First Dental Visit
We generally recommend a child to be seen at our facility for their first dental checkup by their third birthday, unless an abnormality is detected in the child's mouth by
parents or the pediatrician.
(See the American Dental Association's Short Video on Dental Caries is an Infectious Disease: Broadband | Dial up)
(See the American Dental Association's Short Video on Back To School Check-ups: Broadband | Dial up)
(See the American Dental Association's Short Video on Keeping Your Teeth for a Lifetime: Broadband | Dial up)
How do I prepare my child and myself for the visit?
Plan a course of action for either reaction your child may exhibit -cooperative or non-cooperative. Very young children may be fussy and not sit still. Talk to your child
about what to expect, and build excitement as well as understanding about the upcoming visit.
What will happen on the first visit?
For some children, the parent may need to sit in the dental chair and hold the child during the examination. Also, parents may be asked to wait in the reception area
so a relationship can be built between your child and the dentist. If the child is compliant, the first session often lasts between 15-30 minutes and may include the
following, depending on age:
Our dental staff should be able to answer any questions you have and try to make you and your child feel comfortable throughout the visit. Our entire dental team will
provide a relaxed, non-threatening environment for your child.
When should the next visit be?
Children, like adults, should see one of our dentists every six months.
What are sealants?
A dental sealant is a thin plastic film painted on the chewing surfaces of molars and premolars (the teeth directly in front of the molars). Sealants have been shown to
be highly effective in the prevention of cavities. They were developed through dental research in the 1950s and first became available commercially in the early
1970s. The first sealant was accepted by the American Dental Association Council on Dental Therapeutics in 1972.
(See the American Dental Association's Short Video on Sealants: Broadband | Dial up)
How effective are sealants?
Scientific studies have proven that properly applied sealants are 100 percent effective in protecting the tooth surfaces from caries. Because sealants act as a physical
barrier to decay, protection is determined by the sealants' ability to adhere to the tooth. As long as the sealant remains intact, small food particles and bacteria that
cause cavities cannot penetrate through or around a sealant. In fact, research has shown that sealants actually stop cavities when placed on top of a slightly decayed
tooth by sealing off the supply of nutrients to the bacteria that causes a cavity. Sealant protection is reduced or lost when part or all of the bond between the tooth and
sealant is broken. However, clinical studies have shown that teeth that have lost sealants are no more susceptible to tooth decay than teeth that were never sealed.
How are sealants applied?
Sealant application involves cleaning the surface of the tooth and rinsing the surface to remove all traces of the cleaning agent. An etching solution or gel is then
applied by one of our dentists to the enamel surface of the tooth, including the pits and grooves. After 15 seconds, the solution is thoroughly rinsed away with water.
After the site is dried, the sealant material is applied and allowed to harden by using a special curing light. Sealant treatment is painless and could take anywhere
from five to 45 minutes to apply, depending on how many teeth need to be sealed and how cooperative the child is.
How long will a sealant last?
Sealants should last five years, but can last as long as 10 years. One study reported that seven years after application, an impressive 49 percent of treated teeth were
still completely covered. Sealants should not be considered permanent. Regular dental check-ups by one of our dentists are necessary to monitor the sealants' bond
to the tooth.
Who should receive sealant treatment?
Children, because they have newly erupted, permanent teeth, receive the greatest benefit from sealants. The chewing surfaces of a child's teeth are most susceptible
to cavities and the least benefited by fluoride. Surveys show that approximately two-thirds of all cavities occur in the narrow pits and grooves of a child's newly erupted
teeth. This is because food particles and bacteria cannot be cleaned out. Other patients also can benefit from sealant placement, such as those who have existing
pits and grooves susceptible to decay. Research has shown that almost everybody has a 95 percent chance of eventually experiencing cavities in the pits and
grooves of their teeth.
