Caring For 1–20 Year Old Smiles

BACK IN THE “OLDEN DAYS” dental care was marginal at best. In fact, chances were really slim that a person could keep healthy, natural teeth for their entire lifetime. Fortunately, that is NOT the case today. The remarkable technologies and advanced materials available, coupled with the artistic eye and extensive training of Dr. Puig and her entire team, greatly increase the likelihood that YOU and YOUR family will keep your beautiful smiles for life!

Here in our practice, we’ve noticed that occasionally when we visit with you, we sense that making decisions about your various dental treatments isn’t easy. To help you understand more about dental service decision making, we’ve set up a little framework below. It’s our hope that this will help bring additional clarity to your decision making. And of course, the decisions are ALWAYS YOURS to make. We just want to be sure you have the best information.

For purposes of the next several blog posts—and last week’s post—we’ve divided “The Lifetime of Your Smile” into four unique phases:

• 1–20 Year Old Smile
• 20–40 Year Old Smile
• 40–65 Year Old Smile
• 65+ Year Old Smile

In addition to finding YOUR smile’s CURRENT phase, you probably have family members, loved ones, and friends who are in the other phases as well. We invite you to pass the information along by sharing it on Facebook!

Must do’s – Should do’s – Could do’s

Each day—consciously and subconsciously—we prioritize decision making in all aspects of our lives by “must do’s,” “should do’s,” and “could do’s.” Here at Dynamic Smile Design our goal is to make sure you’re comfortable with every oral health decision you make, and that you see the difference between the “musts,” the “shoulds,” and the “coulds.”

Of course, these lists ARE NOT exhaustive—and, there are no absolutely right or wrong answers to what you must, should, or could be doing about your oral health and appearance. Everyone has different priorities, wants and needs. Think of these posts as a starting point for your own plan! And if you have questions, please contact us and we’ll chat.

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Our Blog Post Today Is About Your Young, 1–20 Year Old Smile

A LIFETIME OF SOUND ORAL HEALTH BEGINS with early preventative care and education. One of the best ways to ensure this is to help your children and teens develop a great relationship with Dr. Puig and her team. There are basic, obvious lessons to be learned about tooth care. But, don’t forget that children and teens are becoming increasingly aware and sensitive about their appearance. The condition of their smile can have a tremendous impact on their developing self image.

Some Must Do’s.

• Most dentists believe regular check ups should begin before a child’s second birthday.
• Dentists are often the first to see signs of conditions such as Bulimia. Sometimes counsel from Dr. Puig can go farther than a parent’s counsel when it comes to subjects like soda pop consumption or tongue piercing, etc.

Some Should Do’s.

• Extensive orthodontics are often prevented by an alert dentist like Dr. Puig, e.g. space retainers maintain important space in early tooth loss.
• Sealants are a liquid plastic applied to chewing surfaces to prevent decay—especially in hard-to-reach places where children typically neglect.
• Understanding the causes of bad breath, when young, ensures lifelong prevention.

Some Could Do’s.

• A teen’s smile is so important to their self image. Even subtle smile enhancements can make a world of difference.
• Whitening can be a safe, affordable boost to socially-conscious teens.
• Studies show that athletes who wear custom mouth guards have 60% fewer injuries to their teeth, their lips and their gums.

Here at Dynamic Smile Design, our entire team wants to be your oral health partners for life! Be sure to connect with us on Facebook, if you haven’t already.

Watch over the next couple of weeks for other blog posts to learn about each phase of “The Lifetime of YOUR Smile”!