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You might be surprised to learn that Dr. Pack and our team recommend an orthodontic appointment even before your child has had that last visit from the Tooth Fairy. In fact, orthodontic assessments at our Murfreesboro, TN office can be beneficial at many stages of your child’s life. Let’s look at some of the reasons why.

The Right Spaces

There’s a reason why we recommend that every child see an orthodontist by the age of seven. If there’s room enough in your child’s mouth to accommodate all the permanent teeth that will be arriving soon, you’re good to go. But if it looks like there won’t be enough space for those adult teeth, there are solutions we can offer to make the transition from baby teeth to adult teeth a smoother one.

• If your child’s mouth is small, the permanent teeth might have too little room to fit in when they arrive. We may recommend gently enlarging the upper dental arch with the use of a palatal expander. This device will provide room for the adult teeth, and could potentially shorten second phase treatment time.
• Too much space can also be a problem. If a child loses a baby tooth too soon, too much space between the remaining teeth can cause them to shift out of position, leaving the wrong spot open for the adult tooth to come in. We might recommend a space maintainer so that there is no shifting of the teeth, and there is room for the adult tooth to erupt in its proper spot.
• If there is a bite problem, early treatment can prevent more serious problems down the road.

If no treatment is necessary immediately, we can monitor the development of your child’s teeth and bite during periodic visits.

(Stay in) The Right Places

Once your child has achieved that perfect smile, it’s time to maintain it. Teeth actually move and shift throughout our lives, whether we have had orthodontic treatment or not. But with orthodontic treatment, the bone tissue and ligaments around the teeth remodel over time to hold the teeth in their new and improved positions. That’s why it’s often important to wear a retainer constantly for several months after the braces come off, as bone and ligament become a firm, strong anchor for the newly aligned teeth and bite.

But there’s no one expiration date on retainers! Worn nightly as needed, they help teeth stay securely in their new positions for a lifetime of beautiful smiles.

Healthy Smiles Mean Happy Faces

If you think your child is ready for any phase of orthodontic work, give us a call. We will be happy to make sure there is ample room for permanent teeth to erupt in their proper spots even during the baby teeth years. If braces are indicated at a later date, we will analyze any potential alignment and bite problems and present all of your treatment options. Finally, after the orthodontic work is completed, we want to make sure your child knows the best way to maintain that beautiful smile with conscientious retainer wear.

If you have any concerns about your child’s teeth or bite, even before the permanent teeth arrive, give our Murfreesboro, TN office a call. Early treatment can often prevent future problems and might even lead to faster orthodontic results. At each stage of your child’s growth, we are here to provide your best options for healthy, happy smiles.

Happy National Dog Day to all you dog lovers out there. Here at Pack Orthodontics, we love our animals; they are such a special part of life. That’s why today we celebrate our staff member’s pets (cats included)! We are pleased to introduce you to the pets of Pack Orthodontics: Nina has three adorable 5-year-old dogs named Ellie, Duke, and Diesel, Megan has a three-year-old named Chewie, Laurie owns Izzy (10.5 years) and Sophie (7.5 years), Hope owns a lovely 4-year-old pup named Baxter, Ashley owned Maggie for 7 years until she passed away in November. Last but not at least here are the cat owners: Denise has Cali and Kiki and Morgan has a little kitten named Rowdy.

There’s a reason the phrase “Man’s best friend” resonates with so many people. Dogs are loyal and constant companions through life’s high and lows. Megan and Nina would agree and said that many times they prefer the company of animals to people. Laurie says that dogs make perfect best friends because they don’t argue. Hope and Ashley find a dog’s love completely unconditional and are by your side through thick and thin. Morgan entirely disagrees with this sentiment and says her cat is her best friend!

There are so many reasons why pets are so wonderful and the team of Pack Ortho wanted to share a few of their favorite personality traits of their pets. Nina gets all the cuddles from her three pooches! Megan adores Chewie’s underbite and that he gets along so well with her children. For Laurie, it’s their constant excitement each and every day that makes her feel good. Hope admires Baxter’s patience with her children, he has a high tolerance with her two 2-year-old children. For Ashley, not only did her wonderful dog Maggie protect her and her children, but Maggie was always easy and content. Denise’s favorite things about her kitties is that Cali brings socks from around the house and puts them by Denise’s bed when she’s gone or asleep, and Kiki will start to purr as soon as you start to pet her. For Morgan every little thing about her cat is lovable.
For Nina, Megan, Hope, and Ashley having a dog as part of their life was something they always knew they wanted one day. For Laurie however, her first one was a spur of the moment decision, but the second was planned because the first one needed a "sister". Denise never really had thought about owning a cat before but her husband is a cat person. Morgan had always wanted a furry friend companion!

