Enamel Hypoplasia

Teeth sensitivity? White spots? Decay? Your child may be suffering from enamel hypoplasia or weak enamel. With three locations in Phoenix, AZ, Kidz Connextion specializes in treating all things teeth for your little one, including enamel hypoplasia. This enamel deficiency leads to serious dental problems if not treated right away, so schedule an appointment now at our website. 

What is Enamel?

Considered the hardest tissue in the body, the enamel is a thin covering around each tooth. This covering protects your teeth from any damage including from daily activities such as brushing, chewing, grinding, biting, hot or cold temperatures, and even chemicals. This is why thin or weak enamel opens the door to a variety of issues for your child’s oral health if not taken care of soon. 

Causes

Developmental conditions like Usher syndrome, Secked syndrome, or Otodental syndrome.

Vitamin deficiencies

Smoking and drug abuses by the mother

Maternal or fetal infection

Infection

Celiac disease

Liver issues

Malnutrition

Medications that are given to the child earlier in life or to the mother while pregnant

Teeth trauma such as rough brushing and sports injuries

Symptoms
Higher risk of acid attacks, or enamel erosion caused by acidic drinks like soft drinks and fruit beverages.

White spots on the surface of teeth

Pits or fissures on teeth

Tooth decay and increased cavities

Yellow or brown discoloration

Attrition or lack of tooth contact

Hypersensitivity especially to hot and cold temperatures.

Increased accumulation of bacteria

Translucent thin enamel surface

Treatment

Early detection of enamel hypoplasia gives your child a better chance of fixing the issue. Your Phoenix, AZ dentist will prescribe sealants for your child to protect their teeth against tooth decay. To repair already damaged teeth, we recommend crowns for your child. For more information on treatment options for enamel hypoplasia, contact our offices today!

Kidz Connextion has three convenient locations in Phoenix, Arizona. To schedule an appointment at 2533 N 75th St, text 623-232-0749. For our office at 2046 N 24th St, text 480-666-5984. For our office at 524 E Baseline Rd, text 480-405-4714. Or, visit Kidz Connextion on our website.

Hygiene During Orthodontic Treatment

Oral hygiene is already important when it comes to a healthy mouth, but it’s even more important when the mouth is going through orthodontic treatment. There are more nooks and crannies when brackets are placed on the teeth, wherein food is easily trapped and turned into plaque. Your experienced dentists at Kidz Connextion Dental & Braces in Pheonix, AZ, take pride in educating patients with braces about the importance of an at-home oral hygiene regimen.

Patients with braces are at an increased risk for early stages of tooth decay and gingivitis if proper oral hygiene isn’t used. Your trusted dentist recommends brushing your teeth with a soft toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste, as well as flossing, two to three times a day. You should be brushing in and around each bracket and wire, brushing in a circular motion where the gums and teeth meet, and brushing in a back and forth motion on the tops of molars.

Other things to consider during orthodontic treatment:

- Pay attention to what you eat and drink. Sugary foods and drinks erode enamel and make the teeth more susceptible to tooth decay, especially if you aren’t brushing properly or regularly.

- Certain foods can loosen, break, or bend wires. To limit stress on your braces, avoid eating hard or sticky foods.

Do you have a question or concern? We are happy to help! Kidz Connextion Dental & Braces has three separate offices in the Phoenix, AZ, area for your convenience. For more information about our services or to schedule an appointment, please visit kidzconnextion.com. You can also call 623-232-0749 for our N. 75th St. office, 480-666-5984 for the N. 24th St. office, and 480-405-4714 for the E. Baseline Rd. office.

Do You Need Your Wisdom Teeth Removed?

Wisdom teeth are the third and final molars to develop in the mouth between the ages of 17-22. For a very lucky few, these teeth come in with no problems: fully through the gums and properly aligned. Oftentimes though, wisdom teeth come in misaligned or impacted. This is where complications develop and the need for their removal is vital. The experienced dentists at Kidz Connextion Dental & Braces in Pheonix, AZ, provide wisdom teeth removal for patients.

Your trusted dentist recommends that you not wait too long to get your wisdom teeth removed since infection can easily set in. The younger you are, the easier the procedure will be since the wisdom teeth roots aren’t fully developed by that time. This will also help with quicker recovery time.

Before making any decisions to extract wisdom teeth, your dentist will first examine your mouth and take an X-ray. Under the care of the expert team at Kidz Connextion Dental & Braces, you and your family will rest easy knowing that you are in safe hands throughout your visit. We understand that wisdom teeth extraction may sound scary, but it’s best to have them removed to avoid headaches, constant pain in the back of the mouth, and damage to the surrounding teeth.

