Wrapping the “Perfect Present”

1. Measure the wrapping paper, before cutting it. I know its Christmas and you're in a hurry, but you need to take time to measure your wrapping paper before cutting it. If you don't, you may end up with the paper being too short or way too long. To easily measure your wrapping paper, sit the Christmas present on the wrapping paper you've rolled out. Pull the wrapping around the present and then cut the paper. This ensures that your paper is the proper length and will look perfect on the Christmas gift.

2. Use a pop-up tape strip dispenser. This item makes wrapping your Christmas presents much easier. You will be able to hold the paper in place with one hand while taping the present with the other because the tape dispenser goes on your wrist.

3. Be sure to use sharp scissors. Nothing is more frustrating than wrapping Christmas presents and having your paper tear when you try to cut it. If you aren't using sharp enough scissors, you will not get a clean edge when you cut your wrapping paper. Instead you may get tore edges, because the scissors got caught and ripped the wrapping paper.

4. Place the gift upside down when wrapping it. I know this may sound silly, but in order for the Christmas present to be opened properly, you need to place the gift upside on the wrapping paper. This will ensure that when the gift recipient opens their gift, it will be right side up.

5. Use sticky gift labels. Sticky to and from labels make wrapping your Christmas gift much easier. Throughout the day, your home can change temperatures and the tape on your labels, may loose their stickiness, which can cause the label to fall off. To prevent this, use the to and from labels that are like stickers. These labels will easily stay on your wrapping paper and save you the trouble of fussing with all that tape.

How to Disguise a Gift as a Candy Cane

This week, our team at Papandreas Orthodontics would like to share a fun way to wrap holiday presents. Package small everyday presents with a twist by wrapping them to look like candy canes.

First, roll the gift (a tie, for example) into a paper towel tube, with tissue stuffed at the ends. Then, roll the cylinder in white tissue paper, leaving enough material at one end to curve over like the top of a lowercase "r." Finally, wrap red ribbon diagonally around the tube and cover the entire thing with Saran Wrap. You'll end up with a sweet-looking surprise!

Marvelous Molasses Cookies, a braces-friendly holiday recipe!

This is was the very first soft-cookie recipe that I collected back in the mid-60s. They smell wonderful even before baking, melt in your mouth, and never harden. Yum - the best of gingerbread and ginger snaps in one!

Ingredients:
1 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
½ tsp salt
½ cup molasses
½ cup warm water
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ginger
2 ½ cups flour



Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Baking time 11 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine shortening, brown sugar, egg, salt and molasses, using an electric mixer and beating until fluffy. Add cinnamon and ginger. In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir the baking soda into the warm water; add water mixture to the molasses mixture alternately with the flour until well blended.

Drop by tablespoons onto greased cookie sheets. Bake for 11 minutes at 350 degrees. Makes about 4 dozen. Store in a covered container.

Help spread the holiday spirit at Papandreas Orthodontics!

Our team at Papandreas Orthodontics invites our patients to join us in decorating our North Royalton office! Please bring in a picture or a piece of art that you have created, so we can decorate our office for the holiday season. We can't wait to "deck the halls" with your pictures and handmade holiday creations!

Thank you,

-Dr. Papandreas and team

Patient Question: Why are straight teeth so important?

Some people wonder why North Royalton orthodontist Dr. Papandreas and our team work tirelessly to give our patients straight teeth. Of course it’s nice to have a smile full of evenly-aligned teeth, but did you know that straightening your teeth at Papandreas Orthodontics can keep them healthier? Straight teeth lead to better oral hygiene, increasing your chances of keeping your own natural teeth for a lifetime!

Straight teeth are less prone to decay, because they collect less plaque—the sticky colorless substance that forms on our teeth and leads to tooth decay; and they are easier to keep clean!

If you’re wondering whether your teeth might cause problems because they are out of alignment, please give us a call to set up a consultation. Dr. Papandreas can help you decide whether or not you will benefit from orthodontic treatment.

Why do you love being a patient at Papandreas Orthodontics?

Dr. Papandreas and our team are excited to announce our Share a Smile, Win a Flip Camera contest. We want to know: Why do you love being a patient at Papandreas Orthodontics? Share your story for a chance to win a Flip Camera!

Here's how you can enter to win:
• Post a video of yourself on your YouTube channel and email the link to alisha@drpapandreas.com.

• Record your video at our office and we will post it online

• Bring a video in to our office and we will post on our YouTube channel

Papandreas Orthodontics collects over 120 pounds of candy for a Cleveland Food Pantry

This Halloween, many of our patients chose to go trick-or-treating and then cash in their candy at the Papandreas Orthodontics Halloween Candy Buy Back. We were able to collect over 120 lbs of candy for a Cleveland Food Pantry, while preventing our patients from damaging their teeth.

