Children's Dentistry

Cleanings

 

During their biannual check-ups, we’ll professionally clean your child’s teeth. Children need cleanings even more than adults do, as they’re often more prone to tooth decay. Our dentists will create a calm environment in which their teeth can be cleaned, polished, and examined with little to no stress. We’ll complete your child’s biannual cleaning with a fluoride treatment to ensure cavity prevention. 

 

 

Sealants

 

Along with brushing and flossing regularly, dental sealants are one of the best and most effective ways to prevent cavities in children. Sealants are a thin coating that’s applied to teeth to lower the risk of cavities. This procedure is completely painless, relatively inexpensive, and provides extra reassurance that your child’s oral health is being protected. Sealants can even last many years before needing to be reapplied.

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Restorative Procedures (Fillings)

 

Even if you have a great and consistent oral hygiene routine at home, there’s still a chance your child may develop cavities at some point. Though your child will eventually lose their baby teeth, it’s still important to treat them properly and as soon as possible if they develop plaque. This means they may have to get fillings.

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Just like fillings for adults, the fillings used for children’s teeth are typically made of metal or white composite. Metal fillings tend to be more cost-effective, as your child will eventually lose the tooth the filling requires, and metal fillings are a little less expensive. 

Your child’s dentist will carefully drill the decay from their teeth as needed. This process can sometimes be stressful for children, so make sure you bring something comforting of theirs to the appointment to make sure they feel safe. As always, the dentist will do everything in their power to keep your child calm and happy.

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Nitrous Oxide Sedation

 

Visiting the dentist can be a very nerve-wracking experience for many children. If their dental anxiety is particularly severe, their pediatric dentist may decide that they could benefit from nitrous oxide sedation, otherwise known as laughing gas.

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The nitrous oxide is distributed through a nose piece, and will not put your child to sleep. The dentist will also be closely monitoring their oxygen levels throughout the appointment as an extra precautionary measure. The effects of the nitrous typically wear off shortly after their appointment, making this a stress-free, easy way to make dentist appointments more manageable for everyone. 

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What You Can Do (Oral Hygiene Habits)

 

Many parents want to know how they can make sure they’re taking the best possible care of their children’s teeth, and how they can model proper oral hygiene habits for their kids.

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Kids love to mimic whatever their parents do, even if it’s a chore, or work. This means that one of the best ways to help your child develop a great oral hygiene routine is to model one for them! Make sure that you’re brushing your teeth twice a day, and that your children are watching you do so. They’ll be more open to the idea of brushing, and will be eager to mirror something they see their parents doing so often. 

 

In addition to that, you should help your child brush to make sure they’re doing it properly. Guide them and make sure they’re reaching every area of their mouth with their toothbrush. Children are more prone to cavities and tooth decay than adults, making their oral hygiene routine extremely important. 

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What Does Pediatric Dentistry Entail?

 

A pediatric dentist has a few key responsibilities. First and foremost, a pediatric dentist takes care of your child’s teeth from a very early age. They will take the very first x-rays of your child’s teeth and jaw, give them their first oral exam, their first cleaning, and make sure their teeth and gums are healthy. Essentially, your child’s pediatric dentist provides basic oral care for young babies and older children. 

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While maintaining your child’s oral health is important, a pediatric dentist also focuses on developing a trusting relationship with all the children they treat. This includes mastering the social dynamic of interactions with children, specifically in an environment that is traditionally stressful. Children and adults act very differently during dental appointments, and pediatric dentists are specifically trained to deal with younger children that may have dental anxiety, be visiting the dentist for the first time, or simply need a little extra help feeling comfortable in the office. They’re taught how to best interact with children during their appointments, how to explain check-ups, procedures, and treatments to them to ease their anxiety and help them be more open, and are even familiar with how to perform cleanings and procedures more gently. 

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Pediatric dentists aim to make appointments as enjoyable as possible for their younger patients. As your child continues to see their specialist in a calming, relaxed environment in which the specialist always provides the best possible standard of care, they will slowly become more comfortable with visiting the dentist, and will likely begin to forget the stigma surrounding trips to the dentist.

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How Do Children’s Teeth Develop?

 

Children’s teeth begin development before they’re even born. They’re then born with twenty baby teeth, which are sometimes referred to as primary teeth. Once your child reaches six months of age, you can usually expect to see their baby teeth begin to erupt through the gums. Everyone’s teeth develop at different speeds, but it typically takes roughly 2 - 3 years for all twenty teeth to erupt. Once they reach the age of 5 or 6, their baby teeth will begin to fall out, and will become replaced with their adult teeth. 

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When Should a Child See a Dentist?

 

It’s important to maintain your child’s oral health beginning at a very early age. You should bring your child to a dentist by the time they reach their first birthday, but children that have had one or more primary teeth erupt should see a dentist within six months of the eruption. Their pediatric dentist can make sure the teeth are erupting properly, and that they’re healthy. 

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The Importance of Pediatric Dentistry

 

Pediatric dentistry is important for many different reasons. By seeking out pediatric dentistry from an early age, you’re ensuring your child’s teeth are kept clean and healthy, their teeth and jaw development is being closely monitored, and their at-home oral care is the best it could possibly be. As much as your child’s pediatric dentist will take care of their oral health in the office, they’ll also help guide you through how to best take care of your child’s teeth at home. This is important for parents so they’re aware of their child’s specific needs.

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The pediatric dentist will examine them for any existing or potential irregularities, and be able to remove plaque and build-up for proper cavity prevention. This will give you peace of mind that their health is being closely watched, and that if they were to run into any problems in the future, you’ll be the first to know.

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Lastly, taking your child to see their pediatric dentist will help them become comfortable with dental appointments. This can eliminate dental anxiety as they grow, and set them up for bright smiles by maintaining their oral care appointments.