The Importance of Orthodontic X-Rays

Merely mentioning the word x-ray to my patients can bring up fear, unpleasantry, and an automatic association to cancer and birth defects. Our society is laden with cancer, and because the disease touches all of us in one way or another, we have been inundated with information about preventing various forms of cancer. X-rays are a form of radiation and radiation of any kind can pose a risk to our health, but it is important to realize that radiation has many important and beneficial uses.

X-rays in the practices of dentistry and orthodontics are used to routinely diagnose and treat a number of conditions that could otherwise not be diagnosed properly. At Aesthetic Orthodontics we take x-rays before and after treatment. As an orthodontist, I work not only with teeth, but with the entire dental-facial complex of teeth, bones, lips, joints, sinuses, cartilage, nerves, and muscles. X-rays help me determine if there are underlying structural or alignment issues with the jaw and teeth. They also help me determine in which direction teeth will likely grow or move, and to evaluate the relationship of teeth to other neighboring structures.

Patients usually understand the need for x-rays at the beginning of treatment, but some think that x-rays upon treatment completion are unnecessary. Their teeth are straight and they are happy with their smile, so why do they need to have more x-rays taken? The answer to that is simple. I need to make sure that the bones have developed properly, that the teeth and jaw bones are aligned properly, and that there is nothing further that needs to be done that I may not have been able to detect without the use of an x-ray. X-rays after treatment are also a veritable reference to have if a patient comes in with any issues in the future. I try to make clear to each patient the importance of before and after x-rays before treatment begins.

Understanding the importance of orthodontic x-rays plays a big role in accepting x-ray imaging as part of treatment. However, radiation still leaves patients a bit squeamish. So, just how much radiation are you exposed to? I tell my patients it's like sitting in the sun for ten minutes on a hot day. Radiation is measured in rems, but a rem is a very large unit, so we measure in millirems as well. One thousand millirems equal one rem. At Aesthetic Orthodontics we use ultra-low dose digital imaging. Each x-ray exposes you to less than 0.5 millirems. To put that into perspective, you are exposed to 10 millirems per year cooking with natural gas and 1 millirem - a little more than 2 dental x-rays - for each short flight you take. (perhaps Los Angeles to Las Vegas.) A mammogram exposes each breast to 500 millirems, or the equivalent of 2,000 dental x-rays. I understand the importance of living a healthy lifestyle and avoiding unneccessary risks. At Aesthetic Orthodontics, we do everything we possibly can to ensure that you are getting the lowest dose of radiation to keep you happy and healthy, while still capturing the images and the data we need to make your treatment as successful as possible.

If you need more quantifiable information, listen to the informative podcast below on the risks of dental x-rays by Dr. Sean Carlson, associate professor at my alma mater, the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry at the University of the Pacific. And as always, if you still have questions or concerns, feel free to contact any one of our offices, or email us at info@aeortho.com

Smile

This is a great video of the end of the movie “Modern Times” starring Charlie Chaplin in 1936. The comedian brought smiles to the faces of people around the world, which is why it is fitting that he wrote the music you hear playing in the background. In 1936, this theme song was nothing more than a beautiful melody, but in 1954, lyrics and the title “Smile” were given to this popular standard.

The message of the song is that even in the worst of times, you can make it through if you just smile. We all face difficult times, and sometimes, you just don’t have a reason to smile. But even forcing a smile can actually make you start to feel better as endorphins are released when you smile, helping to relieve physical and emotional stress. Just focus on putting happy thoughts into your head, take a few deep breaths, and smile. Smiling will not only make you start to feel better, but it will put others at ease and make them feel good as well. When you are facing a particularly hard time, offer up a smile. You’ll send a message that you are accepting the world around you, and the world will, in turn, smile back at you.

Celebrities: They're Just Like Us

Having offices in California and Nevada requires some frequent travel. Nine times out of ten someone is reading a celebrity gossip magazine on the plane in a seat nearby, as was the case this past weekend on my flight back from Las Vegas. A woman sitting catty-corner from me was reading the latest edition of US Weekly. US Weekly has a feature called "They're Just Like Us," a weekly reminder that celebrities are regular people who do regular things. As she flipped through pages, it made me think about just how many celebrities have had braces.

Society and the media teach us to aspire to that perfect celebrity image: perfect body, perfect smile, perfect wardrobe, perfect life, when, in fact, many of these stars pay a lot of money to achieve those things. Without trainers, gyms, diets, nutritionists, dentists, orthodontists, publicists, wardrobe consultants, plastic surgeons, and the like, most of these celebrities could never attain that image.

It may seem like celebrities are already perfect when they become famous, but they often seek help from an orthodontist while they are famous. Since the introduction of Invisalign, Incognito, and other clear and invisible braces, celebrities and the rest of us "regular" people have had the opportunity to get straight teeth without anyone ever knowing it. Katherine Heigl, Justin Bieber, and Gisele Bundchen have all undergone Invisalign treatment while they were famous. If you had your doubts that any star would ever get metal braces, plenty of them have opted for more traditional braces including Tom Cruise, Nicolas Cage, Dakota Fanning, Prince Harry, Faye Dunaway, and Gwen Stefani, again, all while famous.

