Pediatric Care for Younger Patients
Baby teeth need just as much attention as adult teeth! It’s important that your child is seen by a pediatric dentist on a regular basis to prevent decay and look for abnormal growth or tooth eruption.
Check out all
that we can do
for your growing children to maintain their oral health.
Infant ExamS
Did you know that the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that all children have their first checkup within 6 months of their first tooth coming in? We are here to help! We will do an exam to make sure the teeth are coming in properly and look for early childhood caries (cavities).
We will also look at frenum attachments (like ‘tongue tied’), which can aid in latching for infants.
Pediatric Exams
Most children graduate from knee-to-knee exams when they turn three. Then, they can get in the big-kid chair!
We will do a full exam and polish their teeth. X-rays are usually taken when the back teeth touch each other. We also take a panoramic (wrap-around) x-ray at age six to make sure all the teeth are coming in properly.
Depending on our findings, we may recommend tooth-colored fillings, amalgam (silver) fillings, stainless-steel crowns or sealants. Occasionally, we have to wiggle out a baby tooth, if it isn’t falling out on its own or has a large cavity.
Nitrous Oxide
Most kids aren’t the biggest fan of the dentist. That’s okay! Most kids respond really well to Nitrous Oxide (also known as Laughing Gas). It is delivered with a hood over the nose and makes the child very sleepy and relaxed. The good news is that your kiddo will be back to normal within minutes of being off the Nitrous Oxide!
Silver Diamine Fluoride
If we find cavities on baby teeth and cannot do a filling, we often use a product called Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) instead. SDF is painted on the tooth, and it can completely stop a cavity — meaning no numbing shot and no drilling! Unfortunately, it turns the cavity very dark. If the cavity is in between teeth, it doesn’t matter and won’t be seen. However, it can sometimes be noticeable on front teeth. Usually, we do this procedure while we are waiting for the child to be more compliant in the dental chair
What to Do Before Your Appointment
As a parent, you want to make sure that your child has a safe and comfortable experience at the dentist. There are a couple of things you want to do before your child’s first (or second or third) appointment. Using some of these terms can make the appointment less scary.
Do…
Tell your child that a doctor will be counting their teeth
Explain that then the teeth will be brushed clean
Say that the doctor will look for sugar bugs hiding in their teeth
Do Not…
Tell your child that they will get a ‘Shot’ (We call it “sleepy juice”!)
Use the word “Needle”,”Pain” or “Drill” (These are scary words!)
Tell your child they have to be good to get a prize (All kids get a prize!)
