Blog

TMJ jaw pain can be a mouthful. Living with aching or clicking jaws can be hard to swallow! Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, also commonly known as TMJ or TMD, is a joint disorder that affects the opening and closing of the jaw, and can have many side effects that relate to the teeth, head and neck.

Like other joints, the relationship between the bone and disk will affect how well the joint works. The jaw is used thousands of times a day for talking, eating and laughing. When a disorder is present in the joint, your lifestyle can be dramatically changed. Read More

Father’s Day is certainly not the oldest holiday in the World or even in America. Usually, Dads are celebrated by getting a day to do whatever they want…which most Dads believe to be a great idea. You will see Dads playing golf, fishing, bowling, working on their Model-T-Bucket hot rod or just plain napping in front of the TV.

Now Dads may not be quite as busy as many Moms regarding the chauffeuring aspect, but we must admit most do their part in driving the kids to camp, to soccer, to baseball and yes…even to the orthodontic office of Lisa P. Howard DDS MS.Read More

Did You Know May is National Fitness and Sports Month

Physical exercise is good for everyone’s health no matter what your age or body type. There is no better time to spread the word about the advantages of being active than National Fitness and Sports Month.

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Mother’s Day – The office of orthodontist Lisa P. Howard DDS MS wants to shout out a great big, huge, humongous THANK YOU to Moms everywhere. Mother’s Day falls on Sunday, May 14th this year. So Dads…do not plan any golf that day and kids…do not plan a movie with your friends. Plan on spending the day doing whatever it is that Mom wants to do. Serving her breakfast in bed is always nice but wait until she is awake first. Flowers and homemade cards are also always a big hit so do not forget those.Read More

Preventing Braces – Most parents today are well informed when it comes to stopping adverse habits that effects tooth and jaw development in infants and toddlers. Prolonged thumb sucking, pacifiers, and use of bottles past the age of three are reported to cause problems with teeth and impact early jaw development.

However, did you know that poor bites and abnormal jaw growth is mostly hereditary and not caused by habits? Even if you stop bad habits before the age of three or breastfeed your child, it is likely they still may develop a malocclusion requiring orthodontic treatment.Read More

Easter is not just about egg hunts, candy, Cadbury eggs and chocolate rabbits. For Christians, Easter celebrates the resurrection from the dead of Jesus Christ. It is a moveable holiday or feast since it does not occur on the same exact day every year. Most Christian churches in the Western part of the globe celebrate Easter on the first Sunday following the full moon after the vernal equinox on March 21st. Thus it usually falls between March 22nd and April 25th each year.

The exact origins for the name of this celebration are complex and there are many theories. Some think it is named after a Teutonic goddess of Spring Eostre. Still others believe it comes from a Latin term hebdomada alba or white week to celebrate the white clothing of those that were baptized during that time.

Although Easter is a religious event, it has also become a commercial holiday with marshmallow chicks, jelly beans and all kinds of chocolate bunnies. Even the White House has an annual Easter egg hunt for hundreds of children in the area. It is also the time for “Mardi Gras” in New Orleans.Read More