Growing Smile Detest can spot subtle problems with jaw growth and emerging teeth while some baby teeth are still present. While your child’s teeth may appear to be straight, there could be a problem with facial growth and development or tooth eruption that isn’t obvious to the untrained eye. A check-up may reveal that your child’s bite is fine. Or may identify a developing problem but recommend monitoring the child’s growth and development, and then, if indicated, begin treatment at the appropriate time for the child. In other cases, the orthodontist might find a problem that can benefit from early treatment. The best time for an Orthodontic Check-up is around age 7 or when the permanent top front teeth are emerging.
Early treatment may prevent or intercept more serious problems from developing and may make treatment at a later age shorter and less complicated. In some cases, Growing Smile Detest will be able to achieve results that may not be possible once the face and jaws have finished growing.
Through an early orthodontic evaluation, you’ll be giving your child the best opportunity for a healthy, beautiful smile. If your child is older than 7, it’s certainly not too late for a check-up. Because patients differ in both physiological development and treatment needs, Growing Smile Detest’s goal is to provide each patient with the most appropriate treatment at the most appropriate time.
What is a Lingual Arch?
A lingual arch is a fixed appliance that attaches to the lower permanent molars and rests passively along the inside (lingual) of the lower front teeth.
What does it do?
A lingual arch is used up to a year before braces to help fit all the permanent teeth in the lower jaw. It is the lower teeth that most often determine whether extractions are needed during orthodontics. A lingual arch does not prevent braces later, but it most often allows us to correct the crooked teeth (using braces) without having to extract permanent teeth.
A lingual arch also maintains space for prematurely lost baby teeth. This prevents the remaining teeth from drifting into undesirable positions that may block the eruption of permanent teeth.
How does it work?
The baby teeth in the back are much bigger than the permanent teeth that take their place.
Normally, when the baby teeth are lost the permanent molars drift forward into the extra space and the front teeth stay crooked. By placing a lingual arch, the permanent molars cannot drift forward and, instead, the crooked front teeth drift back into the extra space thereby “self-correcting”.
What is a Palate Expander?
It is an orthodontic appliance that is cemented to the upper molars and expands the palate. It consists of orthodontic bands rigidly connected to a midline jack-screw that, when turned with a special key, expands 1/4 of a millimeter per turn. We give you the key, show you how to turn it, and then you turn it at home one time each day until the desired expansion is achieved.
Why is it used?
The palate expander is, without a doubt, the most versatile and reproducible appliance used in clinical orthodontics today. It is primarily used to correct a crossbite of the back teeth but is also used to make room for crowded teeth, broaden the smile, and improve the profile by allowing the jaws to fit together in conjunction with other treatment. Lastly, palate expansion can also aid in the eruption of impacted canines and other permanent teeth.
How does it work?
In growing children the two palatal shelves meet in the middle but are not connected, and as the palate expander is turned, the two shelves move apart creating a void between them. Since the two front teeth are on different sides of the palate, the two front teeth usually spread apart as well (See Above). Turning the key usually takes only 2-4 weeks, but the expander needs to stay in for an additional 4-6 months to allow the bone to grow and fill the void that was created. The gap between the two front teeth tends to self-correct during this time.
Does it hurt?
No! But it does feel somewhat bulky at first and requires a brief period of adjustment. Turning the key never results in pain; instead, most patients describe a mild pressure in the roof of their mouth (or nose!) and will often feel some pressure on the teeth to which the expander is cemented. Initially, talking and eating are different but within a few days are back to normal.
We love our patients and love to help them form healthy dental life that will last them a lifetime. Growing Smiles is a pediatric dentist in Anna, Richardson, Plano, Garland, Murphy we have Pediatric Services in Texas: Early Childhood Care, Preventive Care, General Treatments, Sedation Dentistry, Special Needs Dentistry, Emergency Service and Orthodontic (Braces & Invisalign) For more information call us to answer all of your questions.
Although your children’s teeth have been in their mouths for a shorter period, they face many of the same common dental problems as adults. Prompt attention to developing symptoms can save time and money, and spare your little ones unnecessary pain. Pediatric dentists are specially trained to manage issues involving developing teeth and jaws. Finding a specially trained dentist for kids ensures that your children get the best possible treatments and suffer the least amount of stress.
Here are some of the tooth and mouth problems your kid’s dentist commonly deals with:
Find the Best Dentist for Kids
To find pediatric dentists in Texas, Growing smile Densest who are trusted by other parents, ask your neighbors, friends, and other medical professionals. Proper dental care that begins early provides the foundation for a lifetime of good oral health.
