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| An unidentified but very wise person once said: “It takes 17 muscles to smile and 43 to frown.” That simple statistic alone should make us all the more eager to smile rather than frown. For individuals with crooked, gap-filled, or overly crowded teeth, a smile can often be a major cause for embarrassment. This can be especially true for children and teenagers. Just ask Dr. Lia Baros, an orthodontist and owner of Orthodontics in the Highlands, whose personal goal and professional mission is “To create beautiful smiles.” Approximately 80% of her clients are young people between the ages of 8 and 18. Commenting on her special clientele, “You can’t imagine how much some of these kids hate smiling when they first come for a visit.” Dr. Baros goes on to reminisce about one of her most memorable patients. The young girl not only had very badly aligned teeth, but this teenager also had a protruding lower jaw that required surgery to restore her normal profile. This young woman rarely smiled. After her surgery, which was performed by a licensed oral surgeon, and after a year and a half in Dr. Baros’ care, she was soon beaming with an attractive new smile. Even better, she was beaming with newfound poise and self-confidence, Dr. Baros says. This remarkable switch in the teen’s personality is one of those happy transformations that Dr. Baros sees over and over in her practice. As she well knows, children with crooked teeth are self-conscious and they don’t like to draw attention to themselves. When they undergo orthodontic treatment and after their braces come off, “They are much more confident and it is reflected in their overall demeanor,” she observes. In fact, “They become totally different.” These life-changing results are just part of the reason why Dr. Baros trained to become an orthodontist. Her career choice was strongly influenced by her father, a dentist who practices in Colorado Springs. While Dr. Baros earned her DDS degree at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver and then joined the family business, she still felt her true calling was in orthodontics. Orthodontics is a specialized form of dentistry that straightens teeth and corrects malocclusions by using braces (either the standard metal version or the removable clear Invisalign brand), retainers, and/or headgear to improve tooth alignment. On average and according to each individual’s situation, orthodontic treatment can last anywhere from a few months to several years. In the long run, the result is not only a beautiful smile and a positive self-image, but also the ability to chew food correctly, which impacts a patient’s overall oral and nutritional health, Dr. Baros explains. Orthodontia can even relieve some speech impediments, in particular those that may be the result of habitual thumb-sucking or tongue-thrusting. Habits like these can create a malformation in the upper and lower jaws. This malformation can prevent the jaws from growing in such a way that the teeth come together. With timely and appropriate orthodontic care along with speech therapy, “Most people’s speech is much improved and their open bite is corrected,” Dr. Baros says. Dr. Baros launched Orthodontics in the Highlands at 44th and Lowell in Denver two years ago. “We’re a little smaller business than some,” she notes, but that also means that she and her staff of four can give patients the added time and specialized attention each one requires. In addition, she is proud to point out that her office is environmentally conscious because it is paperless. Clients don’t have any unnecessary health worries about X-rays because she uses digital imaging to diagnose and treat her patients. Above all, Dr. Baros and her dedicated staff can offer their services in two languages—English and Spanish. Two of Dr. Baros’ full-time clinical assistants are fluent in Spanish, and although Dr. Baros herself took basic Spanish in high school, she laughs and admits that her bilingual skills were a little rusty at the start of her practice. Today Dr. Baros has learned a whole “mouthful” of the Spanish language that is critical to patient communication. “A lot of the children in our care are bilingual,” the orthodontist remarks, “but some of their parents speak Spanish only.” That’s just one interesting advantage at Orthodontics in the Highlands. When you visit Dr. Baros in person, I think you’ll find many other advantages as well. Among them is the fact that the office is in a central northwest Denver location, and that the building itself, a former antique store, exudes a very warm and friendly feel. Just take a look at the reception area. Cozy and colorful chairs outline the lobby, and centered on the floor is an enormous and welcoming fluffy rug. Eye-catching colors pop up everywhere throughout the open office space, most noticeably through a playfully arranged patchwork of floor tiles in shades of lime green, brilliant blue, royal purple, and raspberry red. For parents, the spacious floor plan means that as they wait in the reception area, they are always close by their children. In fact, while Dr. Baros’ young patients relax in a row of comfy, reclining chairs, their parents and guardians are merely a few steps away beyond an abbreviated brick dividing wall. They can quickly be called in for consultations as needed. Now may be the time to dispel the myth that teeth straightening is only for youngsters. According to Dr. Baros, at least 20% of her clients are adults. “You are never too old to see an orthodontist,” she insists. In fact, one of her “star patients” happens to be 78 years old. It may also surprise you to know that, as cited on the Web site at www.braces.org, “One in five orthodontic patients is an adult.” However, Dr. Baros is quick to caution that the best results for older patients occur when individuals are in good dental health and when they aren’t suffering from gum diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis. These oral ailments can signal serious infections and potential bone and tooth loss. That wasn’t the case for one healthy adult client, a patient who flew back and forth from Sante Fe, New Mexico, specifically to see Dr. Baros and who was in her care for several months. At the end of his treatment, “He was astounded by how everything worked out in such a short time,” says Angela Olguin, the office manager. Orthodontics in the Highlands is located at 3538 W. 44th Avenue in Denver. To schedule an appointment, visit www.orthointhehighlands.com or call 303-433-7500. To reach Dr. Baros directly, you can e-mail her at drbaros@orthointhehighlands.com. |
Orthodontics |
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