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Does your child seem drowsy during the day? Does he or she snore or wake up breathless in the middle of the night? They could have Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) – a chronic condition where breathing stops periodically during sleep because soft tissue is relaxing and obstructing the airway. These periodic stops can happen as many as 20-30 times in an hour and cause a lack of oxygen to the brain, waking up your child so that they restart proper breathing. All that waking up can leave one pretty sleepy the next day – even if they don’t remember waking up!

Untreated, obstructive sleep apnea can affect school work and overall alertness as well as raise your child’s risk of serious health problems down the road. These include:

• High blood pressure
• Stroke
• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• Chronic acid reflux
• Obesity
• and even Depression

According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology (ENTs) sleep disordered breathing affects approximately 12 percent of children.

Luckily, sleep apnea is easily treatable. It just needs to be diagnosed. That’s where you come in: if your child has any of the following symptoms, bring them to see us for a free consultation and sleep apnea test at Sam Kadan Orthodontics.

Here’s what to look for:

• Insomnia or difficulty sleeping (tossing and turning or night sweats)
• Loud snoring at night
• Waking up at night short of breath
• Long pauses in breathing
• Chronic mouth breathing during sleep
• Snorting or choking sounds during the night (indicating a restart of breathing)
• Extreme drowsiness throughout the day
• Changes in mood, misbehavior or decline in school performance
• Hyperactivity or inattention (in some cases children who are diagnosed with ADHD are actually not hyperactive but rather are showing the clinical symptoms of OSA.

Orthodontists are leading specialists in spotting Sleep Apnea early because of our familiarity and expertise in working with the soft tissue in children’s mouths. As both an Orthodontist and parent, Dr. Kadan makes a point of asking all parents if they’ve noticed any of these symptoms when they first consult with new patients.

If your child is exhibiting any of these symptoms, bring them in for a free consultation and at home sleep test. We can help with a treatment plan and make sure your kids are sleeping soundly!

While Sleep Apnea can have very serious side effects, it’s very easily treatable. The most important thing you can do is pay attention and have your child evaluated. What are you waiting for? Give us a call at (215) 348-3100  or click below for complimentary consultation.

We look forward to meeting you!

We all know the saying, “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover”, but the reality is: we all do. First impressions are really important and your smile says a lot about you. That’s why at Sam Kadan Orthodontics, we care about not only helping our teens, but about helping adults as well. A straight smile is crucial to making that first impression count…and metal braces as an adult isn’t necessarily the most desired look. Because of this, we offer Invisalign Adult, the clear alternative to metal braces.

In a recent study by Invisalign, confirms that “people with straight teeth are perceived more likely to be happy, successful and second date worthy.” Speaking of dating, 55% of respondents said that a straight smile had a better likelihood of attracting potential partners on a dating site by their picture alone.

Already found your partner but still think straighter teeth would have a strong impact on your life? You’re right! 58% of respondents said that they perceive people with straight teeth to be more successful in business and their professional lives. That means a straight smile can be a big component of your interview kit, rocking your next presentation or winning that next sale.

So how does Invisalign Adult work?

During a consultation at Sam Kadan Orthodontics, Dr. Kadan determines the exact movements necessary to get your teeth into the correct position. Then the Sam Kadan Orthodontics team has a custom-made series of aligners created for you and only you. As you replaces each Invisalign aligner with the next in the series, the teeth will gradually and gently shift-little by little, until they have straightened to the final position Dr. Kadan has prescribed.

Other than a great first impression once you’ve finished, Invisalign offers a great first impression while you’re working to achieve that great smile:

Clear: Invisalign aligners are virtually invisible. No hiding your smile in meetings, engagement photos or school pick-ups and no closed-lipped selfies here!

Comfortable: Invisalign aligners are extremely comfortable made out of smooth, sleek plastic.

