Preventive Care
Ensuring Healthy Smiles for a Lifetime
At Star Pediatric Dentistry, we believe that prevention is the key to maintaining a lifetime of healthy smiles for your child. Our comprehensive preventative care services are designed to lay the foundation for optimal oral health from infancy through adolescence. By emphasizing education, early intervention, and personalized care, we empower families to take an active role in preserving their children’s dental wellness.
Importance of Preventative Care
Preventative care plays a crucial role in preserving your child’s oral health and overall well-being. By identifying and addressing potential issues early on, we can minimize the need for more extensive treatments in the future. Additionally, instilling good oral hygiene habits from a young age sets the stage for a lifetime of healthy smiles.
Preventive Dental Care
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, every child should see a dentist by the time they get their first tooth. The first dental visit should take place no later than the child’s first birthday. Helping your child get into the habit of regular dental visits early in life will set positive dental habits that will extend into adulthood. Routine dental cleanings and exams are necessary to help ensure that your child maintains a healthy mouth and good oral hygiene. Although care at home is also important, professional dental cleanings will help remove plaque build-up that can occur despite the best brushing and flossing methods.
During a routine check-up, the teeth of your child will be polished to remove any plaque build-up or tartar. Your child will be given a fun toothpaste flavor and allowed to watch a kid-friendly movie during the entire cleaning process. Our staff will also spend time going over the dietary needs of your child along with daily brushing and flossing routines. We will also give tips on how to properly brush and floss and what foods are best to eat.
White Fillings
Traditional cavity restorations using white fillings are still one of the best modalities for restoring tooth decay. After drilling out the decayed tooth structure, Resin Composites are bonded to the tooth and restore function. Esthetically pleasing and very strong, these restorations have been used for decades on both primary and permanent teeth.
Crowns white vs silver crowns
Stainless steel or White Zirconia crowns are sometimes recommended for children following a baby root canal or if a back baby tooth suffers from severe trauma or cavities. Because most baby molars do not fall out until the ages of 10-12, these crowns are recommended when traditional fillings are insufficient to protect the tooth from further damage until it falls out on its own. The differences between stainless steel and white crowns are mostly color preference. The pros and cons of each type of crown will be discussed with you to help you make a good decision for your child.
Baby Root Canal Therapy
Pediatric root canal therapy is designed to maintain the integrity of the affected tooth to prevent premature loss. The early loss of posterior (back) teeth can lead to future problems with the placement and eruption of adult teeth. To avoid the difficulties inherent with crooked or impacted adult teeth, proper root canal treatment is needed to avoid the premature loss of primary molars. Dental caries and traumatic injury are the primary reasons for pulp therapy in children. Due to the loss of tooth structure involved in teeth requiring pediatric root canal therapy, full coverage restoration such as a pediatric crown is necessary.
Extractions
Extractions are commonly performed on pediatric patients to address extensively decayed non-restorable teeth or orthodontic problems. To help make the procedure as comfortable as possible for your child, we may recommend the inhalation of nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and a local anesthetic. If your child is anxious, oral or IV sedation can also be offered in the comfort of our office.
Over-retained Baby Teeth
Sometimes permanent teeth begin erupting either too far forward or behind the primary teeth. This is usually due to natural crowding in the bone and may indicate a need for extracting over-retained baby teeth. Here at smiles+grins, we make it very comfortable and easy to help get these baby teeth out. The teeth are always returned to the kids in a special “tooth fairy” box.
Orthodontic Extractions
As part of your child’s orthodontic treatment, primary and/or permanent teeth may need to be removed to gain more space in the mouth. With a referral from your Orthodontist, our team at Star Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics can help you get the teeth removed in the most comfortable and pleasant way.
Nitrous Oxide
Nitrous oxide, aka “laughing gas” or “happy air,” is a safe and effective behavior management tool offered at smiles+grins. It is delivered via a nose-piece and your child will breathe through his/her nose. While a child is breathing nitrous oxide, it gives a sense of well-being and relaxation. It will raise the pain threshold and give the feeling of time flying by. Additionally, it works well for children who have a gag reflex during the dental appointment. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recognizes nitrous oxide sedation as a safe and effective technique to use for helping children tolerate dental care.
