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It's the candy, of course!  We love your favorite candies too (because, duh... they're delicious), but the abundance of candy present at Halloween is a good reason for us to take a moment to discuss why we should be extra careful with it while wearing braces.

There are two reasons that patients wearing braces should be extra careful with their Halloween candy.

1. If you're a candy-lover, then you already know that many of your delicious sweet treats can be hard, crunchy, sticky, or chewy.  Biting hard onto candies like this can cause braces to become loosened or break.  As you know, broken braces can be uncomfortable and may even cause your treatment to take longer!
2. Sugar!!  Candy is full of delicious sugar!  EEK!  Sugar has a way of finding its way into the nooks and crannies of your braces, and it gives you extra work to do to keep things nice and clean.  Sticky sugar is especially insidious since it really wants to stay put.

Ok, so what can you do?  Is Halloween ruined?  No!!  Don't be silly.  There are plenty of candies that you can eat - just remember these tricks:

• Choose softer candies, and eat them gently.
• Never bite and crunch on hard candies
• Always brush and floss well after eating anything with sugar!

The American Association of Orthodontists posts lots of useful content on their website, and once again, they've provided some answers to common questions we frequently hear.  To learn what makes an orthodontists a specialist in straightening your teeth, check out this link to the AAO Article, Is My Dentist Also an Orthodontist?

With Labor Day ever so slightly in the rear view mirror, it's time to start thinking about fall, right?  Pumpkin Spice and soups and stews?  Ok, maybe it's still a little bit warm, but we can plan ahead!

Fortunately lots of delicious fall foods go great with braces.  Soups and stews are some of our favorites to recommend for those first few days after braces have been adjusted.  And can you ever really have too much soup when the weather turns cool??

Here's a link to one of our favorites, Ina Garten's 16 Bean Pasta e Fagioli!

Last week I mentioned an important resource, the AAO Guide for Parents.  It discusses so many detailed aspects of orthodontic treatment and asks all the right questions.

This week and in coming weeks, I'm going to highlight specific sections from this guide.  Today I'd like to direct your attention to the topic of "Understanding Early Treatment."  Early orthodontic treatment is something that we get TONS of questions about.  Many parents remember having braces around age 11 or 12, and when the dentist recommends a visit to the orthodontist around age 7 or 8, their first thought is, "Isn't this a little early?"

The answer?  In some cases, yes.  However, in other cases, some level of orthodontic intervention at this age may reduce the risk of requiring more invasive treatment later and may facilitate a more successful result by influencing growth and development at just the right time.

If you have questions about early treatment, check out this amazing resource!

Understanding Early Check-Ups

Many parents are surprised to learn that their child might need braces as early as age 7 or 8.  Lots of these parents remember getting braces themselves around age 12 or 13, and their initial reaction is, "That seems really young for braces.  I didn't need them that young.  We're going to wait."  Waiting until 12 or 13 is still the right choice in lots of cases, but there are a few problems that require intervention sooner.  We only recommend early treatment in cases where we know we're likely to get a better long-term result by taking action sooner rather than later.

Today we're going to discuss one of these types of problems, the anterior crossbite or underbite.

Anterior crossbites can be caused by a couple of different problems.  Sometimes they result from disparities in jaw growth between the upper and lower jaws.  This is significant because at age 7 or 8, we have the greatest likelihood of being capable of influencing the patient's jaw growth.  As they get older, it becomes increasingly difficult and the results are less robust.  In severe cases, early intervention may be able to help the child avoid requiring a surgical correction later in life.

 

Another possible cause of an anterior crossbite is the misalignment of teeth in jawbones that are growing normally.  If upper teeth erupt into the mouth but are tipped too far back or lower teeth erupt that are tipped too far forward, an underbite can result.  Once the teeth have come in with this relationship, they will not self-correct.  In fact, they will only get increasingly "set in their ways" if you will as time goes by. This means that they will become increasingly difficult to correct.  In addition, leaving these teeth in the wrong positions for too long can lead to other unrelated problems.  For example, lower teeth that are trapped in a forward position are more likely to experience recession of the gums or mobility.