Removable: Don’t want your date to know you’re working on your smile? Take them off for the evening…just remember to put them back in before you go to sleep! It may not seem like it, but they’re constantly working while you go throughout your day.

Convenient: Fewer visits to the orthodontist, meaning fewer interruptions of your busy schedule. You only need to visit us at Sam Kadan Orthodontics about once every 2-3 months to ensure that your treatment progress is on track.

Cost Effective: At Sam Kadan Orthodontics, Invisalign comes at an affordable price. No need to shell out extra cash to avoid metal mouth. Plus we can offer little to no down payment.

First Impressions are super important to us too – call us today for a complimentary consultation with Dr. Kadan to assess if you are a good candidate for Invisalign Adult. We can’t wait to meet you at any one of our convenient locations – Bala Cynwyd, Chalfont, Doylestown or Harleysville!

Completing a residency in orthodontic care is the only mandatory qualification for orthodontic specialists, yet some orthodontists decide to broaden their knowledge and advance their practical experience by pursuing board certification. Pursuing certification from the American Board of Orthodontics, the only orthodontic certifying board recognized by the American Dental Association, is a voluntary and rigorous process.

Orthodontists who seek board certification are committed to providing the highest level of patient care, and they must demonstrate their commitment with successful completion of both written and oral examinations and a rigorous, peer-reviewed clinical presentation. Additionally, board-certified orthodontists are held to a lifelong commitment to continued education in the orthodontic field, which requires them to submit patient records and renew their certification every 10 years to remain board-certified.

Most orthodontists forego board certification due to the stringent requirements of the board certifying process. Only about 30% of orthodontists who complete their orthodontic training choose to complete the extensive board certification process.

Orthodontics: more than just a pretty smile

Most patients seek orthodontic treatment for the cosmetic benefits, but orthodontic care can provide much more than a brilliant smile. Orthodontists have the necessary and comprehensive understanding of dental anatomy, tooth and jaw alignment, and craniofacial joints, bones, and growth to create a bite that’s beautifully aligned and conducive to a lifetime of optimal oral health.

Orthodontists are trained to use a variety of orthodontic devices and appliances to control bone growth and align the teeth. Orthodontic specialists receive extensive training in a broad spectrum of orthodontic technologies because different patients require different modalities to achieve optimal results, and the ideal treatment for one patient may be ineffective for another.

While one patient can achieve straight, beautifully aligned teeth from Invisalign®, another patient with a more complex case may require traditional braces or even orthodontic surgery to achieve comparable results. An orthodontist who limits his practice to only one or a few types of modalities also limits his or her ability to help patients with all types of orthodontic cases achieve their desired smile. Board-certified orthodontists go a step beyond the minimum qualifications to practice orthodontic care to acquire the in-depth knowledge and broad range of experience required to demonstrate excellence in the entire field of orthodontia.

Philadelphia residents searching for an orthodontist, especially those who seek a qualified orthodontist in Bucks and Montgomery Counties, will be delighted to learn that Dr. Kadan is an orthodontist who’s board-certified by the American Board of Orthodontics to treat all types of orthodontic cases. With extensive education and training, he’s reached an elite level within the orthodontic profession, which allows him to help his patients achieve straighter, healthier, and more beautifully aligned smiles.

Dr. Kadan’s goal and ultimate success in becoming a board-certified orthodontist serve as his commitment to providing exceptional orthodontic care for the residents of Bucks and Montgomery Counties. Contact us today to schedule your personal consultation with one of the area’s most sought-after board-certified orthodontists.

At Sam Kadan Orthodontics, a leading orthodontic practice and the home of board-certified orthodontist Dr. Sam Kadan, we believe that many, if not most orthodontic problems, can wait to be corrected until after all of a child’s baby teeth have fallen out.

Nevertheless, there are some orthodontic problems that are best corrected when a patient is younger, for the optimal long-term results, which is where Phase 1 Ortho, also known as early treatment, generally occurs, namely when a child still has a mix of both primary and permanent teeth, usually starting between the ages of 7 and 10.