Ways to protect your child's oral health at home
Parents typically provide oral hygiene care until the child is old enough to take personal responsibility for the daily dental health routine of brushing and flossing. A
proper regimen of home preventive care is important from the day your child is born.
Space Maintainers
Baby teeth (dentists call them primary or deciduous teeth) aren't just for chewing. Each one also acts as a guide for the permanent tooth that replaces it. If a primary
tooth is lost too early, the permanent tooth loses its guide and can drift or erupt at an angle. Neighboring teeth also can move or tilt into the space so the permanent
tooth can't come in. If your child loses a primary tooth before the permanent tooth is ready to come in, or if the permanent tooth is missing, one of our dentists may
recommend to use a space maintainer. The maintainer keeps the space open until the permanent tooth comes in.
(See the American Dental Association's Short Video on What are Space Maintainers?: Broadband | Dial up)
We generally recommend a child to be seen at our facility for their first dental checkup by their third birthday, unless an abnormality is detected in the child's mouth by
parents or the pediatrician.
(See the American Dental Association's Short Video on Dental Caries is an Infectious Disease: Broadband | Dial up)
(See the American Dental Association's Short Video on Back To School Check-ups: Broadband | Dial up)
(See the American Dental Association's Short Video on Keeping Your Teeth for a Lifetime: Broadband | Dial up)
How do I prepare my child and myself for the visit?
Plan a course of action for either reaction your child may exhibit -cooperative or non-cooperative. Very young children may be fussy and not sit still. Talk to your child
about what to expect, and build excitement as well as understanding about the upcoming visit.
What will happen on the first visit?
For some children, the parent may need to sit in the dental chair and hold the child during the examination. Also, parents may be asked to wait in the reception area
so a relationship can be built between your child and the dentist. If the child is compliant, the first session often lasts between 15-30 minutes and may include the
following, depending on age:
- A gentle but thorough examination of the teeth, jaw, bite, gums and oral tissues to monitor growth and development and observe any problem areas;
- A gentle cleaning, which includes polishing the teeth and removing any plaque, tartar build-up and stains;
- X-rays;
- A demonstration on proper home cleaning;
- Assessment of the need for fluoride.
Our dental staff should be able to answer any questions you have and try to make you and your child feel comfortable throughout the visit. Our entire dental team will
provide a relaxed, non-threatening environment for your child.
When should the next visit be?
Children, like adults, should see one of our dentists every six months.
What are sealants?
A dental sealant is a thin plastic film painted on the chewing surfaces of molars and premolars (the teeth directly in front of the molars). Sealants have been shown to
be highly effective in the prevention of cavities. They were developed through dental research in the 1950s and first became available commercially in the early
1970s. The first sealant was accepted by the American Dental Association Council on Dental Therapeutics in 1972.
(See the American Dental Association's Short Video on Sealants: Broadband | Dial up)
How effective are sealants?
Scientific studies have proven that properly applied sealants are 100 percent effective in protecting the tooth surfaces from caries. Because sealants act as a physical
barrier to decay, protection is determined by the sealants' ability to adhere to the tooth. As long as the sealant remains intact, small food particles and bacteria that
cause cavities cannot penetrate through or around a sealant. In fact, research has shown that sealants actually stop cavities when placed on top of a slightly decayed
tooth by sealing off the supply of nutrients to the bacteria that causes a cavity. Sealant protection is reduced or lost when part or all of the bond between the tooth and
sealant is broken. However, clinical studies have shown that teeth that have lost sealants are no more susceptible to tooth decay than teeth that were never sealed.
How are sealants applied?
Sealant application involves cleaning the surface of the tooth and rinsing the surface to remove all traces of the cleaning agent. An etching solution or gel is then
applied by one of our dentists to the enamel surface of the tooth, including the pits and grooves. After 15 seconds, the solution is thoroughly rinsed away with water.
After the site is dried, the sealant material is applied and allowed to harden by using a special curing light. Sealant treatment is painless and could take anywhere
from five to 45 minutes to apply, depending on how many teeth need to be sealed and how cooperative the child is.