We love our patients and love to help them form healthy dental life that will last them a lifetime. For more information call us today to answer all of your questions so get an appointment.
So you made it through the first few months of child-rearing and you think you have it down. Then that first little tooth appears with gobs of saliva flowing everywhere. “Now what?” you ask. How do you keep that little pearl of tooth clean and happy?
The rule of thumb is that you are supposed to brush your kid’s teeth until the age of 7. Yep, you’re on the hook for seven years.
It may not be a pleasurable experience – the kid doesn’t like it and resists, the child is uncomfortable, toothpaste gets everywhere, and it’s not any fun for the parents either. And you barely have enough time to brush your teeth – let alone someone else’s.
Playing hardball can result in resentment and even dental phobia later on in life, which is still quite common (over 50% of the population seeks dental care only when they are in pain, which is horrible from a preventive model standpoint).
There’s a cost-benefit to teaching your child to be preventive in maintaining his oral health.
The first thing a parent can do before they try to brush the kid’s teeth, is, whenever they brush their teeth, brush in front of the child. It’s a subliminal message that you send to your kid that it’s something you do every day – you have to be the role model.
Tap dance, crack jokes, do whatever it takes to convince your child that this is a normal and fun daily routine.
Do this even as the child gets older – the child must get this subliminal message from you so that it becomes a habit in adulthood.
Teaching your kid to brush properly is in the same category as putting sunblock on your child or teaching your child to wear a seat belt or look both ways before crossing a road – it is critical!
In the end, they will do what you did during those formative years. Brush and floss in front of and with your kids! Your oral health will get a great boost at the same time!
Here’s how to make brushing your child’s teeth a pleasurable experience as well as a habit your child takes into adulthood.
Do not limit brushing to the bathroom! Brush on the beach after a family picnic. Brush in the car after snacks. They will learn by your example – they will follow your lead. Don’t limit their experiences of brushing at an early age.
Don’t let toothpaste limit when and where you brush. Toothpaste can make kids want to gag or need to spit, and can make things unnecessarily messy, which makes brushing a chore.
I’ve found that toothpaste will make parents less likely to brush their kids’ teeth because it just means they have to go into the bathroom with a bottle of Windex to wipe down the sink afterward.
I guarantee you will not be successful if you set your child on the toilet and go to your kid with a toothbrush. Instead, have your child looking in the mirror while you stand behind her and brush her teeth (or assist her, depending on the age) while you both look into the mirror.
Sitting on the toilet is for other activities. Don’t associate it with cleaning your teeth!
Depending on your child’s age, you may have read in all the baby books that you should use gauze to rub or wipe your baby’s new teeth. This is a waste of time. It confuses the child, it’s not effective, tastes terrible (cotton mouth, yuck!) and this method wastes precious time to teach your child the proper way to brush. Get them used to it before they have the chance to form an opinion about what’s best.
You’re trying to fit teeth brushing into a busy schedule, but your child interprets this to mean that brushing your teeth is an afterthought and something to do as quickly as possible. Now is the time to send the message to your kids that their oral health is a priority.
Just as dinner is a family activity, you can make brushing a time when the family gathers in the bathroom to brush after a meal. This is great when your child is just starting to brush their first tooth at around age one.
Have one parent brush the other parent’s teeth. Let your kid brush your teeth! (good luck and make sure you don’t grimace!) Have your kid brush the dog’s teeth (wash hands thoroughly afterward).
The worst thing you can do is threaten your child with brushing. Don’t tell your child that if she doesn’t brush, she’ll have to go see the dentist as if it’s some big scary punishment for not brushing.
Brushing, as well as visiting the dentist, should both be positive lifelong habits.
I love to use music for this purpose. Get a cheap music player in the bathroom to play your child’s latest favorite song.
The guideline is two minutes for brushing, but at young ages, aim for four to five minutes or longer if your kid is having fun! If you go for four minutes, you’ll be more likely to get your two. Always brush when you’re not in a rush!
I recommend an hourglass rather than a digital timer for timing brushing because most kids are very kinesthetic under the age of 7 and an hourglass allows the child to have a tangible concept of how much time is left to brush. An hourglass also can’t be manipulated like a digital timer can.
We love our patients and love to help them form healthy dental life that will last them a lifetime. For more information call us today to answer all of your questions so get an appointment.
