Children’s and Pediatric Services
Dental Services
Tooth decay often begins at an early age, making young children particularly susceptible. Nearly half of children between the ages of 2-11 have experienced tooth decay while 32% of kids between the ages of 9-11 develop cavities in their permanent teeth. Major contributing factors to this public health problem include baby formula with added sugar and heavily-sugared fruit juices. Even breast milk can cause cavities in baby teeth because of the natural sugars present.
Care for baby teeth should begin as soon as the first tooth appears. We recommend that you bring your child in for an exam no later than his or her first birthday. Regular six-month checkups will put kids on a schedule like most adults, establishing a routine that will hopefully last a lifetime.
The following early steps can help guard your child against tooth decay, even before their first dental visit:
Your baby's teeth should always be rinsed with water or wiped with a damp cloth after feeding, especially before they fall asleep. Milk or formula residue left in the mouth can encourage decay even in the youngest patients.
Try to wean your child off bottle feeding by their first birthday. This helps avoid decay and reduces the chance of developing jaw problems from excessive sucking.
Begin brushing as soon as your child’s first tooth appears. Even if it’s barely poking through the gum, a tooth can develop decay if not cleaned properly. Start by brushing with a soft bristled brush and water. Ask Dr. Jake Higginson or your child’s hygienist when it's ok to begin using a small amount of toothpaste.
Help your child brush and remember that kids don’t have the dexterity to clean their teeth on their own until after they can tie their shoes.
Don't give bottles filled with sugary drinks or milk before bedtime.
If you do choose to offer sugary beverages, have your child use a straw, so the teeth have less contact with the liquid.
Try to limit the overall sugary foods your child eats and drinks.
Our doctors believe a trip to the dentist should be fun, lighthearted, and not something to fear. The way your child is exposed to dentistry lays the groundwork for how they view dental care and dental visits for the rest of their lives.
Our doctors and their team loves caring for patients, and we work hard to make sure each child is spoken to gently, treated with respect, and cared for as if they were our own child. We use simple words to explain procedures to our patients and make sure each parent or guardian is aware of the process as well.
Pediatric Cleanings & Exams
Preventative care is one of the simplest and most important ways to make sure your child’s teeth grow in strong and healthy. Giving them the proper tools and teaching them the right way to brush when they are young lays the groundwork that will create healthy habits they will carry with them into adulthood.
Most children have two cleanings a year, but children with a higher risk of caries may need more frequent visits.
During a checkup, will your child’s hygienist will clean their teeth and, if necessary, take x-rays and give your child a fluoride treatment. Our doctors will perform an exam and review if any treatment is needed.
Digital X-rays
Digital x-rays help diagnose cavities while they are tiny, often allowing for less invasive treatment. If they are caught early enough, decay may be stopped with some minor changes to your child’s homecare routine.
Using digital x-rays, our doctors can look for teeth that haven’t erupted yet, make sure your child’s jaws and teeth are developing well, and monitor whether orthodontic treatment will be needed in the future.
Today’s digital x-rays expose your child to less radiation than ever before. Lead aprons and taking x-rays only when necessary further reduce your child’s exposure.
Fluoride
Topical fluoride treatments help keep your child’s teeth cavity-free between visits by strengthening the enamel. Depending on your child’s age, the fluoride may be brushed onto your child’s teeth or put into a foam tray and allowed to sit on their teeth. For younger children, a fluoride varnish is brushed onto the teeth. Fluoride varnish hardens when it comes in contact with saliva, forming a hard film that is brushed off later that evening.
Older children usually have a tray loaded with foam fluoride placed in their mouths for a specific amount of time along with a suction straw to remove any foam overflow and saliva. When the time is up, your child is told not to eat or drink for at least 30 minutes to allow the fluoride to work.
Our doctors and their hygiene team are happy to answer all your questions about fluoride treatments and treatment options.
Frenectomies
A frenum, or frenulum, is a small piece of tissue that attaches either the upper lip to the gum tissue or the tongue to the floor of the mouth.
In some children, this frenum or frenulum is attached too tightly and can pull on the lips or gums causing tongue-tie, problems nursing, speech issues, trouble eating or drinking, or cause pulling on the gums around teeth that can create a periodontal issue as the child ages.
During a frenectomy, our doctors make a small incision in the frenum or frenulum, allowing for greater movement of the lips. Results are instant, and this simple procedure can be done in-office with a local anesthetic. The incision site usually heals in a few days with little to no discomfort.
SDF or Silver Diamine Fluoride
The use of Silver Diamine Fluoride in dentistry is well documented for its ability to stop decay noninvasively. Using SDF is a conservative approach to treating decay, especially in baby teeth that will be lost in a few years. Our doctors and their team can discuss with you if Silver Diamine Fluoride treatment is right for your child.
What is Silver Diamine Fluoride?
Silver Diamine Fluoride, or SDF, is an FDA-approved antibiotic liquid that, when applied topically, can stop decay from progressing. While this treatment probably won’t prevent the need for a restoration in the future, it has been proven effective in stopping further decay until either the baby tooth is lost, or a more permanent means of repair, like a filling or crown, can be performed.
