FEATURE STORY
There’s Always Something to Smile About at Super Smiles Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics BY BEVERLY PERKINS
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What is the difference between a pediatric dentist uper Smiles Pediatric Dentistry and and a family dentist? Orthodontics is a team of certified dental spePediatric dentists are the pediatricians of dentistry. cialists in pediatric dentistry and orthodontics. Pediatric dentists are primary oral care providers They offer dental care for children ages one to 18, and which receive an additional two to three years of orthodontics for children, adolescents and adults. Their primary goal is to make a positive difference in residency training beyond dental school making us the lives of children, adolescents, and adults by offer- specialists in treating infants and children through adolescence, including those with special needs. ing the highestquality dental care in a comfortable, relaxed and friendly environment. Dr. Buscemi and How can parents help prevent tooth decay? Dr. Maruri (a husband and wife team at Super Smiles) The first step is to not share bottles, utensils or answered some commonly asked questions about anything that goes in your mouth with your child. their practice. When your child is born, their mouth is free of the tooth decay causing bacteria Mutans Streptococci (MS). Multiple studies have shown that infants are first inoculated with MS via mother-child transmission. While it is impossible to keep your child totally free of disease causing pathogens like MS, having a regimented hygiene and diet plan is the first place to start. Simple things such as not letting them fall asleep with a bottle and cleaning their teeth as soon as they erupt with gauze and water will greatly decrease their risk of getting tooth decay. Do you offer laughing gas and sedation dentistry? Yes, part of the specialty training that pediatric dentists receive is in pediatric analgesia. Though most children do very well with just behavioral management techniques, a child with uncontrollable body movements can be unsafe in a dental treatment room. The lightest and most common form of analgesia is nitrous oxide (laughing gas). Then the next level of sedation is conscious oral sedation, where oral sedaWhen should I first take my child to the dentist? tives along with nitrous oxide are used to make your The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry child sleepy but still awake with the ability to respond (AAPD) recommends that a child go to the dentist when spoken too. If a child is extremely uncooperaby age one or within six months after the first tooth tive and has a severe medical/dental condition, I erupts. The idea of such early dental visits is still have hospital privileges at Joe DiMaggio Children’s surprising to many new parents. However, national Hospital where a pediatric anesthesiologist will prostudies have shown that preschool-aged children are vide the proper anesthesia. getting more cavities. More than 1 in 4 children in the When should my child be evaluated for orthodonUnited States has had at least one cavity by the age of tic treatment? 4. Many kids get cavities as early as age 2. To prevent Traditionally, treatment with dental braces early childhood cavities, parents first have to find begins when a child has lost most of his or her baby out their child’s risk of developing cavities. They also (primary) teeth, and a majority of his or her adult need to learn how to manage diet as well as make a (permanent) teeth have grown in, this is usually proper hygiene regimen. between the ages of 10-14. However in circumstance What should my child expect at his/her firstwhere a malocclusion may hinder growth or orthodental visit? pedic expansion of the jaws is needed, orthodontics At your first dental visit, I (Dr. Buscemi) will may be started earlier. The American Association of examine and clean your child’s teeth, but more Orthodontist (AAO) recommends getting your first importantly I get a chance to assess your child’s oral orthodontic evaluation by age 7. health and how to best care for their teeth before any problems may occur. We will discuss the best way for What types of braces do you offer? We offer four types of orthodontic appliances you to clean your child’s teeth, the proper way to use in our office. The majority of our younger patients fluoride and oral habits such as finger and pacifier choose traditional metal braces so they can change sucking. The main goal of the first dental visit is to colors every time they come in for an adjustment. make it a positive experience for the child so they Our more aesthetically concerned patient can choose perceive going to the dentist as fun as opposed to the between ceramic braces, Invisalign™ and lingual negative reputation that going to the dentist has. braces (braces placed on the inside of the teeth).
Can adults get orthodontic treatment in your office? Absolutely, actually around 25 percent of our orthodontic patients are adults. Adult orthodontics nationally has increased 40% in the last decade. Currently over 1 million adults receive orthodontic treatment each year. There are special considerations for adults such as periodontal disease and missing teeth that children usually do not have. Therefore, you will need good communication with your general dentist and orthodontist to make sure all aspects of your oral health are being addressed. How often do I have to come in for orthodontic adjustments? The length of time between braces adjustments for my patients is typically every 6-8 weeks. It is important to understand that the length of time between your orthodontic adjustments does not correspond with how fast your teeth are moving. Modern braces use wires that are a mixture of metals (alloys) originally designed by NASA for outer space. This combination of metals allows the wire to apply gentle forces for a long period of time. Unlike older stainless steel wires that typically had to be adjusted every month, modern alloy wires can be effective for serveral months. n Super Smiles Coral Springs is conveniently located on N. University Drive just South of Royal Palm Blvd. For information, call (954)346-8108 or visit www.SuperSmilesFL.com
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