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Don’t Order Your Kids’ Orthodontic Treatment Online Before Reading This

Posted on by Humble Kids Dentistry

Humble Kids Dentistry

Today, with the click of a button you can do almost anything: Order shoes. Get a ride across town. Watch your favorite Hollywood movie. It seems like every day there’s a newer and easier way to do almost everything. We’ve been programmed to accept that anything can be ordered online and delivered right to your front door. However, at Humble Kids Dentistry there is one thing that we believe has no easy replacement: dental and orthodontic treatment. There is no match for a trained, experienced professional when it comes to your child’s oral health.

The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) agrees. They recently issued a Consumer Alert listing key questions to ask about direct-to-consumer orthodontic companies. You can download a print-friendly version here.

The issue is that many direct-to-consumer companies do not involve the in-person evaluation and/or in-person supervision of your child’s treatment we provide at Humble Kids Dentistry, which is important because there is more to a healthy, beautiful smile than you might think. If not done correctly any dental work can lead to potentially irreversible and expensive damage such as tooth and gum loss, changed bites, and other issues.

 

The Top 10 Questions To Ask

The AAO advises that when researching oral treatment (including treatment models from direct-to-consumer companies like SmileDirectClub, Candid Co., Smilelove, SnapCorrect, Orthly, etc), you should consider many key questions, some of which include:

  1. As part of your treatment, are comprehensive diagnostic records like x-rays taken before your treatment?
  2. As part of your treatment fee, do you receive any in-person visits to a dentist’s or orthodontist’s office during your treatment?
  3. Is only one treatment type offered (such as invisible aligners or a certain appliance)?
  4. If a dentist or orthodontist is involved with your treatment, do you know the name of the dentist or orthodontist who will be specifically involved with your case (for example, is it available on the company’s website or elsewhere)?
  5. What are the possible risks (financial, health, etc.) associated with your orthodontic treatment?
  6. Who is responsible for detecting any issues that may occur during your orthodontic treatment? Is it you? If it is a doctor not associated with your treatment, who pays for those check-ups?
  7. If a doctor is involved with your orthodontic treatment, how can you contact him or her over the course of your treatment? How can you contact him or her if an emergency arises?
  8. If an emergency arises, does the company have a dentist or orthodontist in your area that you can see in-person? If not, who would cover the costs associated with seeing a dentist or orthodontist in your area?
  9. If you are injured or have another dispute involving your orthodontic treatment, how is it handled (litigation, arbitration, etc.) and what rights do you have?
  10. Does the treatment model comply with the dental laws in your state? To check your state’s dental laws, click https://www.aaoinfo.org/state-laws-and-regulations. Information for your state dental board can be found at https://www.aaoinfo.org/aao/state-dental-board-info.

 

Where You Receive Your Health Care Is A Very Important Personal Decision


Remember that dental treatment is not a product or device – it is a professional, medical service. Before making any decision about your child’s treatment, consider doing some research and coming in for an appointment to discuss personalized treatment options.

 

Contact us today!

Humble Kids Dentistry is a colorful, fun place to be, and is built specifically with children in mind. The open bay treatment areas, child friendly themes and parent-friendly atmosphere is designed to enhance your family’s dental visit. Our dental team is highly trained and experienced in caring for children. We strive to deliver fun, caring dental experiences to our patients and take pride in caring for our community by providing high quality, conveniently accessible, compassionate oral health care.

In partnership with Optimal Orthodontics of Humble, we combine new technology with a commitment to quality and patient comfort. Our goal is to provide the highest quality orthodontic treatment for all our patients, with a personal touch in a supportive and caring environment. We can’t wait to meet you!

The Connection Between A Beautiful Smile And Teen Self-Esteem

Posted on by Humble Kids Dentistry

Does your teen avoid photos at family events or even selfies because they’re self-conscious about their teeth? It’s all too common, and unfortunate as an adolescent’s smile can actually have a profound effect on their self-esteem and can even impact their social skills. Yet many teens are hesitant about undergoing traditional orthodontic treatment… namely traditional metal braces.

That’s where Invisalign® Teen comes in. With Invisalign, we use a series of clear, removable aligners that have been custom-made for your teen’s teeth, a result of precise images we take with the sophisticated scanner. Your teen simply wears these aligners over their teeth, changing them out for a new set of aligners periodically—around every two weeks. Little by little, your teen’s teeth gradually shift into place.

With Invisalign Teen we can correct many common orthodontic issues from crowding and spaced teeth to protruding upper teeth. We can even address improper bites due to thumb-sucking as a child, periodontal disease, poor dental hygiene, early or late loss of primary teeth or trauma to the teeth from a sports injury.

The good news is that adolescence is the optimal time to address orthodontic problems as teens haven’t yet finished growing. Early correction frequently leads to shorter overall treatment times and can be less costly when compared to correction of issues that have been allowed to progress into adulthood. Best of all, a beautiful smile boost self-confidence, setting your teen up for success in school, interpersonal relationships and their career.

Contact us today!

Humble Kids Dentistry is a colorful, fun place to be, and is built specifically with children in mind. The open bay treatment areas, child friendly themes and parent-friendly atmosphere is designed to enhance your family’s dental visit. Our dental team is highly trained and experienced in caring for children. We strive to deliver fun, caring dental experiences to our patients and take pride in caring for our community by providing high quality, conveniently accessible, compassionate oral health care.

In partnership with Optimal Orthodontics of Humble, we combine new technology with a commitment to quality and patient comfort. Our goal is to provide the highest quality orthodontic treatment for all our patients, with a personal touch in a supportive and caring environment.

Is Early Orthodontic Treatment Right for Your Child?

Posted on by Humble Kids Dentistry

We’re often asked about early orthodontic treatment, particularly when the right time is to bring a child to us for an orthodontic consultation. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that most children are screened by age 7 by an orthodontist to see if they’re candidates for early orthodontic treatment, but as we all know, every child is different. There are often helpful signs that parents can look out for, which will help identify when it’s the right time for a visit to the orthodontist:

Common Signs
The teeth may look crowded, may protrude forward or meet abnormally. In fact, sometimes they don’t meet at all.

  • Difficulty chewing or biting into food is a common issue that indicates an orthodontic evaluation is in order. You may also see that the jaw looks disproportionate to your child’s face or you may hear a popping sound when your child opens wide.
  • If you see that your child is mouth breathing or if yours is an older child that still sucks their thumb or other finger, that’s definitely a sign that a consultation is in order. Another is if you hear or see grinding or clenching of the teeth either while sleeping or even awake.
  • Although these signs do not guarantee that your child needs treatment, they may indicate that an orthodontic evaluation is the right next step.

The Benefits
Early treatment can initiate the correction of significant problems, prevent more severe problems from developing and simplify future treatment. In fact, in some circumstances, further orthodontic treatment may not even be needed!

Contact us today!
Humble Kids Dentistry is a colorful, fun place to be, and is built specifically with children in mind. The open bay treatment areas, child friendly themes and parent-friendly atmosphere is designed to enhance your family’s dental visit. Our dental team is highly trained and experienced in caring for children. We strive to deliver fun, caring dental experiences to our patients and take pride in caring for our community by providing high quality, conveniently accessible, compassionate oral health care.

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