“Pediatric Dentists are the Pediatricians of Dentistry”
Why Pediatric Dentistry?
In a pediatric dental office, our specialist and staff are specifically trained to work with infants, children, adolescents, and those with special health care needs. After attaining a traditional dental degree, a Pediatric Dentist then completes 2-3 years of additional training. Upon completion of this specialty training, the Pediatric Specialist limits his/her practice to treating only children. Whether your children have anxiety or face developmental or medical challenges; whether it’s their first visit, or they are a seasoned pro, our goal is to create the most pleasurable experience as possible. Combined with our use of specialized treatment techniques, our team and our kid-friendly office- complete with arcade games, iPads, movies, in ceiling televisions, and prizes- allow children to relax and feel at ease during their visit.
Services Provided:
- Dental Cleanings
- Low Radiation Digital X-Rays
- Dental Crowns
- Fluoride and Varnish Treatments
- Sealants
- Esthetic (white) Fillings
- Whitening Treatment
- Dental Emergencies
- Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas)
- Sleep Dentistry for Children (General Anesthesia)
Importance of Treating Baby Teeth
The health and care of primary or “baby” teeth is important for many reasons. Despite the fact they will eventually fall out, the neglect of these teeth can lead to many other health issues in a child. Cavities found and left untreated in baby teeth often pave the way for developmental problems in the permanent or “adult” teeth and also lead to a higher rate of cavities in those adult teeth. Baby teeth help affect the development of speech, aid in chewing and the initial stages of digestion, provide a proper spacing guide for the eruption and alignment of permanent teeth, and help with the development of the upper and lower jaw bones ultimately affecting facial esthetics. Although the front baby teeth start to fall out in children between ages 6-7, sometimes the back chewing teeth are not lost until the age of 13!
Board Certified- What’s the Difference?
Board Certification is a voluntary process and is different from basic dental licensure. Obtaining a dental license sets the minimum competency requirement to diagnose and treat patients and is not specialty specific. Board Certification demonstrates a physician’s exceptional expertise in a particular specialty and/or subspecialty of dental practice. Board Certification involves a rigorous process of testing and evaluation that challenges physicians to focus on the continuous development of their skill set. Patients, physicians, health care providers, insurers, and quality organizations look for these markers as the best measure of a dentist’s knowledge, experience, and skills to provide quality health care.
The Options of Nitrous Oxide or General Anesthesia
Nitrous Oxide, often called “laughing gas,” is a mixture of two gases, nitrous oxide and oxygen. These very same gases can be found in the air we breathe every day, but in a different combination of course. Nitrous oxide does not put your child to sleep, but is a safe and effective technique to reduce anxiety, and enhance effective communication between your child and the dentist. The benefit to using nitrous oxide is that it is administered in as little as 2-5 minutes through regular breathing while your child remains fully awake and is eliminated from the body just as quickly once discontinued.
General Anesthesia, often referred to as “being put to sleep” or “sleep dentistry,” is a medical procedure that renders your child completely asleep in a pain-free environment, allowing for the safe provision of dental diagnostics and treatment. Treatment is completed in a hospital or surgical center setting and conducted as ‘outpatient’ surgery, meaning that the patient is usually able to go home a few hours after the procedure is finished. Dental treatment under general anesthesia is an effective way to provide care to apprehensive children, children too young to be able to sit in the dental chair for treatment, and children or adolescents with special health care needs.