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Children should receive a dental checkup at least twice a year after the first tooth appears. Children’s Dental World uses these checkup appointments as a way to monitor the child’s oral growth and get an early jump on any potential issues. In addition, routine bi-annual exams give the dentist an opportunity to develop an ongoing relationship with both parent and child. As the child grows, the dentist is able to observe the patient’s oral health history in progress and advise parents on any bad eating or oral habits the child may be developing as he or she grows. With positive reinforcement from Children’s Dental World and their pediatric dentists, children also learn to appreciate proper dental habits during these checkups.

Dental cleanings (prophies) are necessary procedures to ensure a child’s ongoing oral health. Children’s Dental World’s dentists will often include prophies in a child’s bi-annual checkup and will use the cleaning to remove plaque and tartar. This type of cleaning leaves the surface of the tooth smooth and clean. Prophies are not painful procedures and are over rather quickly, so children should take to them fairly easily.

Dentists often include fluoride treatments in patient visits to prevent caries (tooth decay) or repair teeth. In children with a high risk of developing cavities, fluoride treatments may be used to help fight the spread of decay. Children’s Dental World offers fluoride treatments to children of all ages. Fluoride treatments generally only take a few minutes and may be repeated every 3, 6, or 12 months as needed. There is no need for a sedative or nitrous oxide, since fluoride treatments are done by simply rubbing the solution directly on the teeth with a cotton swab or brush.

Digital X-rays are available at Children’s Dental World and use less radiation than traditional X-rays. This can be a comfort for parents worried about radiation exposure for their young children. When dentists need the help of an X-ray to find things that may not be visible during a visual exam, like cavities, wisdom teeth, and bone loss, a digital X-ray offers the perfect solution. Digital X-rays have the added benefit of being readily available for viewing on a PC and of producing images quicker than most traditional X-ray machines. When dealing with children, this is a huge advantage, as less time is needed to diagnose oral problems.

Dental sealants are a preventative treatment also known as fissure sealants. Plastic material is inserted into the pits, fissures, or chewing surfaces of the patient’s tooth. Sealants are used to prevent pieces of food from being trapped in the pits or fissures of the tooth, and help to prevent the spread of cavities. Since this type of cavity is common in children and teens, the use of sealants help keep their teeth healthy. Children’s Dental World uses dental (fissure) sealants as part of a child’s overall preventative dental care. Using a sealant is an alternative to dental fillings for children in some cases.

Children’s Dental World uses composite fillings as restorative material to fill in the decayed area of a tooth. The fillings are made from synthetic resins, which are easy to manipulate and fairly inexpensive, which is always good news for budget minded parents. When a child has a significant cavity but the majority of the tooth is still healthy, the dentist may choose to use a composite filling rather than an extraction in an effort to save the tooth. A well-placed composite filling can last 10 years or more, making the use of them a good alternative for children and teens.

Stainless steel crowns are another alternative to tooth extraction for severely decayed teeth. Made from a mix of several metals this type of crown is extremely durable. Children’s Dental World offers parents the option of using stainless steel crowns on their child’s tooth when saving the tooth is a primary concern. This type of crown is also a good alternative when children are not quite as cooperative when other methods are attempted.  No matter which method is used, Children’s Dental World will do all we can to ensure your child has the best treatment for his or her dental future.

The anatomy of a tooth includes a soft pulp space underneath the hard outer exterior. This area is filled with nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue. When a child has a toothache, it is usually because this area has an infection caused by bacteria from a large cavity in the tooth. Children’s Dental World uses a technique known as a pulpotomy to remove the infected tissue before replacing it with a medicated filling. Pulpotomies can be used on baby teeth as well as permanent teeth. Anesthetic or nitrous oxide is used during the procedure and our caring dentists will do all they can to make your child’s experience as painless as possible.

For procedures such as pulpotomies, crown placements, composite fillings and extractions, the dentists of Children’s Dental World may employ the use of nitrous oxide. Nitrous oxide is perfectly safe and has been used in dental procedures for over 100 years. Children’s Dental World takes every precaution with your child’s safety and will do everything possible to ensure your child is comfortable and at ease during invasive dental procedures. For parents with children who refuse to visit the dentist because of painful shot experiences in the past, our use of nitrous oxide is a good reason to pay us a visit. Your child’s comfort comes first with Children’s Dental World.

When composite fillings, pulpotomies, or crown placements are not a viable option to saving a tooth with excessive decay, the only remaining option is an extraction. Tooth extractions are a last resort, but when a toothache or tooth decay has reached a certain level, it is time to remove the bad tooth. Children’s Dental World promises to remove your child’s tooth with as little pain as possible with the use of nitrous oxide and/or other anesthetics. Our sensitive, knowledgeable dentists take pride in their ability to extract a tooth without causing either physical or emotional trauma to our young patients.

In some cases it might make sense for your child to have general anesthesia during their dental appointment. This anesthesia is often used for young children who are very frightened when they visit the dentist, or for children who have disabilities and are unable to sit still during the appointment. In both of these situations, the child has a hard time understanding the things that are happening, and sometimes they might go into hysterics and complicate the dental treatment.

Another reason why general anesthesia might be required is if the child needs a lot of dental work completed on multiple teeth. Using general anesthesia allows us to get all of the dental treatment done at once and to decrease the stress levels for both the child and the parent. There are minimal side-effects to general anesthesia. Our team is trained in pediatric dentistry and we have team members with specialized expertise to offer general anesthesia.

Silver diamine fluoride (SDF), a clear liquid that combines fluoride’s ability to remineralize teeth with silver’s antibacterial properties. SDF can help prevent cavities from growing and spreading to other teeth. The liquid is simply brushed onto the cavity. The process does not require any anesthetic (shots) or drilling. It is very safe, easy to apply and has been shown to be effective.