Pediatric Dentistry
Receiving high-quality dental treatment is just as important for children as it is for adults. We take great pride in helping our younger patients achieve excellent oral health and pediatric dental services in the community.
Pediatric Dentistry at Broad Smiles
Maintaining positive dental health and a great-looking smile is a process that starts early in life. Young people need to take precautions just as older people do to prevent any serious conditions.
We feature a top-notch pediatric dentistry program that helps children and parents understand how to prevent serious oral health problems and issues. Children and teens who make regular dental visits during their younger years are much more likely to maintain strong and healthy teeth throughout their life. We ensure every child feels relaxed and comfortable and excited for their next visit. Our lobby features refreshments for kids as they wait for their appointment, TVs to entertain them during the visit and extended hours to make it easier to arrange an appointment that works with school and other activities.
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What does pediatric dentistry include?
Pediatric dentistry includes using sealants to help prevent cavities and tooth decay on a child’s back molars. This is a proven preventive treatment that works by applying a thick acrylic coating over the teeth and allowing it to harden, which keeps out unwanted bacteria and plague that could otherwise harm the teeth.
Additionally, using fluoride applications to strengthen your child’s tooth enamel is extremely helpful in preventing decay. This involves applying fluoride directly to the teeth—it will bond the enamel and help keep teeth strong and healthy, it could even reverse decay.
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What is a pediatric dentist?
Pediatric dentists are dedicated to the oral health of children from infancy through the teen years. They have experience and qualifications to care for a child’s teeth, gums and mouth throughout the various stages of childhood. Pediatric dentists complete at least four years of dental school and two additional years of residency training in dentistry for infants, children, teens and children with special needs.
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What are the common issues of dental health in children?
Many of a kid’s dental problems are the same ones affecting adults, but as children’s teeth are still developing, untreated dental conditions can cause poor and misaligned tooth development, leading to a more serious problem as a child grows up.
Some of the most common issues with children are:
- Tooth decay
- Bad breath
- Sensitive teeth
- Thumb-sucking
- Gum disease
- Teeth grinding
- Canker Sores
- Baby teeth-loss
- Over-retained primary teeth
- Dental Anxiety
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What is pulp therapy?
If your child starts to complain about sensitivity or constant pain, or if the tissue around a tooth is swollen and painful, they may have pulp damage. Damage to the interior living part of the tooth can occur because of trauma, decay, or other infection. The ‘pulp’ refers to the live part of the tooth.
If the pulp is damaged, it is important to retain as much of the living pulp as possible, while also treating the infection or removing any damaged sections. One way we do this is with a pulpotomy.
A pulpotomy can be performed if the pulp root is unaffected, and just the tip of the pulp is damaged. If the root is healthy we will remove all the decay and then place material over the remaining pulp to protect it. Finally, we will place a crown. By saving the pulp, your child has a greater chance of producing a healthy adult tooth.
A pulpectomy is performed if the damage has extended into the tooth root, we will need to remove all of the living material and fill the space — just like an adult root canal. We will place a crown to help with spacing when the adult tooth is ready to come in.
A Kid-Friendly Dental Experience
We specialize in providing first-class dental care to children of all ages. What’s more, we are parents too! Therefore, we understand the busy lives of families and have created an experience to make your dental visits simpler. Learn more about our services or schedule an appointment today.
