Absolutely not! Orthodontic treatment for adults is becoming more and more common. In fact, the number of adults getting braces has actually climbed 24 percent since 1996! More adults than ever are realizing that orthodontic treatment is not just for kids, and can help improve the aesthetics and health of a smile of any age! In a society where appearance matters and can help make the difference between getting a job or a promotion, adults are choosing wisely to invest in orthodontic treatment.

Some of the most common reasons our adult patients come to us considering orthodontic treatment include:

• Teeth that are crowded or spaced apart, sometimes as a result of tooth decay or gum disease
• Pain or pressure from crooked teeth or a misaligned jaw
• A bad bite or malocclusion, causing teeth to fit together incorrectly

Most of all though, adult patients come to our office seeking a healthier mouth and a more confident smile! Orthodontic treatment at our office can be successful at any age, and adults especially can appreciate the benefits of a beautiful smile.

As an adult patient, we recognize that you have different needs than our younger patients, and we will work with you to ensure you receive the most appropriate treatment and that your needs are met with understanding and respect from us.

If you’ve been thinking about getting that perfect smile, we would love to have you visit for a consultation. We understand you have a busy schedule, and will work with you to find a time that is convenient for you. Please visit our website or give our office a call to schedule your appointment today!

With the arrival of your little one, it’s important to prepare for the arrival of their first tooth. Even before your child’s first tooth appears, his or her gums can benefit from your careful attention. After breast- or bottle-feeding, wrap your finger with a damp washcloth and gently rub across your baby’s gums. This will also reinforce the habit of brushing after eating as your baby grows up.

Your baby’s first tooth will make its grand entrance at about six months, and the rest of the primary teeth will come in during the next three years. When the first tooth erupts, it's time to upgrade to a baby toothbrush. There are usually two options: a long-handled toothbrush that you and your baby can hold at the same time, and a finger-puppet-like brush that fits over the tip of your pointer finger. In each case the bristles are soft and few. At this stage, toothpaste isn't necessary; just dip the brush in water before brushing.

When a few more teeth appear, you can start using toothpaste with your child's brush. However, for the first two years, be sure to choose toothpaste that does not contain fluoride, unless advised to do so otherwise. From the beginning, have your little one practice spitting the toothpaste out after brushing to prepare him or her for fluoride toothpaste, which should not be swallowed at any age.

Be sure to schedule an appointment within six months of when your child’s first tooth comes in, and no later than your child’s first birthday. Early dental visits are the foundation for a lifetime of good oral health. The earlier the dental visit, the better the chance of preventing dental disease and helping your child build a cavity-free smile.

Spring is in the air! As you probably know, you can always connect with us on our Facebook page, but we invite you to please contact our office with any updates to phone numbers and addresses, so that we may be able to reach you.

We also encourage you to call us and let us know if you have any new phone numbers or if your contact information has changed!

Thank you! Have a great week!

Keeping your child’s teeth in the best possible condition will help them maintain optimum oral health for the rest of their lives. When brushing and flossing isn’t enough, we may suggest placing a dental sealant on your child’s teeth. Children who have dental sealants can decrease their chance of tooth decay by 60%! Sealants are a safe, effective way to ensure your child’s dental health for years to come.

Dental sealants work by providing a protective shield over the tiny grooves and depressions found on the chewing surfaces of teeth. While brushing and flossing is still essential even if your child has a sealant, this coating will help vulnerable areas from tooth decay by "sealing out" plaque and food.

If we think a sealant would be a good option for your child, a simple office visit is all it takes. One of our friendly dental hygienists or assistants will thoroughly clean your child’s teeth before applying the white or clear liquid-plastic material to the tooth’s surface. Sealants can protect teeth from decay for up to ten years, but they need to be checked for chipping or wearing at your child’s regular checkups with Dr. Steven Demetriou.

When you have braces, your wires will need to be replaced with new ones regularly. It is the slow, steady pressure placed on your teeth that move them into their desired positions, so these adjustments are a vital aspect of your treatment. We have set out a specific treatment plan to achieve your optimal results, and keeping up with your appointments will allow your treatment to be completed in the predicted amount of time.

