What is a Pediatric Dentist?

A pediatric dentist is a specialist dedicated to the oral health of infants, children, adolescents and patients with special healthcare needs. Pediatric dentists complete 2-3 years of additional specialized training (beyond the required 4 years of dental school), which includes study in child psychology, growth and development and care of patients with medical, physical, behavioral or mental disabilities. Their specialization allows them to provide treatment for a wide variety of children’s dental problems such as tooth decay, malocclusions (bite issues) and emergency care.

Why Primary Teeth Are Important

Primary teeth are important for several reasons. Foremost, good teeth allow a child to eat and maintain good nutrition. Healthy teeth allow for clear pronunciation and speech habits. The self-image that healthy teeth give a child is immeasurable. Primary teeth also guide eruption of the permanent teeth.

Good Diet and Healthy Teeth

The teeth, bones and soft tissue of the mouth require a healthy, well-balanced diet. A variety of foods from the five food groups helps minimize (and avoid) cavities and other dental problems. Most snacks that children eat cause cavities, so children should only receive healthy foods like vegetables, low-fat yogurt and cheeses, which promote strong teeth.

Early Childhood Caries

Caries, or tooth decay, is a preventable disease. While caries might not endanger your child’s life, they may negatively impact their quality of life.

When your child’s teeth and gums are consistently exposed to large amounts of starches and sugars, acids may form that begin to eat away at tooth enamel. Carbohydrate-rich foods such as candy, cookies, soft drinks and even fruit juices leave deposits on your teeth. Those deposits bond with the bacteria that normally survive in your mouth and form plaque. The combination of deposits and plaque forms acids that can damage the mineral structure of teeth, with tooth decay resulting.

What can I do to help my child remain cavity free?

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends:

• Brush his or her teeth at least twice a day.
• Floss his or her teeth once a day.
• Have your child visit his or her pediatric dentist twice a year.
• Maker sure your child gets enough fluoride through drinking water or taking supplements if necessary.
• Have sealants applied to the chewing surfaces of your child’s permanent back teeth.
• Allow your child to snack moderately, no more than twice a day.
• Avoid giving your child sticky-sugary foods.

If you’d like more information, please read the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry’s parent brochures.

Mouthguards to Wear While Playing Sports

We are pleased to offer our patients custom-fabricated mouthguards for sports activities. Unlike stock mouthguards, which fit loosely because they are designed to accommodate many possible wearers, our sports mouthguards are tailored to fit your exact dental profile, providing the highest attainable level of comfort and security in a mouthguard.

The first step in fabricating these mouthguards is to take an impression of your teeth. We then use that impression and fabricate the mouthguard using special professional-grade materials. The perfect fit of these custom-fabricated mouthguards ensures that not only will your mouthguards fit comfortably, they will also offer the most protection and will interfere the least with speech or breathing.

Orthodontic Problems

A bite that does not meet properly (a malocclusion) can be inherited, or some types may be acquired. Some causes of malocclusion include missing or extra teeth, crowded teeth or misaligned jaws. Accidents or developmental issues, such as finger or thumb sucking over an extended period of time, may cause malocclusions.

Fluoride

Fluoride is a substance that helps teeth become stronger and resistant to decay. Regularly drinking water treated with fluoride and brushing and flossing regularly ensures significantly lower cavities. Dentists can evaluate the level of fluoride in a primary drinking water source and recommend fluoride supplements (usually in tablets or drops), if necessary.

Enamel Fluorosis

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Preventative Dentistry

Tooth decay is a progressive disease resulting in the interaction of bacteria that naturally occur on the teeth and sugars in the everyday diet. Sugar causes a reaction in the bacteria, causing it to produce acids that break down the mineral in teeth, forming a cavity. Dentists remove the decay and fill the tooth using a variety of fillings, restoring the tooth to a healthy state. Nerve damage can result from severe decay and may require a crown (a crown is like a large filling that can cap a tooth, making it stronger or covering it). Avoiding unnecessary decay simply requires strict adherence to a dental hygiene regimen: brushing and flossing twice a day, regular dental checkups, diet control and fluoride treatment. Practicing good hygiene avoids unhealthy teeth and costly treatment.

Interceptive Orthodontics

Though an orthodontist can enhance a smile at any age, there is an optimal time period to begin treatment. Beginning treatment at this time ensures the greatest result and the least amount of time and expense. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that the initial orthodontic evaluation should occur at the first sign of orthodontic problems or no later than age 7. At this early age, orthodontic treatment may not be necessary, but vigilant examination can anticipate the most advantageous time to begin treatment.

Some of the most direct results of interceptive treatment are:

• Creating room for crowded, erupting teeth
• Creating facial symmetry through influencing jaw growth
• Reducing the risk of trauma to protruding front teeth
• Preserving space for unerupted teeth
• Reducing the need for tooth removal
• Reducing treatment time with braces

Pacifier/Thumb Sucking Habits

Sucking is a natural reflex that relaxes and comforts babies and toddlers. Children usually cease pacifier/thumb sucking when the permanent front teeth are ready to erupt. Typically, children stop between the ages of 2 and 4 years. Pacifier/thumb sucking that persists beyond the eruption of primary teeth can cause improper growth of the mouth and misalignment of the teeth. If you notice prolonged and/or vigorous pacifier/thumb sucking behavior in your child, talk to Drs. Jason, Nancy and Jennifer.

Night-time Teeth Grinding

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Piercings and Your Child’s Mouth

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Tobacco

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