Pediatric Dental Care
Family-friendly, preventative-focused pediatric dentistry for children and teens of all ages.
Good dental care is vital for children as they age to ensure they have their teeth later in life. Baby teeth have essential functions that help children as they age and need to be cared for.
Baby teeth help guide adult teeth to place, keeping smiles straight and bright. As the adult teeth come up from the gums, they push against the roots of the baby teeth, and the roots melt away into the gums, making them fall out when they're ready, easing the pain of losing baby teeth.
Baby teeth help children chew, bite, and speak until around six years old. Then their baby teeth steadily fall out until about twelve, when their complete set of adult teeth take their place. You want to make sure each tooth is healthy and only comes out when it's ready to make sure your child will have a complete set of healthy chompers in the future.
There are twenty baby teeth total, and each comes at its own pace. Your child's first teeth will come around six to nine months after birth. However, there have been cases when it starts as early as three months and as late as twelve months.
When baby teeth come in, it's painful for the baby, and the process of their teeth coming in is called teething. To help your baby with the pain, wipe their gums with a gentle damp cloth or gauze pad and provide them with teething toys to help with their biting.
Typically the two lower front teeth come out first, followed by the top two front teeth. Then the molars come in, followed by the eyeteeth, or "canines." Soon your child will have a complete set of baby teeth and use them for biting and chewing everything they can get in their mouths.
Kids dentists recommend children should begin brushing their teeth when they are around two years old, with help from you. They should have a small, soft-bristled toothbrush with a tiny smear of fluoridated toothpaste. It's good to encourage this habit for your kid’s dental health early, as tooth decay can happen fast when they are young.
Take the time to help your child brush their teeth every morning and night until they are about six. Make it into a game, and help them feel grown-up by brushing your teeth simultaneously. The dental habits you instill in them while they're young will help them throughout their life.
Your child's first dental appointment should be around one year to ensure everything is progressing smoothly. Early childhood tooth decay can happen rapidly, in as little as six months, as the hard enamel exterior is rotted away to reveal the soft inner shell. So practice good dental hygiene and schedule regular appointments to see your child’s dentist.
We have a variety of treatments for tooth decay that can help save and repair your child's teeth.
Fluoride helps protect teeth from rot. There is a small amount in toothpaste and water, but we can apply a higher concentration for maximum protection.
A thin plastic coating can be applied to your child's teeth to prevent decay. It provides years of protection and is easy to apply.
Root canals are sometimes necessary to save a damaged or decayed tooth.
Minor fractures are relatively common in children's front teeth, but pediatric dental care can repair their broken teeth with tooth-colored bonding material.
Prevention and education are cornerstones of pediatric dentistry. Our goal is to help your child develop healthy lifelong oral habits.
We clean your child's teeth to improve oral health and prevent cavities during their regular six-month appointments.
When the need arises, we use composite fillings with a tooth-colored resin to fill in cavities, blending seamlessly with the rest of their teeth.
When the tooth is beyond help and will impede future oral health, it may be necessary to remove the tooth.
If you are unsure if your child needs immediate dental assistance, give us a call.
As your child grows older, we can evaluate their teeth to see if they'll need orthopedic intervention.
Based on your child's needs, we offer a sedation option to help your child feel more comfortable.
After tooth loss or damage, we offer treatments to help improve the appearance, function, and health of your child's smile.
We look forward to meeting you. Call (614) 350-5300 or request an appointment online to set up your first visit. We’ll be in touch soon.
