Child Cavity Prevention – the Easy Way!
Children often don’t do a good job of brushing their teeth. This applies to adults too! Even meticulous brushing may not reach the deeper grooves in the back teeth. This contributes to bacteria, acids, and plaque formation, which will lead to decay. Once the tooth has decay, it is permanently damaged and will need either a filling or crown.
However, there is a way to help prevent all this from happening. The application of dental sealants will do the trick. Here’s how sealants work: The teeth are cleaned and sterilized. A thin white or clear plastic coating is applied. A curing light bonds the sealant into place. The whole procedure takes just a few minutes. There are no shots, drills or tooth structure removal. It’s completely harmless.
The addition of dental sealants is one of the best preventive things both children and adolescents can do to protect their natural teeth!
Headache and Migraine Suffers
Dr. Skinner offers two options for the prevention of migraine and tension headaches. The first is called “anterior deprogramming” and is done in our office, using an oral device to retrain the TMJ muscles that have been causing your pain.
The other is the NTI™ device. This is an FDA-approved, drug-free treatment you use at night while you sleep. It works by relaxing the muscles under the scalp to prevent the majority of headaches. In clinical trials, 82% of migraine sufferers had headache relief, including a 77% reduction in migraine events. It’s painless, fast, and affordable. If you endure migraines or know someone who does, then ask us about these exciting treatment options.
Gum Disease May Contribute to Heart Disease or Stroke
Recent medical research has led many doctors to reach a stunning conclusion: gum disease, stroke, and heart disease are connected. Since heart disease is normally fatal, it is obvious that gum disease is a serious matter. The American Dental Association estimates that 8 out of 10 Americans have periodontal (gum) disease. If this were any other affliction, such as AIDS or tuberculosis, it could be considered an epidemic! Most dentists believe it is an epidemic. They also knew that gum disease would not be labeled that way because “people don’t die from it.” The worst that happens is lost teeth. Not pleasant – but certainly not life threatening. However, that’s all changed.
The American Academy of Periodontology reports, “Studies found periodontal infection may contribute to the development of heart disease, increase the risk of premature, underweight births, and pose a serious threat to people whose health is already compromised due to diabetes and respiratory diseases.” Periodontal disease is characterized by bacterial gum infection. These bacteria can move through the bloodstream – straight to the heart.
Selecting a Child’s Dentist is Like Choosing Their Pediatrician
Developing good habits early, in an environment that’s comfortable and fun, is essential for a life of good oral health. Children’s teeth can be vulnerable to cavities at a young age due to several factors. They can’t brush well on their own. For this reason, it is important that parents be involved in their child’s daily dental care. This ensures thorough cleaning and the development of proper dental habits. Younger kids tend to eat more often during the day (called grazing). This often results in extended exposure to acid (every time you eat you make acid), which may lead to more cavities.
A tooth that is not properly cleaned will cause the generation of additional acid and can accelerate the development of cavities. However, identifying poor dietary and hygiene habits, along with applying a fluoride varnish to the mineralizing teeth, can lower the chance of your child getting a cavity.
Concerned About Knocking Out a Tooth During Sports?
Were you aware that 5 million teeth are knocked out yearly in the U.S. alone? Many sports can be dangerous without the proper protective gear. The one-size-fits-all mouthguards you might see in stores just don’t fit well. Wearing these, proper breathing can be difficult while engaging in sports. In contrast, custom-made sports mouthguards fit well and can be worn for any sport. The ADA recommends wearing custom mouthguards for the following sports: Acrobatics, basketball, boxing, field hockey, football, gymnastics, handball, ice hockey, lacrosse, martial arts, racquetball, rugby, shotputting, skateboarding, skiing, skydiving, soccer, squash, surfing, volleyball, weightlifting, and wrestling.
Early Prevention…or Braces Later
Many of us remember the embarrassment and discomfort of wearing braces as a child. In some cases, this is necessary to correct serious malocclusion (or bite disorder). However, in many cases, early treatment by a knowledgeable dentist can minimize the extent of orthodontics or possibly eliminate the need completely.
Younger children have the advantage of growth on their side, and their teeth and bones are more pliable than those of adults. Catching a child’s malocclusion at an early age can be beneļ¬cial to how the permanent teeth come together. The earlier these issues are detected, the more planning and prevention we can offer to your child.
Using the latest techniques, the team at Solace Dental can now make braces more comfortable and attractive than in the past. It used to be that a child or adult might spend 3 to 5 years in treatment. It’s not that way anymore! The time needed for treatment will vary from patient to patient, but usually can be completed in 6 - 24 months or less.
All-on-4™ Immediate Load Implants – Another Option
In addition to traditional implants, we are also excited to offer our patients All-on-4™ immediate load implants. With this option, most patients require only four implants, which securely hold permanent dentures in place that don’t need to be taken out. The best part is that you can arrive in our office with missing or unhealthy teeth and leave with beautiful, functioning teeth – all in the same day. The use of four to six strategically positioned implants gives strong support for your new teeth. Immediate load implants can withstand pressure immediately without waiting for the bone to heal around them.
When a patient lost teeth through trauma, decay, or extraction and opted to have dental implants in the past, they would generally need to be referred to an oral surgeon. The surgeon would place the implants and the patient would return to the regular dentist to have the teeth placed on the implants. At our practice, we can place the immediate load implants and the teeth in one visit.
The Main Reason for Lost Teeth
There is a general assumption that tooth loss is due to decay. It’s actually more frequently because of gum disease. It can be unnoticeable right up until there are lost teeth. Symptoms include bleeding gums during brushing and loose or shifting teeth. If you’ve been told you need gum surgery, you will be happy to know that it’s possible to manage gum disease with a variety of non-surgical techniques.
Solace Dental
Bill Skinner, DDS
14381 Hickman Rd.
Urbandale, IA 50323
(515) 412-4200SolaceDental.com
We feature digital X-rays at our practice. With this technology, a digital image is taken of your smile with a sensor and downloaded to our computer, where it can be immediately accessed. We can also view your entire mouth in one image, including the upper and lower jaws, using panoramic digital X-rays. These methods result in 75% less radiation than traditional X-rays. There is no waiting time for images to develop and no more chemical waste to pollute the environment.
Solace Dental
Bill Skinner, DDS
14381 Hickman Rd.
Urbandale, IA 50323
(515) 412-4200SolaceDental.com
Children often don’t do a good job of brushing their teeth. This applies to adults too! Even meticulous brushing may not reach the deeper grooves in the back teeth. This contributes to bacteria, acids, and plaque formation, which will lead to decay. Once the tooth has decay, it is permanently damaged and will need either a filling or crown. 
