Pediatric Dentistry

1) Dental Cleanings

• Like their parents, children should visit their dentist at least once every six months for a thorough cleaning and checkup. After all, baby teeth require the same level of care as adult teeth, even though they will eventually fall out.
• During your child’s routine dental cleaning, the pediatric dentist removes plaque and tartar buildup using special tools. These tools are designed specifically for children’s smaller mouths. Additionally, we will take X-rays and administer fluoride treatments.
• Regular cleanings are vital for children since they consume more sugar than adults and have poorer oral hygiene habits. These appointments are also an opportunity to monitor the development of your child’s adult teeth and check for anomalies.

2) Fluoride Treatment

• Fluoride is an essential part of modern dentistry. When the mineral composition of tooth enamel weakens, cavities form. Fluoride helps restore decalcified areas, thus strengthening the enamel and preventing tooth decay.
• For this reason, we always recommend choosing toothpaste with fluoride. It’s also the reason why we will apply a fluoride treatment during routine checkups.

3) Cavity Fillings

• Most children will experience tooth decay if their primary teeth are weaker than adult teeth, making them more prone to developing cavities. Additionally, children often consume more sugary foods and drinks.
• This increased sugar intake feeds the bacteria that already exist in the mouth. The bacteria then produce an acid that eats away at the tooth enamel, which leads to tooth decay.
• Fillings are a simple procedure used to repair tooth decay. The dentist numbs the infected tooth before removing all damaged areas. The tooth is then filled with a durable material to restore its look and function.

4) Dental Crowns

Dental crowns are another common restorative pediatric dental procedure. They treat significant issues such as severe cavities, infection, damage caused by an injury, or cracked teeth. A dental crown restores your child’s ability to chew without pain while blending perfectly with natural teeth.

5) Extraction

• Sometimes, a tooth is too damaged by decay or injury to restore properly with a filling or dental crown.
• The reasons why your child may require an extraction are that they may have an overly infected tooth or sustained an injury playing sports. Alternatively, there may not be enough room for the targeted tooth in their mouth. Wisdom teeth are often removed for this reason. Pulling a tooth can be the only way to prevent overcrowding.
• Extraction is a common and perfectly safe procedure.

6) Early Orthodontic Care

• We check for overcrowding, bite problems, and tooth alignment problems during routine appointments. If left unaddressed, these issues can cause discomfort, speech problems, difficulty chewing, and an increased risk for tooth decay.
• Braces, clear aligners, and retainers are common orthodontic treatments for children.

7) Dental Sealants

Dental sealants are thin, plastic coatings applied to children’s teeth to stop the development of cavities. They prevent food debris and plaque from building up in the natural grooves of the teeth and on the chewing surface. We use 3M dental sealants on the back teeth and molars most susceptible to decay.

9) Pulpotomy

• A pulpotomy is a dental procedure in which the pulp in the crown of a tooth is removed in order to save the tooth from infection or decay. A pulpotomy may be recommended for your child if they begin showing signs of pulpitis, which is the inflammation of the pulp. Pain and sensitivity to hot, cold or very sweet foods is usually the first symptom of pulpitis. Pulpitis is usually caused by tooth decay (dental caries) that has been left untreated, and is often a result of poor dental hygiene.
• A pulpotomy is also often necessary if there is tooth decay present that is very close to the pulp in the crown and removing the tooth decay will expose the pulp.
• A pulpectomy removes all of the pulp from the tooth, including the pulp in the roots. Pulpectomies are often performed on teeth with dead or infected pulp tissue or an abscess. The purpose of a pulpectomy is to completely remove pulp from both the crown and the roots of the tooth, and then either fill it back up with a different material or place a stainless steel crown on the tooth. A pulpectomy is often required if the infection has extended into the roots.
• A pulpectomy is often performed on a severely infected baby tooth, but can also be performed on an adult tooth as the first step in a root canal.

10) Preventative Education

• Prevention is always the best medicine. Consequently, it’s vital to teach children the importance of good oral health habits from an early age. We advocate the parents to shoulder the responsibility of educating the patients on the best way to care for their teeth.
• They should be brushing twice daily and flossing independently from age eight or nine. Building a solid dental hygiene routine from a young age is crucial for their long-term health.