Regular Dental Hygiene Visits
Dental check-ups on a regular basis are a very important part of maintaining your child's teeth and establishing good habits for diet and home care. The frequency of your visits is based upon your child's needs and oral health. During your visit, we will update the medical history, check your child's teeth for cavities, review oral hygiene instructions and diet and evaluate your child for developing orthodontic needs. Fluoride treatments are provided and home fluoride rinses or tablets are prescribed when needed and appropriate.
Tooth Decay and Repair
For small cavities in primary molars, simple fillings may be all that is necessary. However, in the case of primary teeth, enough of the tooth may have been lost that a filling may not be enough to save the tooth. In cases like this, a pediatric stainless steel crown is placed to maintain the tooth and its space maintaining function, until the tooth would normally be lost. Primary front teeth may be restored with tooth-colored filling material or a stainless steel crown with tooth-colored material as a facing, to improve the appearance. The severity of the tooth decay will determine which of the treatments is best.
Sealants
Sealants are highly effective in preventing tooth decay on the biting surfaces of chewing teeth. Sealants are a simple procedure in which a clear or tooth-colored acrylic "coating" is painted onto the surface of the tooth. This effectively "seals" the deep grooves where decay is most likely to begin. This technique is usually done on permanent molars as soon as they have erupted enough to be sealed. Sometimes, primary molars have grooves deep enough to require sealing as well. At less than half the cost of conventional filling, without any anesthetic or drilling, sealants are one of the most important preventative tools we have.
General Anesthesia
If a child is very apprehensive, has an extensive amount of decay, is very young or has other special needs that make cooperation difficult, we may recommend that their dental work be done in the hospital under general anesthesia. General anesthesia renders the child completely asleep and he or she is monitored by the anesthetist while the dental work is completed. General anesthesia is extremely safe when used on healthy children. We will discuss the risks and benefits of this procedure should we recommend it.
Patient Safety
Patient safety is our top priority. To protect our patients and ourselves, our staff wears masks, gloves, glasses, as well as hospital scrub uniforms. We strictly observe all Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines. All instruments are cleaned, disinfected and routinely sterilized as recommended by the American Dental Association and the Centers for Disease Control. Whenever possible, disposable single use items are used to ensure your health and safety. Hand-pieces are sterilized with an autoclave sterilization unit. All surfaces in the treatment rooms are cleaned and disinfected after each patient.
Thumb, Finger & Pacifier Use
Sucking is one of a baby's natural reflexes. It makes them feel secure, happy and helps them learn about their world. But prolonged thumb and finger sucking can lead to problems. Around age 6, when the permanent front teeth start to appear, sucking may affect proper growth and teeth alignment. It can also cause changes in the roof of the mouth
While pacifiers can affect the teeth the same way, it's often an easier habit to break. Just be sure to always use a clean pacifier and never dip it in sugar or honey before giving it to your child. If a child doesn't stop on his or her own, the habit should be discouraged after age 4.
If you have any questions about thumb sucking, please don't hesitate to contact our staff. As always, we are happy to help you.
Space Maintainers
If a primary molar is lost early, a space maintainer will be necessary to hold that space open until the permanent tooth is ready to come through. In some cases, the space maintainer may be needed for as long as ten years. Without space maintainers, crowding and the need for braces is almost always the end result.We Accept New Patients!
We offer convenient appointments before and after work or school and we will maximize your insurance!