How long will a sealant last?
Sealants should last five years, but can last as long as 10 years. One study reported that seven years after application, an impressive 49 percent of treated teeth were
still completely covered. Sealants should not be considered permanent. Regular dental check-ups by one of our dentists are necessary to monitor the sealants' bond
to the tooth.
Who should receive sealant treatment?
Children, because they have newly erupted, permanent teeth, receive the greatest benefit from sealants. The chewing surfaces of a child's teeth are most susceptible
to cavities and the least benefited by fluoride. Surveys show that approximately two-thirds of all cavities occur in the narrow pits and grooves of a child's newly erupted
teeth. This is because food particles and bacteria cannot be cleaned out. Other patients also can benefit from sealant placement, such as those who have existing
pits and grooves susceptible to decay. Research has shown that almost everybody has a 95 percent chance of eventually experiencing cavities in the pits and
grooves of their teeth.
Ways to protect your child's oral health at home
Parents typically provide oral hygiene care until the child is old enough to take personal responsibility for the daily dental health routine of brushing and flossing. A
proper regimen of home preventive care is important from the day your child is born.
- Clean your infant's gums with a clean, damp cloth.
- As soon as the first teeth come in, begin brushing them with a small, extra soft-bristled toothbrush and a pea-sized dab of fluoride toothpaste. Remember,
most children are also getting fluoride from the community water supply. Also floss your child's teeth every night before bed time to teach them the habit at an
early age and to help prevent cavities from forming in between their teeth.
- To avoid baby bottle tooth decay and teeth misalignment due to sucking, try to wean your child off of the breast and bottle by one year of age, and monitor
excessive sucking of pacifiers, fingers and thumbs. Never give your child a bottle of milk, juice or sweetened liquid as a pacifier at naptime or bedtime.
- Help a young child brush at night - the most important time to brush, due to lower salivary flow and higher susceptibility to cavities and plaque. Perhaps let the
child brush his teeth first to build self-confidence, then the parent can follow up to ensure that all plaque is removed. Usually by age 5 or so, the child can learn
to brush his or her own teeth with proper parental instruction.
- The best way to teach a child how to brush and floss is to lead by good example. Allowing your child to watch you brush and floss your teeth teaches the
importance of good oral hygiene.
Space Maintainers
Baby teeth (dentists call them primary or deciduous teeth) aren't just for chewing. Each one also acts as a guide for the permanent tooth that replaces it. If a primary
tooth is lost too early, the permanent tooth loses its guide and can drift or erupt at an angle. Neighboring teeth also can move or tilt into the space so the permanent
tooth can't come in. If your child loses a primary tooth before the permanent tooth is ready to come in, or if the permanent tooth is missing, one of our dentists may
recommend to use a space maintainer. The maintainer keeps the space open until the permanent tooth comes in.
(See the American Dental Association's Short Video on What are Space Maintainers?: Broadband | Dial up)
| Prevention "both in the office and at home" is our philosophy of dental care for children. We recommend regular periodic exams and cleanings as well as positive and thorough home care. Home care includes limited sweets, brushing three times a day, and flossing at least once a day, preferably before bedtime, and sometimes a topical application of fluoride. Because the primary teeth form the basis of the adult dentition, we will do everything possible to preserve the integrity of your child's dentition while fostering a healthy and relaxed attitude toward dental care. We offer a full range of preventative and restorative dental services for children, and adolescents. |
Disclaimer - This site is designed for
general information and educational
purposes only. The information on this site
is not intended to diagnose or treat any
specific dental or medical ailment.
Consulting one of our dentist for a
thorough examination is the best way to
diagnose any dental ailment.
general information and educational
purposes only. The information on this site
is not intended to diagnose or treat any
specific dental or medical ailment.
Consulting one of our dentist for a
thorough examination is the best way to
diagnose any dental ailment.
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