Tag: for children

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR CHILD’S TEETH WHILE PLAYING SPORTS

Posted on September 14, 2018 by Malcolm Bowen - Braces, Community, For Children, For Teens

September 14th, 2018

A new school year has begun, and with that, sports season is just around the corner. As the buzz of club try- outs, evaluations, selecting teams and practice/games schedules begins, it is important to not forget about safety!

Proper Equipment

When participating in sports, safety equipment should be at the top of the list when it comes to an athlete’s uniform. Helmets are typically required when playing sports such as football, baseball, softball, etc. But are mouth guards a part of the standard equipment? The American Association of Orthodontist found that 84% of children playing an organized sport do not wear a mouth guard because they are not required to do so. This is very concerning because athletes who do not wear a mouth guard are 60 times more likely to damage their teeth. If your child is playing in any of the following sports, it is recommended by the American Dental Association that they wear a mouth guard: football, basketball, lacrosse, gymnastics, martial arts, roller hockey, skateboarding, soccer, volleyball and even surfing! We will take it a step further and say that players involved in baseball and softball should wear a mouth guard, as well. Any time there is a chance for contact to the face by the ground, another player or a ball, a mouth guard should be worn.

Injuries

While wearing a mouth guard is not a sure proof way of preventing all dental injuries, it certainly helps reduce the potential severity of the injury. Approximately, 50% of sports injuries are directly to the mouth and many require professional treatment to minimize long term complications.

Tooth fracture/Tooth loss

One of the most common dental injuries that occurs in sports. When a tooth cracks or is knocked out due to impact with the ground or a hard ball, it is imperative to seek medical treatment in order to try and preserve the tooth. Wearing a mouth guard will significantly lower the chances of cracking a tooth or having one knocked out completely. Treating these injuries can be very costly for the parent and uncomfortable for the child.

Splitting of the Lip/Tongue

This occurs quite frequently when a player does not wear a mouth guard. They take a stumble, make hard contact with another player or have a ball hit them directly in the mouth, causing one or more of their teeth to puncture their tongue or lip. Again, a mouth guard can significantly reduce the risk of this injury.

Types of Mouth Guards

Ready Made/Boil and Bite

These are the most common mouth guards because they are the least expensive. While they do not offer the same protection as a mouth guard that is made by a dentist or orthodontist, it is still better than wearing nothing.

Custom Made Mouth Guards

These mouth guards are more expensive than the OTC mouth guards, but they offer the best protection. They are customized by a doctor or professional technician to ensure a proper fit and are the best option for players with braces or dental implants.

Proper Handling of the Mouth Guard

It is crucial to explain to your child the proper positioning of the mouth guard. We understand it is very common for players to complain that a mouth guard is uncomfortable or bulky and not want to wear it. To ensure the effectiveness of the mouth guard, the player needs to leave the mouth guard in place while in action and not chew on it. The mouth guard cannot do its job if is being treated like a piece of gum.

Once the game or practice is over, the mouth guard should be washed with a non alcohol mouth wash or brushed with toothpaste and a toothbrush. Gently dry the mouth guard and store in a dry case. Never leave the mouth guard loose in a gym bag or store damp, as it can collect loads of bacteria and germs.

Ultimately, it is impossible to guarantee an injury free sports season but there are steps that can be taken to lessen the chances. It is our sincere hope that parents and coaches will do everything in their power to provide proper safety equipment for all sporting participants. Please let us know if we can help in any way!

We wish everyone a safe and fun sports season! Remember, protect those teeth!

DOES YOUR CHILD HAVE DIFFICULTY CONCENTRATING?

Posted on August 10, 2018 by Lo Dellarocco - For Children

If so, it may not be a lack of interest of boredom but something important YOU as a parent can help with.

Here are some crucial facts about SCHOOL AGE SCREENING FOR SLEEP PROBLEMS IN YOUTH.

Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB) problem causes:

Obstructive: Large adenoids / tonsils or tongue displaced back into an airway.
Environmental: Allergies or chronic sinusitis.
Genetic: Mismatched, narrow jaws.
Anatomic/structural: Misaligned jaws or airway dysplasia.

Here are important symptoms to watch for with your child:

Mouth breathing, loud snoring, tossing and turning, gasping and choking during sleep.
Attention difficulties, unpredictable behavior, mood disorders at school, even depression can be caused by a lack of restful sleep.
Bed-wetting, sleep-walking, diminished growth, hormonal problems, metabolic problems and narrow dental arch problems are common.

Obstructive sleep apnea increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

Insufficient sleep in the youngster’s formative years is associated with metabolic, cognitive and emotional behavioral effects. Pediatric sleep-disordered breathing is a growing area of interest and kids can fall through the diagnostic cracks when this is not recognized and managed.

25% of ADHD problems are children deprived of restful sleep and thus behavioral problems.

Sleep-disordered breathing in the first five years of life is associated with 40 – 60% greater chance of special educational needs by age 8.

PARENTAL AWARENESS

The American Association of Pediatrics “Practice Parameters” recently stated that all children should be screened for snoring because of the 70% overlap of snoring and sleep apnea. The numbers are staggering.

Sleep-disordered breathing is under diagnosed, and often clinicians take a wait and see approach. Invasive interventions are needed to correct the problem later. Your child suffers lessened quality of life, behavioral and/or learning challenges unless helped to restore normal breathing and sleep.

A simple questionnaire and selective 3-D images of a child’s airway helps identify restrictions. Facial orthopedics can help to open the airway, with teamwork by medical and dental sleep specialists for related treatments to optimize the airway and sleep quality.
Patients may benefit from a home sleep study, or see an Ear/Nose/Throat (ENT) doctor if tonsils or adenoids need to be removed. Simple allergy medications may work for some. A common approach may be simple upper jaw orthopedic expansion to correct a narrow jaw, or lower jaw lengthening with widening of the dental arches. Within weeks / months the child typically rests better and awakens normally.

Studies show a strong association between pediatric sleep disorders and childhood obesity. Weight management, oral appliances, or positive airway pressure therapy are very effective treatments.

Bruxism (teeth grinding) occurs during restless sleep and causes primary teeth to become worn – a direct connection with sleep-disordered breathing. Also, sleep-deprived kids may have a lisp caused by inadequate tongue space and poor teeth alignment, chronic dark circles under the eyes, difficulty waking up in the morning, irritability, fidgety behavior, mouth breathing and recurrent episodes of nasal congestion.

DO THE RIGHT THING TO HELP EACH CHILD

Clinicians and parents can do harm by doing nothing. The key factors are recognizing and preventing airway problems and breathing conditions when your child is young.

Everyone feels, performs and behaves our best when well rested.

Contact Jupiter Orthodontics for simple screening and proper guidelines for your child.

Dr. Roy King, Board Certified Facial Orthopedics/Orthodontics, Jupiter Orthodontics

HOW TO ATTAIN STRAIGHT TEETH ASAP

Posted on July 13, 2018 by Malcolm Bowen - Braces, For Adults, For Children, For Teens

Once you have decided to seek orthodontic treatment and the braces have been applied, your next question is probably “how soon can the braces come off?” We understand that a straight, beautiful smile is the number one goal but the second goal is achieving that smile quickly. In this post, we have listed a few suggestions to help you work with your orthodontist to achieve fantastic results as quickly as possible.

Follow the Orthodontist’s Instructions

Dr. King carefully charts out every patient’s treatment plan/timeline. At each appointment, he will give instructions on how to continue to move the teeth into perfect formation. It is important to make and keep your appointments in order for your progress to be closely monitored. Trust the expert, not following the instructions given can lead to a major setback in creating the smile of your dreams!

