Child Safety Day offered by local orthodontist

On Saturday, Jan. 27, Dr. Anna Patras, Sparta orthodontist, offered “Child Safety Day” from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at her office, at 21 Mohawk Ave., in Sparta. Patras explained the program was designed to increase child safety awareness and offered the increasingly popular Toothprints, bite impression for each child participant. “Toothprints bite impressions was developed in the mid 1980’s by a pediatric dentist as a way to safeguard his own children,” said Kelly Kays, program coordinator. “It is now used as a method of identifying missing and unknown children.” The technique provides a simple means of recording a child’s dentition in a non-frightening way. When a child bites into a wafer that is used in making the imprint, it records tooth characteristics, tooth position, as well as jaw relationship. “Like fingerprints, dental imprints are unique to every person. Not even identical twins have the same bite characteristics,” said Kays. Because children’s bite is ever-changing until all permanent teeth are in, Patras suggests renewing toothprints every three to four years. For children needing orthodontia, toothprints should be taken before and after braces. The Toothprints impression also captures saliva which provides a DNA sample. This saliva also provides a powerful scent for dog tracking. Patras and her orthodontic assistants will administer the wafer bite impression. The procedure and quick and pain-free. Parents will be given the actual impression to keep safely stored in their freezer. Although identification through dental records and teeth imprints have been used by police for years, parents actually in possession of these dental imprints may speed up the identification process. “As a parent it’s not something you want to think about, but it’s good to have, if you need it,” said Kays. For more information call Kelly Kays at 973-729- 5900.