Our Blog

Five Tips for Cleaning Braces in Columbia SC…

At Dr. Richard E. Boyd Orthodontics, we don’t have to tell you that keeping your teeth clean during treatment is very important. Braces have a habit of collecting additional food while eating that can cause a multitude of problems if not cared for correctly.

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Should Parents Worry if Baby Teeth Aren’t Falling Out?

When parents visit Dr. Richard E. Boyd Orthodontics, it is not uncommon for parents to worry if their child’s baby teeth do not fall out on time. Infants rollover, sit, walk, and talk at different stages of their development. The same is true when your child is losing baby teeth. There are some developmental issues which require professional

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Beware of Sports Drinks – They Can Damage Your Teeth…

Lollipops are a cavity on a stick and soda is pure sugar in a can. Candy and soda cause tooth decay. You’ve been taught this since grade school. This is not news, is it? Well, what about the fact that sports drinks ruin your teeth, too? Heard that one before? Dr. Richard E. Boyd and the team at

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Not all kids are happy wearing braces – Good communication paves the way

Not all kids are happy about wearing, especially teens. If teeth are slow erupting, a problem develops during a pubertal growth spurt, permanent teeth don’t erupt properly, or finances were an issue, your child may not be a happy camper. Wearing braces between the ages of 11-14 is the most common age for treatment and normally the age

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Encouraging Kids to Eat Properly Benefits Everyone…

Busy lifestyles and a multitude of distractions make it very difficult for kids and families today to eat a meal together. Most of us at Dr. Richard E. Boyd Orthodontics often find ourselves eating on the run between busy work schedules, dance lessons, sports practices and games, school activities, karate lessons … the list is endless. Not to

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Why Do Many Kids and Adults Need Orthodontic Treatment Today?

At Dr. Richard E. Boyd Orthodontics some parents ask us… “Why are so many kids and adults wearing braces today?” Orthodontic Studies report 70 percent of the US population could benefit from having their teeth and jaws realigned with orthodontic treatment. Ancient ancestors had perfect teeth and bites, as evidenced by fossil records. Then, about 10,000 years ago,

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Are Your Food Choices As Healthy As You Think?

The average American diet is loaded with sugar and a disturbing amount of it is of the processed variety. This does not bode well for our overall health, but of particular concern is the effect large amounts of sugar have on teeth causing tooth decay. Our goal at Dr. Richard Boyd Orthodontics is to create beautiful healthy smiles

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Tongue Thrusts Raise Havoc While Kids Are Growing

At Dr. Richard E. Boyd Orthodontics, we think about how many processes of the human body take place unconsciously. As we make our way through the day, we are constantly breathing, blinking, keeping our balance, and doing a thousand other tiny things we never give a second thought. One such unconscious behavior is the way we chew and

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Avoiding a Crowd in Columbia, Elgin and West Columbia SC…

Have you ever given any thought to what it actually means to have a “perfect” smile? Most people when asked this question will conjure up mental images of models and Hollywood actors with dazzling teeth. However, there is an actual medical definition of the way the teeth are meant to fit together. The word “occlusion” refers to the

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