Eating Healthy and Safe Foods

Following a diet that is low in excessive sugar will help prevent plaque buildup in the mouth. If excessive tooth decay or gum disease occurs during orthodontic treatment, the braces may have to be removed in order to address the problem properly. Furthermore, make sure that you avoid foods that could damage the brackets or wires. Crunchy, sticky or hard foods/candy can knock wires loose or break brackets. When this happens, it is not only uncomfortable, but the braces are unable to work properly. Still, accidents happen and if you experience a loose wire or bracket, call the office and we will fix it for you.

Wear Your Rubber Bands

Wearing rubber bands helps to accomplish tooth movement and not wearing them can cause a need for additional months in braces. We understand that it is annoying to take them in and out when you eat, but being consistent with your rubber bands will keep your progress on track. A small inconvenience for a beautiful end result…

Protecting Your Braces

If you or your child plays sports, wearing a mouth guard will help prevent braces from being damaged. It can also lessen the likelihood of injury to you or your child. Another potential hazard for your braces is mindlessly chewing on pencils, pens or any other non-food item. It is important to be aware of what is put into the mouth. Believe it or not, aggressive brushing can also damage braces and the wires. Be sure to clean the teeth properly. Any member of Dr. King’s team would be happy to show you proper brushing technique, if you need a reminder.

Be Patient

Lastly, be patient with the process. A beautiful smile is not attained overnight. It takes time and precision. As treatment nears the end, it is very common for patients to want to quit or to become frustrated. Dr. King has almost 40 years of experience and has every patient’s best interest as his top priority. If at any point, you have questions or want further explanation, feel free to ask. Orthodontic treatment is a partnership between the orthodontist and patient. Both parties have a role to play in order to achieve the best possible results.

SURGERY ALTERNATIVES

Posted on March 19, 2014 by Lo Dellarocco - For Adults, For Children

There is no smile that Dr. King can’t tame!

Have you been told that you or your child has a problem that will need surgery in order to correct your bite? In the recent past there have been great advances made on how to avoid surgery. Whether you have an openbite, underbite or overbite there may be a newer approach using non surgical orthodontics. The new approach consists of using bone plates, mini implants or M.E.A.W. (Multiloop edgewise archwire therapy) Orthodontic has taken a huge shift from surgery to non surgery.

The procedure itself is an extremely complicated technique for an orthodontist to utilize. For the benefit of my patients I have included the MEAW technique as one of my treatment options. There is only one other orthodontist in all of South Florida who includes this option. It is my privilege to be able to offer my patients a non-invasive alternative to surgery.

Feel free to come in and meet the team! You can make an appointment now by clicking here.

You can even fill your forms out online!

EARLY BIRD MENU FOR ORTHODONTICS!

Posted on October 22, 2013 by Lo Dellarocco - Braces, For Children, Invisalign

Much like ‘The Early Bird’ & ‘Being first in line’ there are definite and distinct advantages to having an orthodontic evaluation sooner than later. If the good advice of the American Association of Orthodontics is followed children will visit an orthodontist by the time they are seven. Here are some reasons to put an early visit on the Orthodontic menu.

PARENTS MENU

Serving up an early diagnosis will greatly reduce the severity of your child’s case.
A good portion of prudent intervention will guide growth & development preventing serious problems later.
The length of treatment will correspondingly be reduced and commensurately, the expense.
Early discovery of issues allows greater opportunity for more effective treatment.

KIDS MENU

START at the right time! FINISH with less appointments!
You want straight teeth but don’t want braces – when you start at the right time, treatment time is shorter! Woo Hoo!
DO IT RIGHT! When you do what the doctor orders your teeth respond quickly getting you to dessert faster!
Wear your retainers & you won’t have to wear braces again when you are older.

DESSERT MENU

All the yummy things you couldn’t have while you wore braces!

