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Routine dental check-ups and professional cleanings are just as important for a child as they are for the parent, if not more so. As pediatric dentists, our priority is preventive care to avoid the need for your child to have extensive dental treatments. We strongly believe that the foundation of good oral health begins during childhood.

Even when your child has just a few teeth, dental exams can be beneficial. We recommend that our patients first visit our office before they turn a year old. Not only will this provide an early opportunity to begin establishing a relationship with the dentist, it will also allow the dentist to examine your child thoroughly to determine if there are any symptoms of concern.

After that initial appointment, your child should return to the office every six months or so for follow-up visits and additional cleanings. When our dentists are able to examine the child regularly, it’s easier for them to spot signs of trouble that indicate that some sort of treatment may be needed.

Most routine visits will involve at least a cleaning and exam. Here’s what you and your child can expect from each of those activities.

Dental cleanings

Cleanings, also known as prophylaxis, are completed by skilled hygienists who are experienced and knowledgeable in working with children. Our hygienists use a light touch to remove any plaque or tartar that has accumulated along the teeth or the gumline to reduce the presence of cavity-causing oral bacteria. If your child has some anxiety about this process, you may opt for sedation to put your child at ease.

Dental check-ups

In the dental exam, one of our dentist’s will thoroughly examine your child’s teeth and gums, looking for any signs of tooth decay or other issues. If the dentist identifies any problematic symptoms, certain interventions may be recommended. Your child’s dentist can also review home oral hygiene routines with you as part of the dental exam.

Because we specialize in treating children, our dentists and dental hygienists use age-appropriate techniques and terminology when providing this care to our patients. We also take care to minimize any discomfort and to avoid provoking anxiety in our patients.

When your child comes into our office for regular dental check-ups and cleanings, it helps let him or her know that going to the dentist doesn’t have to be a scary thing. It also helps your child get into a lifelong pattern of semiannual dental visits. If you are behind on these appointments, call our office today to schedule an exam and cleaning and get back on track.

Cavities are common in children. In fact, according to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, tooth decay is the most common chronic childhood health problem. When children do develop cavities, they must be treated, even in primary teeth.

Although the primary teeth do eventually fall out, it’s important that they stay in place until the permanent tooth underneath is ready to erupt. They will help your child to chew food thoroughly and develop proper speech patterns, and they serve as placeholders for the permanent teeth. When a tooth is lost prematurely, the permanent tooth may come in too soon, potentially causing a problem with the alignment of those permanent teeth.

An untreated cavity is also likely to progress, and it can reach the tooth’s inner core, exposing the nerve and causing pain for your child.

We prefer to take every step possible to save a primary tooth that has experienced decay rather than removing it. Often, this requires the dentist to place a filling in the tooth.

The process of filling a cavity in a pediatric patient is similar to the same treatment in an adult. Our dentist may have to remove some surrounding tooth material to make room for the filling. Rest assured that our experienced and knowledgeable dentists use a gentle touch while completing this part of the procedure.

Your child should not experience much discomfort while having a cavity filled, but if the patient has any fear about the procedure, sedation may be recommended to make it a more comfortable experience for child and parent alike.

Parents can choose metal or composite fillings for their children. Composite fillings are becoming increasingly popular, as they are tooth-colored and do not detract from the smile.

Your child should not experience much discomfort while having a cavity filled, but if the patient has any fear about the procedure, sedation may be recommended to make it a more comfortable experience for child and parent alike.

If your child is diagnosed with a cavity, it also presents a good opportunity for you to discuss preventive care with the dentist so that you can continue to take steps to reduce your child’s risk of tooth decay.

Parents should take tooth decay in a child’s primary teeth quite seriously. Have your child examined every six months for signs of decay, and talk to your dentist about a filling if your child is diagnosed with a cavity.

Access to quality dental care is extremely important for pediatric patients. Children may be more susceptible to certain dental problems, like cavities, and a good relationship with a pediatric dentist can set the stage for a lifetime of good oral health.

Pediatric dental care may involve any number of treatments, including the following:

Routine care – Children need regular check-ups and professional cleanings just like their parents do, and generally on the same six-month schedule. This basic level of care helps to maintain your child’s good oral health, and semiannual visits allow our dentists to spot any signs of trouble when oral diseases like decay and gum disease are in their earliest, most treatable stages.