Scheduling your adjustments sooner than planned may result in more pain and discomfort, because your teeth haven’t been allowed to settle into their new positions properly. Skipping appointments or scheduling them farther apart will result in a much longer treatment time. Visiting our office regularly will also allow us to answer any questions you may have, check for damaged appliances, and monitor your progress.

Our team at the office of Dr. Steven Demetriou wants to know: Will you be wearing your green this Saturday? Whether Irish or not, millions of people around the world celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with toasts, parades and “the wearing of the green.” Here are some fun facts about St. Patty’s Day we know you will enjoy:

• St. Patrick’s Day is observed on March 17th because that is the feast day of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. It is also a worldwide celebration of Irish culture and history.

• The name “lephrechaun” has several origins. It could be from the Irish Gaelic word “leipreachan,” which means “a kind of aqueous sprite.” Or, it could be from “leath bhrogan,” which simply means “shoemaker.”

• Some American towns have Irish names. They include: Shamrock Lakes, Indiana; Shamrock, Oklahoma; Shamrock, Texas; Dublin, California and Dublin, Ohio and Mount Gay-Shamrock, West Virginia

• Despite what you may have heard, St. Patrick never banished snakes from Ireland. In fact, no snakes exist or ever existed in Ireland. Ireland is surrounded by icy ocean waters, much too cold to allow snakes to migrate from Britain or anywhere else.

• St. Patrick’s Day was first celebrated in America in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1737. Approximately 34 million Americans claim Irish ancestry. That’s almost nine times the population of Ireland, which has 4.1 million people.

If you have something special planned for St. Patrick’s Day, let us know by posting a comment on our Facebook page.

With the weather getting warmer and the days getting longer, most children will be transitioning to new activities, many of them outdoors. Unfortunately, this is also a time when accidents and injuries occur.

It is important for children to always wear helmets when bicycling, skateboarding and scootering. To prevent dental injuries, mouth guards are recommended for these activities and also for most sports.

The office of Dr. Steven Demetriou office will be more than happy to assist in the selection of mouth guards based on your child’s age and activities. Just give our Tewkbury office a call!

Great question!

If you are brushing and flossing daily during your orthodontic treatment with, we think that’s great! But, don’t forget that it’s also important for you to visit your general dentist every 3-to-6 months in addition to brushing your teeth and flossing (and visiting our office, of course). Regular dental checkups are important for maintaining good oral health, especially during orthodontic treatment.

Tooth decay, which is caused by sugars left in your mouth, can turn into an acid, which in turn can break down your teeth. Children are at high risk for tooth decay because adolescents tend to be lax in their oral hygiene habits. Proper brushing and flossing routines, combined with regular dental visits, help keep tooth decay away.

If you have any questions, please be sure to ask our team during your next adjustment appointment, or ask us on Facebook!

When you get braces at Dr. Steven Demetriou's office there are a few things you’ll have to adjust to get optimal results in the shortest amount of time. If you have any questions about the “do’s and don’ts” of living with braces, feel free to ask Dr. Steven Demetriou or any member of our staff during your next adjustment!

Eating

When you have braces, there are a few types of food that can damage your brackets and bend your wires, leading to more appointments and longer treatment times. By simply avoiding sticky, chewy, crunchy, and hard foods, as well as foods that require biting into like corn on the cob, your orthodontic experience will be much easier.

Cleaning

You’ll never believe the amount of food that can get stuck between your braces when you eat. In addition to causing bad breath and tooth decay, it looks pretty gross, too. It’s so important to brush your teeth after every meal and floss every day, and even though it’s kind of a hassle, it’ll all be worth it in the end.

Sports

Protecting your smile if you play sports is essential when you have braces. Mouthguards help protect your teeth and gums from injury. Dr. Steven Demetriou can create a custom mouthguard just for you if you plan on participating in any kind of contact sport!

Valentine’s Day is here and there is a lot of candy making the rounds this week. It’s once again time to remind all our patients to be extra careful when choosing those candies and treats!

All those sweet, sour and sticky candies may taste great, but these treats are known to damage teeth, as well as braces if you’re wearing them! Did you know sour candies can be acidic to your teeth, and actually wear down the enamel that protects them? This can cause tooth decay and cavities! Sour and fruity candy, such as Starburst and Skittles, are the worst for your teeth since these candies have a low pH value, which is known to ruin enamel.

