Monday, June 20, 2011
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Thumb sucking habits: What should I do?
Thumb sucking is a common habit in young children and is often times associated with hunger, fatigue, stress, sleep, teething, and shyness. The intensity of the thumb habit and frequency of sucking as well as the pattern of jaw growth determines whether dental problems develop. Thumb habits after the age of three can result in reshaping of the jawbone (narrow upper jaw), flaring of the upper front teeth, poor tongue placement, speech issues, overbite and openbite, and airway issues.
It is important to stop the thumb habit BEFORE the permanent teeth erupt. Once the permanent first molars erupt (usually age 6), there can be changes to the direction of the growth of the jaws. If your child cannot stop by age 4, I recommend a few things. First, talk to them about the reasons for stopping the habit and encourage them when they do not suck their thumb. Set up an incentive system to reward their progress. At bedtime try taping the thumbs, duck taping a sock on their hand, or nail polish designed for this purpose.
If the thumb habit is still present at age 6, there may be some orthodontic issues developing so I recommend a consultation to find the most appropriate method for addressing the problem and reversing the dental effects.
It is important to stop the thumb habit BEFORE the permanent teeth erupt. Once the permanent first molars erupt (usually age 6), there can be changes to the direction of the growth of the jaws. If your child cannot stop by age 4, I recommend a few things. First, talk to them about the reasons for stopping the habit and encourage them when they do not suck their thumb. Set up an incentive system to reward their progress. At bedtime try taping the thumbs, duck taping a sock on their hand, or nail polish designed for this purpose.
If the thumb habit is still present at age 6, there may be some orthodontic issues developing so I recommend a consultation to find the most appropriate method for addressing the problem and reversing the dental effects.
Why are children getting braces earlier?
The American Association of Orthodontics (AAO) recommends that all children receive an orthodontic screening by age 7. The permanent teeth generally begin to come in at age 6 or 7. It is at this point that orthodontic problems become apparent. Because the bones are still growing, it is an ideal time to evaluate a child and determine a long-term treatment plan to achieve the optimal result.
Orthodontic treatment in young children is known as interceptive or Phase 1 Orthodontics. At this age, the teeth are still developing and the jaw is growing making certain conditions easier to address. Before the permanent teeth come in, it may be possible to guide their eruption into better positions. For instance, a few decades ago, the solution to crowding was to extract permanent teeth. Today, we take advantage of the jaw growth potential and use a palatal expander to create the necessary room which reduces the need for extractions. Increasing the amount of bone and gum tissue also leads to a decreased incidence of gingival recession as an adult. In general, children who are candidates for early treatment have the opportunity to receive an improved long-term result and less invasive treatment during the full braces stage (Phase 2).
Orthodontic treatment in young children is known as interceptive or Phase 1 Orthodontics. At this age, the teeth are still developing and the jaw is growing making certain conditions easier to address. Before the permanent teeth come in, it may be possible to guide their eruption into better positions. For instance, a few decades ago, the solution to crowding was to extract permanent teeth. Today, we take advantage of the jaw growth potential and use a palatal expander to create the necessary room which reduces the need for extractions. Increasing the amount of bone and gum tissue also leads to a decreased incidence of gingival recession as an adult. In general, children who are candidates for early treatment have the opportunity to receive an improved long-term result and less invasive treatment during the full braces stage (Phase 2).
Monday, May 11, 2009
Summer Appointment Times
Summer is quickly approaching and is a great time to get your child's teeth cleaned. As a reminder, morning appointments for routine cleanings and examinations fill up first so that families can have a fun-filled day ahead of them. Please call our office at 949-644-0611 to schedule your ideal appointment time. See you soon!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
SKI WEEK
This upcoming week in the Newport Mesa Unified School District is "SKI WEEK". Schools are out for the week and many families will be heading the local California mountains and various resorts around Utah and Colorado to enjoy the wonderful ski conditions that have resulted from the recent winter storms.
For those of you not skiing from February 16-20, our office will be open to see your children while out of school. Our appointment times are filling up quickly so call to schedule before we are full.
HAVE A GREAT WEEK OFF!
For those of you not skiing from February 16-20, our office will be open to see your children while out of school. Our appointment times are filling up quickly so call to schedule before we are full.
HAVE A GREAT WEEK OFF!
Holiday Food Drive
Hersch Pediatric Dentistry, in conjunction with Walkow Orthodontics, hosted a food drive to benefit Families Forward of Orange County. We were able to collect hundreds of pounds of food goods and fill up an entire Suburban from floor to ceiling.
From December 12th to December 19th, we collected food at several locations throughout Newport Beach and Costa Mesa and delivered it to the Food Bank in time to help families in need for the holidays.
Hersch Pediatric Dentistry looks forward to hosting this food drive annually. Thank you for all that contributed to help families in need.
From December 12th to December 19th, we collected food at several locations throughout Newport Beach and Costa Mesa and delivered it to the Food Bank in time to help families in need for the holidays.
Hersch Pediatric Dentistry looks forward to hosting this food drive annually. Thank you for all that contributed to help families in need.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Halloween Candy Buy-Back
Hersch Pediatric Dentistry hosted two events that will become annual traditions.
We hosted the 1st Annual Halloween Candy Buy-Back and the 1st Annual Holiday Food Drive.
Children in the community were offered $1.00 per pound of candy they brought into our office. The candy was then sent to Operation Gratitude to send to the US Troops around the world. In our first buy-back event, we collected just under 300 pounds of candy in one afternoon. This amount of candy was collected with only 4 days prior notice. Next year, we hope to collect 750-1000 pounds by improving our announcements and expanding our efforts.
We also hosted a Food Drive to benefit Families Forward of Orange County. Hersch Pediatric Dentistry, jointly with Walkow Orthodontics, collected food at our office locations and several schools throughout Newport Beach and Costa Mesa and delivered it to Families Forward in Orange County. We collected an entire Suburban full of food. No doubt, that in this time of economic hardship, many children and families benefited from this event.
We hosted the 1st Annual Halloween Candy Buy-Back and the 1st Annual Holiday Food Drive.
Children in the community were offered $1.00 per pound of candy they brought into our office. The candy was then sent to Operation Gratitude to send to the US Troops around the world. In our first buy-back event, we collected just under 300 pounds of candy in one afternoon. This amount of candy was collected with only 4 days prior notice. Next year, we hope to collect 750-1000 pounds by improving our announcements and expanding our efforts.
We also hosted a Food Drive to benefit Families Forward of Orange County. Hersch Pediatric Dentistry, jointly with Walkow Orthodontics, collected food at our office locations and several schools throughout Newport Beach and Costa Mesa and delivered it to Families Forward in Orange County. We collected an entire Suburban full of food. No doubt, that in this time of economic hardship, many children and families benefited from this event.
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