Lakeville, Farmington & St. Paul Orthodontist, MN – Blog

PRIOR LAKE, SAVAGE AND LAKEVILLE, MINNESOTA- It has been said that the mouth is the window to your overall health because what goes on in the mouth can be an indicator of other health issues including heart disease and diabetes.

“Today, we’re sharing information about the oral health/whole body connection, but we won’t go all the way to the heart. Instead, we’ll stop at the tonsils and adenoids,” says Dr. Bonvino, a Prior Lake orthodontics expert.

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  EAGAN AND ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA-We tend to hear six common themes from adults who come to us  seeking orthodontic services.

If you’re an adult, the most important thing to remember regarding orthodontics, St. Paul and Eagan      orthodontist Dr. Jennifer Eisenhuth says, is that orthodontic appliances have come a long way.

“There are so many aesthetic options available today,” says the adult and children’s orthodontist.

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LAKEVILLE, SAVAGE AND FARMINGTON, MINNESOTA – Dr. Trudy Bonvino, a Lakeville and Farmington Invisalign expert, and the entire staff at Cosmopolitan Orthodontics will educate patients about facial protection during National Facial Protection Month in April.

Although April is the official observance, protecting the face from injury is a message conveyed year-round by the dental braces specialist, Dr. Bonvino says. The staff at Cosmopolitan educates patients on the types of mouth guards available, along with their pros and cons.

“Wearing adequate facial protection is important in terms of your orthodontic treatment and your overall oral health,” she says. “Getting hit in the mouth while playing sports can damage your teeth and your orthodontic appliances.”

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 SAVAGE, LAKEVILLE AND SHAKOPEE, MINNESOTA – What comes to mind when you think of the term “oral hygiene?”

For many people, thoughts of brushing their teeth and ridding themselves of bad breath are the big concerns. But you need to consider something else: healthy gums.

Think of your gums as the foundation of your smile. Unhealthy, diseased gums can lead to tooth loss if you’re not careful. And caring for your gums actually relies partially on your parents, because it should begin in infancy.

Parents should wipe their infant’s gums after each feeding with a gauze pad or a clean, soft, damp washcloth, says Dr. Trudy Bonvino, a Savage, Lakeville and Shakopee orthodontist. Doing so ensures that bacteria isn’t left to linger and potentially cause oral health trouble later.

As children grow and later become adults, investing in a quality toothbrush is as important to your gums as your teeth. Electric toothbrushes such as the Sonicare by Philips do a superior job when it comes to plaque removal and gum health, Dr. Bonvino says. If you opt for a manual toothbrush, be sure to select a size that is proper for your mouth, and select a model with soft bristles for your gums.

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LAKEVILLE AND SAVAGE, MINNESOTA – Patients of all ages who seek orthodontic treatment more frequently inquire about Invisalign.

The teenage population has some specific needs in terms of orthodontic treatment and Align Technologies, the makers of Invisalign, addressed those when they introduced Invisalign Teen.

Following are the key differences between Invisalign and Invisalign Teen:

1- Extra aligners.

“Let’s face it- teens are active and may not always have their orthodontic treatment at the forefront of their minds,” says Prior Lake Invisalign Teen specialist Dr. Trudy Bonvino, of the orthodontic dental practiceCosmopolitan Orthodontics.

Traditional, fixed braces for kidsdon’t provide the opportunities for loss that removable, clear aligners do, so Invisalign Teen comes with six free replacement aligners, should your child misplace an aligner or two during treatment.

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LAKEVILLE, SAVAGE AND ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA – Tooth sensitivity can be a real pain. No one wants to wince in pain each time they bite into a popsicle or drink a cup of hot chocolate.

Tooth sensitivity is fairly common- one in five adults deals with it- but there are some measures you can take if you are a tooth sensitivity sufferer.

Before we share our recommendations for alleviating tooth sensitivity, let’s share a bit about what causes it. We sometimes have patients at our Lakeville, Savage and St. Paul orthodontics office who complain of sensitivity after getting their dental braces. There is a difference between sensitivity and soreness. The “sensitivity” that a new braces wearer might experience is temporary and goes away when the teeth have adjusted to having appliances on them, says Dr. Trudy Bonvino, the adult and children’s orthodontiston staff at Cosmopolitan Orthodontics.

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LAKEVILLE, SAVAGE & ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA – Parents of infants often wonder when is the right time to get their youngster into an oral hygiene regimen.

We’re glad they ask the question, because getting started on the right foot with good information can prevent trouble down the road.

“Good oral care should begin before a child’s first teeth appear,” says Dr. Trudy Bonvino, a Savage and Lakeville orthodontist who treats patients from throughout the area, including St. Paul.

Here at Cosmopolitan Orthodontics, we may not see your child until they’re age seven, but we want to provide parents will all the tools necessary to keep your children’s teeth healthy in the mean time.
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SAVAGE, LAKEVILLE AND BURNSVILLE, MINNESOTA- Even if you never need braces, the chances are pretty good that you will deal with a canker sore or even a cold sore at some point in your life.

Let’s explain a bit about each, so that in the event you’re ever faced with one of these situations, you’ll have a better idea of what to expect and what your treatment options include.

Canker Sores
These pesky ailments are the most common mouth ulcer.

“What’s really frustrating about these ulcers is that their cause is largely unknown,” says Dr. Trudy Bonvino, a children’s orthodontist at the Lakeville and Burnsville pediatric orthodontics office of Cosmopolitan Orthodontics.

A canker sore is a painful sore that can appear inside the mouth in the cheeks, lips, on the tongue or at the base of your gums. Although it is not believed that having braces can create a canker sore, orthodontic treatment can make them more uncomfortable if parts of braces rub against them, says Dr. Bonvino, who also is an Invisalign provider.

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SAVAGE AND LAKEVILLE, MINNESOTA – Occasionally we come across parents who don’t view their child’s baby teeth as a priority in terms of oral  health. Because their child ultimately will lose those teeth, they sometimes act as though losing them early is no big deal.

Nothing could be farther from the truth, says Dr. Trudy Bonvino, a Savage Invisalign Teen provider who also offers conventional braces for kids and adults. Baby teeth serve a variety of important functions, including maintaining proper spacing for when adult teeth begin to erupt.

“Each and every baby tooth in your child’s mouth serves as a guide for the adult teeth,” Dr. Bonvino says. “If a baby tooth is lost before the adult tooth erupts, it could erupt incorrectly.”

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LAKEVILLE, SAVAGE & FARMINGTON, MINNESOTA – This holiday season tends to be associated with giving and with remembering those in our communities who don’t have all of their needs met.

We’re asking our patients to think about those who might be facing tough economic times this year by donating a new, unwrapped gift to Toys for Tots. Giving is easy, as both of our Cosmopolitan Orthodontics locations are drop-off points again this year. The donation boxes will be at our offices through Dec. 19.

Dr. Trudy Bonvino, of the Savage and Farmington orthodontist’s office, is reminding patients that not only will giving make them feel good; they’ll get something in return.

“Our patients who bring toys to donate will be rewarded with tokens, which they are able to collect and redeem for great prizes,” says Dr. Bonvino, who provides orthodontics for kids and adults. “Since our office opened, we have made an effort to be part of community-related activities, and Toys for Tots is an ideal opportunity for us to get our patients involved, too.” [More]