We recommend softer treats, such as soft chocolate or peanut butter cups, or melt-in-your-mouth foods. Those who indulge should make sure they brush and floss between teeth, as well as at the gum line.

Happy Valentine’s Day from all of us at Dr. Steven Demetriou's office!

Grind, grind, grind. If you live with a teeth grinder, you may be familiar with this unpleasant sound. Did you know teeth grinding, or bruxism, is common in children as well? In fact, three out of 10 kids grind or clench their teeth, usually in response to losing teeth, jaw growth or other discomforts, such as allergies or infections. Teeth grinding is typically a passing phenomena as most kids outgrow it by the time they reach their teenage years. An important thing to remember is that kids frequently grind their teeth in response to stress, and taking measures to reduce or eliminate stress can help solve the problem.

The first step of recovering from teeth grinding is noticing the problem. Symptoms of teeth grinding include:

• Sensitivity in the teeth
• Tightness or pain in the jaw
• Dull headaches, earaches, or facial pain
• Chipped, worn down, or loose teeth

If your child is a teeth grinder, we may be able to help. Please give us a call or ask Dr. Steven Demetriou and team on Facebook!

For the past 62 Februaries, the American Dental Association, or ADA, has sponsored National Children's Dental Health Month to raise awareness about the importance of oral health. National Children's Dental Health Month began as a one-day event in 1941 in a Cleveland clinic. In 1981, however, the program was extended to a month-long celebration known today as National Children’s Dental Health Month.

Each February, Dr. Steven Demetriou and thousands of dental professionals focus on the preventive oral care of America's children. Dr. Demetriou and our staff want you to remember developing good habits at an early age and scheduling regular dental visits helps children get a good start on a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums. Has your child visited our office the past six months? If not, it’s time to give us a call and schedule an appointment!

While Dr. Demetriou and our team strive to offer a comfortable experience for all our patients, we realize that fear or anxiety while visiting the dentist can affect a lot of people anyway. For patients who need extra comfort and relaxation during their dental visit, we are pleased to offer sedation dentistry.

Does your child feel nervous or stressed about their upcoming dental treatment? Well they are not alone; in fact, almost 30 percent of the population experiences "dental phobia" when faced with visiting the dentist!

The reasons for patients' fear of the dentist can be numerous, but are usually due to a traumatic experience during their childhood. This overwhelming anxiety can cause one to avoid modern dental care, resulting in poor oral hygiene and possible mouth-related issues such as gum disease.

If your child experiences one or more of the following, they could benefit from sedation dentistry:

* High fear of dental care
* Complex dental problems
* Traumatic dental experiences
* Fear of needles and shots
* Trouble getting numb
* Sensitive teeth

If your child suffers from a dental phobia, sedation dentistry may be the answer. Please give us a call for more info about sedation dentistry, and we'll be more than happy to answer your questions.

Even if you brush and floss daily, it is still important to see us at Dr. Demetriou's office every 6 months, or as recommended.

Why?

• We can detect and treat tooth and gum problems that you may have never felt or noticed.
• Even thorough daily oral care may not be enough to prevent cavities and oral decay.
• Frequent visits can allow us to treat a problem early to prevent future complications.

If you are overdue for an appointment with us, please give us a call today!

-- Dr. Demetriou & Team

With winter sports under way for a lot of our patients, Dr. Demetriou thought it would be a good time to remind our young athletes wearing braces to take care of both their mouth and appliances while participating in contact sports (and non-contact sports) this winter.

More than half of the seven million sports and recreation-related injuries that occur each year are sustained by youth between ages 5 and 24. Sixty-seven percent of parents say their child does not wear a mouth guard, yet, 70 percent say their biggest fear when their child plays is that they will get hurt. Despite the risks, many kids are still not wearing mouth guards and facial protection during games and practices.

Many people think a mouth guard is effective just to protect your teeth. But research has shown mouth guards can also reduce lower jaw impact that causes concussions and other dental injuries. Our staff at Dr. Demetriou's office encourage you to head over to the American Association of Orthodontists’ website for a quick primer on the importance of mouth guards and facial protection.

We hope this helps you remember to always wear a mouth guard and other forms of protective gear when participating in fall sports! We encourage you to give us a call if you have any questions or ask us on Facebook!

