When is it Time to Talk Braces?

The word ‘braces’ can place fear in the hearts and wallets of most parents. After all, few would want to subject their children to metal gear, nor are there many who have the extra cash just lying around. However, braces don’t have to be such a bad thing. There are many very good reasons that they should be considered and getting your child to the dentist at an appropriate age can actually lessen the time he or she would have to wear them.
So, when should the first visit to the orthodontist take place? Well, because the primary issues that would call for the use of braces – such as a misaligned jaw, crowded teeth, improper bite, and protruding teeth – can be noted at a relatively early age, most orthodontists will recommend that children have their first visit at about seven years old. Braces may not be used immediately, but the good news is that children’s teeth and jaw line can be corrected more easily and more quickly because their bones are still growing. So, while it may seem wise to hold off until the child gets older and more responsible, it could result in more years spent with the corrective devices.
Footing the bill is a primary concern for many parents and with good reason. Most people opting for traditional braces can expect to pay between fifteen hundred and six thousand dollars. The newer, less visible alternatives often cost much more. However, many insurance companies do offer coverage on orthodontic treatments. So, check with your insurance provider to see if there is help available to you.
Finally, as briefly mentioned above, if your concern revolves around the social stigma attached to the metal devices, there are other options. Though some of the available alternatives are not recommended for young children – such as Invisalign – there are other methods that may be acceptable. Your orthodontist will be able to provide more information on this topic. It might also help to know that the younger a child is when receiving braces, the less likely he or she is to feel awkward about showing them in front of friends. This is another good reason to start considering that trip to the orthodontist today.Do you have questions, comments, or anything to add on this topic? We always welcome comments! You can learn more about other dental issues at our at www.guerradental.com

This New Year, Resolve to Floss

Each year, people across America make resolutions on New Year’s Eve. Many of those resolutions have to do with some aspect of health. But while people often focus on weight loss or incorporating more exercise into their life, they overlook one small thing they could do each day to prolong their life – flossing!

Flossing takes just minutes per day and is an effective way to help ward off a myriad of diseases. So why don’t more people floss each day? Research shows that roughly 20 percent of men and 10 percent of women floss each day. The top reason that people cite for not flossing is being too lazy.

The problem with not flossing each day is that, when you don’t floss, you miss cleaning about 40 percent of your tooth surface. It would be much like watching the palms of your hands but never cleaning your fingers! By skipping the flossing routine, you are giving plaque the perfect breeding ground.

Oral health aside, flossing regularly is also believed to help keep your heart healthy. That’s because the bacteria that flourish between your teeth can make their way to your blood stream and, ultimately, to your heart, which can lead to clogging and inflammation.

So, in 2011, make it a resolution to floss every day. If you do it daily for a month, it will forever be a habit. You won’t want to go a day without doing it. Simply make it a daily part of your hygiene routine. Your mouth and heart will benefit!

If you have questions about flossing, or other dental issues, contact us at Guerra Dental. Many people in the Colorado Springs area turn to Dr. Guerra for all their dental care needs. We specialize in providing both general dentistry and cosmetic dentistry care.

Root Canals Just as Effective as Dental Implants

Root Canals Just as Effective as Dental Implants
Dr. Guerra Recommends Saving Natural Teeth When Possible

For Patients torn between the best way to treat a compromised tooth, the choice just got clearer. A recent systematic review comparing two of the most common treatment options- root canals and implants- found virtually equal success, or survival rates, between both treatments. However, despite this similarity, it was concluded that the priority should always be to preserve the natural tooth before extracting and replacing with an implant. Root canal treatment saves more than 17 million teeth a year.
The results of the treatment analysis were published by The International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Implants, the official publication of the Academy of Osseo integration, an organization committed to advancing dental implants. The Academy also published a consensus statement developed by experts from several dental disciplines that supports the comparison’s findings and stresses the importance of patient-specific considerations.
There are several notable differences between the two procedures. Dental implants require extracting the tooth followed by surgery to insert a metal post in the jaw and affix a porcelain crown to the post. This procedure can take three or more visits to complete and can be timely and costly. During root canal treatment, the source of tooth pain- inflamed pulp- is removed and the inside of the tooth is then cleaned, filled and sealed. In Dr. Guerra’s office, most root canals can be completed in one visit and are virtually painless.

Welcome to the Guerra Dental Blog

Welcome to the Guerra Dental blog! We've recently installed new ways to stay connected to our office- Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, and our very own blog! Visit us by clicking the icons at the top right of our page.
Look forward to seeing you soon,
Dr Fred Guerra