STORY: DELAYING ORTHO
SCRIPT #575 SHOOT: 9/8/04
AIRDATE: Monday, Sept. 27, 2004
Daybreak and Midday
DHC Master # 20 Timecode: 3:34 Orthodontic braces can improve children’s dental
health.
However, in about a third of all cases, braces only
improve their appearance.
So, how do parents decide when orthodontic treatment must be done?
Dr. Linda Niessen offers some straight
talk about early orthodontic evaluation in today’s
SOVT: 1:43 segment of Dental Health Check.
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CHILD BEING EXAMINED (VOICE-OVER)
SUPER: Richardson :02-07 By age seven, children’s teeth can look
like a ragged smile of baby and
adult teeth going in all directions.
CHILD BEING EXAMINED But not all those children need early
orthodontic treatment.
DR. PATRICK OHLENFORST (“Sometimes they need treatment. Sometimes
They don’t.”)
TWO-SHOT Orthodontist Dr. Patrick Ohlenforst suggests
early treatment if….
SUPER: Dr. Patrick Ohlenforst (“If there are skeletal problems. What I mean
Orthodontist :20-25 by that is a jaw discrepancy that is developing
Because of either genetics or because the way kids
Teeth are coming together…for example a cross bite.”)
CROSS BITE One of the most common skeletal problems
in children is a crossbite.
STEWART Eight year old Stewart Pemble has one.
His bottom and top teeth kind of criss-cross.
MORGAN Stewart’s little sister, three year old Morgan
has the same problem.
BRADY But their seven-year-old brother, Brady,
does not. So Brady can wait about five
years before he gets braces.
SUPER: Denise Pemble (“It is so confusing to me, having never
Parent :53-58 been a mom before. And then when they start
getting old enough to where you have to figure
out what’s best for them.”)
SUPER: Dr. Robert Morgan (“Moms walk in and every other seven year
Pediatric Dentist 1:01-06 old at school has braces on and they feel they’re
remiss.”)
TWO-SHOT Dr. Robert Morgan, a pediatric dentist, recommends a must, should, or could approach. He says
CHILDREN IN ORTHODONTIC orthodontics must be done early in some cases.
OFFICE Those are the don’t wait problems. In many cases, a child should have treatment but it can be delayed
until about age 12. In other cases, children’s
teeth fit into the “could” category and treatment
is just for cosmetic reasons.
ON CAMERA (STAND-UP CLOSE)
SUPER: Dr. Linda Niessen Don’t rush into major orthodontic treatment.
Baylor College of Dentistry 1:31-36 Ask a lot of questions about what must be
done, what should be done, and what could
be done. For Baylor College of Dentistry,
Texas A&M System, I’m Dr. Linda Niessen,
Channel 8 News.
For websites:
Early Orthodontics Age 7 - 10
Must do early- don’t wait if skeletal problems
Examples: cross bite, under bite, missing teeth, severe overbite
Should do-but can delay until age 12
Examples: Minor overbite, crowded or crooked teeth
Could do-but for cosmetics
Examples: Minor crooked teeth, gaps between permanent teeth
For more information:
Visit www.aaorth.org
American Association of Orthodontics
Click “non-member” information; Click “facts about treatment for growing children”
Dr. Robert Morgan
375 Municipal, Suite 104
Richardson, TX
972-669-3663
Dr. Patrick Ohlenforst
3200 North O’Connor Road
Irving, TX
972-257-3200 www.dr-ohlenforst.com