Each February, the American Dental Association (ADA) sponsors National Children's Dental Health Month to raise awareness about the importance of good oral health. Dr. Stephen Yao supports the ADA in their efforts.Whether you're a member of the dental team, a teacher, or a parent, teaching kids how to develop good habits at an early age will encourage good dental health over a lifetime. As dental professionals at Braces For Pretty Faces Orthodontics, we also encourage parents to begin at an early age scheduling regular dental visits to give your child the best start possible.

Attached are some fun activities you can use to engage kids of all ages regarding dental health. Download Here

February is also National Pet Dental Health Month.

Did you know that human toothpaste can irritate your animal’s stomach? Watch this video on proper oral hygiene for your pet's teeth.

• Famous orthodontic patients include: Tom Cruise, Kathryn Heigle, Hale Irwin, Cher, Diana Ross, Phyllis Diller, Chelsea Clinton, Whoopi Goldberg, Daisy Fuentes, Fay Dunaway, and Brandi.

• There are nearly 4 million people in orthodontic treatment throughout the United States. One in 5 orthodontic patients are adults.

• The time required to complete orthodontic treatment ranges from 12 to 36 months depending on the nature and severity of the problem.

• Besides alleviating or preventing physical health problems, orthodontics can improve self-esteem as treatment aligns teeth, jaws and lips.

• Of the 160,000 dentists in the United States and Canada, 8,000 are practicing orthodontists who completed and additional 2-3 years post graduate training in straightening teeth and aligning jaws to create optimal function and form. This training is above and beyond general dental training.

• The American Association of Orthodontists is comprised of more than 12,000 members in the United States, Canada and abroad.

• Wires activated by body heat used in today’s braces originally were developed by NASA for use in the space program.

• The cement that attaches the braces to the teeth is now made with a special fluoride-releasing substance.

Feel free to contact our office with any questions about orthodontic care or leave a comment below.

There are many different types malocclusions or bite problems that require orthodontic treatment at Braces For Pretty Faces Orthodontics. Below is a list of the most common orthodontic problems seen today in children, teens and adults.

Contact our office to schedule a consultation to determine how we can help you with your orthodontic needs. It is not necessary to have a referral from you general dentist to take advantage of this complimentary service we provide to all our patients.

Overbite: Upper teeth protrude over the lower teeth. Often called "Buck teeth"
Deepbite: The upper teeth cover the lower teeth wearing down the enamel of the lowers
Underbite: The lower teeth cover the upper teeth. This may be the result of a jaw growth discrepancy and/or tooth problem.
Openbite: The upper and lower front teeth do not come together. Often the result of a finger habit, allergies, or enlarged tonsils and adenoids.
Crowding: Jaws are too narrow or teeth are too large causing crowded or misaligned teeth.
Spacing: Teeth are too small or jaws are too large causing space between teeth.
Crossbite: Upper teeth are inside the lower teeth.

• The first baby teeth are usually lost at about six years of age. Some kids may lose theirs as early as five or as late as seven, which is still considered normal.
• The average child will have lost eight baby teeth by age eight; four front teeth on top and four front teeth on the bottom.
• Between 8-10 you will normally not see much loss or eruption of teeth. During this two-year “break” interceptive orthodontic treatment may be indicated. This is why the American Association of Orthodontics recommends that all children be evaluated by age 7. This allows Dr. Stepehn Yao to determine if your child’s teeth and jaws are developing correctly and intervene with recommendations or treatment, if indicated.
• Around ten years of age the remaining teeth begin to fall out. The average adolescent loses all their baby teeth before 13. Girls often lose their teeth faster than the boys and sometimes as early as 11. The 12-year or 2^nd molars start to make their appearance during this time.
• Third molars will begin to develop around age 16 and more often than not, need to be removed due to lack of space in the dental arch to accommodate the teeth. X-rays at this age are recommended to determine if there is enough room for third molars before the roots fully develop to make extraction easier if required.

