Orthodontist

from September/October 2020 edition of Birmingham Parent

Teaching Your Teen Safe Driving: TIPS FOR PARENTS

October is National Orthodontic Health Month

BRACE YOURSELF: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU CHILD SEES THE ORTHODONTIST By Kerrie McLoughlin Just when you think you have everything down as a parent, you find out it’s time to take your child to his first orthodontist visit. “It’s best to see children by age 7 to advise if orthodontic treatment is required and the best time for that patient to be treated,” says Dr. Jay Oltien. Basically, the earlier any orthodontic treatment is started, the easier it will be to correct problems in the long run, he adds. There are many different reasons for kids to need orthodontic care, including overbite, underbite and crowded or overlapping teeth. Some of these problems can be caused by things like thumb sucking, accidents or tooth decay and some can even be inherited. Benefits of having straight teeth include making maintenance easier, which can prevent cavities; preventing wear on the surfaces of teeth; reducing stress on supportive teeth bones and gum tissue; and alleviating jaw joint problems that can cause headaches. Your child’s first trip to the orthodontist (who has two to three years more education than your family dentist) is nothing to be feared. A local orthodontist says, “At your child’s first orthodontic visit (about 45 minutes in length), the pain-free examination will include digital photos, an X-ray and evaluation. Any questions you have will be explained thoroughly.” A mold of your child’s teeth may need to be taken. Your child may end up needing no orthodontic care for a few years, if at all.

FOODS TO AVOID

WHEN YOU HAVE BRACES:

·Chewy foods like bagels, hard rolls, licorice ·Crunchy foods like popcorn, ice, chips ·Sticky foods like caramels and gum ·Hard foods like nuts and candy ·Foods you have to bite into like corn on the cob, apples, carrots

These days there are many different options for orthodontic care. Eva Gavin, mom of four boys, says her 9-year-old son wears a retainer that she can adjust at home myself weekly, which saves a lot of time going to the orthodontist. Her 7-year-old son wears a permanent spacer. Braces are, of course, a possibility, and they have come a long way. Your child can get clear, gold or tooth-colored braces instead of just silver metal. Many local orthodontists allow you to choose the color of ties that hold the wire brackets. You could even decide to choose Invisalign, which is like a set of clear retainers (changed about every 2 weeks) that can be removed for eating, drinking, brushing and flossing. If your child does need braces or some other dental device, he can still play sports and musical instruments. And while kids used to dread the prospect of braces, now many of them actually look forward to it. It’s completely worthwhile in the end when they see their beautiful new smiles.

Kerrie McLoughlin (TheKerrieShow.com) makes regular trips to the orthodontist with 3 of her 5 kids in braces.

At PT Orthodontics we know that a smile can change a life! We have been providing affordable, state-of-the-art orthodontic care since 1990. We have eleven convenient locations in Hoover, Homewood/Mountain Brook, Cahaba Heights, Greystone, Leeds, Pell City, Oxford, Hueytown, Gardendale, Jasper and Tuscaloosa.

Because we want to make braces easy and affordable we offer: Free Initial Consultations, Choose Your Own Payment Plan, Same Day Braces, Before & After School Appointments, Friends Referral Program, Lifetime Smile Guarantee, Smile Savings Program, We File Your Insurance, No Hidden Fees – all records & first set of retainers are INCLUDED!, Free retainer check up appointments for one year. For more details check us out at PTortho.com or give us a call at 205.979.9480.

We offer a full range of braces to meet your individual needs and desires, including metal braces and clear ceramic braces. We also offer Invisalign clear aligners and are an Invisalign Platinum Provider! We would love to help you achieve a beautiful PT Ortho Smile! Call us today at 205-979-9480 to schedule a free consultation or visit www.PTortho.com to learn more.

www.PTortho.com . 205-979-9480

DENTISTRY FOR CHILDREN & SPECIAL NEEDS PERSONS

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14 | birminghamparent | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020

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