Sealants – Because tooth decay is the most common chronic health problem in children, sealants are often recommended. A sealant provides a protective coating, often on the large chewing surface of a molar, to reduce the chances of cavities. If your child has repeated cavities, our dentist may recommend a sealant.

Fluoride treatments – Fluoride treatments help to strengthen the teeth, and they are especially important for children with developing teeth. These treatments may be recommended for children with inadequate access to fluoride in their environments and/or those with unusually soft teeth.

Restorative dentistry – Children’s teeth are often damaged by decay or injury, and restorative dentistry can help to preserve the tooth when that happens. A small cavity may just need a filling, while a crown or even a root canal may be necessary to treat more advanced decay or severe trauma to a tooth. These procedures are performed right in our office for your child’s optimum comfort.

Dentists who focus their practice on pediatric patients are well-equipped to handle the unique needs and concerns of children.

We use child-friendly approaches and demonstrate compassion in our work to create a comfortable environment for our patients.

Our office is also equipped to treat children with various special needs, who might feel increased anxiety at the sounds and sights at the dental office. These children may be especially resistant to having dental professionals examine and treat them. Many parents of special needs children opt for some sort of sedation to make the experience a more comfortable one.

Our practice also offers sedation to other patients who may have dental fears or even difficulty staying still to allow the dentists and hygienists to do their work. You can ask your child’s dentist for more details on sedation if you are interested in incorporating it into your child’s treatment.

A good pediatric dentist makes important contributions to your child’s overall well-being. Our office’s experienced and knowledgeable dentists, hygienists and staff will establish a productive, caring relationship with your child to start him or her down the path to decades of healthy smiles.

Sometimes a cavity is too large to be treated with a filling, and a more extensive treatment is indicated. Severe trauma to a tooth may also require more involved interventions. In these cases, your pediatric dentist may turn to other restorative dentistry methods.

Restorative dentistry is intended to preserve existing teeth so that they won’t need to be extracted. Parents may think that it’s not a big deal if a baby tooth is lost prematurely, but that’s not the case. The primary teeth still play an important role in nutrition and speech, and they can affect the alignment of the permanent teeth.

Additionally, it’s important to address advanced decay in a tooth before it progresses even further, possibly leading to an abscess or even systemic infection throughout the body.

When a tooth is severely damaged, the ideal outcome is to save it rather than to remove it prematurely, even if that tooth eventually will fall out anyway.

If a restoration is needed, it’s likely to be either a crown or, in a severe case, a root canal. Here’s what you can expect from each of these treatments.

Dental crowns

A crown is a tooth-shaped cap that covers the natural tooth in cases of advanced decay. Crowns may be made of a number of materials, including porcelain, ceramics or metal. The dentist will prepare the tooth for the crown to be placed, which may involve drilling to remove decay and contouring the tooth to accommodate the crown. The crown is bonded to the tooth using a dental cement.

Root canal

When infection has reached the tooth’s core, a root canal is often indicated. Unfortunately, the root canal has garnered a negative reputation among dental patients, but undeservedly so. With improved tools and techniques, today’s dentists can perform root canals with no more discomfort for the patient than a routine cavity filling. During this process, the dentist will access the tooth’s innermost pulp chamber, clear out the infection and seal the chamber with an inert rubber-like substance. After that process is complete, the dentist will place a crown for additional protection for the tooth.

Restorative dentistry can be an option for saving a severely damaged tooth, and in most cases, it’s no more uncomfortable than getting a filling. Parents should discuss any concerns about these treatments with their child’s dentist in advance of the procedure.

Pediatric dental patients are no different from adults in that many of them have some level of fear or anxiety around dental appointments. If that dental fear is so severe that it presents an obstacle to getting your child to appointments in our office, IV sedation may help.

With IV sedation, our pediatric anesthesiologists will administer carefully measured doses of anti-anxiety drugs intended to help put your child at ease for the treatment. Because the doses are determined on a patient-by-patient basis, this can be a safe option for children who are apprehensive about seeing the dentist.

IV sedation is also beneficial because your child will have no recollection of the procedure after the fact, which means that there are no bad memories to exacerbate fears that may make the child resistant to future appointments and treatments.

With IV sedation, our pediatric anesthesiologists administer carefully measured doses of anti-anxiety drugs intended to help put your child at ease for the treatment.