Talking mouth guards with Dr. Zammitti

Let’s face it: sports-related injuries are common among children, let alone teens with braces. In a recent survey, the American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO, discovered that 70 percent of parents said their biggest worry is that their child will get hurt while playing sports. That’s why Dr. Zammitti and our team are helping spread the word that many facial sports injuries can be prevented simply by reminding your kids to wear mouth guards. Ask us—Dr. Zammitti will provide a mouth guard for any patient in active treatment. In addition, the AAO has provided the following tips for keeping your kids safe on the field. Please remind them to:

• Wear mouth guards during contact sports
• Wear a helmet
• Stretch before and after a game or practice
• Wear protective eye wear
• Wear a face shield to avoid scratched or bruised skin
• Be observant even as a spectator

All of these can reduce injuries. Only by using a mouth guard and other forms of facial protection can kids with and without braces avoid serious sports injuries. Be sure to avoid mouth guards that custom form to your teeth as these will resist any tooth movements Dr. Zammitti is trying to achieve.

Give us a call if you have any questions about mouth guards or your treatment at Zammitti Orthodontics.

The great social media adventure, with Zammitti Orthodontics

At Zammitti Orthodontics, we love social media and we LOVE communicating with our patients online, whether it’s by sharing news on our blog or communicating ideas on our Facebook fan page. For social media to work, conversation is vital, and that’s why we invite you to join in and tell us what’s on your mind. Although social media is hugely popular these days, it is unpredictable and ever-changing.

While Dr. Zammitti and our team are taking a little time to research how to best use social media, we thought we’d ask you, our loyal patients: How would you like us to use our social networks? What would you like us to share? Send us your thoughts or give us a call!

Dr. Zammitti wants to know: What do you love about our community?

Zammitti Orthodontics, located in Concord and serving Charlotte and surrounding cities, is situated around some pretty special neighborhoods. Each is unique with its own personality, created by the people and places (and Dr. Zammitti's amazing patients) living within.

Today, Dr. Zammitti and our team thought we'd ask: What are your favorite things about Concord, Charlotte or surrounding communities? Is there a local event you attend every year? Do you have a favorite eatery? Perhaps a favorite North Carolina getaway?

Please feel free to share some information about your favorite local hang-outs in Concord or Cabarrus County, and everything you love best about “your neck of the woods.” And, who knows, Dr. Zammitti and team just might post your response on our social networks!

Ask Dr. Zammitti: When are two phases of treatment necessary?

Usually patients in orthodontic treatment with Dr. Zammitti already have their permanent teeth – they are pre-teens, teens and adults. But in some cases Dr. Zammitti and team have to start treatment earlier, even before the patient’s permanent teeth come in. Dr. Zammitti calls this the “two-phase treatment.”

When we have patients at Zammitti Orthodontics with clear developmental problems at an early age, it’s best to start work when they are young, before the problems get bigger and more difficult to treat.

Examples include:
• An upper or lower jaw that is not growing correctly
• A mouth growing in a way that doesn’t leave enough room for all the permanent teeth to come in
• A severe malocclusion, or bad bite, which means the jaw doesn’t fit together correctly

In these cases we will start early and do one round of treatment – phase one – while the patient still has their baby teeth. Phase one usually does not involve braces, but can include a different type of appliance that helps the jaw grow into place properly. We’ll follow up with phase two usually a few years later, when permanent teeth are in place. Generally phase two involves standard braces.

In order to catch early problems, the team at Zammitti Orthodontics recommend that children have an orthodontic check-up no later than age seven (and so does the American Association of Orthodontics). However, if your dentist or pediatrician sees any sign that early treatment might be necessary, he or she may recommend your child visit our office even sooner. The major advantage of a two-phase treatment is to maximize the opportunity to accomplish the ideal healthy, functional, esthetic result that will remain stable throughout your life.

Enjoy your weekend!

Dr. Zammitti and team want to know: What are you doing in January?

BRRRR! It may still be a little chilly in Charlotte, but can you believe we’re only a couple of months away from spring? Dr. Zammitti and our team at Zammitti Orthodontics want to know: What are you doing in January? What have you accomplished this year? Are you keeping up with your New Year’s Resolution? Any big mid-winter break plans? Anything exciting going on in your life?

If you have any photos or videos that you would like to share with us, please send them our way or call our office and ask how! We love hearing from our patients!

Have a great weekend!

Ask Dr. Zammitti: Is Invisalign® really customized for each patient?

Remember our Invisalign Teen post last week? We wrote that it "gives you a whole new way to wear braces for a "clearly" amazing smile." Today, we thought we'd remind you Dr. Zammitti is a certified Invisalign provider. The great thing about Invisalign is, it's customized for just about anybody!

To find out if you are the right candidate for Invisalign treatment, the first thing Dr. Zammitti does is take an impression of your teeth as they are now and digitize it. Using special software, we look at the current positioning of your teeth and compare it to the way your teeth should look.

Next we use special software to map out the exact path your teeth will take from the beginning of your treatment to the end. Based on the results, a set of custom aligners are created just for your teeth. Throughout the course of treatment, you will be required to wear these clear, removable aligners one at a time; each one moving your teeth closer and closer to their final, perfectly aligned position. And since the aligners are virtually invisible, nobody around you will even know you are wearing braces!

To find out if you are a candidate for Invisalign treatment, give us a call!

The advantage of Invisalign Teen™ at Zammitti Orthodontics

Dr. Zammitti and our team know image is everything. At an age when image is so important, the thought of having metal brackets and wires constantly attached to teeth may intensify the already-delicate confidence of today's teens. But... not to worry! There is a clear alternative to traditional braces! The team at Zammitti Orthodontics thought we'd remind you that Invisalign Teen™ gives you a whole new way to wear braces for a "clearly" amazing smile!

For many teens, Invisalign Teen offers a trouble-free, clear alternative to traditional braces; and not only that, but it offers them the chance to have straight teeth without losing self-confidence!

So how does Invisalign Teen work? Invisalign Teen works in the same way as Invisalign, but with a few added characteristics tailored specifically to teenagers’ lifestyles. For instance, Invisalign Teen is designed with “compliance indicators” that fade from dark to light during the two week period that particular tray is used and once it has faded teens know to change trays. Each aligner comes with up to six free individual replacement aligners in case the original aligner ends up lost or broken. Another big benefit for the patient!

The treatment period for Invisalign Teen varies from nine to 18 months. If your teen is considering orthodontic treatment, please contact us and we’ll answer any questions you may have about Invisalign Teen.