Phase 1 treatment typically ranges from 6 to 15 months in duration, and it is designed to address those orthodontic problems that are better corrected early, including severe crowding, eruption problems, open bite, deep bite, crossbite, large “overbite,” underbite, narrow jaws, harmful habits and severely protruding front teeth.

In these instances, the goal of early treatment is correcting the growth of a child’s jaw and certain structurally based bite problems, such as an underbite, which are preferably addressed sooner rather than later when correction can be more difficult.

Then, between Phase 1 and Phase 2 Ortho, your child will see board-certified orthodontist Dr. Sam Kadan for periodic check-ups to evaluate his or her jaw, and, in some instances, it could be that your child will benefit from wearing a retainer or a holding wire for a period of time to help maintain optimal teeth and jaw positioning.

While less than 10% of all children need both Phase 1 and Phase 2 orthodontic treatments, for those patients who do receive both phases, the benefits are truly tremendous and life-changing.

We often get asked, “Are retainers used just for maintenance after my braces are removed?” This is such an important question that we thought it worthwhile to take a few moments to address this common query.

The use of retainers for post-braces maintenance and continued correction is extremely important and vital to the overall success of your treatment. They can help to correct speech impediments, they can aid in fixing lingering gaps between your teeth, or an isolated crooked tooth, in addition to maintaining the correct placement and positioning of your teeth as brought about through your braces treatment.

Retainers are usually fabricated by Dr. Kadan, and it is customarily done by taking a mold, or impression, of your newly straightened teeth and then fabricating your retainer out of wire and acrylic material. There are two types of retainers after braces: fixed and removable, and depending on Dr. Kadan’s recommendation your retainers must be worn for several years, if not indefinitely, to keep your smile perfectly straight for life.

Choosing the type of retainer that is ideal for your needs after your braces are removed, in terms of fixed versus removable, usually involves an assessment of the clinical needs of your unique case. A fixed retainer is usually a thin wire worn across the back of your lower or upper front teeth, bonded in place with a specialized oral bonding cement.

Since the wire stretches across several teeth, a floss threader or similar cleaning device must be used to access the interproximal spaces between the teeth for teeth cleaning. This type of retainer takes a little more work to keep clean, but it often has the best outcomes because the bonded wire will hold your newly straightened teeth in perfect formation 24/7.

Another option is the removable type of retainer which is usually a combination of wire going across the front of your lower or upper front teeth held in place with a combination of acrylic material and hooks or clasps that insert in and around the back teeth to hold the retainer in place. Since it is removable, this type of retainer makes it easier to clean your teeth, but you have to remember to wear it daily. Initially, you will need to wear it all day and all night for at least three months. Then, if no movement is detected, you may be instructed to wear your retainer only at night or for a few hours in the daytime.

Of course, an obvious disadvantage of a removable retainer after braces is the fact that it can be lost or damaged and can even melt or change shape if it is exposed to high heat! Plus, with a removable retainer, the onus is on the patient to make sure that they are following the advice of Dr. Kadan and allowing an adequate amount of time with the retainer in place so that it contributes effectively to achieving your long-term tooth straightening goals.

With both types of retainers, periodic maintenance in the form of routine dental visits is required to check for cavities and to clean your straightened teeth.

Once your primary orthodontic treatment at Sam Kadan Orthodontics has been completed, the use of retainers after braces is a very important part of not only the continuing maintenance and ongoing correction of your teeth, but it will go a long way toward keeping, protecting, and further improving the perfected bite and smile that your braces formed for you over the previous few years.

You’ve invested a lot of money in orthodontic care, and using retainers after your braces are off is an important part of the treatment process meant to ensure a lifetime of happy and straight smiles. It’s about more than just maintaining the corrective effects of braces – wearing your retainers after braces is an important step in the continued quest for perfection in your smile, your speech, and your health.