One thing I like to do is educate patients on dental issues they read or saw in a newspaper, magazine and news program. This week’s NY Times dental article has to do with dealing with a diastema. You can read the article here.

A diastema is a gap between teeth. People who have a diastema between their two front teeth are confronted with esthetic issues. Some people choose to fix their diastema while others like to leave it alone. I have no problems with keeping a diastema alone just as long as it wasn’t caused by periodontal issues. Some people do look good with a small gap (Madonna had a diastema that was noticeable) but I do find myself staring at ones that are Grand Canyon wide (think Michael Strahan the former NY Giant Defensive Back). But if a patient were to ask me to correct a diastema I need to know what caused the diastema and what are the options of treating it. For a lot of diastemas cosmetic bonding is not the solution because the gap is too wide. So braces have to be considered at that point and then what happens after the braces is another issue.

People with diastemas embrace your unique smile just remember to brush and do regular checkups at the dental office. If you saw or read any dental articles that you find interesting and want to share them with me you can email me at drjane@janevaldedds.com

Parents always ask me when is a good time for orthodontics, or braces. First, a consultation is needed to assess the condition of the mouth and how much crowding and growth can be predicted.

Usually braces are placed when the child is just about to lose his baby molars (around 10-11 years old). This makes for better control and movement of the teeth and the child is more compliant socially to wear braces. Orthodontic treatment can start even younger to guide the growth of the child’s dentition. In some of these cases orthodontic treatment may result in two phases. Also as the child ages into his/her teen years it becomes harder to influence him/her to wear braces because of the social implications.

If you suspect crowding please contact your dental office for a consultation. Braces are not just to perfect a smile but well aligned teeth makes for a cleaner mouth because bacteria bugs don

This is a pretty good article on how to care for children’s teeth. It’s from Colgate.com. To read the full article click here.

Start kids on the healthy path of oral health.