The days of middle school and high school "metal mouth" are all but gone, thanks to a host of new, more aesthetic and fashion-conscious options for straightening your teeth. In the "old days," students that needed orthodontic work were faced with only one option - metal mouth.

But thanks to innovations in technology and the recent wave of celebrities undergoing treatment, orthodontics may be becoming cool.

A Healthy Smile is now more attainable for TEENS.

Students today have more options than ever before, from traditional metal braces and colored bands to less noticeable clear and ceramic brackets - or the truly high-tech, removable option Invisalign.

Invisalign is a method of straightening teeth using a series of clear, almost invisible, removable Aligners. Invisalign combines the doctor's clinical treatment plan with proprietary 3-D, computer-generated software to make these sets of unique, custom-made Aligners that move teeth in very precise increments.

Care Credit is running a 24 month interest FREE promotion for teens who want to do Invisalign. Most Dental Insurances have orthodontic coverage up to age 19 which can be used toward Invisalign. Call (781) 828-4568 or e-mail us at appointments@dreamsmiledental.com to find out how you can start Invisalign with small interest FREE monthly payments.

The Las Vegas Institute of Advanced Dental Studies (www.lvidocs.com) is giving away a $20,000 dream smile makeover!

To play, schedule a records visit at Dream Smile Dental and fill out the LVI entry form. A $99 records fee will be due if records are not covered by your dental insurance.

Contest ends March 31st 2009 and winner will be announced by LVI on March 31st 2009.

Call (781) 828-4568 or e-mail appointments@dreamsmiledental.com

In October, Keri Getchell and Tracey Damon, two of our Dental Assistants, volunteered their time to share their dental knowledge with the students at the South Elementary School in Stoughton. They presented to most of the grade levels, showing the students proper oral care. With multiple hands-on experiments, they taught the children correct brushing and flossing techniques, reviewed nutritional food choices, and showed them dental instruments.

We thank Donna Kaplan, RN, the South School's nurse, for allowing us to come in and speak with the children!

DSD and the Children of the Community

The CHIP program includes the following: videotaping, a brief interview is worth a thousand still photos! This captures appearance, speech, mannerisms and other important characteristics of a child; fingerprinting, a well known means of identification; DNA Swab, a special swab is used to painlessly remove a few living cells from the inner cheeks of the child; Toothprints, teeth, like fingerprints, are unique. Even in a child who is loosing and gaining teeth, a dental imprint gives both accurate and important information for identification purposes.

Both Keri and Meaghan assisted in taking DNA Swabs and Toothprints on about 75 children!

The Impacts of Cancer Treatment on Oral Health;
What to do to Prevent it.

Many patients undergoing treatment for cancer are unaware that there are side effects which can have a long term impact on their oral health. The good news is that these complications can be prevented. We have seen this clinically in a number of cases and want to let everyone know what can be done about this.

An estimated 400,000 of the 1.2 million Americans diagnosed with cancer each year may develop painful and debilitating oral complications from their cancer treatment and it is important to schedule a thorough oral examination within 2 weeks before beginning cancer therapy. Your dentist , dental hygienist and oncologist can work together before and during treatment to prevent damage that can occur during chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Cancer therapy such as radiation and chemotherapy may cause complications including dry mouth, sensitive lesions in the oral cavity, hypersensitive teeth, rapid tooth decay and difficulty swallowing.

Some Helpful Tips you can use on your own are:

Many patients undergoing therapy may discover that they cannot tolerate the flavor of their regular toothpaste. If this happens to you, you can try another flavor that will not irritate the mouth tissues.