The Procedure
After the treatment area is isolated and dried, Our doctors apply the Silver Diamine Fluoride to the decay using a small brush. Then, a fluoride-infused sealer is placed over the Silver Diamine Fluoride so it can work its magic undisturbed.
A follow-up appointment about a week later makes sure the Silver Diamine Fluoride is working, and a second application is applied.
After your child’s procedure, daily home treatment with a fluoride rinse (like ACT) is recommended, as is twice daily brushing with a fluoridated toothpaste.
What to Expect After Treatment
After your child’s appointment, you may notice some discoloration where the SDF made contact with the surrounding tissue of the gum, skin or an existing restoration. The decayed area where the Silver Diamine Fluoride was applied will also turn dark. This is an indication that the SDF is working and is perfectly natural.
Silver Diamine Fluoride is a safe, FDA-approved, effective way to stop decay. However, if your child has a silver sensitivity, please let us know before their appointment.
Restorative Dentistry
If your child needs restorative treatment in the form of a filling or crown, our doctors and their team will create a custom treatment plan for your child and review all options with you before treatment begins. We believe a conservative approach to children’s dentistry is usually the best course of action.
Fillings are placed in the tooth following decay removal to preserve natural tooth structure. Nowadays most fillings are made of a composite resin that is matched to your child’s natural tooth color. In some rare instances amalgam (silver) fillings may be used.
Crowns can be made of many different materials depending on where in your child’s mouth they are to be used. Stainless steel, resin, and zirconia are all durable choices and require very similar preparations.
Why Does My Child Need a Crown?
Sometimes an area of decay is too large for a filling or the decay has compromised the whole side of a tooth, so there is not enough tooth structure to support a filling. If your child has an accident that results in a heavily damaged tooth or if your child is at high risk for developing cavities, our doctors may decide it’s best to preserve the entire remaining structure.
If you are concerned that your child needs a crown, our doctors and their team are happy to answer all your questions.
Tooth-Colored Fillings
Studies have shown that almost 33% of children aged 2 to 5 have had a cavity. Even though baby teeth are only around for a few short years, it’s still important to keep them healthy because they hold the space for your child’s adult teeth. They also help develop proper speech patterns and help your child chew.
The procedure is the same for a child as it is for an adult. Depending on the size of the decayed area, a local anesthetic may be given, and if your child has any anxiety over the procedure, we have some sedation options available to make the procedure more comfortable.
After the decay is removed, a special gel is used to clean and etch the surface. Once the filling material is in place, it is light cured, polished, and adjusted to make sure it doesn’t interfere with your child’s bite. Tooth-colored filling material is much like a natural tooth in texture and is matched to your child’s tooth color.
After treatment, it’s important to maintain a regular homecare routine of brushing and flossing twice daily, so your child’s restorations stay healthy and prevent any more decay.
Sports Mouthguards
It’s estimated that over 20 million children take part in one after-school sport or another. With that amount of children engaging in sports and other activities like skiing, gymnastics, and martial arts, there is a higher chance of injury. Did you know that up to 20% of these injuries are due to fractured or otherwise damaged teeth?
Our doctors can create a sports mouthguard for your child. After an impression of your child’s teeth is taken, they will fabricate a new mouthguard molded to custom-fit to your child’s unique smile.
When worn regularly, your child can protect their teeth, jaws, and lips from injury. Your child only gets one set of adult teeth. Our doctors can help you keep them safe.
Tooth Extractions
An extraction can make both children and parents anxious, but they are a common procedure in most pediatric dental offices. Sometimes a child’s tooth has too much decay to restore, or they need a tooth or teeth removed to make room for orthodontic treatment.
Regardless of the reason, our doctors and their team will make sure you and your child are comfortable with the treatment plan.
After some local anesthetic, our doctors will remove your child’s tooth. If it is impacted or if it is a complicated removal, Our doctors will discuss with you if sedation options are recommended.
Once the tooth is removed, our doctors will give you post-op instructions and place a small piece of gauze over the extraction site to stop any bleeding and to help a clot form. Check and replace the gauze every 20 minutes until the bleeding stops.
Here are some recommended tips for the first 24 hours after your child’s extraction:
- Use over-the-counter or prescribed pain relievers if recommended by our doctors.
- Give your child soft foods for the first 24 hours after their extraction.
- DO NOT allow your child to drink from a straw, rinse their mouth out, spit, or brush that area for at least 24 hours after tooth removal. This could dislodge the blood clot and cause a very painful issue called a dry socket.
- Place an ice pack wrapped in a towel over the area for about 20 minutes to relieve swelling and discomfort.
- Immediately call our office if your child experiences fever, immense pain, or chills.
Dental Visions always considers your child’s comfort regardless of the type of treatment they are receiving. Our doctors will discuss your child’s unique situation with you to determine the best way to help them receive the treatment they need.
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