How An Early Orthodontist Visit
Can Head Off A Child’s Jaw Problems
While it may seem premature to take a 7-year-old child to the orthodontist, such an early visit can save thousands of dollars in future dental issues.
“Jaw issues especially are much more easily fixed when children are young,” says Dr. Stuart Frost, an orthodontist and author of The Artist Orthodontist: Creating An Artistic Smile is More Than Just Straightening Teeth (www.drstuartfrost.com). “This includes imbalances of the muscles of the face along with tongue and tooth-positioning problems.”
It is easier to correct skeletal jaw problems at an early age while guiding the teeth into the mouth correctly. Doing so maximizes the ability to create or maintain space in the child’s jaws to allow teeth to grow in, and minimizes the opportunity for the teeth coming in wrong, says Dr. Frost.
Dr. Frost says that after about age 9, the window closes on fixing most of the problems easily. At that age, he says, the seam in the roof of the mouth fuses into solid bone and once it does, widening the upper palate from side-to-side is nearly impossible. If the problem is addressed before that happens, the upper jaw can be more easily expanded to create the space needed for all the teeth to come in, he says.
If a child snores, has sleep issues, bedwetting or is grinding their teeth they should have an airway evaluation done by an orthodontist as soon as possible, says Dr. Frost.
“Waiting even a few years can have a lifetime impact,” Dr. Frost says. “By the time the child hits 11 or 12 years old and the adult teeth are coming in, the problems multiply. If we can fix the issues while the child’s bones are still developing, it will be easier and a lot cheaper to accomplish instead of after all the damage has been done.”
Many of the issues can be remedied by the orthodontist applying braces and an expander appliance to coax the structures into balance.
Not tackling these issues early can cause issues such as a flaring of teeth, underbites and adult teeth erupting sideways through the gums.
Dr. Frost says other issues that could get complicated if they are not treated early include:
Breathing problems. These breathing issues lead children to thrust their tongues and heads forward when asleep, causing further misalignment of the jaw and interrupted sleep. Adults with sleep apnea are fatigued and unrefreshed, causing their bodies to break down as the cells become slowly malnourished.
Immune system Issues. Immune system issues unknown to humans in past generations are common today. The immune system can be impacted by dental problems at an early age.
Increased allergy problems. Allergies can play a crucial role in childhood development of the face, jaw, and teeth. They can be an early warning sign that your child’s teeth aren’t growing properly.
Jaw alignment problems. -Misaligned jaws lead to chronic head, neck and shoulder pain.
“The bottom line is that an early investment in your child’s health will almost certainly pay off in time and money,” Dr. Frost says, “as well as enhance their future health.”
About Dr. Stuart Frost
Dr. Stuart Frost, author of The Artist Orthodontist: Creating An Artistic Smile is More Than Just Straightening Teeth (www.drstuartfrost.com), is an orthodontist and sought-after speaker who has given seminars, lectures, and speeches throughout the world to dentists and the general public on groundbreaking dentistry. He graduated from the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry and has continued his education at the University of Rochester, where he accomplished a one-year fellowship in Temporomandibular Joint Disorder and a two-year certificate in orthodontics.
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SUMMER OPTIONS, PART 2
Camps That Keep the Body and Brain Active
Summer brings much-needed relief from homework, testing, and sitting still — but abandoning academics entirely for 2+ months can spell trouble. Read about age-by-age camps that mix traditional summertime activities with a learning component >
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Summer After High School...
Transition programs can help teens gain valuable life skills before heading off to a job or college.
"When Can I Go Back?"
Three families signed up their kids for ADHD summer camp and found that they came home happier & more confident.
Finding Friends at Camp
Three social-skills experts from top ADHD summer camps offer their favorite tips for developing your child's friendship skills.
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3 Tips For Planning Your Retirement
During Uncertain Times
Retirement planning can be fraught with worry in the best of times, but when the market turns volatile and uncertainty reigns, people in or near retirement may give way to anxiety or unease to an even greater degree than normal.
And as a result, those dreams of carefree golden years may transform into sleepless nights.
“Plenty of people remember what happened with their 401(k)s when the recession hit a decade ago, and that naturally can make you nervous,” says Jeffrey Eglow, the Chief Investment Officer for Guardian Wealth Advisory (www.guardianwealthadvisory.com).
“But that makes it all the more important to make a plan and not leave everything to chance.”
The good news, Eglow says, is anyone can start taking steps now that can improve the odds retirement will be fulfilling and joyful.
Certainly, each person’s circumstances will be different, and just because a specific financial strategy worked for your neighbor doesn’t mean it will work for you. But Eglow offers a few general tips for navigating the financial road ahead to help give you a more secure retirement:
Don’t underestimate your retirement’s length. People are living longer than ever, which means retirements can last longer, too. Many people may assume they need to plan for 20 years, when in fact their retirement could last 30 years or longer, Eglow says. As you figure out how much money you will need, make sure to plan for what could be a long retirement. “Having a target amount in mind is critical,” Eglow says. “Without a target amount, you have no way of measuring whether you are on track to meet your goal.”
Know where your retirement money will come from. Social Security likely will help fund a portion of your retirement, but it won’t be enough to replace your weekly paycheck, Eglow says. Some people have pensions, but those are fast disappearing for most workers. “That means personal savings, such as in an IRA, a 401(k) or other investments, will play a major role in whether you have a satisfying retirement or whether you struggle to make ends meet,” Eglow says. “Unfortunately, studies have shown that many Americans aren’t doing a great job with their savings.” It’s important to sit down with your financial professional, determine where you stand, and make a plan so you don’t run out of money, he says.
Determine your risk tolerance. At some point, as you create a financial plan and determine the best investment strategy for reaching your goals, you will need to do a little self assessment, Eglow says. “Some people are fine with taking risks with their money,” he says. “Others become uneasy at the thought that they could suffer a big loss if the market takes a sudden turn for the worse.” Each individual investor needs to decide whether the potential rewards of an aggressive investment strategy outweigh the stress they might feel about the uncertainties of how the market will perform. In addition, you likely will want to re-assess your risk as you draw closer to retirement because you’ll have less time to recover if the market does take a plunge.
“If you’ve been stashing money away for retirement, that’s great,” Eglow says. “But you should do more than save. If you want to reach your financial goals efficiently, you need to have a good, solid plan that will get you there.”
About Jeffrey Eglow
Jeffrey Eglow is the Chief Investment Officer for Guardian Wealth Advisory (www.guardianwealthadvisory.com), and has more than 30 years of investment management experience. Eglow started his career on Wall Street as a professional money manager with such firms as Drexel Burnham Lambert, M.D. Sass, and Henry Kaufman & Company where he oversaw a team managing about $3 billion in assets. He graduated with an M.B.A. degree in Finance from Seton Hall University Graduate School of Business, and a B.A. degree in Economics from Washington & Jefferson College.
