How many Orthodontic Patients have Sleep Disordered Breathing?

Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) is a serious problem for children. A recent  paper, Sleep disordered breathing in children seeking orthodontic care, provides us with information on the potential prevalence of SDB in a population of orthodontic patients, pegging it at around 7% of patients. The role of SDB in the aetiology of malocclusion  (misalignment or incorrect relation between the teeth of the two …

Orthodontics and Breathing: An Essential Link

We would like to take the opportunity to reintroduce a previous post. Childhood apnea is now being recognized as a significant health issue, particularly in children with a skeletal discrepancy where the lower jaw is well behind the upper jaw and rotated downward, in a clockwise direction, as seen in the pre-surgical x-ray below. A physician prescribed sleep-study is key. …

You Have Heard About “Overbites”, Now Let’s Chat About “Underbites”

Early Treatment of “Underbites” A Class III malocclusion is the technical term for an “underbite”, where the size and position of the jaws are such that the lower teeth are out in front of the upper teeth. This issue can be easily addressed while your child sleeps! A conventional expander appliance is used in conjunction with what is called a facemask …

Say Good-Bye To Impressions!

iTero Scanner We have recently acquired an iTero scanner, a technology that allows for fabrication of orthodontic appliances and Invisalign aligners, without the need for conventional dental impressions, a process no patient likes! At Freeman Orthodontics we make every effort to respect the environment by not adding to the problem of disposable waste and excessive use of water. This is …

How To Handle Multiple Missing Teeth: Help Is Available

Up to 10% of the population exhibit missing permanent teeth from birth (hypodontia). The most commonly missing teeth are maxillary (upper) lateral incisors and second premolars. When you are missing six or more permanent teeth (excluding wisdom teeth) this is called oligodontia. There can be many treatment costs associated with missing teeth that can involve multiple dental procedures such as …

“But Dr. Oz says…..”

The phrase that makes health-care practitioners cringe. Many people rely on what Dr. Oz says. He is a respected surgeon. Unfortunately he has take to recommending supplements and diets that have no foundation in appropriate scientific research. This has become such a problem that even the United States Senate has become involved. To be healthy takes work. Health is not …

If it sounds too good to be true….

From the beginning of time there has always been the sale of “overnight cures”. In 2014 nothing has changed but the sales pitch is now disseminated via the web and social media which does not require the advertiser to support their claims with scientific research. To become an orthodontist, as discussed here previously, takes years of study. Thousands of hours …

Something to really chew on!

A recent article about chronic headaches and gum chewing among teens has clearly shown that all test subjects reported significant or complete improvement of their headache complaints when they stopped chewing gum. Headaches returned when, you guessed it, gum chewing resumed! So for all you frequent gum chewers with chronic headaches, tossing away that pack of gum may be the …