Do you think it’s time to have your wisdom teeth removed? We are happy to address any questions or concerns that come up. Kidz Connextion Dental & Braces has three separate offices in the Phoenix, AZ, area for your convenience. For more information about our services or to schedule an appointment, please visit kidzconnextion.com. You can also call 623-232-0749 for our N. 75th St. office, 480-666-5984 for the N. 24th St. office, and 480-405-4714 for the E. Baseline Rd. office.

What Soda Does to Your Teeth

Who doesn’t love a cold, bubbly soft drink on a hot day? In fact, half of the American population drinks soda regularly. We at Kidz Connextion Dental & Braces in Phoenix, AZ, have seen the gruesome effects of constant soda consumption on teeth. This is why we are committed to educating our patients about cutting back on soft drinks and maintaining good oral hygiene. If soda is something you can’t give up, limiting your consumption of it can definitely make a difference.

So how does soda actually damage your teeth? Well, there are actually two major ways: by erosion and cavities. Erosion begins when the acids in your favorite soda meet with your healthy tooth enamel. The acids reduce the hardness of the enamel, making the teeth more brittle and thus susceptible to chipping or breaking. Soda can also cause cavities since it can eat through the layer after enamel, dentin, and even damage fillings.


Help prevent the damaging effects of drinking soda by:

- Using a straw

- Getting regular dental cleanings

- Avoiding soda before bed

- Drinking in moderation

- Drinking your soft drink quickly, so as to not let it linger on your teeth

- Waiting thirty to sixty minutes before brushing your teeth after consumption


We are happy to address any questions or concerns you might have. Kidz Connextion Dental & Braces has three separate offices in the Phoenix, AZ, area for your convenience. For more information about our services or to schedule an appointment, please visit kidzconnextion.com. You can also call 623-232-0749 for our N. 75th Ave. office, 480-666-5984 for the N. 24th St. office, and 480-405-4714 for the E. Baseline Rd. office.

Tips for Tongue Hygiene

So you brush and floss your teeth two to three times a day as is recommended. That’s great! But did you know that you should also be brushing your tongue? Just as your teeth and braces are covered in food and bacteria throughout the day, so is your tongue. Your tongue has its own nooks and crannies that it could be carrying just as much bacteria as your teeth. This creates the perfect environment for bad breath. We at Kidz Connextion Dental & Braces in Phoenix, AZ, have a couple of tips to get you on the right track to good tongue hygiene.

We know what you’re thinking, “isn’t my tongue cleaned enough with toothpaste and a good rinse?” Unfortunately, like your teeth need a good scrubbing to get them clean, so does your tongue. That buildup on your tongue is so tough to remove that even mouthwash doesn’t always do the job. If anything, mouthwash successfully removes the top layer of bacteria, but what’s underneath can still thrive. The bacteria can lead to not only bad breath but tooth damage.

Every time you brush your teeth, brush back and forth and side to side on your tongue to remove some of that buildup, then rinse with water. Be careful not to over brush though, it would be very uncomfortable if you broke the skin! Just a gentle yet thorough brushing will do the trick. Some people prefer tongue scrapers, though there is no proven evidence that tongue scrapers prevent bad breath.


We are happy to address any questions or concerns you might have. Kidz Connextion Dental & Braces has three separate offices in the Phoenix, AZ, area for your convenience. For more information about our services or to schedule an appointment, please visit kidzconnextion.com. You can also call 623-232-0749 for our N. 75th Ave. office, 480-666-5984 for the N. 24th St. office, and 480-405-4714 for the E. Baseline Rd. office.

Extraction Site Preservation

Sometimes pulling teeth is a necessary procedure for overcrowding in the mouth or infection due to tooth decay. It isn’t a procedure to be taken lightly. Like wisdom teeth removal, where the teeth are located in the back of the mouth and sutures are used, the tooth extraction site essentially becomes an open wound and one that needs to be monitored and given time to heal. We at Kidz Connextion Dental & Braces in Phoenix, AZ, understand that getting a tooth pulled isn’t very pleasant, but we are committed to making the procedure and healing process as comfortable as possible for all patients.


