Our Blog

Patient Appreciation Days

August 20th, 2016

At Lakewood Park Orthodontics, we love our patients and wanted to show them our appreciation. So we held two patient appreciation snow cone parties! They were a success and a perfect compliment to the hot summer days here in Natick!

July 24th, 2016

It's time again for our traveling T-shirt Contest! While traveling this summer or just at home enjoying summer fun, take us along with you! Send us a picture of yourself wearing your LAKEWOOD PARK ORTHODONTICS t-shirt via email (smiles@lakewoodparkortho.com) or post on our facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Lakewood-Park-Orthodontics-226824237353397/) and be enterested into a contest for a $25 gift card! Don’t have a LAKEWOOD PARK ORTHODONTICS shirt and want one? Call us at 508-319-1545 (contest is limited to patients of the practice). The deadline for photo entries is Friday, August 31, 201. Happy Travels!

Creating a fun environment while creating a beautiful, healthy smile!

June 16th, 2016

Dr. Hughes and the entire staff at Lakewood Park Orthodontics believe that creating a beautiful smile should be a fun and joyful experience! Ongoing contests and theme days at the office along with festive holiday decor make the office a truly warm, inviting and fun place to visit. Check out some of our recent theme day photos and ongoing contests on FB or our website contest page. Every Saturday is a theme day so there are plenty of opportunities to participate (Halloween, Easter, Red Sox Opening Day, Ugly Sweater Day, Pajama Day, St. Patty's, Red Nose Day, Flag Day and our favorite....National Chicken Dance Day)!

Should Comprehensive Orthodontics Be Started With Baby Teeth Remaining?

April 26th, 2016

One of the first things Dr. Hughes will look for during a consultation of a teenager/pre-teen is the presence of primary (baby) teeth. If a thirteen year old still has baby teeth it may mean that the dental development is delayed or it could mean that something is not right. The 12-year-molars are a good indicator as to what exactly is going on. If the 12-year-molars have not erupted, chances are that development is just behind schedule. Another indicator is whether or not teeth are being lost in the appropriate sequence. If they are, it is likely that things are just delayed. However, if for example, one primary second molar remains and it isn’t loose and all of the others are gone with their replacements in, it may indicate an issue and warrant investigation.
In some cases the patient would benefit from having the primary teeth extracted and starting braces. There are several factors to consider when determining if the patient would benefit from extractions of baby teeth. The first is the patient’s age. If the patient is 14 or 15, Dr. Hughes will usually recommend having the baby teeth removed and starting braces in order to have the treatment finished before they graduate from high school. The formation of the roots of the un-erupted permanent teeth are considered. If the roots are 2/3 formed and the associated baby teeth are not loose, extractions are recommended. Another factor is the status of the 12-year-molars. If the 12-year-molars are erupted and baby teeth remain, Dr. Hughes will usually recommend extracting the primary teeth and starting the braces.

In general, starting treatment after all of the primary teeth are gone minimizes treatment time and reduces the chance of any negative effects of orthodontic treatment such as white spot lesions, puffy gums and root resorption. But there are some situations that would warrant starting braces when the patient still has baby teeth. For example, if a tooth has become impacted because there is not enough room for it to come in, we may make room for the underlying tooth with hopes that the baby tooth will become loose on its own. If it does not, we would then have the baby tooth removed by the patient’s dentist. Certain malocclusions may also benefit from starting treatment before all the baby teeth are gone. For example, in underbite cases we often start treatment before the lower baby molars are gone. Also, in large overbite cases it is ideal to start before the upper baby molars are lost. Also, if we are keeping a baby tooth because its underlying permanent tooth is missing, the remaining baby tooth will have no impact on when the braces should be started.
Many times we are told that patients had postponed their initial consultation because of the presence of baby teeth. In many cases this is OK. However, we do recommend coming in for a consultation even if there are some primary teeth left (especially if they have been hanging around for a while) in case one of the factors mentioned above are present.