Xpress-qTODAY PAGE-1011.XPRESS.30Apr09 - Xpress - The Nation

Thursday, April 30, 2009 DAILY XPRESS HEALTH & FITNESS 9
Wider smiles
A new orthodontic brace that’s now available in Thailand
ends those monthly painful tightenings
By Parinyaporn Pajee
DAILY XPRESS
Like other medical procedures,
the world of orthodontics
is developing fast,
with newer and lighter
devices now available that
ease pain for the patient and
speed up the length of treatment.
Named after the American
dentist Dr Dwight Damon
who invented the procedure,
ask
the pros
Thidakarn Ratanabanangkoon, MD
Anti-Ageing Physician and Dermatologist
at Samitivej Srinakarin
Hospital’s Aesthetics Institute
Send question about health
to the doctor at
healthyxpress@gmail.com.
the Damon system of braces
arrived in Thailand two
years ago at a cost about 30
percent more than the usual
brace.
“Conventional orthodontic
treatment uses a heavy brace
that hurts the gum tissue and
surrounding area whenever
the dentist adjusts the wire.
The Damon system has a
new bracket design and also
moves the teeth to the right
A prickly sensation
I suffer terribly from the
heat during the hot season,
developing an itchy rash on
both my arms and my legs.
I tried Calamine lotion but
it didn’t work, so I
switched to the steroidbased
cream Triamcinolone
0.1%, which has
proved very good.
However, I am worried
about possible side effects.
Is there any non-steroid
cream that can be used
as an alternative treatment?
A summer rash can be
caused by many things. One
of the most common culprits
position faster,” says Dr John
Lin, the Taiwanese dentist
who is now a key speaker at
Damon system seminars
worldwide.
As patients who’ve been
fitted with braces will know,
the band holding the brace
has to be changed every four
weeks, requiring a painful
trip to the dentist.
With the Damon system,
visits are reduced to every 10
weeks and the wire is easily
tightened using a slide mechanism,
meaning no pain.
The system also often does
away with the need for
extractions, which is another
plus.
And while Lin was initially
sceptical about the system’s
efficiency for Asian patients,
who tend to have more
,,
Pretreatment
crowded and crooked teeth
Treatment time: 19 months, 11 appointments
than Caucasians, he says
experience has shown that it
works well.
In Thailand, the Damon
equipment is imported by
the Accord Corporation.
“When we first launched
the system, dentists thought
it was too good to be true.
Now we are trying to show
them the benefits by organising
seminars,” says company
president Suchada Charnsethikul.
The Damon system is
available at BNH, Bangkok
Hospital and Samitivej and
selected dental clinics.
is miliaria (prickly heat),
where the tiny pores in the
skin are blocked, resulting in
small red bumps and a prickly
sensation. Other possible conditions
are folliculitis, fungus
THE DAMON
SYSTEM HAS A
NEW BRACKET
DESIGN AND ALSO
MOVES THE TEETH
TO THE RIGHT
POSITION FASTER.
infection and eczema.
Without seeing the rash, I
cannot give you any specific
advice. I suggest you see a
dermatologist for proper diagnosis
and treatment.
quick
shots
Health
on the road
Until the end of this year,
Foremost Milk is organising a travelling
caravan offering checks on
bone density, blood as well as
BMI.
Any organisations in Bangkok
and its suburbs with up to 30 staff
can arrange onsite appointments
for free. Call (02) 620 1980 or
visit www.ForemostForLife.com
for more information.
Happy and
healthy families
BNH Hospital expands its services
with a new clinic on Soi
Narathiwat 24 BNH @Nara 24,
which aims to respond to the
needs of expat families living in
the area, is staffed by a team from
the hospital on Convent Road.
It’s open from Monday to
Saturday from 9 to 8 and until 6
on weekends. Call (02) 686
2828.
Run for your life
Tesco Lotus joins up with up
with the Toursim and Sports
Minsitry and the Jogging
Association of Thailand in organising
the “Good Health and Good
Life” run on Tuesday at 5 in
Lumpini Park.
To register, go the information
counter at the store’s Rama I or
Rama IV branches or call (02)
280 7667-8.
Keeping in tune
Chiropractic clinic, Ariya
Wellness Centre is holding a seminar
on the benefits of balancing
the body and preventing paralysis
and Alzheimer’s on May 9 at 1.
The lecture will be given by the
centre’s physiotherapist. The
Centre is on the fourth floor of Q
House and admission is free. Call
(02) 677 7166.