Home Truths About Teeth

From a parent’s point of view, what would we like for the dental future of our own family?

Our role

As parents, we are the managers of our family’s health, education, transportation and budget. The rising cost of living requires wise investment of finances. Many people may now question the value of health services, particularly when no symptoms are apparent.

It would be wonderful to have a lifetime of healthy, beautiful teeth that don’t require any expensive maintenance. The truth is that teeth are calcified tissues with little ability to repair themselves, thus requiring regular, but usually simple attention. Without regular care, problems are often not detected until it is too late.

A reliable dentist can educate you regarding how to care for your family’s dental health.

Regular check-ups permit the early detection of emerging dental problems. Did you know that your children can be checked by both the School Dental Service (QLD Health) as well as your own private dentist? This can get your family double the supervision and second opinions with no additional cost.

Prevention is the name of the game

Think prevention and take care of your mouth, rather than fixing problems only as they occur. However, prevention requires knowledge that is best provided by your dental professionals.

Baby teeth are very important as they help maintain adequate space for the future adult teeth. Consider them to be the ‘practice’ set before the “permanent” set arrives (i.e. the teeth you need to keep for LIFE!). Why not develop good habits from when that first tooth erupts?

The negative effects of sugars, dietary acids, and smoking are well understood. However, there must also be a commitment to regular and thorough dental maintenance. Once decay and gum disease develops, there may be no easy fix. No filling material is as good as healthy tooth structure or healthy gum tissue.

Where it can all go wrong

When problems arise, a sound longterm plan is required. Dentists are trained to provide staged solutions as part of an overall plan. So what can go wrong? Patients often take the smorgasbord approach (i.e. taking only what they like and leaving the rest), which can end up contributing to a bigger and more expensive problem later on.

Health should come before cosmetics. What use are beautiful teeth if they don’t function well or prematurely fall out? Ensure that every treatment option is explained well, including their respective risks, benefits, initial and ongoing costs.

Orthodontic treatment can be both expensive and complicated. Specialist Orthodontists can provide the most appropriate options and treatment. A weekend course can only teach the basics. Pre-school learning is no substitute for another twelve years of education. The bitterness of poor treatment outcomes lasts far longer than the sweet taste of a cheap deal.

Dr Paul Hanrahan, Orthodontist

Paul Hanrahan is a dentist and a registered Specialist Orthodontist. He works in Townsville’s only private specialist orthodontic practice. As a member of the Australian, European and American Orthodontic Societies in addition to the ASO Foundation for Research and Education, he is aware of all the latest orthodontic theories, but has chosen to use only evidence-based treatments for his patients.

Townsville Orthodontic Specialists 17 Martinez Avenue West End 4775 4433 www.tsvortho.com.au