Most parents have questions about delayed tooth loss during the two years between eight and ten when nothing is happening. However, parents need not worry about delayed tooth loss unless:

• There is not enough room for permanent teeth causing crowding. They may not be able to push out the overlying baby teeth.
• Congenitally missing permanent teeth. Baby teeth with no underlying permanent replacements may be retained indefinitely.
• Extra teeth can block the normal eruption of permanent ones. With a simple x-ray, your orthodontist can tell you if there really is a problem or if your child is just developing slowly.

An important service Braces For Pretty Faces provides is monitoring the dental development of your child’s dentition and make recommendations regarding baby teeth to encourage proper tooth eruption and jaw development during growth.

Baby teeth preserve space for permanent teeth until they are developed enough to come in. If the baby teeth come out too early, space can be lost causing crowding of the underlying permanent ones. At the other end, baby teeth that are not lost on time can force the permanent ones to come in crooked creating a more difficult orthodontic condition. If the teeth are crowded, your child may lose two baby teeth naturally to accommodate the eruption of a single larger permanent tooth. If baby teeth are lost prematurely due to an accident or decay, an orthodontist should be consulted to see if a space maintainer is needed.
Contact our office for a complimentary new patient exam to determine if your child’s teeth are developing normally. Feel free to ask questions or make comments in the area below.

Dr. Stephen Yao and the team at Braces For Pretty Faces Orthodontics want to make sure you understand sports drinks can damage healthy teeth. Actually, “erode” is more like the term, especially around the brackets while wearing braces. These sort of drinks erode your teeth by “demineralization,” or reducing the minerals in the outer tooth enamel and also the dentin (“dentin” is a yellowish, calcified tissue underneath the tooth enamel). It doesn’t affect the enamel underneath the braces covered by the brackets.

Dental erosion is common. It happens when you lose tooth structure since acids dissolve enamel and dentin. When your teeth are exposed to an acidic substance like a sports drink, soda, or candy, dental erosion is not far behind.

Everyone knows about candy and soda. Sports drinks, on the other hand, are not thrown into this group of tooth killers. And energy drinks and some flavored waters can be just as harmful if they contain citrus flavoring.

Are sports drinks the only source of dental erosion? Actually, there are many factors that contribute to dental erosion. As we age, our teeth naturally lose some enamel over time. Dental hygiene is also a big factor; if you keep your teeth clean and healthy, the acids and plaque are kept to a minimum and your teeth will last longer!

Remineralization, as the word suggests, is the process of building minerals needed for strong teeth. A tooth has biofilm coating for protection. But when your teeth are exposed to acids, your biofilm decreases and your teeth lose their surface minerals.

You are messing with your long term dental health when you drink a sports drink like Gatorade. Here is an online link to the ingredients in Gatorade. Water is the number one ingredient with sugar #2 and citric acid #3. This acid invites growth of acidogenic bacteria and leads to erosion of teeth. In addition to that, citric acid forms complexes with calcium and lowers the effectiveness of the biofilm. That is why sports drinks have been reported to cause three times as much damage to enamel compared to soft drinks. Phosphoric acid, which is a component of soft drinks, is not as harmful as citric acid.

Prevention

The simplest way to prevent sports drinks from damaging your teeth is to avoid them and drink water. For most physical activity, water is sufficient to keep you hydrated and fresh. Also, most sports drinks now offer a low-calorie alternative that has little or no sugar. While they might taste different and lack the “sugar boost” of their counterparts, sports drinks without citric acid and sugar are better for your teeth.

If you do drink soda or sports drinks, no sipping. The number of contacts with the teeth makes the problem worse. DO NOT BRUSH your teeth afterwards; it makes the problem much worse. The enamel is weak from the acid. It takes at least a half hour of saliva contact on the teeth to allow some recovery and repair before the enamel can withstand the harshness of the toothbrush. It is counterintuitive, but brushing after drinking acidic drinks causes the problems to worsen.