Participants in our Candy Buy Back received $2 for each pound of candy that they collected. In addition, we donated $1 per pound of candy to the child's school. In the picture above, one of our patients is holding up the money that he received for his five pounds of candy. The event was a huge success!

If you haven't already, be sure to "like" the Papandreas Orthodontics Facebook page, so that you are able to view all of the photos and videos from our Halloween Costume Contest and Candy Buy Back. Thanks to everyone that participated in our sweet and spooky Halloween events!

Dr. Papandreas announces the winners of our October contests

North Royalton orthodontist Dr. Papandreas and our team love connecting with our patients through contests and events, both in the office and online. Today, we would like to announce that Adam M. is the winner of our October T-Shirt Drawing and Tricia K. is the winner of our November T-Shirt Drawing. We would also like to share that Michael A. is the winner of our "How Many Bite Blocks Are In The Jar?" Contest. Thank you to all of our patients who have been wearing their Papandreas Orthodontics t-shirts and participating in our fall contests!

Have a great weekend everyone!

-The team at Papandreas Orthodontics

Halloween at Papandreas Orthodontics: Lady Samantha shares her story!

Here at Papandreas Orthodontics, we're all about changing lives one smile at a time. Dr. Papandreas and our team strive to provide a fun and friendly environment, where are patients feel at ease and comfortable. In this short video, you can see for yourself what Halloween was like at our North Royalton, OH office!

For more information on Papandreas Orthodontics, and orthodontic treatment options in North Royalton Ohio, be sure to give us a call!

A braces-friendly Halloween recipe, from Papandreas Orthodontics

Trick-or-treat! In the spirit of October’s sweet and spooky holiday, Halloween, Dr. Papandreas would like to share a great braces-friendly Halloween recipe with all of our patients, courtesy of the American Association of Orthodontics, or AAO, and “The Braces Cookbook” by Pamela Waterman. This Spider Bites recipe is delicious, and provided that you remember to brush and floss after indulging, this is a cookie that won’t bite back!

Spider Bites

Ingredients:

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp. water
• 1 Tsp. vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup cocoa
• 1 Tsp. salt
• ½ Tsp. baking powder
• 1 package black rope licorice, cut into 1-inch pieces**
• 1 small tube of white (or color of choice) frosting
• Toothpicks

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine shortening, sugar, water, and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Add eggs into the mixture and blend. Slowly mix in flour, cocoa, salt and baking powder using low-medium speed. Drop tablespoon helpings of mixture onto ungreased cookie sheets and roll each helping into a ball.

Bake 9 minutes at 375 degrees. The batch should produce around three dozen cookies.

Let cookies cool for about 10 minutes. Then using a toothpick, create four small holes in either side of the cookie. Still using the toothpick, push one end of a piece of the cut licorice into each hole, creating the “legs” of the spider. Once all eight pieces are in place, create eyes or decorate at will using the white frosting. Then eat and enjoy!

**Licorice can sometimes stick to braces; parents should monitor

Wanted: Smiles for a Lifetime in Northeast Ohio

North Royalton, OH orthodontist Dr. Papandreas knows that a great smile can create self confidence, inspire hope and change the lives of children. Last Friday, Papandreas Orthodontics launched the Northeastern Ohio chapter of the Smile for a Lifetime Foundation, a charitable non-profit organization that provides orthodontic care to individuals that might not have had the opportunity otherwise. It is the mission of Smile for a Lifetime to provide the gift of smiles.

For more information on the Smile for a Lifetime Foundation, and how to apply for orthodontic care, be sure to visit our website. The complete Smile for a Lifetime kickoff event photo album is available on the Papandreas Orthodontics Facebook page.

Papandreas Orthodontics announces our Halloween Costume Competition!

Trick-or-treat! In the spirit of October’s sweet and spooky holiday, Halloween, our team at Papandreas Orthodontics is hosting a Halloween Costume Competition. We would like to encourage all of our patients to stop by our office Oct. 28, 2010 to vote for their favorite costume. We can't wait to see who YOU think is the best dressed!

As always, don't hesitate to give us a call if you have any questions about our Halloween Costume Competition, or if you would like to schedule your next appointment with Dr. Papandreas.

October is National Orthodontic Health Month. What a great time to visit Dr. Papandreas!

Can you believe October is already upon us? October happens to be National Orthodontic Health Month, and this month-long event is organized by our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO.

Many treats can cause havoc for trick-or-treaters who are going through orthodontic treatment, and these treats may cause damage that could prolong your treatment time. The AAO recommends patients avoid the following Halloween treats, or recipes with these ingredients:

• Caramel
• Nuts
• Popcorn (including un-popped kernels)
• Taffy
• Jelly beans
• Hard pretzels
• Licorice
• Bubblegum
• Taco chips
• Ice

Dr. Papandreas and our staff are celebrating Orthodontic Health Month. Has it been six weeks since you last visited Papandreas Orthodontics? If so, don't hesitate to schedule your next appointment!