Dogs always have people laughing with the silly antics they get up to. Nina says that Duke likes to snuggle and roll on top of her head even though he’s an 80-pound dog! Megan’s dog Chewie ran away from her house when a co-worker came over--may have been because she kept calling him Toto. Laurie’s dog Izzy pees out of excitement when he meets new people. Ashley says that Maggie was so well behaved, unless there was food at eye-level. One time Ashley was looking forward to these amazing steaks she had just grilled and had turned her back for just a few minutes, and Maggie took off with them! Even when Ashley took them away, you could tell Maggie was grinning ear to ear. Morgan’s cat peed in her bed the first night he came home.

If you are thinking about introducing a cat or dog into your family soon the team of Pack Ortho has some helpful advice for you. Nina urges you to consider that adding a pet into your life is a long term commitment. Megan, Ashley, and Hope add that owning a pet takes a lot of time and dedication but it’s worth it.

We hope all you pet lovers out there have a great National Dog Day!

Orthodontic treatment should begin earlier than most parents are apt to assume. According to the American Association of Orthodontists, orthodontic treatment should start at around seven years of age.

Dr. Pack can evaluate your child’s existing and incoming teeth early on to determine whether treatment might be necessary or not.

What is early orthodontic treatment?

Early orthodontic treatment usually begins when a child is eight or nine years old. In stage one, bite problems such as underbites and the jaw’s growth pattern are corrected. It can also help to make room in the mouth for the permanent teeth to take their proper places as they come in, which reduces the chance that the patient will require extractions later, due to overcrowding.

Does your child need early orthodontic treatment?

If you notice any of the following characteristics in your son or daughter, you may want to have a chat with Dr. Pack.

• Early loss of baby teeth (before age five)
• Late loss of baby teeth (after age five or six)
• Your child’s teeth do not meet properly or at all
• Your child is a mouth breather
• Front teeth are crowded (you probably wouldn’t see this until your child is about seven or eight)
• Protruding teeth, typically in the front
• Biting or chewing difficulties
• A speech impediment
• Your child’s jaw shifts when he or she opens or closes the mouth
• Your child is older than five years and still sucks a thumb

What are the benefits of seeking orthodontic treatment early?

There are many benefits to early orthodontic treatment. One of the biggest is that, because a child’s jaw and bones are soft and pliable, corrective procedures such as braces can work much faster than they do for adults.

Treatment at our Murfreesboro, TN office can enable your child to avoid lengthy procedures, extraction, or surgery in adulthood. Early orthodontic care will give your son or daughter a healthy, stable smile.

Congratulations! You have made the decision to get orthodontic treatment at our Murfreesboro, TN office. Now it’s time to choose among your various appliance options. Traditional metal brackets and wires, lingual braces, a series of aligners—they all have positives to recommend them. And for some people, ceramic braces are the clear favorite.

Ceramic braces work like regular metal braces. Brackets are bonded to the front of each tooth, and rubber bands surrounding the brackets hold the arch wire that gradually moves the teeth into alignment.

Ceramic braces, however, use brackets made of clear or tooth-colored ceramic or porcelain which blend beautifully with the color of your tooth. The elastic ligatures, or rubber bands, can be chosen to match the brackets or your enamel. There are self-ligating ceramic brackets which don’t use bands at all. Technology is even working on ways to make the arch wire less visible! The end result is braces that are almost undetectable.

If you want a less obvious appliance for professional or personal reasons, talk to us about ceramic braces. As always, there are other factors to consider before you decide, which we will be happy to discuss with you.

• Ceramic brackets are very strong, but they are still more brittle than the metal model. If you play a contact sport, these might not be for you. (But whatever braces you choose, please wear a mouthguard when playing sports.)
• Ceramic braces might not be ideal depending on the amount of alignment and bite correction that is needed. They might also take a bit more time to bring your teeth into alignment. We will be able to tell you if ceramic braces will work for you and if they might require a longer period to move your teeth to their perfect position.
• Brackets can sometimes be somewhat larger (though this isn’t always the case), and, because they can be abrasive, are often recommended for upper teeth only. This way, the lower teeth will not impact, or be impacted by, contact with the upper teeth.
• Oral hygiene can trickier with ceramic braces. Although today’s brackets aren’t as prone to staining, you still need to be careful to brush away the plaque that can accumulate around the brackets. And the bands are susceptible to staining by the usual suspects—coffee, tea, colas, blueberries, or any strongly colored food or beverage.
• Costs will differ depending on the treatment method you choose. Talk to us about cost comparisons with other orthodontic treatments.

Ceramic braces, because they are so much less visible, are a popular orthodontic option, especially for older teenagers and adults. If you are interested, talk to Dr. Pack about this effective way to straighten your teeth—discreetly. Ceramic might be the clear solution for creating your lasting, beautiful smile.