Just like adults, children need regular dental exams and cleanings to prevent painful problems from occurring. Many of our offices include a pediatric dentist who has at least two years of additional training to address the dental needs of infants, children, and adolescents. Many of our general dentists also provide a variety of dental treatments to prevent tooth decay in children, or to save or repair teeth when necessary. Here are some of the ways we can help keep your child’s smile healthy and beautiful:
- Topical Fluoride: Fluoride is called nature’s cavity fighter. It incorporates into the enamel of teeth, making the surface harder and more resistant to decay.
- Dental Sealants: We can apply a plastic coating that prevents cavities by sealing the little grooves on the chewing surfaces of back teeth known as “pits and fissures.” Dental sealants are painless to apply and provide years of protection.
Learn more about sealants - Root Canal Treatment: Just like adults, sometimes children need root canals to save an injured or severely decayed tooth. The tooth will be topped by a crown to protect it
- Pulpotomy: The formal name for removing the top part of the pulp chamber, not the roots, in a baby tooth.
- Pulpectomy: The formal name for removing the entire pulp material from both the crown area and the roots. This procedure is often called a “baby root canal.”
Learn more about root canals
- Bonding: Tooth-colored bonding materials can repair chips and minor fractures to front teeth.
Learn more about bonding - Pediatric Crowns: If your child has a broken or severely decayed tooth, your dentist may choose to restore it with a crown.
Learn more about crowns - Braces & Orthodontic Concerns: The American Association of Orthodontists recommends children receive their first orthodontic consultation by age seven to spot any problems with jaw growth or emerging teeth. Many problems are evident by this age, including protruding teeth, crowding, crossbite, open bite, gaps between teeth (diastema), and teeth that erupted in the wrong place.
Learn more about early treatment and braces