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June 2012
In This Issue
School Exams
Digital Radiography
Oral Trauma and Mouth Guards
From The Business Office
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Greetings!

 

As summer finally approaches, we would like to wish everyone a wonderful and safe season! Just as a reminder, we would like to encourage everyone to schedule their dental exams early because summer appointments fill up fast!

School Exams

 
Unfortunately, the numbers are still staggering when it comes to the prevalence of tooth decay among children. However, there are great measures being taken to lower these statistics. Requiring dental examinations for kindergarten, second and sixth graders are one of those preventive measures. This is mandatory of all public and private schools. Examinations must be performed by a licensed dentist and he/she must sign a form as proof of the exam. Millions of hours are lost per year due to dental-related illnesses, but attendance is not the only element affected. Children with inadequate dental health show poor academic performance and often poor behavior as well because of the distraction pain causes. Visiting the dentist regularly and submitting the required dental exam forms will not only lower the amount of days children are absent, but provide them with a more positive classroom experience.

Digital Radiography

 
BitewingUsing digital radiographs, or x-rays, is more common among dental practices today. It is quickly becoming the preferred alternative to film dentistry. The x-ray machines at Children's Dentistry Group use up to 40% less radiation than traditional film x-rays still used by many offices today. Our panoramic x-ray machine in particular uses 80% less radiation than film machines. Digital radiographs are an environmentally friendly way to obtain x-rays because of the reduction in radiation and the elimination of chemicals used to develop film x-rays.

 

Digital radiographs create better images and the picture can be seen immediately after it is taken. They expose the child to less radiation when compared to taking an image with a film x-ray machine. Digital radiographs are convenient when explaining tooth development or tooth problems with parents bD and Laurenecause the picture can be enlarged on the computer screen. This allows both parents and children to be very involved in the explanation of their x-rays. Digital x-rays are also easily sent via email to other doctors or orthodontists if needed. This paperless practice takes dentistry to a whole new level of efficiency.

Oral Trauma and Mouth Guards

 
Dental Trauma 

Traumatic injuries to the teeth and mouth may not seem very serious, but teeth have the lowest potential of any tissue for returning to a normal, healthy state after injury. These types of injuries occur for a variety of reasons. Most injuries sustained by infants or toddlers are caused by falls. School-age children get mouth injuries from bicycle and playground accidents. Teenagers get injuries from athletic activities and young adults from car accidents. The common theme between all the age groups is that most of the time traumatic oral injuries are accidental. For this reason it is important to have a basic understanding of these injuries and to know what to do if they occur.

           

Teeth and soft tissues can sustain a variety of injuries. Teeth injuries can involve the enamel, dentin, and/or pulp. Soft tissue injuries can affect the gum tissue, tongue, and cheeks. Even if it appears the injury only damaged one tooth, other teeth can be affected, along with the jaw. Swelling and inability to open the mouth are signs of a traumatic oral injury. The most important thing to do if your child has an oral injury is to call our office. Our doctors can be reached on a 24-hour basis. It is extremely important to have the oral injury evaluated as soon as possible to determine the extent of the injury and what care would be appropriate to treat it.

 

A great way to prevent traumatic mouth injuries in children, teenagers, and young adults is to wear a mouth guard during all sporting activities. This includes both contact and non-contact sports. Mouth guards cover the top and sides of the teeth and act as a cushion when there is a blow tmouthguardo the face. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), mouth guards minimize the risk of broken teeth and injuries to the soft tissues of the tongue, lips, and cheek lining. It is also essential to note that mouth guards can be worn even if your child has braces. It is especially important for people with orthodontic appliances to wear a mouth protector. There are many different types of mouth guards: custom and stock being the main two. We can consult with you about the best choice for your child.
From The Business Office...
 
Insurance EOBs
Most of us have a LOVE / HATE relationship with insurance carriers. It is wonderful when they pay and it really stinks when they don't!
In an effort to help our patients understand their statements and their dental insurance benefits, Julie, our Accounts and Treatment Coordinator, has started attaching copies of the insurance explanation of benefits (EOB) to the statements. The insurance carriers send our office a copy of the EOB and will send the patient or subscriber a copy as well. In a perfect world, these EOBs would be easy to understand and everyone would open all the mail from their insurance carriers, review it and file it away for their own records. (We don't always live in a perfect world.)
If you receive a statement from our office with an EOB attached and you are still not sure why there is a balance on your account, please don't hesitate to contact our office for assistance.

  Wishing a beautiful summer to all our patients and their families! Just as a reminder, please try to limit the amount of sugary foods your child consumes. We know treats are a common part of summer fun, but they can be devastating to the teeth. If your child does eat some sugary snacks, limit the consumption to one specific time instead of eating them throughout the whole day. Also, some better alternatives to sticky, gooey candy would be vanilla ice cream or a plain piece of chocolate. Your child can still enjoy summer treats without sacrificing the health of their teeth.

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ATTENTION ALL PATIENTS:

We would love to have our patients e-mail us pictures of their summer travels! We'd like to share them with our Facebook Family! Let us know what you are up to and e-mail us a picture of you and your adventures! Enjoy the summer!

 

Please Don't Be Bashful 

If you have any questions regarding pediatric dental health, please feel free to contact us by phone: 847-726-0300 or by email: [email protected]. If you have a family member or friend with a child, please feel free to forward this newsletter to them. Thank you.

Group 2012
Children's Dentistry Group, LLC

Paul D. Herer, DMD, MS

Melissa J. Patenio, DDS, MS

195 S. Rand Rd. Suite 110

Lake Zurich, IL  60047

(847) 726-0300

www.ChildrensDentistryGroup.com