Win an iPad at Smiles by Farrah Orthodontics!

Dr. Farrah is giving away an iPad touch! Put your creative skills to work and YOU could be the winner. Using the theme of "BRACES," write a poem or song, create a T-shirt design or put your imagination to work and submit to our office via email. You may also drop off your creative work at our convenient office.

Dr. Farrah and team want to see all your creative ideas!

Submissions due by Saturday, September 25!

GOOD LUCK!

Dr. Farrah wants to know: Do you suffer from sleep disorders?

Austin orthodontist Dr. Farrah Agahi knows sleep disorders are fairly common, with approximately 50 to 70 million Americans being affected by some type chronic sleep disorder. Some of these progress to Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), which can cause loss of sleep among many other health problems. Snoring is one of the most easily identified symptoms of sleep apnea, and as the condition worsens it can lead to airway blockage, which can severely disrupt your sleep patterns.

If you suffer from sleep apnea, each time your breathing stops, the resulting lack of oxygen alerts your brain, which temporarily wakes you up to restart proper breathing. Because the time spent awake is so brief, most people with sleep apnea don't remember it - and many think they are getting a good night's sleep. However, the constant wake-sleep-wake-sleep cycle precludes the deep sleep that refreshes the body, and sufferers are frequently drowsy during the day.

Treatments range widely and depend on the severity of the problem and the type of apnea. Basic treatment can be behavioral - for instance, patients are instructed to lose weight, stop smoking, or sleep on their sides instead of on their backs. Beyond that, oral devices can be used to position the mouth in such a way that prevents throat blockage. In more severe cases, surgery may be the best option.

The following symptoms can indicate the presence of sleep apnea. If you notice one or more of these, give us a call, and we can refer you to a sleep apnea specialist here in Austin.

* Insomnia or difficulty sleeping
* Loud snoring at night
* Waking up at night short of breath
* Snorting or choking sounds during the night (indicating a restart of breathing)
* Headaches upon waking in the morning
* Falling asleep unintentionally during the day
* Extreme drowsiness throughout the day

Enjoy the rest of Father's Day weekend everyone!

Talkin' retainers with Dr. Farrah Agahi

If you've recently completed your orthodontic treatment at Smiles by Farrah Orthodontics, our entire team would like to congratulate you again! Now, after your braces have been removed, Austin orthodontist Dr. Farrah Agahi will provide—or has provided you by now—with retainers. After braces are officially removed, teeth may - and do - shift out of position if they are not stabilized.

Retainers, however, provide the stabilization needed, and are designed to hold teeth in their corrected, ideal positions until your bones and gums adapt to the treatment changes. Wearing retainers exactly as instructed by Dr. Agahi is the best insurance that the treatment improvements last for an entire lifetime.

If you have additional questions about retainers or your treatment here at Smiles by Farrah Orthodontics, please give us a call at 512-634-8254.

Tell Dr. Farrah: What should we blog about?

As the summer approaches, our staff at Smiles by Farrah Orthodontics strive to continue writing about important topics related to braces and your treatment with Austin orthodontist Dr. Farrah Agahi.

To help us continue blogging through the course of the long, hot summer, however, we'd love your opinion: What would you like us to focus on our blog over the summer? Perhaps there’s something you’ve wanted to ask Dr. Agahi for a while and just haven't found the time or opportunity? Give us your ideas by posting here or on our Facebook page!

We hope you have a great rest of the weekend! See you soon for your next appointment!