I treat many on-camera talent, and they all opt for different treatments depending on what feels the most comfortable for them. The truth is, we were all born differently, with different attributes, and different imperfections, all of which make us unique. The most important thing is being healthy and keeping a positive self-image. Achieving a flawless smile may be aesthetically desirable to you and celebrities alike, because after all, they're just like us.

Braces Can Be Cool

Many of my younger patients enthusiastically seek orthodontic treatment looking forward to the end result of a beautiful, healthy smile.  Their attitude is positive and they get excited about new wires or colorful bands. But, sometimes my pre-teen or teen patients aren’t thrilled about getting braces put on their teeth.  It’s an awkward enough time as it is in junior high and high school, and the physical and emotional consequences of braces can be somewhat traumatizing to certain patients.  To parents, this attitude can seem irrational.  After all, a lot of kids have braces, and it’s only for a couple of years.  Adults seem to forget how slowly time passes when you are younger, and a couple of years can feel like a lifetime.  

At Aesthetic Orthodontics, we believe that braces are cool, and our team tries to make braces seem cool to those patients who would disagree with us. We try to make our young patients feel as comfortable as possible with their treatment, and we offer many different types of braces so that our patients have options when it comes to their orthodontic treatment.  

Parents, you can play a big role in preparing a child for braces. Listen to their fears and concerns and don’t dismiss them because they are not as significant to you. Answer any questions that your child may have to the best of your knowledge, and if you don’t know an answer, try to find out.  State the facts correctly, and don’t push uncomfortable subjects under the rug.  You can enlist the help of relatives and friends who have had orthodontic treatment to help talk your child through it, and you can show them pictures of people in the media who have braces to make the treatment seem easier and more enticing.  Finally, be sure to mention the health benefits of having aligned teeth, like less places for bacteria to hide, healthier teeth, and improved aesthetics.

A positive attitude makes a big difference in anyone’s orthodontic treatment. Some patients need a little bit more support and encouragement to help enforce a positive image of orthodontic treatment.  If you are a patient that needs encouragement, or a parent that can use some support, let us know! We are on your side and are always here to help and to provide the care you need to feel at ease with treatment.

Warning: Failure to Floss May Lead to Death

Okay, that may be a little extreme.  However, there is evidence that having periodontal disease may increase your risk of heart disease by up to 100%. There are, as often happens in medical professions, conflicting studies and conflicting theories on this matter; but the evidence does, at a minimum, suggest a link, and possibly a very important one, between periodontal disease and heart disease.


It is likely that you have heard this news before as it has been a hot topic on and off for a couple of years now.  But, how could having oral problems possibly increase your risk of having heart problems?

Let’s first discuss periodontal disease to get a better understanding of what it is that may actually be causing this link.  The word periodontal literally means “around the tooth.” Periodontal disease, stated simply, is gum disease.  It is a chronic bacterial infection that affects the gums and the bones supporting the teeth, and if left untreated, can lead to tooth decay and tooth loss.  Periodontal disease includes gingivitis (inflammation of the gums), periodontitis (a more advanced form of gingivitis that can cause shrinkage of the gums and loosening of the teeth), and periocoronitis - coro meaning crown (inflammation and infection of the gums around the molars or crowns of erupting teeth.) Periocoronitis is the strongest known oral predictor of possible heart disease, followed by tooth decay and gingivitis.

Symptoms of periodontal disease include foul breath, bleeding gums, sensitive gums, and recessed gums.  Fortunately, there are easy ways to prevent periodontal disease.  Keep your mouth clean.  This will make it more difficult for oral bacteria to build up in your mouth, leading to plaque build-up and cavities. Practice good brushing habits by brushing and flossing twice a day.  See your dentist every six months for a cleaning and every four months if you have braces.  If you develop symptoms of gum disease, don’t put off seeing your dentist because you are afraid of discomfort or because you are embarrassed about your oral health. There are plenty of aids to make you feel at ease in the dentist’s office, and your dentist sees gum disease everyday.  In fact, the majority of the population has some degree of gingivitis, so it’s a very common problem, and one that can be very easy to solve.

There are three theories about how periodontal disease can lead to heart disease.  The first is that the bacterial organisms that cause periodontal disease enter the blood stream through the gums and travel to infect the heart. This is highly unlikely and there is almost no evidence to support this.  The second theory is that bacteria from the mouth enter the blood stream from the gums and stick to the fatty plaques in the bloodstream.  Those fatty plaques (a different kind of plaque than oral plaque) build up in the arteries, attributing to blockages.  This may be true as dental bacteria has been found in blocked arteries, but it’s not the most supported or the most likely reason that there is a link.
The most likely reason is that the body naturally responds to bacteria and infection by swelling and inflammation.  When the oral bacteria get into the blood stream, the blood cells swell in response to that bacteria.  When those cells swell, the artery gets narrower and can clot, also known as arterio schlerosis or hardening of the arteries.

So, does periodontal disease cause heart attacks?  As far as we know, not directly.  But, it may be worth getting a cardiac check-up if you have periodontal disease, since it can be an early indicator of cardiovascular problems. You often can’t feel symptoms of heart disease, like your cholesterol rising or your arteries hardening.  But you can feel painful, bleeding gums.

Of course, the best defense against all of these conditions is to maintain a healthy lifestyle.  Eat healthy foods, exercise, maintain a healthy weight, and practice good hygiene. By brushing and flossing twice a day, you may be preventing more significant health problems down the road.