Is It Your Turn Yet?

December 2008

"Lessons of a Palm Tree"

Amazingly, it’s The Christmas Season and the positive, possibly, of having a time in which there is uncertainty in our lives and in our world, is that it might allow us to experience the true magic of this season of renewal and joy without as much commercialism.

Last week, I had a short getaway sharing in the magical experience of Disney with our grandchildren and spending some time with Beth. During the week, I saw a structure in nature which truly impressed me on how nature can teach us so much about tenacity and life in the face of overwhelming obstacles. If we pay attention to nature, it teaches those things over and over every day. But this lesson was of a palm tree that had obviously been blown over flat in a hurricane a few years ago. The roots of the tree were pulled up at its base with a few still clinging to the earth. The trunk was as flat as could be with dirt mounding around it and extended out over 15 feet. Obviously, this tree had met its match with the extreme forces of wind, but…an amazing change happened - 15 feet from the base of the trunk. Rather than to succomb for all time to being blown down, the tree trunk started growing on an exact 90° angle and reached tall and straight toward the sunny sky and continued growing 20 feet from the ground. The rejuvenated palm tree had a beautiful, perfectly formed top with coconuts growing from the center.

Just like the time of Christ’s birth, we are in uncertain and potentially difficult times, but I hope this Christmas season can teach us about always looking up and never giving up.

Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Have a very blessed Christmas.

Article written by: Dr. Daniel L. Steinke

Is It Your Turn Yet?

November 2008

"Mouth Guards Like the Pros Wear"

Have you watched MBA basketball lately?

The players are sporting a new kind of mouth guard as evidence shows when they take them out during the game. For those of you who are not dental geeks, you may not have noticed, but as I have watched the games, I thought of it as fantastic that they have begun wearing these fuller, nearly invisible mouth guards.

Did you hear me say invisible? These mouth guards share another function. This is the same material as invisible braces which are a hard thin plastic that is molded at the dentist office. For invisible braces, these molded appliances slowly, but surely, move teeth when worn to a specific prescription.

For basketball (or wrestling) mouth guards, a simple impression is taken at the dental office and a clear appliance is made on a special machine. I have been encouraging my own kids as well as kids in orthodontic retainers made of the same material, to wear them in basketball or wrestling.

Our problem with basketball and wrestling is that a mouth guard is not required by the Maine Principal’s Association. Basketball is the #1 sport that I see, having the most trauma to the teeth. The reason is that all the other contact sports require a sports mouth guard.

Are these as good as the football or field hockey mouth guards? Probably not, but they are far better than nothing, are very easy to wear and have no restrictions on breathing or speaking.

How much do they cost? It will vary from dentist to dentist, based on how comfortable and efficient the dentist is in making them. You can call to ask if the dentist does this and what the cost is. Considering the cost of a fractured tooth that may require more expensive treatment such as a root canal, a mouth guard can be inexpensive insurance and can be worn without resistance.

So wear the mouth guards like the pros do and protect those great smiles!

This is the first day of the rest of your life.

Article written by: Dr. Daniel L. Steinke