Since 2008, Roseman Dental & Orthodontics has been collaborating with Nevada Early Intervention Services and the Southern Nevada Cleft Palate & Craniofacial Team that helps children born with cleft lip and palate. This team is the only cleft lip/palate craniofacial team in Southern Nevada.
Roseman Dental & Orthodontics’ orthodontic residents and faculty volunteer at the monthly clinic held at the Nevada Early Intervention Services office. The Clinic provides children up to the age of 18 and their families with a comprehensive approach and management of care which includes diagnosis, recommended treatment, psychosocial support and more all at no cost. Those served include children with cleft lip and/or cleft palate and other cranio conditions, craniofacial abnormalities, and congenital anomalies.
Additionally, Roseman Dental & Orthodontics has initiated a new approach to cleft treatment – the Nasoalveolar molding or NAM – in conjunction with a plastic surgeon that minimizes the effects of surgery and maximizes the innate growth potential of the children, leading to fewer surgeries over their lifetime.
Roseman Dental & Orthodontics has been performing NAMs at its Nevada location since 2012. Roseman Dental & Orthodontics’ NAM team consists of all the medical specialists necessary for a child’s care and development including pediatric dentists, plastic surgeons, pediatricians, ENT, audiologists, nutritionists, and speech pathologists.
What is Nasoalveolar Molding (NAM)?
NAM is a nonsurgical way to reshape the gums, lip, and nostrils with a plastic plate before cleft lip and palate surgery. Pre-surgery molding may decrease the number of surgeries a child needs because it makes the cleft less severe. A NAM is used mainly for children with large or wide clefts and has greatly changed cleft repair.
It reduces the cleft inside the mouth.
It reduces the gap in the upper lip.
It lifts and narrows the nose.
Surgery takes place after the molding is complete when the child is around age four to six months.
Previously, a child with a large cleft needed many surgeries between birth and age 18, putting the child at risk for psychological and social challenges. The first surgery pulled the lip together, the second improved the position of the lip, two more would shape the nose, then another — often including a bone graft — would close the palate, and so on.
With a NAM, orthodontists at Roseman Dental can reduce a large cleft in the months before surgery. A NAM also improves the shape and position of the lip and nose. With a smaller cleft, there is less tension when the surgeon closes the cleft. Molding the lip and nose in advance can mean less reshaping is needed during surgery. With a better result from the first surgery, a child may need fewer surgeries later in childhood.
How does a NAM work?
NAM works by gently directing the growth of a baby’s gums and the shape of their nose during the first few months after birth, when these tissues are soft and easy to mold.
Parents work with orthodontists at Roseman Dental during NAM therapy. Just days after the baby is born, the orthodontist fits the baby with a custom molding plate that looks like a retainer issued after braces. The baby wears the molding plate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including when they are feeding. The plate is held in place using denture adhesive. Medical tape is then placed from cheek to cheek over the cleft to help mold the bones inside the mouth as well as the lips. Parents, taught by the orthodontists, change the tape and clean the molding plate at home as needed (usually three to four times each day).
Every one to two weeks, the orthodontist makes small changes to the shape of the molding plate to guide the baby’s gums as they grow. Each visit takes about 40 to 60 minutes.
As the tape is closing the bones, a metal prong with a soft material covering inserts into the nose to form the molding plate. This post (called a nasal stent) slides easily into the baby’s nostril. It slowly lifts up the nose and shapes the nostril on the side of the cleft. This stent is removed approximately one week before the lip and nose repair surgery.
How does a NAM feel for the baby?
The molding plate and nasal stent are not painful. After getting used to the plate for a few days, many babies seem happier wearing it than they did without it. This may happen because the plate acts as a palate (roof of the mouth). It keeps your baby’s tongue from pushing into the cleft, making feeding easier for the baby. Without a NAM, infants have a very difficult time feeding.
See recent Las Vegas Review-Journal article about one of Roseman Dental & Orthodontics’ patients by clicking HERE.
If you are expecting a baby with cleft palate or lip, or know someone that needs help, please contact our Nevada location, Roseman Dental & Orthodontics, at 702-968-5222.
Cavities are one of the world’s most common health problems – especially in children, teenagers, and older adults. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 52 percent of children have a cavity in their primary teeth and 57 percent of teenagers have a cavity in their permanent teeth. Additionally, a whopping 90 percent of adults over the age of 20 have had a least one cavity.
A cavity can lead to serious complications if left untreated. Therefore, it’s essential to practice good oral and dental hygiene habits, identify potential signs, and receive proper timely treatment.
What is a Cavity?
A cavity, also known as tooth decay, occurs when the buildup of food and bacteria go untreated and turn into plaque. The bacteria created by plaque produces an acid that attacks and breaks down the enamel on the surface of teeth. When this process takes place within your mouth, it forms holes in the teeth and can cause severe complications if left untreated.
There are three types of cavities – coronal, root, and recurrent decay. A coronal cavity is the most common form of cavity and is located on the chewing surface or between teeth. A root cavity is most common in older adults. It occurs when gums recede and leave the tooth root exposed to toxic plaque. Lastly, recurrent decay happens around existing fillings or crowns where plaque can build up.
8 Possible Signs You May Have a Cavity
Cavities are often hard to spot as they can develop in the pits on the chewing surface of the back teeth. However, below are eight possible signs that you may have a cavity.
