Portland
Things to Know about Invisalign Braces
Invisalign is a popular and innovative teeth straightening system created to straighten teeth over time. The process doesn’t use the traditional metal brackets associated with braces but instead uses clear aligners that search much like removable mouthpieces. The new Invisalign for Teens is appropriate for kids and teens and offers the same benefits as the Invisalign system that has been used on adults for years successfully.
Baby Juice Bottles
Parents who come into my Portland, Oregon pediatric dental practice often tell me, “My baby loves juice and I just cannot take it away, so I water it down.”
These parents love their babies and want them to have all the good things in life. Juice is sweet and delicious and healthy too. Right?
When to Start Kids Braces?
Most of my Portland patients ask me when to start braces for their kids. I have been practicing orthodontics in Portland since 1995 and so I have seen many of my pediatric dental patients grow up from infancy through their teens.
Some orthodontists recommend treating crooked teeth or teeth that do not occlude (bite together properly) in two phases or treatment steps. The first phase usually starts around second or third grade and a second phase around sixth grade.
Plaque in Portland
Most people have heard about dental plaque but not everyone knows what it is.
Dental plaque is a thick sticky waterproof cream-colored coating that develops on teeth over time. It is made up of bacteria and their wastes with saliva components.
Sticky mucopolysaccharides are the mortar of dental plaque. They protect the bacteria by gluing the whole colony to tooth enamel and making them resistant to washing off with normal eating and drinking.
Gum Infections in Portland
A four year old boy from Portland came in with his mother, complaining of swelling around his baby molar.
When I looked at it, I noticed that there was an infection around the last molar, next to where the permanent tooth develops.
Since it could be either an infection of the tooth that spread to the gingiva (gums) or an infection of the gums that could affect the developing teeth, we took an x-ray.
First Dental Visit
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentists recommends the first dental visit to be whenever the first tooth erupts or by the child’s first birthday.
I agree that this works for first children but I think than once parents have been through the practice of taking their infant off the bottle by age one, brushing and flossing daily, watching sweets, and using fluoride suplements appropriately, the following kids can wait until two or even three for their first dental appointment.
Shark Teeth
A surprising number of children develop a double row of teeth, especially on the lower front teeth. A six year old girl from Gresham saw me last week in my Portland office with just this condition.
Her mother was concerned that the permanent lower incisors would stay inside the lower primary (baby) incisors and look abnormal. She called them “shark teeth”.
Although this usually happens with lower incisors, it can also occur with upper incisors or primary molars.
- GreatGood to see everyone. Keep working on Dorian's dad, to get Dorian in. Sad that he would let his teeth go!
- ReviewGreat Grins is a great place and have wonderful employees! Always a pleasure to go in and both my kids are very comfortable when there.
- We love going to the dentist!You are all so great. Very good with kids of all ages. Everyone is friendly and patient.
- Five stars!Very caring staff. Dr. Mark gave me great motivating advice for caring for my teeth. Appreciate the video games in the waiting room, toys and books for young children, coffee and magazines for parents. ~Jared (age 15)
- Bailey's Visit TodayYou guys always do an awesome job. I wouldn't take my sons anywhere else!
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