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Problems to Watch for in Growing Children Malocclusions (“bad bites") like those illustrated below m nefit from early diagosis id referral to an orthodontic specialist for a full evaluation. Deep Bite Under Bite Spacing Protrusion In addition: + early or late loss of baby teeth + mouth breathing if i ing or biting . ifficultie make sounds * grinding or clenching of the teeth + biting the cheek or the roof of the mouth things like teeth grinding or mouth breathing will lead them to recommend taking your child for an orthodontic. checkup.” For those children who need braces, the commitment begins around 13 years of age. Dr. Boyko points out “This is where patient management begins. My job is to keep the patient interested in treatment. No matter what | do though, it is my patients who have to maintain the work that is done. | can motivate and direct but a patient has to be an active participant in the procedure. A committed patient who follows all the rules of oral hygiene will end up getting the best Its. Braces put an orthodontist and a patient through a four to five year commitment, with appointments generally every 3 to 4 weeks. Like general dentistry and other medical areas, having braces today is not nearly as daunting as it was 25 years ago. Braces today compared to 25 years ago are a completely different experience, for both me and the patient. The whole physical process is pain free and there are no needles.” Dr. Boyko adds with a small laugh, “The patient suffers more in the waiting room, anticipating the Bepoinient than they do when they ons i is not to say that braces 04. APRIL 2012.82 finalindd 19 are an uncomfortable experience. The bulk of the discomfort comes in time as the braces put pressure on the teeth and begins to move them around; these adjustments may have minimal discomfort but it's kind of like going to the gym when you haven't been for awhile. You ache the next day because you are out of shape. Your mouth will be tender as your teeth move but then, like a few days after the gym, you will be fine.” When asked what the most gratifying part of his work as an orthodontist is, Dr. Boyko replies, “the most rewarding thing for me is. that the work we do gets seen every day. People smile. It's not important that anyone knows | was involved, but the fact that people can see our work as orthodontist's every day is. a great reward.” Dr. Boyko adds that there are other factors that bring him professional pride; “Many patients gain a great deal of self-esteem when their teeth are fixed. A child comes in and you notice they cover their mouth when they speak, then gradually this lessens when results can be seen. Over time they become happier, brighter and prone to smiling widely, often. With some children, their personalities really change.” Dr. Boyko says it is never too late to get orthodontic treatment. Some of the children he has treated over the years have been succeeded by their parents getting long sought-after care. People are living longer and generally have had better dental care than the previous generation. There are more adults in their 40s and 50s who will keep their own teeth way beyond what used to be the norm and they want to invest in the health of their teeth. For professionals like Dr. Boyko, the social acceptability of braces, the emphasis on preventive treatment and problems caught through early detection are only a few of the reasons he continues to practice with Port Perry Dental Associates. 462 Paxton Street, Port Perry Located across from the hospital in the Medical Associates building Pete Te | 905-985-8459 EVENING APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE FOCUS - APRIL 2012 19 12-08-19 9:32 AM