If your child is experiencing any of these problems, it's a wise choice to speak with an orthodontist.  In our office, like most offices, consultations are free, and you will at least leave armed with the knowledge you need to know whether you want to proceed with treatment or allow more time.  As always, we welcome your calls and emails if you have any questions!

Spring sports season is in full swing these days, and we get lots of questions about how braces will influence playing sports.  These questions usually surround concerns regarding 1) injury, and 2) time spent wearing elastics and retainers.

In the case of many sports, especially those involving lots of contact like basketball and wrestling, or those involving balls and/or equipment that could accidentally contact a player's face, parents are wise to seek extra protection for their child's teeth.  Generally we advise that any sport that recommends a mouthguard, even if it isn't a requirement, is a sport in which the player should definitely be proactive about protecting his or  her teeth.  Certainly, you want to be cautious even without braces.  Any patient can experience an injury that leads to the loss of or damage to a tooth or teeth.  With braces on, the risk of injury to the lips and gums are also increased because of the extra appliances in the mouth.  Wearing a mouthguard can reduce the risk of teeth being broken or knocked out.  In addition, the plastic from the mouthguard separates the braces from the lips, helping to avoid cuts and soft-tissue injury.

Sometimes wearing a mouthguard can be more challenging with braces.  There are ready-made orthodontic mouthguards available that you can invest in with special grooves where the braces fit.  You can also use a traditional boil-and-bite mouthguard with braces.  The way you fabricate your guard will simply be a little bit different.  Before biting into the warm mouthguard, take a strip of wax and lay it across your braces.  This will prevent the plastic from flowing into the grooves around the braces and wires and becoming difficult to remove.  Finally, there are some appliances that we use in conjunction with braces (like the Forsus appliance, for example) which make it difficult to wear a full-length mouthguard.  We advise, in these cases, that you cut the back portion of the mouthguard off to shorten it slightly and make it possible to fit in with your appliance.

If an injury does occur, your first call should be to your general or pediatric dentist who is the expert in assessing damage to and repairing the teeth.  They may take an x-ray to ensure that no teeth or bones have been broken.  If a tooth has broken or knocked out, they will recommend the proper course of action.  In many cases, the orthodontist may be involved in the recovery as well.  Sometimes if a tooth has loosened due to injury, the braces can be used to stabilize the tooth, and your dentist can advise you if they'd like you to see us to assist with this stabilization.  In addition, once the risks to the teeth, lips, and bones have been addressed with your dentist, you should also evaluate to see if any braces or other appliances are broken or loose.  If so, as with any other broken appliances, you should give our office a call, and we can advise you on whether you need to come in right away or if the breakage is minor enough and can wait until your next visit for an easy repair.

As I mentioned, another concern that often arises during sports seasons is finding time to wear things like elastics and retainers.  If a mouthguard is required for your sport, then this takes precedence over the use of any special appliances!  We always give permission to leave rubber bands and retainers out while you're engaged in playing your sport.  (If you play a non-contact sport (like track and field) and feel comfortable wearing your rubber bands or retainers, it's ok to go ahead and keep them in, but we do not require it.)  Often, especially for serious athletes, there can be many hours spent each day on practices, games, and meets.  It's can be challenging to find enough time to wear your appliances, but rest assured that it can be done!  We suggest keeping extra bags of rubber bands around at all times and putting a fresh pair in every time you have an opportunity.  At a tournament all weekend?  Make sure the rubber bands are in between games.  Even if you only have half an hour, it's important to put them back in and let them keep working.  By making the effort, you can still make progress during your sports season, or at least avoid taking a step backwards!

Keep smiling, friends!

One of the challenges we deal with during orthodontic treatment is maintaining excellent oral hygiene.  This is a challenge for a couple of reasons.  First, many of our patients are young and still struggle with the necessary motor skills necessary to be truly effective at achieving great hygiene.  And second, whether using braces or aligners, while in orthodontic treatment, there are often more places for plaque and bacteria to hide out which means that getting a good result from brushing might take a little more time and effort than usual.  Why is this so important?  Poor hygiene can lead to cavities and gum disease, or white spot lesions.  Not familiar?  Here's a picture of white spots that were seen on someone's teeth after braces were removed:

So what should we do about this?  Well, the best defense is a good offense!  In other words, I'm saying that prevention is key.  White spots are difficult to treat once they've occurred, so avoiding them in the first place is your best bet.  Here are some tips for avoiding white spots!

