Exam and cleanings
Scheduling your child’s periodic dental exams and cleanings is important for early detection of dental disease and helps to prevent the development or advancement of dental disease. It also helps in shaping the positive attitude of the child towards dental office visits and possible treatments in the future. Our team is committed to instilling positive oral care habits right from the start to set the stage for a lifetime of healthy smiles!
When should you schedule the first dental visit for your child and how often should the appointments be scheduled?
According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), a child’s first visit should be scheduled within 6 months of appearance of the first tooth in mouth but no later than 1 year of age. After that most children would require to visit the dental office twice a year for regular exams and cleanings. If, however, a child is prone to developing tooth decay, cavities, or gum disease, the dentist may recommend more frequent care.
Why Are Routine Dental Exams and Cleanings Necessary?
Routine dental exams allow us to identify and treat oral health problems as they develop, preventing them from progressing and requiring extensive procedures to be performed in the future. Dental cleanings are just as important because they remove plaque and tartar deposits and lower the risk of dental cavities. Keeping up with your child’s periodic dental visits is one of the best ways to keep the teeth healthy and prevent dental decay.
What Happens During Your Child’s Dental Exam and Cleaning?
During the dental visit, for children 1-3 years of age, the dentist will perform a visual oral exam to check the eruption pattern of teeth and evaluate the development of orofacial tissue and musculature. The doctor will answer all your questions and provide you with necessary oral hygiene and nutritional guidance for your child’s oral health. No x-rays are usually taken during this age.
During a comprehensive pediatric dental exam for children 4 years old and above , we’ll take digital x-rays of the mouth. Glee Children’s Dentistry uses modern x-ray equipment with 80 to 90 percent less radiation than the already minimal radiation exposure of traditional x-ray equipment. Digital radiography reveals things we cannot see during physical exams, such as cavities in between the teeth or under the gum line.
Dr. Pri will perform a thorough dental exam and evaluate the radiographs to create a comprehensive treatment plan to best serve the needs of your child. During a dental cleaning, we will remove any plaque or tartar deposits, and we may recommend an in-office fluoride treatment, if necessary, to strengthen your child’s tooth enamel and lower the risk of tooth decay and cavities. Our team will also demonstrate proper brushing and flossing techniques to encourage proper oral hygiene practices at home.
Extractions
At Glee Children’s Dentistry, extracting a tooth is always a last resort. However, there are times it may be our only viable option. We will do everything possible to ensure your child’s experience is positive and comfortable. You can always count on us for exceptional, gentle care!
When does a tooth need to be extracted?
Dental extractions are often needed when a tooth has extensive decay, a severe tooth infection or abscess, or the tooth is damaged beyond repair due to trauma.
One or more teeth may need to be extracted as a part of orthodontic treatment. A baby tooth may have to be extracted if its blocking the eruption of adult/permanent tooth. If recommended by your orthodontist, we may perform selective tooth extractions to make room for the remaining teeth to shift into the right position.
What Happens During a Tooth Extraction?
We will use local anesthesia, nitrous sedation or other sedation techniques to ensure your child is comfortable and relaxed. Use of anesthesia depends on age of the child and the duration of the procedure. Pediatric tooth extractions are typically simple and involve the removal of accessible teeth with forceps. Most children experience minimal or no pain after the procedure. Each child receives a popsicle at Glee Children’s Dentistry after getting their tooth extracted.
How can you avoid a dental extraction?
The best way to avoid any dental issues including caries/trauma that may result in extractions is by maintaining proper hygiene and keeping up with your regular dental exams. Everyone needs proper toothbrushing, flossing and cleaning including babies that do not eat solid foods. Mouthguards are necessary for children involved in sports activities to prevent dental trauma.
Space maintainers
What are space maintainers?
If your child has lost a baby tooth prematurely due to trauma or decay and the adult tooth is not ready to take its place yet, the dentist will recommend the placement of a space maintainer. As the name suggests, it helps to keep the space open for the adult tooth to appear in its right position and orientation. Space maintainers prevent crowding or tilting of the adjacent teeth into the space and thus minimize the need of orthodontic treatment in the future. Your child may need more than one space maintainers depending on the number of teeth extracted.
Fluoride treatments
Fluoride is an effective way to prevent cavities and it is recommended that your child has fluoride varnish or foam applied to their teeth every time they visit the office for an exam and cleaning. Use of fluoride on a regular basis helps strengthen the natural tooth structure chemically and make it less prone to decay and cavities. Fluoride is available in different forms and the doctor will advise the use of fluoride products depending on the need of your child.
SDF – silver diamine fluoride
What is SDF?
SDF is a non-invasive dental treatment that aims to prevent the progression of dental decay. SDF is a solution made of silver, water, ammonia and fluoride. The silver in the solution has anti-bacterial properties while the fluoride strengthens the tooth structure preventing further decay or demineralization of tooth structure.
Does your child need SDF?
SDF is used on a decayed tooth where the decay has not reached the nerves and no infection is present around the tooth. It is used on a tooth that cannot receive definitive treatment at the moment due to medical or behavioral limitations of a child. Dr. Pri will evaluate each child to determine if SDF is a viable option.
Advantages of SDF:
SDF provides a non-invasive treatment option for children with special behavioral and healthcare needs. It is a conservative, quick and painless treatment option that does not require any sedation, general anesthesia, shots or drills. SDF is an affordable option as small quantity can be used to treat multiple teeth.
Disadvantages limitations of SDF:
SDF remineralizes the tooth thus reducing tooth sensitivity but repeated applications may be required. SDF is used to maintain the tooth and prevents further degradation but a more definitive dental procedure such as pulpotomy, crown or fillings will be needed to restore tooth function. One of the side effects of SDF is the permanent black staining of the decayed or carious tooth structure.
Sealants
At Glee Children’s Dentistry, we believe in prevention rather than treating dental problems after they develop. We are proud to offer a range of preventive services, including dental sealants that prevent food lodgment and formation of dental cavities.
Does your child need dental sealants?
Brushing and flossing is one of the best ways to maintain healthy teeth, however grooves and crevices on the chewing surfaces of back teeth, called pits and fissures, can trap plaque and food particles. That allows bacteria to grow and attack the tooth, leading to dental caries.
What Are Dental Sealants?
Dental sealants are thin protective transparent /white resin coatings. When placed on the chewing surfaces of teeth, they bond to the tooth structure, forming a shield that seals out food and bacteria. Studies show that sealants lower the risk of tooth decay in molars by almost 80 percent!
When Should You Have Dental Sealants Placed?
Dental sealants may be recommended as soon as the six-year molars/ first adult back teeth fully come in. You’ll also need to have them placed as more adult teeth keep appearing. Protecting those teeth right from the start will help lower the chances of decay in those hard-to-clean grooves and help prevent future dental problems.
How do you place dental sealants?
Applying sealants is a quick, safe, and painless procedure. NO anesthesia or drilling is required. Tooth surface is cleaned and polished to remove any existing plaque or tartar. Tooth is etched and washed to allow bonding of the resin material. Resin is painted on the prepared tooth surface and cured with light to create a protective seal/barrier. The bite may change slightly after the sealants are placed but it will get back to normal in a few days.