Pediatric dentistry is a treatment modality dedicated to the oral health of children from infancy through the teen years. In this aspect of dentistry our focus is to care for your child’s teeth, gums, and mouth throughout the various stages of childhood.

Children begin to get their baby teeth during the first 6 months of life. By age 6 or 7 years, they start to lose their first set of teeth, which eventually are replaced by secondary, permanent teeth. Without proper dental care, children face possible oral decay and disease that can cause a lifetime of pain and complications. Today, early childhood dental caries—an infectious disease—is 5 times more common in children than asthma and 7 times more common than hay fever.

Forms of Treatment for Pediatric Patients:

• Infant oral health exams, which include risk assessment for caries in mother and child
• Preventive dental care including cleaning and fluoride treatments, as well as sealant placement, nutrition and diet recommendations
• Habit counseling (for example, pacifier use and thumb sucking)
• Early assessment and treatment for straightening teeth and correcting an improper bite (orthodontics)
• Repair of tooth cavities or defects
• Diagnosis of oral conditions associated with diseases such as diabetes, congenital heart defect, asthma, hay fever, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder
• Management of gum diseases and conditions including ulcers, short frenulae, mucoceles, and pediatric periodontal disease
• Care for dental injuries (for example, fractured, displaced, or knocked-out teeth)

Sealants are easy to apply and they protect vulnerable areas by “sealing out” plaque and food. The sealant is painted onto the tooth enamel, where it bonds directly to the tooth and hardens. This plastic resin bonds into the depressions and grooves (pits and fissures) of the chewing surfaces of back teeth. The sealant acts as a barrier, protecting enamel from plaque and acids. As long as the sealant remains intact, the tooth surface will be protected from decay. Sealants hold up well under the force of normal chewing and may last several years before a reapplication is needed.