When Should My Child See an Orthodontist?

Orthodontic treatments vary from dental treatment, in that they primarily address malocclusions, jaw spacing and tooth alignment, rather than the actual health of the teeth. That is why it is often more difficult for parents to determine when a child needs orthodontic treatment than dental treatment. So how can you know it is time to take your child to the orthodontist?
• Bad Bite - As the adult teeth begin to replace primary teeth, bite occlusions can develop. These often become visible to parents between middle childhood and the pre-teen years, although an orthodontist can identify a bad bite with early evaluation.
• Visible Tooth Crowding - If your child's newly emerging teeth are already crowded, you should make an appointment with our office to discuss braces.
• Tooth Grinding (Bruxism) - Children who grind their teeth at night may do so unconsciously, but the condition requires treatment to prevent the development of headaches, TMJ, and tooth damage. Oral appliances are available to correct nighttime tooth grinding.
• Difficulty Chewing, Biting, or Speaking - If your child is displaying difficulty speaking or eating, or if he or she often experiences cheek biting, schedule an orthodontic consultation.
• Asymmetry - If your child's face is asymmetrical, or if his or her teeth do not meet together in a natural way, orthodontic treatment may be necessary.
Evaluation and Preventive Care
Even if your child has no visible tooth or jaw alignment problems, the American Association of Orthodontics recommends that every child visit the orthodontist for an initial examination no later than age seven. The reason for early evaluation is because orthodontists are capable of finding subtle problems with the jaw and teeth growth and spacing before they become more pronounced and also more difficult to treat. By bringing your child in for an evaluation, you may be able to treat orthodontic conditions with shorter and more simplified treatments that are also more affordable than treatment during the teenage and adult years.

How did you celebrate your 4th of July?

In Honor of America's birthday, we'd like to hear about how you spent The 4th of July. We'd love to see your fun photos and how you spent the day. Our team thought it would be fun to share some facts about the history of our Independence Day.

Fun Facts:
• Betsy Ross, according to legend, sewed the first American flag in May or June 1776, as commissioned by the Congressional Committee.
• The major objection to being ruled by Britain was taxation without representation. The colonists had no say in the decisions of English Parliament.
• The word ‘patriotism’ comes from the Latin patria, which means ‘homeland’ or ‘fatherland.’
• The first public Fourth of July event at the White House occurred in 1804.

Getting social with Dr. Cottingham

At Cottingham Orthodontics, we embrace technology, whether it’s through the innovative treatments we offer, our high-tech web site or our Facebook fan page. As you can probably tell, we love connecting with our patients online, whether it’s by sharing news on our blog or communicating ideas on our fan page. For social media to work, we understand that conversation is vital, and that’s why we invite you to join in and tell us what’s on your mind. Although social networks are hugely popular these days, we know they’re unpredictable and ever-changing.

While Dr. Cottingham and our staff takes time to research how to best use social media, we thought we’d ask you, our loyal patients: How would you like us to use our social networks? What would you like us to share on our blog? Please post your thoughts or give us a call!

The importance of regular checkups, from Dr. Cottingham

Our staff at Cottingham Orthodontics want to know: Are you brushing your teeth twice a day during your orthodontic treatment? If yes, that’s what we want to hear! But, don’t forget that it’s also important for you to visit your general dentist every six months in addition to brushing your teeth and flossing (and visiting our office, of course). An oral checkup is vital for maintaining good oral health for kids with and without braces.

Your general dentist can check for problems that might not be seen or felt, detect cavities and early signs of decay, treat oral health problems early and show you how to properly brush and floss your teeth during your treatment.

During an oral exam, the dentist can check the health of your mouth, teeth, gums, cheeks and tongue. Checkups will also include a thorough teeth cleaning and polishing. If you have not been to the dentist in the last six months, let Dr. Cottingham or one of our staff members know during your next visit with us, and we will provide a few great references in the greater Indianapolis area!

Dr. Cottingham, helping you save face this summer

With summer 2010 in full swing, Dr. Karen Cottingham would like to remind all our athletes in treatment to be extra careful when out on the field. After all, most mouth and facial injuries occur during the summer months.

If you'll be playing sports this summer, it's important that you consult Dr. Cottingham for special precautions, such as wearing a mouth guard. Mouth guards are advised for playing spring sports such as baseball, soccer, rugby, lacrosse and many more.

In case of any accident involving your face, we want you to check your mouth and appliances immediately. If teeth are loosened or the appliances are damaged, please schedule an appointment to see your general dentist or Dr. Cottingham immediately. And don’t forget to ask us at your next scheduled appointment—Dr. Cottingham will be more than happy to provide a proper mouth guard for any patient in treatment!

Our staff at Cottingham Orthodontics will tell you that only by using a mouth guard and other forms of facial protection can kids with and without braces avoid serious sports injuries this summer. Please give us a call at our convenient offices in Indianapolis or Avon if you have any questions about mouth guards or your treatment at our office.

We hope you’re having a great summer!

Connect with Cottingham Orthodontics on Facebook!

At Cottingham Orthodontics, we value the relationships we have developed with our patients in Indianapolis, Avon and surrounding communities. Even if you only see us for your appointment every six weeks, did you know that you can now connect with Dr. Cottingham and team on our Facebook page?

We invite you to “like” Cottingham Orthodontics on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/CottinghamOrthodontics. We share office news and updates on our Fan Page, so check it out! By Liking our page, you will receive updates from our office automatically on Facebook!

See you online and have a great week,

- Dr. Cottingham and staff

What are patients saying about Dr. Cottingham?

Last week, we asked you, our fantastic patients, what you liked most about Cottingham Orthodontics. Well, the reviews are in, and we'd love to share a few with you this morning. If you have any reviews you'd like to add, please do so here or on our Google Local page! Have a great week!

“She is very informative and helpful. Everyone in her office is nice and a pleaure to speak with. They all seem to be very caring of the patient.” ~ Ashley U.

“Dr. Cottingham is very nice and easy to talk to. She knows what she is doing and takes great care of her patients. I also love the staff.” ~ Ruth B.

“Dr. Cottingham made my daughters first visit very easy. She was very professional in explaining the type of treatment needed. She also alleviated some of her fears about getting braces.” ~ Makesha A.

“I love that she always seems to be in a good mood and the entire staff are always so professional!” ~ Michelle S.

“Dr. Cottingham is simply awesome and she has such a friendly, professional and very knowledgeable staff assisting her!! Have always experienced great service at every appointment with our daughter. Dr. Cottingham even recently put a head gear on our daughter and told her how great it looked that my daughter now wears it each and every day to school. The extra boost from her orthodontist was just the help she needed to get over the possible embarrassment of it all. Thanks for everything!!” ~ Randy R.


PS Go Butler!