Pediatric Dentistry

About Pediatric Dentistry

Pediatric dentist specializes in the oral health care of children, from infants to teenagers. It involves the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of dental issues which affect children, as well as monitoring the growth and development of their teeth and jaws. Pediatric dentists are trained to manage the unique dental needs of children, including those with special healthcare needs, and provide age-appropriate care to ensure children maintain good oral health throughout their lives. They also educate children and their parents on proper oral hygiene practices and nutritional habits to promote healthy teeth and gums.

First Dental Visit

It is time, where your child comes to the dentist for their first dental visit, a big moment that can lead to big emotions. We want to prepare you and your child for the visit and provide tips to help make it as positive as possible.

First, we appreciate you filling out our forms about your child, so that we can find familiarity in what their current hobbies or likes are.

Tips:

1) Prepare your child by using Positive words. While explaining what to expect, try and keep it simple. Perhaps add some excitement about the visit, for example "Wow, we get to see how many teeth you have!", or "We get to clean your teeth and make it extra sparkly!", "You get a new toothbrush and can not wait to see what it looks like!"

2) Read some books about dental visits, some great suggestions are

Brush, Brush, Brush! A lovely book teaching babies and kiddos about brushing - just as the title describes.

The Tooth Book. This Dr. Seuss classic teaches kids all about teeth and why it’s important to take care of them.

Brush Your Teeth, Please. A pop-up that the kids are sure to love.

Sugar Bug Doug: All about cavities, plaque, and teeth.A little more information for toddlers about sugar bugs and why we do like them!

The Tooth Book: A guide to healthy teeth and gums. This is a great choice for your elementary age child who is ready to learn all these things! It’s filled with illustrations of the dentist office and fun facts about dentistry and teeth.

Going To The Dentist. Bright illustrations and great descriptions of what to expect when visiting the dentist.

3) If there is any concern with how your child will respond to their first visit, please let our team know.

Laser Dentistry

We are proud to offer Solea Laser to our patients! The Solea laser is a cutting-edge technology that has the potential to greatly improve the experience of dental procedures for patients. Laser dentistry offers a number of benefits over traditional methods, including: less pain, less need for anesthesia, and faster healing times. CO2 lasers, like the Solea laser, are particularly useful for hard and soft tissue surgery, and they can be used for a wide range of procedures, including cavity preparation, gum contouring, and removal of overgrown tissue. In most cases, most fillings will not need the “shot” and our patients can leave without the full numbing-frozen feeling.

Arrested Caries

Arrested Caries, also known as non-progressive or static dental caries, is a common condition that affects teeth. This type of decay occurs when dental caries stop progressing and become dormant without further extension into the enamel or deeper structures of the tooth. According to the Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA), arrested caries are typically found in areas of the teeth free of plaque.

Arrested caries appear as distinct spots on the tooth that differ in color and texture from the surrounding area. These spots may be brown or sometimes whiter than the surrounding enamel (known as white spot lesions) and have a shiny appearance. Unlike active caries, which may be dark gray, arrested caries have not yet reached the dentin beneath the enamel.

Sedation

We offer three types of sedation for our young patients: Nitrous Oxide, Oral Conscious Sedation, and in-office IV Sedation (performed by a Anesthesiologist). Determining the best option for your child varies taking into consideration age, behavior, and extent of treatment.