Romani Orthodontics at the Schulman Study Group meeting!

To better serve our phenomenal patients with the highest quality orthodontic care possible, Dr. Kirsten Romani, Melissa and Robin are in St. Louis for an orthodontic Treatment Coordinator's meeting with the Schulman Study Group. The Schulman Study Group is an association of nationally prominent orthodontic practices from among the top 1 percent of all offices.

Because we are committed to continuing education, one of the ways Dr. Romani and our remarkable staff improve our service is by attending important conferences, meetings and seminars about the always-exciting world of orthodontics.

The Schulman Study Group meeting is always an educational event and one that allows Dr. Romani to consult with top orthodontists and stay up-to-date on all the latest technologies and orthodontic treatment options available. This, in turn, allows Dr. Romani to give you, our wonderful patients, the best treatment experience possible at our convenient offices in East Providence and Chepachet.

Dr. Romani is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics, the oldest specialty board in dentistry. As a Board Certified Orthodontist, Dr. Romani is committed to the pursuit of continued proficiency and excellence in orthodontics. If you have an appointment scheduled with Dr. Romani in the coming weeks, we invite you to ask her about the meeting, including what she learned and how continuing education and acquisition of new technology helps us treat you more effectively!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Romani Orthodontics, reminding you to protect your mouth this fall

With fall sports under way for a lot of our patients, Dr. Kirsten Romani thought today would be a good time to remind our young athletes wearing braces to take care of both their mouth and appliances while participating in contact sports (and non-contact sports) this fall.

You should ALWAYS wear a mouth guard when playing sports, but especially this month. Why? September is National Childhood Injury Prevention Month.

More than half of the seven million sports and recreation-related injuries that occur each year are sustained by youth between ages 5 and 24. Sixty-seven percent of parents say their child does not wear a mouth guard, yet, 70 percent say their biggest fear when their child plays is that they will get hurt. Despite the risks, many kids are still not wearing mouth guards and facial protection during games and practices.

Our staff at Romani Orthodontics encourage you to head over to the American Association of Orthodontists' website for a quick primer on the importance of mouth guards and facial protection.

We hope this helps you remember to always wear a mouth guard and other forms of protective gear when participating in fall sports! We encourage you to give us a call if you have any questions! Have a wonderful weekend!

Patriots Friday at Romani Orthodontics!

Patriots Friday was the theme today at our office to usher in the weekend of the first home football game this season. Go Patriots!!

Dr. Kirsten Romani presents: Braces-friendly dessert!

Most of our patients at Romani Orthodontics are already back in school, but that doesn't mean summer is quite over! That's why Dr. Romani and our staff wanted to share with our patients a delicious summer recipe you can savor before diving into all that homework! Our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists made an appetizing (and braces-friendly!) dessert that is sure to delight everyone from grandma to your little brother. Remember, a healthy diet provides essential nutrients and helps you achieve the best possible result from your orthodontic treatment at Romani Orthodontics.

So, with that, here's the recipe for "Lime-Graham Cheesecake Nibbles"!

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1½ cups graham-cracker crumbs (about 9 double-square crackers, crushed)
• 3 Tablespoons margarine, melted
• – or –
• 1½ cups gingersnap crumbs (about 24 to 30 gingersnap cookies, crushed)
• 3 Tablespoons margarine, melted

Filling:

• 2 eggs, separated
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
• ¾ cup sugar
• 3 drops green food coloring
• 2 Tablespoons lime juice
• 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°. Line two muffin tins with 24 cupcake papers. In a medium bowl, stir together the crumbs and margarine. Spoon 1 Tablespoon of the crumb mixture into each paper. Press down the mixture firmly with the bottom of a small juice glass. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together egg whites and the salt until the mixture forms soft peaks. Set aside. In a large bowl, use the mixer to beat together the cream cheese, sugar, food coloring, lime juice and flour, until fluffy. Add the yolks until well mixed, then use a spoon to fold in the whites. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the lime mixture into each paper. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool on the counter for 20 minutes, then keep refrigerated. Makes two dozen.

Enjoy this great end-of-summer dish! Here are some more delicious braces-friendly recipes! Happy Thursday!

Ask Dr. Romani: When should my child visit for a consultation?

At Romani Orthodontics, we believe a child's first visit to the orthodontist should be enjoyable and positive. The more you and your child know about the first visit, the better you will feel.

Many parents in Providence and Chepachet assume they must wait until their child has all of his or her permanent teeth to visit Dr. Kirsten Romani for a consultation, only to discover treatment would have been much easier if started earlier. Did you know the American Association of Orthodontists recommend that every child have an orthodontic check-up no later than age seven?

That’s right—seven.

You're probably wondering: "Ok, Dr. Romani, what’s so great about age seven?" Well, at that point, enough permanent teeth have arrived for Dr. Romani to make a determination about whether any problems are present. Also, the first molars have come in, providing an opportunity to check for malocclusion, or what Dr. Romani calls “bad bite.” Also, the incisors have begun to come in, and problems such as crowding, deep bites and open bites can be detected.

Orthodontic evaluation at an early age provides one of two positive outcomes: For some, early identification or problems will lead to easier or shorter orthodontic treatment in the future. For others, a healthy prognosis will provide immediate peace of mind.

Early evaluation, of course, may signal a need for early treatment. For some children, early treatment can prevent physical and emotional trauma. Aside from spurring on years of harmful teasing, misaligned teeth are also prone to injury and are detrimental to good oral hygiene. So, if your child is nearing his or her seventh birthday, please give us a call at Romani Orthodontics to schedule a free orthodontic evaluation.