Pediatrics
We have several important goals during your child's first visit to our office. First, we want to introduce your child to staff and the dental setting in as non-threatening a way as possible.
The Goals:
1. To provide pleasant introductions to the dental setting and staff, an overall positive experience for your child.
2. To perform a comprehensive exam and assessment of your child's dental health and needs, both now and future.
3. To obtain radiographs when possible in order to provide important additional diagnostic information.
4. To perform preventive measures such as cleaning, topical fluoride application, oral hygiene instructions and dietary guidance.
5. To provide the parents or guardians a thorough analysis of the child's dental and oral status, including restorative needs, orthodontic treatment needs, and home care recommendations.
6. To provide an assessment of treatment methods that would best serve you, given your child's behavior and abilities.
According to guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), your child should be seen by his/her pediatric dentist no later than six months after the eruption of the first tooth. This visit mainly will involve counseling on oral hygiene, habits, and on the effects that diet can have on his/her teeth. It is NOT recommended to wait until age 3 to visit your dentist and as a general rule, the earlier the dental visit, the better the chance of preventing dental problems. Children with healthy teeth chew food easily, learn to speak clearly, and smile with confidence. Start your child now on a lifetime of good dental habits. The AAPD also recommends a dental check-up at least twice a year; however some children that may be at a higher-than-average caries risk may need to be seen more often.
In severe cases of enamel fluorosis, the appearance of the teeth is marred by discoloration or brown markings. The enamel may be pitted, rough, and hard to clean. In mild cases of fluorosis, the tiny white specks or streaks are often unnoticeable.
Accidents can happen during any physical activity. A mouth protector can help protect the soft tissues of your tongue, lips and cheek lining. Over-the-counter stock mouth protectors are inexpensive, pre-formed and ready-to-wear. Boil and bite mouth protectors offer a better fit than stock mouth protectors. Softened in water, they are more adaptable to the shape of your mouth. Custom-fitted mouth protectors are made by your dentist for you personally. They are more expensive, but a properly fitted mouth protector will stay in place while you are wearing it, making it easy for you to talk and breathe.
Baby teeth that have large caries (cavities) and some degree of pain occasionally require that the 'coronal' (top) portion of that tooth's nerve be removed before a filling or a crown (preferably) is placed. The main goal of this procedure is to preserve the baby tooth, since baby teeth help to maintain adequate room for the permanent teeth. Pulpotomies have published success rates that range from 60% to 90% and represent a good and reliable way to save a badly decayed baby tooth.
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