Invisalign Canton, MA

Invisalign and Oral Health

Straight teeth aren’t only a cosmetic issue but a health issue as well. With the help of Invisalign in combination with neuromuscular orthodontics, Dr. Ronkin has helped many patients beyond just straightening their teeth. Neuromuscular orthodontics can alleviate TMJ symptoms such as head aches, neck pain, back pain, ringing in the ears, tingling of the fingers and many more.

For children, neuromuscular orthodontics lays down the foundation for healthy development and prevention of sleep apnea, respiratory disease, heart disease and other illnesses.

What is Neuromuscular Orthodontics?

“We are bringing dentistry and orthodontics to a new level for children and adults and actually prolonging healthier a life. In today’s fast paced world we value the time we get with our families and maintaining our health to be there for our children is imperative” states Dr. Konstantin Ronkin, owner of Dream Smile Dental in Canton, MA.

“Utilizing computerized jaw tracking we are able to find the optimal position of the lower jaw where the muscles are in their natural state of physiological rest. This allows us to get the perfect bite prior to placing restorations or braces” adds Dr. Evetta Shwartzman, co-owner of Dream Smile Dental in Canton, MA.

Dream Smile Dental even uses jaw tracking when evaluating potential orthodontic problems on children starting from age 6. This considers the child’s development and future overall health. Taking factors into account such as the airway, proper jaw alignment, posture, facial muscle activity and the teeth, we are able to help avoid future problems that often arise from an improper bite sometimes caused by non-treatment. TMJ disorder as well as misaligned chin and facial features are just two problems that can arise out of the boundless potential issues.

The function of the upper airway is connected to the mouth, and often a narrow dental arch is the cause for a restricted sinus. Jaw tracking in conjunction with diagnostic cast models and x-rays allows the dentist to calculate exact measurements necessary for the child’s arch expansion to have the final destination in mind first before placing braces on.

Here are some other ways Straight Teeth are Healthier Teeth:

HEALTHIER GUMS

Properly aligned teeth are easier to brush and floss than crowded or crooked teeth. Properly positioned teeth can help gums “fit” more tightly around them, which may lead to better periodontal health.

IMPROVED HYGIENE

With good oral hygiene, the chances of having plaque retention, tooth decay, and periodontal disease can be reduced.

DECREASED RISK OF ABNORMAL WEAR AND TRAUMA

Properly aligned teeth also reduce the risk of expensive procedures required to repair the effects of abnormal force, such as tooth chipping, breaking, or wear; and can be less stressful on the supporting jaw bone and joints.

Testimonial

Erin Wager Case

Before & 6 Weeks Later

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Before becoming a hygienist, I brought my, then, seven year old daughter to a well known orthodontic practice. I heard the owner speak while in hygiene school, and I was very impressed by what I had heard, so I decided to bring my daughter there. After her initial consult, it was recommended that she wear an appliance, known as a palatal expander, of which I was very familiar with, having worn one myself as a child. The idea is to expand the arches to the left and right in order to create a proper alignment of the arches so that permanent teeth have room to erupt in a natural position. She wore this for approximately six months, and then after it was removed, it was recommended that she be monitored until it was time to place orthodontic brackets.

Shortly thereafter I completed hygiene school and came to work for Drs. Ronkin and Shwartzman at Dream Smile Dental. A few months ago when Erin turned 12, I received a reminder card from Erin’s orthodontist that it’s time for a check. I brought her in where they took a number of x-rays including a cephalometric film (ceph),which is commonly used as a diagnostic tool prior to orthodontic treatment. The orthodontist recommended that Erin have brackets placed, with no additional appliances, and estimated that she will wear these for approximately 18 months. Knowing that Dr. Ronkin is the ortho expert in our office, the very next day I showed him the recommended treatment plan, with the ceph taken at the other office. Dr. Ronkin recommended I bring her in for a consultation.

At Erin’s first visit with Dr Ronkin, to my surprise, he took ANOTHER ceph. Dr. Ronkin explained to me that the reason for this was that the ceph that Erin’s orthodontist had taken, did not include an image of her airway. After taking it, it was noted that Erin’s airway at age 12 was 4mm wide – but it should be between 11-12mm. I was SHOCKED, for a few reasons. First, I was terrified, as I realized that if her airway is three times smaller than it should be, does this mean she’s getting three times less oxygen to her body than she should be? Second, I was so grateful that I work where I do and that the doctors are educated in Neuromuscular Dentistry – as opposed to just “straightening teeth”. Had I not worked where I do, I would have had no idea, I would have done standard orthodontia, and Erin very likely could have developed Sleep Apnea as she got older due to lack of oxygen getting to the cells in her body.

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Upon review of the new ceph, Dr. Ronkin recommended a palatal expander prior to placing braces because Erin’s upper jaw still needed to be expanded further more. The result of her upper arch being too narrow is a locked lower arch forcing the lower jaw back.

This prevents proper development of the lower jaw and forces the tongue back. What does it do when the tongue goes back? Blocks the airway.

You can see why I was so terrified when I realized what was going on. If the airway is obstructed, sleep apnea will likely follow – sleep apnea is a serious disease which can lead to heart attacks, strokes, as well as a number of other health conditions. I don’t think poorly of Erin’s orthodontist – I actually think he gave her the best care that he knew of. The fact is that most dental professionals aren’t trained in Neuromuscular Dentistry – they aren’t thinking of the impact that teeth have on the airway, or the temperomandibular joint (TMJ). They don’t link the bite to issues with migraines, and neck pain. I thought I was doing my daughter the best service by bringing her to an incredibly successful orthodontist – what if I hadn’t brought her to DSD?

Erin has now been wearing the palatal expander for 6 weeks – and I’ve been taking pictures as we go along. In the before pictures, you can see how the lower front teeth appear restricted by the upper front teeth – there is no space for them to grow. Check out 6 weeks later – look how much space there is! I’m so excited to see where she will be after 4-5 months of wearing this and how much opportunity there will be for the lower teeth to grow along with the uppers! I’m so excited to imagine how the tongue will no longer be restricting the airway as she grows into adulthood!

“We’re very honored to provide the best dental care using neuromuscular dentistry. We appreciate being able to help patients like Erin prolong their life as well as prevent heart and respiratory disease. We look forward to publishing the result of Erin’s treatment in the next DSD Newsletter”. –Diana Shwartzman