school be­gin and when does it end each day?  
  • If riding the bus, when does it pick up and where?  
  • Are certain clothes required for P.E. class?  
If possible, visit your school's website to get the low down on what's in store for the new school year.  

And now you're ready. So move over summer…cause the new school year is here and we are excited about it!




Monday, July 20, 2015

Practically Perfect In Every Way



No…we aren’t talking about Mary Poppins…We’re talking about your smile.

Dr. Mark Lenz Orthodontics
There are many factors that go into creating the perfect smile. From proper alignment of the teeth to correct jaw position, as well as facial structure…each play a role in the appearance of your smile.

Do you have a perfect smile? Get yourself in front of a mirror and have a look.

1. Relationship Status
The ideal relationship between the upper and lower front teeth should provide some vertical overlapping. Ideally, the upper front teeth should bite approximately 2 millimeters in front of the lower front teeth. And…the upper and lower front teeth should be angled slightly forward, toward the lips, thereby providing adequate support for the lips.

2. Fall In Line
The center line between the upper front teeth should line up with the center line between the lower front teeth, and both lines should coincide with the midline of the face.

The Perfect Smile
3. Far and Wide
When smiling, the upper back teeth should fill the width of the smile from the corner of the mouth to the corner of the mouth. A broad, healthy smile evenly fills the entire area of the smile, minimizing the dark triangles at the corners of the mouth and provides proper support for lips and cheeks.


4. Natural Elevation
Upon smiling the upper lips should elevate approximately to the gumline. The lips usually elevates more when we are younger and less as we age.

5. Grading on a Curve
When smiling the bottom edge of the upper front teeth should follow a curve that mirrors the curvature of the lower lip.
 
If you think your smile might be less than perfect, Dr. Lenz can help. 

Friday, July 10, 2015

Long In The Tooth



Your teeth are probably the only thing on your face that don’t get wrinkles…but your teeth certainly do show signs of aging. So if you want to look younger and healthier, your teeth are a great place to start! 
Photo Provided by telegraph.co.uk
  “Just as white, straight teeth convey youth, a smile with crooked, discolored, worn, or missing teeth is associated with an aged look,” says Edmond Hewlett, DDS, professor of restorative dentistry at UCLA's School of Dentistry. “The adage ‘long in the tooth,’ used to describe older persons, reflects the fact that gum disease causes gums to recede and teeth to appear longer as a result." 

Take 10 years off your appearance…no plastic surgery needed! 

Brighten Up 
Oral Hygiene
Teeth naturally darken as we age. One reason is that your teeth absorb color from food and drinks. Even if you take fantastic care of your teeth, they will eventually yellow over time. Whitening your teeth with custom whitening trays is the best way to achieve a deep and thorough color change that can take years off your appearance. 

Straighten Up 
Invisalign

Even if you start out with perfectly straight teeth, something called mesial drift will cause them to shift over time. Crowded teeth are an instant giveaway of age and straightening your teeth can often take 10 to 15 years off your appearance. Crowded teeth also increase the risk of tooth decay, premature tooth loss, and gum recession, all of which guarantee looking old. 



Tighten Up
Ageless Smiles

Old-looking teeth have wear and tear. While we sleep, we gnash and grind our teeth. A night guard can protect your teeth from this damage and keep your teeth looking more youthful. A night guard also prevents crowding by keeping the teeth in place while you wear it.  



Beautifully straight, symmetrical glowing white teeth cannot only make you look younger, but they can dramatically improve your confidence.

Thursday, July 2, 2015

Red, White and Blueberry



The 4th of July is just around the corner! If you aren’t throwing a celebration of your own, you are probably preparing to attend one.

If you are going to a 4th of July party, the question on your mind might be...“What on earth am I going to bring?” Wonder no more, we have an idea that is sure to be a hit. Individual Desserts.

First of all...you'll be hard-pressed to find anybody who doesn't love dessert. Secondly, who wouldn't love having their own individual mini dessert? Nobody, that's who.

As for which individual dessert? Well...we found an easy one that totally fits with the 4th of July theme. (Cause if you can't go with a themed dessert on the 4th of July, when can you?)

PhotoProvided by glorioustreats.com

These desserts not only look the part, but they taste amazing! And the best part about it is…the Cheesecake portion of this dessert is no-bake. We know, we know…it doesn’t get much better than that.

The photo shows creating these desserts in 5oz juice glasses. But the way we see it…the 4th of July is typically a time for back yard barbeques...and disposable is key. Who really wants to risk glass outdoors with a bunch of kids running around in anticipation of the firework show that happens just after dessert? We think that you could just as easily make these desserts in 5 ounce Clear Plastic Tumblers and they would be super cute.

Happy 4th everyone! Celebrate the Red, White and Blueberry!