Papandreas Orthodontics congratulates our iPad winner!

Dr. Papandreas and our team would like to congratulate Niki Z. again on winning our iPad Giveaway. We made a short video of our doctor and team surprising Niki with the iPad at her appointment. Thanks again to all of our wonderful patients who entered the contest. Be sure to check back to our social networks in the upcoming weeks, as we may announce another upcoming contest.

Thank you,

-Dr. Papandreas and team

Papandreas Orthodontics attends Study Club to stay connected with the orthodontic community!

Located exclusively in North Royalton, OH, Dr. Papandreas strives to change lives one smile at a time! One of the ways that Dr. Papandreas and our team ensures that we are knowledgeable in the latest and most effective orthodontic procedures is by hosting the OAIDT Staff Study Club this October, in partnership with the President and Founder Betsy Klos. This event is open to hygienists, office managers, front desk receptionists, and financial coordinators. Together, we will learn from guest speakers and discuss new ideas.

A great smile will brighten your life. That's why our team at Papandreas Orthodontics makes it our mission to provide the highest level of specialty orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics for each of our patients. Don't hesitate to give us a call if you have any questions about orthodontic treatment options at our office, or if you would like to schedule a consultation.

Dr. Papandreas asks: Have you entered the Papandreas Orthodontics T-Shirt Contest?

Our North Royalton, OH office recognizes our new patients when they first get their braces on by providing them with a Papandreas Orthodontics t-shirt. This is one of the ways that we congratulate patients on beginning orthodontic treatment. Would you like to win free movie tickets? Each time a patient wears their Papandreas Orthodontics t-shirt to an appointment they will be entered into a drawing for movie tickets!

It is our mission at Papandreas Orthodontics to provide the highest level of specialty orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics for each of our patients within a caring environment. If Dr. Papandreas or one of our staff members spots a patient wearing their t-shirt outside of the office, they receive movie tickets or a prize chosen by Dr. Papandreas.

We hope to see everyone wearing their Papandreas Orthodontics t-shirts at their next appointment and around our North Royalton, OH community. Feel free to give us a call if you are considering orthodontic treatment at our office, or if you would like to schedule your next appointment.

Congratulations, Nicole! She was the winner of the Papandreas Orthodontics iPad Giveaway.

Nicole was the lucky winner of the Papandreas Orthodontics iPad Giveaway! Congratulations, Nicole! Thanks to our family of patients who supported us through video testimonials, reviews online, as Facebook fans, and more.

How did Nicole win an iPad?
Entries for our contest were be were made by:
- "Liking" Papandreas Orthodontics on Facebook
- Following us on Twitter, Blogger, or YouTube
- Posting testimonials on our social networks, such as Google Places or Yelp

If you didn't have a chance to enter for our September drawing, or if you weren't the lucky winner, keep an eye out for details about our upcoming contest! Are you ready for our next giveaway? Get started with any of the above!

Thank you,

-Dr. Papandreas and team

Are you the iPad Winner? Check out our video on Facebook!!!

If you are the lucky iPad winner, be sure to visit our Facebook page and claim your prize!

Papandreas Orthodontics Presents: Friday Fun Facts!

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 Papandreas Orthodontics thought you might enjoy.

• There are nearly 4 million people in orthodontic treatment throughout the United States. Three out of four are younger than 18.

• The first mechanical treatment for correcting irregular teeth was suggested by Gaius Plinius Secundus (A.D 23-79).The American Association of Orthodontists is comprised of more than 12,000 members in the United States, Canada and abroad.

• The time required to complete orthodontic treatment ranges from 12 to 36 months depending on the nature and severity of the problem.

• Of the 160,000 dentists in the United States and Canada, 8,000 are practicing orthodontists.

• The cement that attaches the braces to the teeth is now made with a special fluoride-releasing substance.

• Wires activated by body heat used in today's braces originally were developed by NASA for use in the space program.

• In addition to alleviating or preventing physical health problems, orthodontics can boost self-esteem as treatment aligns teeth, jaws and lips.

• Famous orthodontic patients include: Dr. Joyce Brothers, Hale Irwin, Cher, Diana Ross, Phyllis Diller, Chelsea Clinton, Whoopi Goldberg, Daisy Fuentes and Brandi.

Alex off to Kent State - Good Luck!

Alex, our summer Lab Coordinator heads off to Kent State for his freshman year. Good luck Alex, you have been a great part of the Papandreas Orthodontics' Team and will be missed!