There is also a definite relationship between dental erosion and the consumption of acidic (sweet) drinks, as well as obesity and diabetes in both children and adults. Remember: it always pays to be mindful of what you take in to your body! Whether a solid food, candy, soda, or sports drink, take the necessary steps to prevent unwanted conditions in any form that can damage your teeth.

There are many sports drinks and flavored waters sold today. We recommend you take the time to read the labels. Check for sugar content and citric acid in the ingredients. If they are one of the top ingredients on the label we suggest you avoid them. It can save your teeth and improve your dental health over a lifetime.

Your first discussion sets the stage for how your child accepts or rejects the news they require treatment at Braces For Pretty Faces Orthodontics. Allowing your apprehension and fears to surface can impact how your child responds.

Many different types of braces are available that will suit your child's personalized needs and reduce apprehension. Clear braces and Invisalign may be an option. Plus treatment time and discomfort is much less than in years past. But a child’s personal perception of orthodontic treatment can make them believe otherwise. For this reason it is important to be upbeat, positive, and supportive when they receive the news they may need treatment.

Focusing on the pros of undergoing treatment, such as a beautiful smile and improved dental health rather than the discomfort, inconvenience, and negative social stigma provides best results. Proper orientation by parents and our team creates a positive response when informing a child that orthodontic treatment is in their best interest.

At your child’s first visit to Braces For Pretty Faces, we will explain everything they need to know about their problem, why they need braces to improve the situation, and what type of braces are recommended. We do our best to put your child at ease, answer all their questions, and make them feel at home in our office. If you child has questions before the appointment you can’t answer, be honest: “I don’t know that, let’s ask Dr. Stephen Yao during the appointment”.

Wearing braces today is very common and you want your child to be excited about the treatment as well as understanding the importance of the cooperation required to create a beautiful smile. By the end of the appointment, our goal is to make your child jazzed about treatment rather than upset with the prospect of wearing braces. When offering positive feedback throughout the process, your child will be motivated every step of the way, making treatment as painless as possible while creating a good result.

If you have any concerns prior to the first visit that you feel may impact a negative response from your child, contact our office so we can discuss beforehand. Communication is the key to success on all levels. Let’s all work together to make your child’s initiation to orthodontics a good one.

Orthodontic Studies report 70 percent of the US population could benefit from having their teeth and jaws realigned with orthodontic treatment. Ancient ancestors had perfect teeth and bites, as evidenced by fossil records. Then, about 10,000 years ago, malocclusions (bad bites) seem to have become more prevalent. Why? Human growth patterns saw teeth and jaws fail to accommodate teeth and jaw development as different ethnic and genetic backgrounds began to live together and populate.

In many cases, a patient’s need for orthodontic treatment arises from inheriting teeth and jaws from one parent that do not fit properly into the teeth and jaw size inherited from the other parent. As a result, crowding or spacing of teeth may occur as well as over or underdeveloped upper and lower jaws that don’t fit together properly in a functional bite.

Over the centuries, these inconsistencies produced the need for orthodontic treatment and are more prevalent today than ever, especially in the United States. The US is the leader of the free world and a melting pot for many different nationalities, mixing genetic backgrounds from many countries throughout the world.

The American Association of Orthodontics recommends that all children be seen by the age of 8 for an orthodontic evaluation. Many adults, whose families couldn’t afford treatment as a child or didn’t want to wear braces, are now considering straightening their teeth to improve their appearance and long term dental health. Orthodontic treatment is quite common now among adults with many new treatment options available that are less visible such as Invisalign, the “braceless” alternative to straight teeth

Feel free to contact our office for a complimentary consultation. Dr. Stephen Yao will inform you whether you or your child could benefit from orthodontic treatment, best treatment recommendations available to correct the individual problem, how long treatment will take, and discuss payment options to work within your budget.

At Braces For Pretty Faces our goal is to help you create the smile you want and deserve for yourself or your child.

Every year, the entire Braces For Pretty Faces team is proactive in educating parents and patients of the potential problems that can occur if orthodontic patients don’t watch what they eat during this fun time of year.

