Protect Your Beautiful Smile

Fall sporting activities are underway. Playing fall sports is lots of fun but can be a little dangerous. Our question for you: are you protecting your beautiful smile with a mouth guard?



What is a mouth guard?
Mouth guards are used to help cushion a blow to the face and to minimize the risk of broken teeth and injuries to your lips, tongue, face or jaw. The mouth guards that Kemp Orthodontics supplies cover the upper and lower teeth, giving your mouth its greatest protection.

Here's a fact for you:
Sports-related injuries often end-up in the emergency room. The US Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that more than 600,000 of these visits involve injury or damage to the teeth and mouth. This fact alone lets you know just how important it is to be protected by a mouth guard.

Types of dental injuries that can occur without a mouth guard:

• Broken or chipped tooth.


• Entire tooth knocked out from the root.


• Tooth dispositioned in socket.

If you are involved in sporting activities, we ask that you contact Kemp Orthodontics for a specialized mouth guard that is designed to work and fit with your braces while providing you with the protection that you need.

Two-Phase Orthodontic-First Phase

At Kemp Orthodontics we believe that in certain cases children benefit from two phases of orthodontic treatment.  The goal of this treatment is to create a better environment for your child's permanent teeth as they begin to replace the baby teeth.

 A first phase of treatment is initiated to:

• Develop both the upper and lower jaws to accommodate all of the permanent teeth 


• Develop the correct alignment and relationship between the upper and lower jaws


• Produce a well-balanced facial profile

A first phase of treatment benefits patients physically, enabling them to bite or chew more effectively.  It may reduce the risk of breaking front teeth that protrude.  And for many patients, there is improvement in self-esteem.  The dental changes that result from a first phase treatment may contribute to long-term stability, meaning that teeth stay where Dr. Kemp has moved them.   By timing orthodontic treatment to predictable stages of development, Dr. Kemp works to take advantage of your child's natural growth and development.   A second phase of treatment moves permanent teeth into their final position, again working with the child's natural growth and development and we will further this in the next blog.

Signs of an Unhealthy Bite

 

Age 7 is the typical age recommended by the American Association of Orthodontists for a child's first visit to the orthodontist. However, at Kemp Orthodontics we often have parents who ask if their children need to see the orthodontist before the age of 7 due to a problem with their teeth or their jaw growth.

It isn't always easy for a parent to tell when their child has an orthodontic problem.  Even teeth that look straight may be hiding unhealthy bite problems.

Here are some clues that may indicate the need for orthodontic attention:

• Early or late loss of baby teeth


• Difficulty in chewing or biting


• Breathing through the mouth


• Thumb-sucking


• Crowded, misplaced or blocked-out teeth


• Jaws that are too far forward or too far back


• Biting the cheek or biting into the roof of the mouth


• Protruding teeth


• Upper and lower teeth that don't meet or meet in a abnormal way


• An unbalanced facial appearance


• Grinding or clenching of the teeth

If your child has any of the above signs, please contact us at 615.790.7027 or use our contact page to set up a complimentary examination.   

Adult Orthodontics

Many people still think braces are for teens. However, at Kemp Orthodontics, about 35% of our patients are adults.  Adult patients are no longer satisfied with living with the problems of TMJ, with crowded and crooked teeth that make it hard to floss, or with the aesthetics of protruding teeth or misaligned jaws. They want to look better and want teeth that work better, too. As long as your teeth and supporting bone are in good shape, Dr. Kemp can give you that Beautiful Smile you always dreamed about having.  Listen to what Bettye Bates has to say about her orthodontic experience by clicking on her name it will  link you to the Kemp Orthodontic YouTube channel.

As long as your teeth and supporting bone are in good shape, Dr. Kemp can give you that Beautiful Smile you always dreamed about having.  The  need to preserve your teeth is one of the wisest choices you can make. Good dental health is a key component of your overall health, and orthodontics is a vital key to good dental health.

Orthodontic Diet

Oh, no!  It's that awful four-letter word again.  Yes, I need to talk to you again about what you are eating.  The number one cause for breakage in braces is biting into something that's too hard.  At Kemp Orthodontics we desire to achieve a Beautiful Smile within the shortest treatment time possible, but excessive broken braces can extend your treatment time.  Try to avoid hard foods like nuts, hard candy, corn chips, and crispy taco shells.  In addition, you should cut some foods, like apples, into small pieces.

If you need a detailed list of foods to avoid, please let us know, and we'll be happy to give you a handout.  Take good care of your teeth and braces, and together we will achieve your treatment goal of a Beautiful Smile.

 

Teeth Grinding

Teeth grinding is also know as Bruxism.  We know that stress can cause you to clench and grind your teeth.  Usually, you grind your teeth at night but sometimes you may grind your teeth during the day also, often subconsciously.

If you already clench and grind your teeth, stress could make the habit worse. Grinding your teeth can lead to problems with the temporo-mandibular joint (TMJ), located in front of the ear where the skull and lower jaw meet. Some of the symptoms of TMJ disorder are popping and/or clicking of the joint, limited opening of mouth, and locking of jaw.

