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Because Dr. Zach Ehrmantrout can spot subtle problems with jaw growth or teeth while a child still has primary or “baby” teeth present, the American Association of Orthodontists recommends all children get a check-up with an orthodontic specialist no later than age seven.

Some problems are not so subtle, and you may notice them early on. If you see any of the following signs in your child, please make an appointment with Dr. Ehrmantrout immediately. (If your child is younger than seven, it is not necessary to wait till his or her seventh birthday to visit our office.) We want to identify any problems as early as possible so that we can implement the appropriate treatment at the appropriate time for your child’s individual needs.

1. Early or late loss of baby teeth
2. Difficulty in chewing or biting
3. Mouth breathing
4. Finger sucking or other oral habits
5. Crowding, misplaced, or blocked-out teeth
6. Speech difficulty
7. Jaws that shift or make sounds
8. Biting the cheek or biting into the roof of the mouth
9. Teeth that stick out too far
10. Teeth that meet in an abnormal way or don't meet at all
11. Upper and lower jaws that don’t line up
12. Grinding or clenching of teeth

If your child is displaying any of these signs, please contact us and set up an appointment!

We are just hours away from September, which means we are days away for a brand new school year! Dr. Zach Ehrmantrout and our team would like to remind our patients (especially you athletes) to take care of both your mouth and appliances while participating in contact sports, as well as leisure sports this fall. Let's face it: this is a busy time of year sports-wise, whether you're playing soccer in the local park or preparing for high school football.

With September being National Childhood Injury Prevention Month, our entire staff at Dr. Ehrmantrout's office want you to know that only by using a mouth guard can athletes with and without braces avoid serious sports injuries. So, the next time you're in for a visit at our convenient offices in Lacey or Olympia, we encourage you to ask Dr. Ehrmantrout for a mouth guard, and we will provide one! For more info on sports injuries and how to avoid them, check out this helpful article.

We hope you have a wonderful and safe Labor Day weekend!

We hope you're all having a great week! We are happy to announce that on September 1st is the kick-off date for our back-to-school drive! Come into our office and donate any unused school supplies to be given to our local schools. You will receive one trout dollar per item you bring in, so start donating!

You just got braces at Hawks Prairie Orthodontics, and Dr. Ehrmantrout has informed you that during your orthodontic treatment you will want to avoid eating anything sticky, hard, crunchy, or chewy. What does this leave for you to eat? Lettuce? Yogurt? Nothing?http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Luckily, our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO, created a variety of “braces-friendly” recipes that will allow you to enjoy your favorite treats without interfering with your orthodontic care! Recipes include main dishes, side dishes and even yummy desserts! After all, a healthy diet provides essential nutrients and helps the patient achieve the best possible results from orthodontic treatment.

If you have any questions about the recipes listed or about the foods you should be avoiding during your orthodontic treatment, please give us a call or ask us on Facebook!

Enjoy!