Teeth Grinding In Children At Night - In Your Local Kansas City, MO Area

Dental Sealants

Imagine a barrier applied to teeth that can effectively prevent tooth decay! That's the miracle-working power of dental sealants, a thin plastic film (usually either white, pink, orange, or yellow) applied to the chewing surfaces of back teeth and other teeth with deep grooves. They act as a dental fortress, sealing out small food particles and cavity-causing bacteria.

Sealants Are Highly Effective

Scientific studies have proven that sealants are greater than 90% effective in protecting teeth from decay. As long as the sealant remains intact, cavity-causing food particles and bacteria cannot penetrate.

Durability

Sealants provide protection for three to five years. They serve as an excellent safeguard against cavities, especially critical for children in protecting their teeth during cavity-prone years. Adults also can benefit from sealant protection, particularly those susceptible to decay. Regular dental check-ups with your pediatric dentist are important for monitoring the durability of the sealants' bond.

Recommended for Children

Protecting children's permanent teeth from cavities is a dental health priority. Sealants are designed to protect the chewing surfaces of teeth since they're the most susceptible to the formation of cavities. Fluoride products and treatments don't provide the same type of cavity protection as do sealants. Sealants are superior in penetrating the grooved surfaces of teeth. Without the protection of sealants, 95% of people eventually get cavities in the grooved surfaces of their teeth. It makes sense to beat the odds and protect them from becoming a statistic.

How Are Dental Sealants Applied?

Sealant treatment is painless and quick, taking just a few minutes for each tooth. The first step is cleaning and rinsing the surface of the tooth. A cleansing gel is applied to the tooth, and 15 seconds later, rinsed away with water. The dentist then applies the sealant and it is allowed to harden, often times by using a special blue curing light. In less than an hour, teeth receive years of protection against cavities. Sealants have been approved by the American Dental Association Council on Dental Therapeutics since 1972, offering patients safe, effective, and painless protection against cavities. The latest generation of sealants actually can release fluoride if needed, to add double protection to the teeth.

by Brian J. Gray, DDS, MAGD, FICO

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.

Dental Care: Malocclusion (Bad Bite) In Children

Malocclusion means "bad bite." It's when the upper and lower teeth are not meeting correctly, or when the teeth and jaws are not positioned for good dental health. This condition affects jaw growth, speech development, facial appearance, gum tissue health, and the ability to clean teeth properly.

What Causes Bad Bite In Children?

Many malocclusions are inherited. This includes crowding of teeth, too much space between teeth, extra or missing teeth, or irregularities in the jaws, face, and teeth.

Malocclusions also can be environmental in nature, caused by accidents, thumb sucking or sucking on a pacifier, obstruction by tonsils and adenoids, dental disease, or premature loss of primary (baby) teeth.

Why Is Dental Treatment Important?

If dental care is delayed or not taken, many problems get worse and more complicated (and expensive) to remedy. Malocclusion can cause excessive wear of tooth enamel, poor chewing, stress on both the gums and jawbone that support the teeth, chronic headaches, and facial and neck pains. Correcting the malocclusion can improve overall oral health and eliminate other potential problems.

Does the Pediatric Treatment Involve Removal of Some Teeth?

Sometimes when permanent teeth are crowded and their spacing and proper positioning is being affected by the primary teeth, removing primary or baby teeth is necessary. Otherwise, the severely crowded permanent teeth will either remain "stuck" (impacted) and unable to erupt, or they will erupt in an undesirable position.

Treatment of a malocclusion involves a thorough evaluation of your child's specific condition by a pediatric dentist and/or orthodontist. This may include recommendations for removal of some primary or permanent teeth because some malocclusions cannot be treated successfully without doing so. Extraction of some teeth in severely crowded conditions enhances proper alignment, function, and appearance, too.

How Is a Diagnosis of a Malocclusion Performed?

Each child's specific condition dictates the diagnostic procedures, but they often include several or all of the following:

• Clinical exam.
• Medical and dental history.
• Impressions of the teeth for making plaster models.
• Photographs of the face and teeth to provide a record of the child's facial appearance prior to treatment.
• Panoramic X-rays showing all the upper and lower teeth in biting position, and teeth that are not yet visible.
• Lateral (cephalometric) X-rays of the entire head showing the relationship of the teeth and jaws to the face and skull.

How Long Does Dental Care Treatment Take?

Each condition is unique and must be treated individually. The actual time is dependent on the growth of the child's mouth and face, the severity of the problem and the cooperation of the child in following instructions. Mild correction problems or early treatment may take only a few months. Treatment for more complex malocclusions range from one to three years.

An attractive smile, proper alignment, and healthy teeth are valuable rewards gained from a custom-designed treatment program made for smile after smile!

by Brian J. Gray, DDS, MAGD, FICO

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.