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Your Kids Are Ready for School. Are Their Teeth?

oral_surgery_2 Alma, MI Dentist | Mid-Michigan Dental Excellence

Can you believe it’s already August? You know what that means: the first day of school is just around the corner. Maybe you’re already stocking up on school supplies and have started shopping for clothes and shoes in anticipation of the impending Michigan winter. But have you thought about what you need to do to ensure your kids’ teeth stay healthy for the coming school year (and beyond)?

Mid-Michigan Dental Excellence is your Alma, MI family dental practice. Call us today at (989) 796-4848 to schedule appointments for your kids — plus anyone else in your family who’s due. We understand that you are busy, especially once school and all its related activities start. We offer the convenience of treating everyone in the family (no running around town to different offices) and we respect your time. Your appointment will start when it’s scheduled to start.  

 

Checkups Are Important

Twice-yearly dental visits are essential to maintaining healthy teeth and gums. For your children, it’s also about instilling good dental habits and giving them a strong foundation that will serve them well for life.

At Mid-Michigan Dental Excellence, we understand that anyone can experience dental anxiety, and that visiting the dentist can be a scary experience for kids in particular. Our employees are warm, welcoming, and trained to put young patients at ease. Our hygienists are thorough but exceedingly gentle. For patients who need a little extra help taking the edge off their anxiety, we offer nitrous oxide, a safe and mild form of sedation.

Once your child is cozy in the dentist’s chair, he or she will undergo a meticulous cleaning. We will be able to remove plaque and tartar that you can’t reach at home, but that will cause decay if left in place. We will give the teeth a professional flossing and polishing, so that they are totally clean and look their best.

Dr. McDonald will conduct an examination of the gums, teeth, and mouth to spot signs of disease and decay. This is important because early-stage decay does not always come with symptoms, but the earlier it is spotted, the easier it is to treat. Our advanced DIAGNOdent laser system allows us to spot cavities when they are still small. Dr. McDonald may also check your child’s mouth and jaw for bite and alignment issues.

Your child will get X-rays if due. X-rays allow us to see problems hidden from the naked eye — beneath the gum line, for example. At Mid-Michigan Dental Excellence, we use fully digital X-rays. These deliver more detail with far less radiation than traditional X-rays. They also provide a more comfortable patient experience!

 

We Do Orthodontics, Too

For your older child or teenager, we offer space maintainers, traditional braces, and Red, White, and Blue aligners.

When your child comes in for his or her first orthodontic appointment, we will conduct an examination, take impressions and digital X-rays, and discuss goals for treatment. We can then come up with a plan to achieve beautiful, straight teeth.

The Ortho-Tain space maintainer is a device worn over a child’s teeth to keep them from shifting, which can happen if some teeth fall out much earlier than others. This allows the permanent teeth to come in properly.

Traditional metal braces are still an excellent option for teens with orthodontic problems. They do take time to work their magic — up to three years — but they can correct severe alignment and bite problems. And they are much smaller and more discreet than braces of decades past!

Red, White, and Blue aligners are made of clear plastic and gently move your teeth into the desired position. They are removeable for easy cleaning, virtually impossible to see when worn, and they work more quickly than traditional braces.

Fastbraces is a product that corrects minor orthodontic problems in as little as 20 weeks. The system’s triangular brackets and elastic wire move the root and crown simultaneously for dramatic (but comfortable) results.

 

If you are ready to book your kids’ back-to-school appointments or think it’s time for an orthodontic consultation, call Alma’s Mid-Michigan Dental Excellence at (989) 796-4848 . Or fill out our online form.