My dentist told me that one of my child's baby teeth is stuck to the bone and is delaying eruption of the permanent tooth. Is this a difficult problem to correct?

A baby tooth stuck to the bone is called being "ankylosed", and it can complicate the eruption of the permanent tooth. This baby tooth should be closely monitored. An ankylosed baby tooth usually does not fall out on its own. It usually needs to be extracted. The baby tooth should be removed if the eruption of the permanent tooth is delayed by six months or more. The baby tooth should be extracted as soon as possible if the permanent tooth underneath is ready to come in and if there are developing bone defects or significant changes in the bite. If you have concerns about your child's developmental changes as he or she transitions from baby teeth to permanent teeth, please call 1 800-4BRACES for a free consultation.

I have braces. Is it better to use a manual tooth brush or an electric toothbrush?

A recent study concluded that an electric toothbrush was "superior" to a manual toothbrush for plaque removal. The study found that the electric toothbrush motion more effectively removed plaque than the manual scrubbing action. Plaque is notorious for developing around braces, so in addition to recommending electric toothbrushes, I use the Damon System of Braces to help make cleaning easier. Damon braces are smaller than traditional braces and don't have wire ties or elastic rings that collect plaque. If you want a wide beautiful looking smile, please call me at 1-800-4braces for a free consultation.