As a culture, we tend to think of braces as a teenage experience, so it can be surprising to learn that the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recommends that children have an initial orthodontic consultation by age 7. If a child is starting to develop complicated orthodontic problems, this early checkup allows the orthodontist to head them off with Phase 1 treatment. Below are 5 conditions that you, as a parent/guardian should look out for. Here are 5 conditions that warrant early treatment during mixed dentition (ages 6-9). 1. Mouth breathing /snoring This can cause narrow arches which delays and causes poor tooth emergence. Our patented Press-On expanders painlessly correct this condition. 2. Lack of Space for Permanent Teeth Permanent incisors normally emerge at age 6. Delayed emergence usually indicates a lack of space. This is easily corrected with painless expanders and or with short term braces (less than one…
orthodontics
Why See An Orthodontist?
Did you know that an orthodontist must become a dentist FIRST? All orthodontist are dentists, but not all dentists are orthodontists. Extra training and education that makes an orthodontist qualified to safely and effectively adjust a patient’s dental alignment, which is why it’s so important to choose an orthodontist to straighten your smile. This is especially true with Invisalign treatment where the diagnosis needs to be thorough and complete to set up a great treatment sequence! We have treated over 1,500 patients with Invisalign and we are committed to excellence to optimize your smile and dental health! Trust your team at Dr. McSurdy’s office Dr. David W. McSurdy graduated from Perkiomen Valley High School and then went to receive his Bachelor of Science degree from Lafayette College. He completed his dental training at Temple University School of Dentistry and continued on for his specialized training in orthodontics at Fairleigh Dickinson…
Going Back to School with Your Braces or Retainers? Try to remember these important tips…
For those of you with braces, pack an extra toothbrush in your backpack. Don’t let the remnants of your lunch sit on your teeth and braces all afternoon! Let your teacher know how important it is for you to brush your teeth after meals. If you like to buy your lunch, remember it’s your responsibility to make good decisions about food. Avoid items on the “no-no’ list such as hard, crunchy or sticky foods that can break your braces. Is your team sport starting up again? Those traditional “boil and bite” mouth guards cannot be worn with braces on! We have specialized orthodontic mouth guards in our office that will properly fit over the braces. For those of you with retainers that you wear during the day, pack an extra retainer case in your backpack or lunch bag. Avoid wrapping your retainer in a napkin or paper towel during meals! …
Our Team’s Thanksgiving Traditions
THANKSGIVING TRADITIONS COME in all shapes and sizes. From the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to breaking the wishbone to getting together with those wacky yet lovable relatives, traditions vary from family to family, and that includes the families of our practice’s team members! Unusual Thanksgiving Traditions Dr.McSurdy enjoys brining the turkey before he roasts it. In the past, he has also tried to deep fry a turkey (in 45 minutes) in the freezing cold. Lastly, he enjoys having a turkey bowl with his neighbors. Favorite Thanksgiving Memories Dr.McSurdy’s favorite memories on Thanksgiving include it snowing on Thanksgiving (twice), watching football with a fire in the fireplace (every year), eating dinner with his family and enjoying his wife’s great tasting turkey and sausage filling. Traditions In Our Practice Every year in our office we host a potluck. Each team member makes a side dish and we share our food together at lunch.…
Why Choose Invisalign?
There are many reasons to choose Invisalign over braces. These include: similar costs, better esthetics, no emergency visits and better soft tissue comfort. Align technology highlights all of the advantages very well. Amazingly though, there is still a better reason that Invisalign should be chosen over braces wherever possible. Invisalign offers the huge advantage of virtually NO PAIN. I personally self-treated with Invisalign and I was amazed that I experienced no pain. Hundreds of others that I treated reported the same thing and they remembered well the tooth soreness from prior braces treatment. Below is a picture of a patient who had Invisalign Teen. Treatment time was only 10 months. If this patient chose to do traditional braces, treatment time would have been 18 months. Having treated over 1,100 Invisalign patients, I can think of only a few who told me they actually felt soreness. I’ve treated nearly 20,000…