If you are clenching or grinding or experiencing any TMJ disorder symptoms call Kemp Orthodontics to schedule a complimentary examination. Dr. Kemp may recommend a night guard, worn as you sleep, to help you minimize the stress on your TMJ.

 

The Why and What of Elastic Wear

During various phases of treatment, small elastics, or rubber bands, are used as a gentle but continuous force to help individual tooth movement or the aligning of one arch to the other. Elastics can be an integral aspect of orthodontic care, so if Dr. Kemp has prescribed elastics as a part of your treatment, it's important to follow his instructions fully.

If rubber bands are a part of your treatment plan, there are a few things to keep in mind. When the rubber bands are place, you won't be able to open your mouth fully, so they will have to be removed when you eat and reapplied after meal time.  Also, if you try to open your mouth too wide, your rubber bands might snap, so be careful!

Consistency is the key to successful elastic wear.  Initially, there could be some discomfort, but after a few days that disappears. If you leave your elastics off “to let my teeth feel better,” it only prolongs the ache and could actually make your treatment slow down. 

In most cases elastic wear is prescribed toward the end of treatment.  Remember, if we assign them to you, they are speeding you to the day you get your braces off and will be well worth it when you see your beautiful smile.

Regular Dental Checkups Are Essential!

Are you brushing after each meal and flossing daily during your orthodontic treatment?  If yes, that's awesome!  Don't forget that it is also important for you to visit your general dentist at least every 6 months.  Regular dental checkups are imperative for maintaining good oral health, especially during your treatment at Kemp Orthodontics.

Your general dentist can check for problems that may not be seen or felt, like cavities and early signs of decay. Early detection and treatment is the key to good oral health.

During an oral exam your dentist can check the health of your mouth, teeth, gums, cheeks and tongue. Checkups will also include a thorough teeth cleaning and polishing.   At Kemp Orthodontics we suggest that your dentist take x-rays to insure overall dental health.  If you have not been to the dentist in the last six months, let us know during your next visit at Kemp Orthodontics. It would be our pleasure to provide a few great references in your area!

Braces and Brushing

 

The biggest enemy of our teeth is plaque, and the most effective way to remove plaque is with regular brushing and flossing.  As you eat, your teeth and braces collect food.  If this food is left on your teeth and at your gum line, bacteria will attack the food and change it into plaque.  Plaque will cause white marks on your enamel, swollen gums and, if left too long, will cause a cavity.  Your Beautiful Smile should be filled with sparkling clean teeth, not white marks and cavities.  The team at Kemp Orthodontics is here to help you achieve the best smile possible.   

Expanders

One of the auxiliary appliances that Dr. Kemp likes to  use along with braces is a Rapid Palatal Expander (RPE).  The RPE is a wonderful appliance to use for patients whose upper jaw is narrow, protrusive and crowded. The Rapid Palatal Expander gently widens the upper arch (palate) by stretching the center palatal connective suture.  Once the palate is widened, the suture knits together with newly formed bone.  The Rapid Palatal Expander is prescribed usually prior to completion of growth.  A parent or the patient adjusts the RPE every other day as instructed until the palate has been widened enough. The RPE is an excellent appliance especially to help change abnormal growth patterns.  Please follow this link Rapid Palatal Expander to read more about the expander on our website.

Plaque: The #1 Enemy

The biggest enemy of our teeth is plaque, and the most effective way to remove plaque is with regular brushing and flossing.  As you eat, your teeth and braces collect food.  If this food is left on your teeth and at your gum line, bacteria will attack the food and change it into plaque.  Plaque will cause white marks on your enamel, swollen gums and, if left too long, will cause a cavity.  Your Beautiful  Smile should be filled with sparkling clean teeth, not white marks and cavities.  The team at Kemp Orthodontics is here to help you achieve the best smile possible.   

Retention Phase

The removal of your braces signals the beginning of the next stage of your treatment at Kemp Orthodontics.  This stage is referred to as the Retention Phase.  This phase of orthodontic treatment is crucial to maintaining your Beautiful Smile for your lifetime.  Once your teeth have been moved into their new position, they need a period of time to stabilize in this new position and to permit the surrounding bones and soft tissue to conform to the new dental alignment.  There are several types of retention appliances that we use in our practice.  Dr. Kemp will design the best one for you.  In some cases Dr. Kemp will recommend a fixed retainer that is positioned behind your teeth.  

If you need more information about retainers please follow this link:

http://www.kemportho.com/removable-appliances/

Just Ask!

At Kemp Orthodontics, we blog about important topics that we feel are pertinent to orthodontic care and your well-being. However, we thought we'd step back and ask you…

What would you like to know about the always-changing field of orthodontics?

What would you like us to focus on in our blog?

Perhaps there's something you've wanted to ask Dr. Kemp?

Let us know by posting here or on the Kemp Orthodontics Facebook page.

So start asking…