SMILE IT FORWARD PROGRAM

Posted on August 26, 2013 by Lo Dellarocco - Braces, For Adults, For Children, For Teens, Invisalign

Police officer Mark Borsboom was caught doing a simple, good deed – tying an elderly man’s shoelace for him. As he was standing near the exit an elderly gentleman approached the police officer. The man had no feeling in his hands as a result of a health issue. He had a long way to walk to meet his son and his shoelace had come loose.

ALL GOOD DEEDS COME BACK TO YOU. He asked the office if he would mind tying his shoe for him. Officer Borsboom said, “I didn’t think anything of it – I said ‘sure’ and tied his shoelace”. Such kindness is needed throughout the world on a much larger scale.

Dr. King has created a program to encourage the same kindness. The ‘Smile it Forward’ program allows Dr. King to provide FREE treatment to underprivileged children in the community. For every ten children that start treatment in his office, Dr. King will select one child from a referral base which he receives from area dentists and sometimes teachers regarding kids
who need help and could never afford it.

While a beautiful smile is a priceless gift, for some young ones the much needed treatment is medically necessary for proper chewing and at times improper jaw alignment.

This means that a minimum of two patients per month will receive free treatment because Dr. King chooses to ‘Smile it Forward’ helping children he has never met. If you would like to know more about SMILE IT FORWARD feel free to call the office and we will be happy to explain further how it works.

Come in and join the Jupiter Orthodontics family practice for beautiful smiles and happy people!

We can’t wait to meet you!

BULLIES ARE WEAK

Posted on July 2, 2013 by Lo Dellarocco - Community, For Children, For Teens

Did you know that a bully actually NEEDS you in order to feel important?

Without a victim a bully is just a kid. YOU CAN TAKE CHARGE of yourself and destroy a bully’s power. Here are some suggestions that can help.

Bullies look for someone who looks timid, so make it a point to walk tall & show confidence so you don’t become a target. Avoid them if you can and show a positive and assertive attitude when you walk to or attend class. Ask your parent how to have strong and assertive body language.
Walking away from a bully can succeed! If you see the bully in the hallway, leave with confidence as you remain calm, keep your head held high and veer around the bully. Refuse to be a target. Your strength is his kryptonite. Again, ask your parent to help you practice this at home.
Set your boundaries clearly if you cannot leave a situation. Hold your anger back because bullies need that to feel strong. If provoked, you could put your hands up if front of you, palms open and outward. Then with a strong, confident voice say STOP and try to veer away. TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR SPACE.
Use your voice. If a bully tries to touch you, pull away and in a REALLY loud voice say “NO! STOP IT.” Bullies feed on your fear and if you don’t show it to them they have nothing to work with.
Remember to talk to someone who can help you. Your parents and teachers are there to help – but they have to know that you need help.

Have you ever had to take out the trash at home? It is the same thing with the words of a bully. Just realize their words are trash and you can throw them away. Be strong, walk tall, wear a huge smile and have confidence that YOU are the person that matters.

THE TRAVELING TEETH

Posted on March 19, 2013 by Lo Dellarocco - Braces, Community, For Adults, For Children, For Teens, Invisalign

Laura’s* story begins with a gorgeous new smile when her braces were removed. “At last the smile I’ve always wanted!” Unfortunately, Laura decided NOT to wear her retainer after a while. “It was a hassle,” Laura complained. She stopped wearing it and months later when she decided to try her retainer again it was so painful that she couldn’t wear it. “My teeth felt like someone was squeezing them with pliers.”

Laura also decided not to go back for her checkups, “After all, I don’t wear braces anymore so I don’t need to see the orthodontist.” Her doctor would most certainly have been able to see the damage and correct it. But Laura waited far too long and when she became really unhappy with the deterioration of that great smile she went to the orthodontist once again.

Back in braces Laura learned that teeth have a memory and will travel back to their original position if not retained. Dr. King encourages all of his patients to wear their retainers so that the smile they dreamed of doesn’t become a nightmare in the future. The best advice to follow is to wear your retainers for as long as you want to keep your incredible smile!

*Name has been changed

561-747-5766