October is National Orthodontic Health Month. Braces For Pretty Faces supports the American Association of Orthodontics in their efforts to make patients aware of foods they need to avoid, especially with Halloween goodies.

Watch this video put out by the American Association of Orthodontics with Halloween Brace Tips

Dont worry… you still can have a few treats, just orthodontic friendly treats. Click here to download a Do’s and Don’ts Treat List offered by the AAO. As a reminder, print it off and post in on your refrigerator for all to see.

Follow the list and save a few candies you can eat and give away the treats that will harm your braces. A few sweets can be OK occasionally, whether wearing braces or not, as long as you brush and floss after eating.

The team at Braces For Pretty Faces wants everyone to enjoy the holiday. However, we also want you to protect the investment you and your family has made in helping us create a beautiful smile that lasts a lifetime.

Click here to find Brace Friendly Recipes offered by the AAO.

Click Here for Tips for Trick – or -Treaters.

Do you think we are being unreasonable asking patients to give up treats that damage their braces? Please leave your comments below. Now is the time to vent….

Getting your kids to sit still for an entire meal is difficult, but is important when developing good eating habits that will benefit them throughout life. The Team at Braces For Pretty Faces would like to offer you a few tips that will encourage good eating habits for your kids that will benefit them as they move on in life.

Our kids are constantly bombarded with advertising for all kinds of media promoting junk foods which warp their perception of good eating habits. Educating our kids at an early age, along with teaching by example, is crucial to their develop at an early age.

Tip #1 – Schedule a time and space for an uninterrupted family meal

We understand this can be tough when everyone is going every which way, but eating together as a family has been proven to benefit the eating habits of kids and parents alike. Serving a healthy meal with correct portions at the dinner table, not only encourages communication which develops family ties and interpersonal skills it prevents overeating.

Taking time to eat a meal also allows our bodies to pay attention to our stomachs’ signals. Our bodies will tell us when we have eaten our fill, but watching TV while eating or engaging in another activity will distract children from recognizing they are no longer hungry, leading to overeating. Paying attention to what we eat and the size of portions is a cornerstone of diet programs. Taking the time to educate our kids while young, as well as watching our own portions, encourages a healthy lifestyle.

Television, video games, or other sources of distraction prohibit a structured eating time. A family meal together allows parents more control over the eating habits of children, reminding eaters to slow down, eat some vegetables with their meat, with their mouths closed… and so on.

Tip #2 Create meals that will appeal to both the taste buds and the body

For children, this usually means a portion of one of their favorites and one portion of veggies. This reinforces the need for a balanced diet that will remain strong into adulthood and it gives parents a bargaining chip. Try asking your child to eat one bite of veggies for every two bites of their favorite item. This method teaches children to focus on the flavor they prefer while still eating their vegetables.

Tip #3 Offer dips with veggies

Healthy foods such as carrots with ranch dressing, french onion dip or peanut butter and raisins with celery encourage good eating habits. Finger food is more fun than food they have to cut up to eat while encouraging kids to do what parents want all at the same time.

What tips can you offer busy families trying to eat together and share a healthy meal? Please leave your comments below.

Why everyone should wear a mouth guard while playing contact sports. This could be you if you don't.

A mouth guard protects not only teeth, but your lips and cheeks while wearing braces. A mouth guard is your best protection against serious sports injuries. The next time you’re in for a visit at Braces For Pretty Faces Orthodontics, we encourage you to ask us for a mouth guard! A mouth guard is your insurance policy to safeguard your long term dental health. Sports injuries can require major dental expense throughout your life. It only takes a second to pop one in to prevent loss or damage to teeth. Even though they may be uncomfortable to wear and tough to talk with, it is nothing compared to the discomfort you would experience in an accident… so make sure you play it safe.

The American Association of Orthodontics created this video with Mia Hamm, Olympic Soccer Star! See what she has to say about wearing a mouth guard.

We hope this is a safe and productive school year for all our students! Let us know if you have any questions about sports safety while wearing braces. Leave a comment below. We would love to hear from you..