Happy air is safe because:
Your child remains awake, responsive, and breathing on his/her own without assistance.
Your child receives more oxygen, compared to normal room air.
It begins to work rapidly, and is quickly eliminated from the body after a short period of breathing oxygen, and it has no lingering effects.
We have different “flavors,” such as strawberry, grapes, and bubble gum to choose from for the nose-piece to make the “happy air” experience fun and enjoyable for your child.
Toothache
Clean the area of the affected tooth. Rinse the mouth thoroughly with salt water (½ cup of warm water and 1 spoon of salt) and use dental floss to dislodge any food that may be impacted. If pain persists or any swelling develops in the mouth or face, call us at 4076053399 ASAP. You can give your child OTC pain medication (follow instructions for recommended dosage)
Cut or Bitten Tongue, Lip or Cheek
Apply ice to the injured areas to help control swelling. If there is bleeding, apply firm but gentle pressure with a gauze or cloth. If bleeding cannot be controlled by simple pressure, call our office or visit your local ER.
Knocked Out Permanent Tooth
Sometimes trauma or a fall to the face can cause an avulsion injury (knocked out tooth), typically affecting the front incisors. If possible, find the tooth immediately. With clean hands, hold it by the crown, not by the root. You may rinse the tooth with water only. DO NOT clean with soap or scrub the tooth unnecessarily. If the tooth looks sound, try to reinsert it in the socket and have the child bite on gauze or a piece of cloth to hold gentle pressure. If you cannot reinsert the tooth immediately, transport the tooth in a cup containing the patient’s saliva or milk, but NOT water. If the child is old enough, the tooth may also be carried in the patient’s mouth (beside the cheek). It is imperative to see a dentist ASAP, as the prognosis of the tooth is dependent on time.
Knocked Out Baby Tooth
Unlike a permanent tooth, you should NOT re-implant a primary tooth back in the socket. This can cause damage to the developing adult tooth in the jaw. In most cases, no treatment is necessary. If in doubt whether it is a permanent or a primary tooth, call us ASAP.
Chipped/Fractured Tooth
A fractured tooth can cause pain and severe sensitivity to cold. Avoid eating/drinking anything cold and mouth breathing. Rinse your child’s mouth with water and apply a cold compress to reduce swelling. If possible, try to find the fractured tooth piece and bring it with you to see Dr. Grinbaum. Sometimes, we can re-bond the tooth piece for a more natural look.
Severe Blow to the Head
Call 911 immediately or take your child to the nearest hospital emergency room. Take note if your child blacked out or is dizzy.
Possible Broken or Fractured Jaw
Keep the jaw from moving, avoid any chewy foods and take your child to the nearest hospital emergency room. Call us if you have any concerns of a possible jaw injury.
Special Needs Dentistry
Providing comprehensive preventive and therapeutic dental care to patients who have special healthcare needs is an important aspect of the specialty of pediatric dentistry. We value the unique qualities of each young smile we treat, regardless of developmental disability or other healthcare issues.
The AAPD defines special healthcare needs as “any physical, developmental, mental, sensory, behavioral, cognitive, or emotional impairment or limiting condition that requires medical management, healthcare intervention, and/or use of specialized services or programs.” Whether your child’s condition is congenital, developmental, or the result of disease or trauma, we can provide guidance and raise awareness of his or her special dental care needs.
Treatment for patients with special needs requires specialized knowledge and skills acquired by additional training, as well as increased attention and awareness, adaptation, and accommodating measures beyond routine dental treatment. At Star Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, we have the experience required to provide suitable dental care while keeping in mind the unique nature of the children we see.
It is our passion and goal to create a dental home for your child, where treatment can be delivered safely, and ideal dental health can be achieved.