It’s hard enough to get your kiddos to bed without the added stress of the tooth brushing battle. Forming good oral care habits from a young age is crucial to your child’s development, but it’s no easy task to complete. Where there’s a will, though, there is a way – so if you try out a few of these creative parenting ideas and find a tactic that works, stick with it to make sure your child can look forward to a lifetime of beautiful, healthy smiles.
Before the Tooth Fairy makes her way to your home, plenty of brushing will be necessary. Cavities – whether they develop in baby teeth or adult teeth – are painful and costly to fill. Worse yet, developing cavities in baby teeth can have long-term effects on your child’s oral health and well-being. Children’s baby teeth must remain healthy since they are like “spot-holders” for incoming future adult teeth. Unhealthy baby teeth mean unhealthy adult teeth.
If the gums and site of tooth growth are not intact and well-cared-for, this will impact the growth of adult teeth, potentially throwing adult teeth out of alignment so that they grow in crooked. As the first adult teeth to grow in, the molars are especially important as they impact the shape of your child’s face as well as the future health and position of her other adult teeth. Improper teeth position means every parent’s worst nightmare – braces – will be inevitable. Unfortunately, most parents will find themselves at an orthodontist with their child at some point, but if there’s anything you can do to be proactive and avoid the pain, hassle, and expense of braces, it’s keeping your child’s teeth and gums healthy from the start.
So now you understand that oral care is important for babies and children. But how do you convince your children to stick to an everyday tooth brushing routine that they can eventually do on their own? We’ve got a few ideas that might help.
You’ve all seen little boys watching with admiration as their father shaves, or little girls gazing in fascination while their mother goes through her skincare routine. So why not show your kids the same with your tooth-brushing routine?
Let your kids watch while you go through your flossing and brushing routine. Make a point to brush your tongue, massage your gums and reach your furthest back teeth. Use exaggerated gestures to show children very clearly each critical step to the brushing process. At the end, flash your pearly whites to the mirror to check that you’ve done a quality job, and make sure to seem very happy and proud of your efforts to show your child the reward of a brushing job well done.
This might be slightly uncomfortable for you, but if it works, the pay-off is worth it: if you’re tired of fighting your child to open their mouths and let you brush their teeth, open your own mouth instead and let them practice using a toothbrush on you. Again, make sure you’re a good actor – make tooth-brushing (even when performed by your child) seem fun, and your kiddo will want in on the fun, too.
If practicing on you is not the ideal option, encourage your child to practice on a stuffed animal or doll. The Baby Alive Brushy Brushy Baby Doll comes with a tube of pretend toothpaste and a pretend electric toothbrush so that your child can practice brushing while playing. Brushing your teeth will seem like a lot more fun when a toy is involved!
Purchase, print out or create your own calendar for 2019. Buy sets of stickers you think your child will love. Every night or morning after your child has finished brushing his teeth, reward his effort with a sticker to place on the calendar to mark a successful cleaning. Keep upcoming stickers hidden and secret so that every night, picking out a new sticker to place on the calendar remains an exciting surprise. If he successfully fills up a full month of the calendar with stickers, reward your child with an even bigger reward, like a bonus in his allowance or a toy he has wanted.
One creative trick to encourage brushing is to dream up a story: talk about the imaginary “sugar bugs” that are attacking your child’s mouth. The only way to defeat the sugar bugs is to defend your mouth with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Add some drama to the sugar bug battle and tie a cape around your child so he can become a real superhero fighting the evil sugar bugs. (Just be careful not to scare your child into believing that his mouth is crawling with bugs – that could be traumatic for some kids!)
You know the age – when your child insists on doing everything herself. Whether it’s picking up a “big kid” cup to drink from (and then spilling it all over herself), feeding herself dinner (and getting spaghetti sauce all over her face) or choosing her own outfit (and choosing her Disney princess pajamas for Picture Day), your child can’t be deterred. And why stop her from exploring and developing her independence? Encourage it in every way that’s safe (albeit probably messy).
Your local grocery store is full of toothpaste made especially for children. Kids will be delighted to see their favorite characters on the toothpaste packaging and look forward to using it to brush their teeth every night and morning. Whether it’s Spiderman, My Little Pony, or Elmo, you can find a toothpaste themed to your child’s preferences, and available in fun flavors like berry.
Creating a fun and engaging routine at home will ensure your child develops a lifelong habit of caring for their teeth.
If you introduce flossing and brushing at a young age, kids will start to feel lucky if they don’t do it.
We love our patients and love to help them form healthy dental life that will last them a lifetime. For more information call us today to answer all of your questions so get an appointment today.