If you ever think your healing process doesn’t feel normal, you should contact our office. Signs of complications include:

- Cough, shortness of breath, or chest pain

- Severe nausea or vomiting

- Redness, swelling, or excessive discharge from the extraction site

- Signs of infection, such as fever and chills


Something else to keep in mind when removing teeth is what to do with that open space once it has healed. If a tooth is removed and nothing is done to the extraction site, your jaw bone will degenerate and change shape while the site heals. This can create problems in your bite and may affect chewing and speaking. Make sure you and your dentist come up with a plan to fill this space.


We are happy to address any questions or concerns you might have. Kidz Connextion Dental & Braces has three separate offices in the Phoenix, AZ, area for your convenience. For more information about our services or to schedule an appointment, please visit kidzconnextion.com. You can also call 623-232-0749 for our N. 75th Ave. office, 480-666-5984 for the N. 24th St. office, and 480-405-4714 for the E. Baseline Rd. office.

Digital X-Rays

The advancements in dental technology make it easier for dentists to deliver efficient care and diagnoses to their patients. One such advancement is digital x-rays, which are a staple in dental practices all over the country. We at Kidz Connextion Dental & Braces in Phoenix, AZ, are always looking to stay up to date with the latest technology, products, and treatments. Digital x-rays allow dentists to look more closely at your teeth than ever before!

A digital x-ray takes an image of your teeth and puts it into an imaging program. With special tools exclusive to this imaging program, your dedicated dentist can take a closer look at your teeth with impeccable accuracy. Digital x-rays emit 80% less radiation than a standard x-ray since they are actually sensitive to radiation. This is a great benefit since the patient is exposed to less radiation. Digital x-rays can be classified as intraoral (inside the mouth) or extraoral (outside the mouth), though intraoral x-rays are the most commonly taken.

Intraoral x-rays allow us to:

- Observe the status of developing teeth
- Monitor tooth health
- Look at the tooth roots
- Find cavities
- Check the health of the bony area around the tooth
- Determine if there are signs of periodontal disease

We are happy to address any questions or concerns you might have. Kidz Connextion Dental & Braces has three separate offices in the Phoenix, AZ, area for your convenience. For more information about our services or to schedule an appointment, please visit kidzconnextion.com. You can also call 623-232-0749 for our N. 75th Ave. office, 480-666-5984 for the N. 24th St. office, and 480-405-4714 for the E. Baseline Rd. office.

Intraoral Cameras

The Kidz Connextion Dental Care clinics in Phoenix feature the latest technology for diagnosing children’s dental problems and planning their treatment. Among them is the intraoral camera. Promoted as improving patient compliance in adults, the intraoral camera is not only an advanced tool for observation, in a pediatric clinic it allows parents to participate more fully in making medical decisions for their child.

Intraoral cameras are long, thin, handheld devices which can be moved within a patient’s mouth to provide a full view. They come with their own LEDs, so the high-resolution images they produce are in real color, despite showing areas of the mouth which are nearly always dark. The images are transmitted to screens in our office, allowing doctors, patients, and caregivers to see the same thing, which makes dentist appointments more interesting for children and aids in communication between adults.

That the intraoral camera produces digital images also allows us to make use of the suite of software we have available for recording and predicting changes in children’s mouths. Other tools, such as x-rays, are still necessary for a full diagnostic, but the intraoral camera is one of the best tools yet developed for surface-level observation.

Kidz Connextion Dental Care maintains offices around Phoenix. To find out more, visit our website at KidzConnextion.com.

 

Electric Toothbrushes

At Kidz Connextion Dental Care, a lot of our educational efforts are devoted to the importance of twice daily brushing. However, it is undeniable that there are a lot of children who struggle with this. Recently, manufacturers of electric toothbrushes have ramped up their marketing to children, so we thought we’d provide an overview of the pros and cons.

Many of the new electric toothbrushes incorporate smartphone apps. While the ones aimed at adults tend to provide direct feedback on brushing technique, those aimed at children mostly offer encouragement or provide them with a game to play which is designed to ensure that they are brushing for the right length of time. Apps such as those made by Oral B and Kolibree can be adjusted by parents to provide children with rewards.

Electric toothbrushes are expensive and offer very little added benefit to people who brush properly for two full minutes during each session. But in people who for whatever reason don’t learn the right motions or can’t maintain them for a long time, electric toothbrushes bring a marked improvement in oral hygiene. They don’t require the patient to brush for nearly as long as normal toothbrushes do, and are more forgiving of a user with undeveloped or compromised manual dexterity.

Kidz Connextion Dental Care maintains offices around Phoenix. To find out more, visit our website at KidzConnextion.com.