pediatric DentAL OFFICE

 Although sometimes it is hard enough to get children to brush it is recommended to floss.  Even regular food can get caught in between the teeth which should be removed with floss.  This food if not removed can cause breakdown of the enamel over time causing cavities.


Dental Treatment
Nightguards and mouthguards:
Nightguards are used when a child is grinding their teeth.  This usually occurs as young as three years of age.  This is usually caused by stress and the child will usually grow out of it.  This can be so severe that it can cause sensitivity and pain in some teeth.  Unfortunately depending on the severity a nightguard is usually not recommended as the child is too young to sleep with such an apparatus in their mouth.  This treatment is recommended for teenagers after all of their permanent teeth have erupted.
Mouthguards:
It is recommended that every child playing sports wear a mouthguard.  This will protect the teeth tremendously from being hit or knocked out by any sport apparatus or equiptment or even another player.  Wearing a mouthguard can reduce the risk of needing major dental work in the future.

Fillings:
    Tooth colored fillings /Composite fillings: these are made of a plastic material which releases fluoride when placed.  These are tooth colored and add a pleasing esthetic result when placed. The tooth must remain dry in order for the filling to be placed.
    Silver fillings/Amalgam fillings: These are made from mercury and silver in color.  Although not used as often as white fillings it can be a treatment of choice when a child is having a difficult time during a dental procedure as the tooth does not have to remain dry when placed.

    Sealants:
         A preventive technique where a plastic material is placed on the top surfaces of teeth. This material is placed to seal out the grooves of the teeth to prevent food from collecting in the grooves and causing a cavity.  It is recommended for the 6 and 12 year molars.  Sealants, although not a guarantee that a cavity will not form, is a great choice of treatment to help prevent against getting a cavity.

     Cleanings:
      A dental cleaning is recommended twice a year (every 6 months) to help maintain a healthy mouth. Cavities in children can spread very fast so it is important to have your childs’ teeth checked every 6 months. A small cavity is always easier for a child to tolerate rather than wait till it becomes bigger.

    Nitrous Oxide:
    Nitrous oxide is a gas that is inhaled through a nasal canula.  We like to think of it as the “Mickey Mouse “ nose.  This is a very safe method of sedation whereby the child is still awake, can talk and can still hear their parents but at the same time is relaxing them so they can accept the treatment and allow them to get through the procedure in an easy and comfortable way.  There is no recovery time with nitrous oxide as the child is placed on pure oxygen once the procedure is done.
Tooth Bonding/Trauma
    It can be a very traumatic experience for a child when he or she falls and fractures their tooth.  It is sometimes beneficial if the child can save the fractured piece of tooth as it sometimes can be bonded back to the original tooth structure.  If not, depending on whether the fracture has involved the nerve of the tooth then a plastic, composite material can be added to the tooth to make it look like a normal tooth again.  This is nice for children so they can return to school and their everyday activities looking like they never had an accident to begin with.  The tooth must still be monitored for any changes or signs of deterioration of the nerve.

Baby root canals (pulpotomy)
     Sometimes decay in a baby tooth is so deep that it can affect the nerve inside the tooth. Sometimes the only treatment is to do a “baby root canal” or pulpotomy which involves cleaning out the nerve of the baby tooth.  Once the nerve is cleaned out a sedative filling is placed and then a regular filling is placed on top.  Although no guarantees however this is a nice way to salvage the tooth while maintaining the proper space maintenance for the developing permanent teeth.

Orthodontic care
Many children today are getting braces at a very young age.  Sometimes this is necessary and called early intervention orthodontics.  This means that a child can benefit from starting braces early to prevent a larger problem from happening in the future.  Sometimes early interventional orthodontics can prevent the need for full orthodontics later in life.  Waiting for all baby teeth to fall out before seeing an orthodontist is not always beneficial to the patient as this can lead to a host of problems that may make it difficult for the orthodontist to correct.  There is no magical age as to when children should be seen by an orthodontist.  It is based on growth and development of the child and their teeth.  A child is always checked for certain growth milestones at every 6 month checkup to see if an orthodontic consult is necessary.  Today there is a range of treatment choices from conventional braces and invisilign teen to needing palatal expanders and appliances that help maintain space when teeth are lost prematurely.



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 Brush twice a day. In the morning after breakfast and at night before bed.
 At the age of two start using a fluoridated toothpaste even though your child will swallow it. Use a pea size amount on the toothbrush and do not keep on adding more  to the toothbrush after your child swallows it. 
 

Use a fluoridated mouthrinse only if your child is older then 6 years of age. Use this mouthrinse especially if your child has braces.
 Keep a healthy diet.  Refrain from sticky, chewy foods such as skittles, gummy bears, fruit roll ups, twizzlers, fruit  snacks, raisins, other dried fruits and anything else  that is sticky and can sit on your teeth for long periods of time.  Chocolate is the best sweet treat for children as it melts and does not stick to the teeth.