Lots of you have asked us about whether it’s healthy for children to suck thumbs (or, less frequently, fingers). If you’ve got a thumb-sucker in the house, you are not alone. Research tells us that between 75% and 95% of infants suck their thumbs.

Is this anything to worry about? In most cases, probably not. Sucking is a natural reflex for an infant, and can provide security and contentment as well as relaxation for your little one. It’s a habit that most kids grow out of between the ages of two and four.

However, if your child keeps sucking after he’s gotten his permanent teeth, it’s time to take a closer look. If your child sucks his thumb aggressively, putting pressure on the inside of his mouth or his teeth, it could cause problems with tooth alignment and proper mouth growth. If you’re worried, give us a call and we will help assess the situation, and provide tips for how to help your child break the habit.

We have been excited about our new dental software which we installed this spring. It has allowed us to be more efficient when treating patients and consulting with parents. Furthermore, it integrates with another software program that allows us to communicate with parents via email and text messaging.

We are also pleased to announce that starting January 5th, 2012, we will be open Thursdays at 8:00 a.m. in order to accommodate our patients that would like to have treatment done before going to school or before parents go to work for the day.

If you need to schedule your next visit with Dr. Demetriou, give our office a call!

At the office of Dr. Steven Demetriou, we are excited to now have available the Delight Hard Tissue Laser.

This technology allows us to treat several types of decay without the need for local anesthesia. In addition to sterilizing the cavity preparation, the laser also results in conservative preparations and the preservation of more healthy tooth structure.

To top it all off, patients are happy to leave the office without being numb. They face no restrictions regarding eating and drinking. Parents do not have to worry about their children accidentally biting their lips or cheeks since they are not numb.

Learn more about the Delight Hard Tissue Laser during your next visit to our Tewksbury office. If you need to schedule your next appointment with Dr. Demetriou, give our office a call.

Dr. Steven Demetriou and our team at the office of Dr. Steven C. Demetriou want to know: what do your winter plans look like? Do you have any plans for an exciting family vacation? Are you hanging out around town? Catching up on sleep? Spending time with friends? Let us know!

Please feel free to share your exciting winter plans and experiences with us here or on our Facebook page! We would like to wish all of our patients and their families a safe and fun holiday season!

Happy holidays from all of us at the office of Dr. Steven C. Demetriou! As you probably know, you can always connect with Dr. Demetriou and our team on our Facebook page, but we also encourage you to call us and let us know if you have any new phone numbers or if your contact information has changed!

Please contact our office with any updates to phone numbers and addresses, so that we may be able to reach you. Thank you!

Many of our team members at Dr. Demetriou's office found going to the dentist to be fun and exciting when they we were young. We were fascinated by all the instruments and equipment, however, we understand not all children feel this way.

Most of the apprehensive feelings children have about going to the dentist are inadvertently received from their parents. We encourage parents to try and make going to the dentist as low key as possible. Tell your child that they will get their teeth counted and polished. Avoid using words like hurt and pain.

Once you arrive at our office, allow our dental staff to explain the procedures to your child. They'll use terms that the child will understand and will also try to put them at ease. By using the technique of “tell, show, do” the dental staff will make your child's dental visit a positive and fun one!

If you have questions about your child dental visit, give our Tewksbury office a call.

During this time of year, we are reminded of the importance of giving back and helping those who are in need. Our team is currently active in several local charitable organizations. Dr. Demetriou donates to the House of Hope, which is one of the largest and best-respected family shelters in the state of Massachusetts. Two of our staff members, Jenn Meyers and Rachel Garland, are also very involved with the Community Outreach Circle of Friends; Rachel is the Vice President and Jenn is the Treasurer. We recently completed our donation drive for Community Outreach Circle of Friends where we were one of the drop off locations that collected items for Catie's Closet, The Wish Project, and Household Goods Recycling of Massachusetts. During the holiday season, we also work with Children’s Services of Roxbury to help grant wishes to children who are in foster care. For this program, we are supplied a list of names and wishes for each child and between Dr. Demetriou, our staff, and the generosity of our parents we are able to grant wishes for underprivileged children.

How do you give back to your community? We would love to hear your stories. Post a comment below or on our Facebook page.