Uncategorized Archives - Boulder Valley Dental Care

Your Child’s Journey To Healthy, Nasal Breathing

Posted By Dr. Tracey Hughes

Any inability to breathe through the nose will cause developmental changes to the face and jaws. The body will compensate, potentially causing negative effects on facial and jaw development. It is important to eliminate mouth breathing completely and retrain nasal breathing in your child. Here are the steps to follow for healthy, nasal breathing. Step 1: Determine if your child is able to breathe clearly through their nose or not using a simple at home assessment If your child can’t breathe through their nose, then the problem is likely caused by chronic swelling of adenoids and/or tonsils. If your child … Continue reading

Can I Treat Sleep Apnea At The Dentist?

Posted By Dr. Tracey Hughes

Why Visit The Dentist For Sleep Apnea Treatment? Dentists routinely examine the overall composition of the mouth, which includes the airway. Dentists analyze the position of the teeth, gums, and jaws as it relates to the airway. Factors such as the height of your dental arches, the position of the tongue, and the height of the hard palate can indicate a comprised or obstruction of the airway. What is Sleep Apnea? Sleep apnea is defined as a sleep disorder. It occurs when one repeatedly stops breathing during sleep. In severe cases, those with sleep apnea may experience an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular … Continue reading

The Click Languages: Did the way our ancestors communicate give them straight teeth?

Posted By Dr. Tracey Hughes

Compared to our ancestors, our kids’ jaws today are developing much narrower and smaller. Do you ever wonder why the majority of young people today spend their spring break week recovering from having their wisdom teeth pulled? Our jaws aren’t developing large enough to fit all 32 teeth! It never used to be that way. Our earliest ancestors had big, broad dental arches that fit all 32 teeth. So what has changed over the years? It very likely is a combination of several factors, including one of the first human languages ever spoken by our tribal ancestors in Africa…the Click … Continue reading

Part 3: Camryn’s Non-Surgical Orthopedic Forward Face Growth of the Jaws Cures 8 years of Headaches

Posted By Dr. Tracey Hughes

A note from Louisville, CO dentist Dr. Tracey Hughes: This is Part 3 of Camryn’s story. We previously posted Part 2 and Part 1, so be sure to check them out to learn more about Camryn’s journey. In the final part of this series, we will explore how non-surgical orthopedic forward face growth of the jaws cures eight years of headaches. Camryn and her brother, Ben, enjoyed tagging along with me to Las Vegas during one of the LVI courses I attended in the summer. It has been one year since I attended LVI’s Forward Face Orthodontics course in June … Continue reading

3 Reasons You Should Floss Your Teeth Every Day

Posted By Dr. Tracey Hughes

Young woman cleaning teeth with dental floss,

Daily flossing is a key part of achieving healthy teeth and gums. Flossing helps remove plaque build-up, which reduces bacteria and minimizes the risk of accumulating tartar. Brushing only address the front, back, and bottom of your teeth, which leaves two surfaces of your teeth untouched. Flossing essentially removes plaque and debris from the surfaces of the teeth that brushing alone can not reach. 1. Minimizes your Risk of Gum Disease Flossing is especially useful in the area where the teeth and gums meet; food particles and debris are lodged there, and plaque can buildup over time. If not properly … Continue reading

Enhance Your Smile With Professional Teeth Whitening

Posted By Dr. Tracey Hughes

Did you know that your smile is one of the first things other people notice about you? It’s no wonder that hundreds of people invest in their smile every year with cosmetic dentistry. One of the most popular ways to enhance your smile is with professional teeth whitening. Have you ever wondered what your smile would look like if you could get rid of those pesky stains or just achieve an overall brighter smile? Well, you can do so with tooth whitening in our Louisville, CO dentist office. As an experienced cosmetic dentist, Dr. Tracey Hughes understands the importance of … Continue reading

Can I Treat Sleep Apnea At The Dentist?

Posted By Dr. Tracey Hughes

Woman patient at the dentist waiting to be checked up

Is Mouth Breathing in Children Dangerous?

Posted By Dr. Tracey Hughes

A concerned mother of 16-month-old twin boy and girl presents seeking advice from a physiologic dentist, Dr. Tracey Hughes. Both twins were born with a tongue tie, which was released at two weeks of age. However, her son’s tongue tie came back and was released again with a laser at six months of age.She noticed when she began introducing solid foods, and her son was not able to tolerate anything textured or thick as it would cause him to gag so bad he would vomit severely. She did not notice this eating behavior with her daughter, so this was a … Continue reading

Camryn’s Story Part 2: The bite’s relationship to TMD, Airway and Cranial Strain

Posted By Dr. Tracey Hughes

A note from Louisville dentist Dr. Tracey Hughes: This is Part 2 of Camryn’s Story. Last month I posted Part 1, which is at the end of this blog. If you missed it, just scroll down toward the bottom and you’ll find it. In June of 2018, I attended the Forward Face Orthodontic course at LVI Global (Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies) to investigate the answers to the questions I had about how to correct the root cause of Camryn’s headaches…her underdeveloped midface and upper jaw. Here was her report of symptoms at the start of our assessment. She … Continue reading

Case Study: The Cause of TMD, Headaches and Sleep Apnea

Posted By Dr. Tracey Hughes

Part 1: Camryn’s Growth and Development A note from Louisville dentist Dr. Tracey Hughes: Thank you for reading my blog. Something you should know— this is a professional, yet VERY personal journey of how I became so passionate about Physiologic Dentistry, treatment of TMD, headaches and sleep apnea using Orthopedic Guided Jaw Development: AGGA (Anterior Guided Growth Appliance) and ControlledArch Protractive Orthodontics. Professionally: I began my post-graduate dental education at the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies (LVI) 10 years ago learning more complex, comprehensive, cosmetic dental treatments designing beautiful smiles and helping patients suffering from TMD (temporomandibular joint … Continue reading

A Success Story

Natalie B.

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"Boulder valley dental center is amazing! The staff is very friendly and the facilities are state of the art. My last visit is easily the most comfortable visit I've ever had with a dentist. I can't recommend them enough."

Michael C.

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"I need to have a lot of dental work done and the ladies at Boulder Valley Dental all work extra hard to make sure their patients are comfortable. They are amazing and I am so happy to have a trustworthy dentist who actually cares. I highly recommend Dr. Hughes and the whole staff at Boulder Valley Dental."

Tyler K.

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"The most friendly, careful, and thoughtful experience I've ever had at a dentist."

Eric T.

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"Extremely nice and helpful staff. They do an amazing job of working through your care plan and provide very comprehensive service. They're not afraid to take extra time with their patients to ensure that they are comfortable with their care and treatment and that they understand the decisions being put in front of them. Would recommend them to anyone in need of dental care."