Toothache
Swelling or pus around your tooth
Damaged or broken tooth
Chewing problems – pain when biting
Hot & cold sensitivity
Discoloration on your tooth
Bad breath
Hole or pit in your tooth
While these possible signs could be indications that you have a cavity, they also relate to other oral health problems. The best way to spot and treat a cavity is to visit your dentist for regular check-ups – every six months. Your dentist will be able to conduct a thorough exam and provide the best treatment based on their findings.
How Do You Prevent Cavities?
Good oral and dental hygiene habits are the best way to prevent cavities.
Brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste
Floss daily to remove plaque from between your teeth and on the gum line
Eliminate starchy and sugary foods from your diet
Drink water throughout the day to remove food debris and produce saliva
Rinse with a fluoride mouthwash
Visit your dentist every six months for a thorough cleaning and exam
Ask your dentist about sealants – a protective coating applied to the chewing surface of the back teeth
Cavity Treatment at Roseman Dental
Nearly 25 percent of Americans have untreated dental cavities. Untreated cavities could cause severe pain and infection, as well as problems with eating and speaking. Proper, timely dental treatment is essential to your oral health and overall well-being.
Treatment depends on the severity of the decay and your unique situation. Your dentist may recommend any of the following treatments:
Fluoride treatment
Filling
Crown
Root canal
Tooth extraction
If you notice any of the possible signs mentioned or haven’t visited the dentist in a while, make an appointment with Roseman Dental today. Roseman Dental offers affordable, high-quality dental care in Henderson, Nevada and South Jordan, Utah.
July is National Cleft & Craniofacial Awareness & Prevention Month. Cleft and craniofacial conditions affect thousands of infants, children, teens and adults in the United States each year. Some children are born with congenital anomalies like cleft lip and palate, others with more complex, life-threatening craniofacial conditions. Some are burned; others are injured in accidents and animal attacks or diagnosed with various oral/head/neck and skin diseases. According to the American Cleft Palate – Craniofacial Association, 1 in 700 children are born with cleft each year. At Roseman Dental & Orthodontics, our team, led by Advanced Education in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics (AEODO) Program Director, Dr. Glen Roberson, works with patients that are only a few days old, babies who are born with issues that impact their ability to feed and thrive. With early intervention and use of a variety of techniques in orthodontia and dentofacial orthopedics, these young patients can be put on a track towards recovery. Roseman Dental & Orthodontics does this for patients at no cost – and has donated over $500,000 in care to be able to treat any patient, regardless of their ability to pay. Roseman Dental & Orthodontics is one of the very few clinics in Nevada to provide this highly specialized care.
During this Summer issue of Dental 360°, you’ll learn about how Roseman Dental & Orthodontics treats cleft lip and palate in infants through an approach that utilizes a Nasoalveolar Molding also known as a NAM. You’ll also learn about cavities and why you might have them. In addition, we’ll provide you a few tips for keeping a healthy summer smile.
Roseman Dental & Orthodontics’ Dental 360° is a monthly e-newsletter. Each month you’ll receive a panoramic view of dental health. Dental health is key to your overall health and here at Roseman Dental & Orthodontics, we are dedicated to improving not only your mouth, but your whole self. At our clinic we have an excellent team of licensed dentists, orthodontists, orthodontic residents – 30 to be exact, and dental residents all focused on you and your family’s oral health. Roseman Dental & Orthodontics has been serving its community since 2009 and is a comprehensive, one-stop shop for all your dental needs including dental, orthodontic and craniofacial cleft lip & palate treatment.
We hope you find Dental 360° helpful and informative. We look forward to connecting with you in September.
July is National Cleft & Craniofacial Awareness & Prevention Month. Cleft and craniofacial conditions affect thousands of infants, children, teens and adults in the United States each year. Some children are born with congenital anomalies like cleft lip and palate, others with more complex, life-threatening craniofacial conditions. Some are burned; others are injured in accidents and animal attacks or diagnosed with various oral/head/neck and skin diseases. According to the American Cleft Palate – Craniofacial Association, 1 in 700 children are born with cleft each year. At our Nevada location, Roseman Dental & Orthodontics, our team, led by Advanced Education in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics (AEODO) Program Director, Dr. Glen Roberson, works with patients that are only a few days old, babies who are born with issues that impact their ability to feed and thrive. With early intervention and use of a variety of techniques in orthodontia and dentofacial orthopedics, these young patients can be put on a track towards recovery. Roseman Dental & Orthodontics does this for patients at no cost – and has donated over $500,000 in care to be able to treat any patient, regardless of their ability to pay. Roseman Dental & Orthodontics is one of the very few clinics in Nevada to provide this highly specialized care.
During this Summer issue of Dental 360°, you’ll learn about our Back to School Brush-Up™ event where we will be providing free dental screenings and cleanings to children K-12. Also, you’ll learn how our Nevada location, Roseman Dental & Orthodontics, treats cleft lip and palate in infants through an approach that utilizes a Nasoalveolar Molding also known as a NAM. In addition, you’ll learn about cavities and why you might have them and we’ll provide you a few tips for keeping a healthy summer smile.
Roseman Dental’s Dental 360° is a monthly e-newsletter. Each month you’ll receive a panoramic view of dental health. Dental health is key to your overall health and here at Roseman Dental, we are dedicated to improving not only your mouth, but your whole self. At our clinic we have an excellent team of licensed dentists, dental residents and students, and dental assistants and hygienists all focused on you and your family’s oral health. We offer comprehensive care, are a one-stop shop for all your dental needs and offer dental care at a cost typically lower than what you would find at a traditional dental office. Roseman Dental has been serving its community since 2011 and we look forward to continuing to serve you and your family.
We hope you find Dental 360° helpful and informative. We look forward to connecting with you in September.
