Adolescent Dentistry

Tongue Piercing - Is it Really Cool?

There are many risks involved with oral piercings including chipped or cracked teeth, blood clots, or blood poisioning.  Your mouth contains millions of bacteria, and infection is a common complication of oral piercing.  Your tongue can swell up and block your airway.  It may become painful, numbed due to infection and nerve damage.   It is not that cool afterall!

What is the best time for orthodontic treatment?

Early orthodontics can enhance your child’s smile, but the benefits far surpass appearance.  Pediatric dentists are trained to identify malocclusion – crowded or crooked teeth and bite problems.  It is important to have regular dental visit in order to detect and correct these problems early.

Orthodontic treatments can be performed in several stages:

• Stage I – Early dentition (age 2-6):  Aim at targeting underdeveloped dental arches, premature loss of primary teeth and harmful habits eg. Thumbsucking.
• Stage II – Mixed dentition (age 6-12):  Aim at assisting eruption of permanent teeth, development of jaw and teeth alignments. 
• Stage III – Permanent dentition (age 13 and up):  Aim at comprehensive orthodontic treatment  for final alignment of all teeth