1. Parents should help, especially for very young patients. I meet lots of parents who are eager to put all the responsibility for brushing in their child's hands.  In some cases, however, the child isn't interested in being compliant, or doesn't yet have the necessary skills to do a good job.  In these cases, it's important to remember that as the parent, it will be your responsibility to monitor their brushing and flossing routines and help them if needed.
2. Avoid excessive sugary foods and drinks. Sugar contributes to plaque and bacteria formation on the surface of the teeth.  It's ok to enjoy as a treat here and there, but you should avoid consuming sugar continuously throughout the day, and you should always brush (or rinse with water if you can't brush right away) after enjoying sugary treats.
3. Try using the special toothbrush we offer when you start braces! We use a special toothbrush when starting treatment with braces.  It's specially designed to make it easier to brush under the wires and around the brackets so that you can be more effective at removing plaque.
4. Watch for bleeding or puffy gums. These can be indications of inflammation which often means that brushing and flossing aren't being done effectively enough.  If you're trying your hardest and still seeing results like this, please let us know.  We'd be happy to review instructions as many times as you need us to!
5. A Waterpik might be your new best friend. Waterpiks are gaining increasing popularity for good reason.  They're fun for kids, and they do a great job of irrigating in hard to reach places!
6. Feel free to ask for feedback on your brushing. We are here to help you.  If you aren't sure how you're doing, let us know!  We'll be happy to check and point out areas for improvement!

With a little effort, you can finish your braces treatment with beautiful stain-free teeth!!  As always, you can find more information on our website at www.sciotobraces.com.  Keep smiling, friends! :)

Knowing what to expect at your first visit to the orthodontist can go a long way towards calming the anxiety of patients (children and adults) and even parents!  Young patients may not know what an orthodontist is or does.  They have often heard scary stories from friends about braces hurting or being "tightened," and they may be worried that they'll get braces right away and that the process will hurt.  Adult patients are often nervous because they're still not sure what options they'll have, and they're still wondering whether they want to wear braces as an adult.  "Why am I here? Am I really going to go through with this? Is it weird for an adult to wear braces?" (Spoiler alert - it's not!)  And parents are frequently nervous about having sticker shock because of their preconceived ideas about braces being expensive.

Rest assured that most of these concerns aren't worth the anxiety they cause, and I'm  hopeful that learning about the new patient process in our office will help!  When you attend your first orthodontic visit, here's what you can expect:

• You'll be greeted by one of our staff members! One of our staff members will welcome you to the office and give you a tour.  We'll show you everything you need to know to feel comfortable in the office.  Once you've started treatment, often the orthodontist's office can start to feel like home!  Once you've gotten settled, we'll be sure that you have completed all the new patient paperwork necessary.  If you've printed this in advance or filled it out online, you may already be done!
• Our treatment coordinator will take photographs and x-rays of your teeth.  We take a series of photographs of your teeth and face to be used by the doctor during diagnosis and also as a visual aid for you to use when discussing your treatment options.  Sometimes it's much easier for you to see and identify problems with your teeth in pictures when compared to simply viewing them in the mirror.  In addition, we always use a panoramic x-ray (one large view that shows all your teeth).
• One of the doctors will examine your teeth and bite and discuss your treatment options with you. Dr. Bethany or Dr. Liz will sit down with you and discuss your treatment needs, answer questions, and give you options for treatment, explaining the pros and cons of each option and giving you time to decide what's right for you.
• Our treatment coordinator will explain scheduling and financing treatment.  Our treatment coordinator is here to do exactly that - to help you coordinate the details involved in starting treatment!  She will review the total amount of your investment in treatment, help you understand how much your insurance will assist, and give you plenty of payment plan options.  We are extremely flexible when it comes to financing your treatment because we know that everyone's budget is different, and we don't want that to get in between you and the smile of your dreams!!  Next, she'll help you schedule any appointments needed to start your treatment.  Sometimes, if time permits, you may have the option to start your braces the same day!

One of our primary goals is to make your experience with orthodontic treatment comfortable and enjoyable!  We're here for you along the way and we're always available to answer questions.  We're looking forward to your first visit - and we hope you are too!!