Services

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Services

Dental Radiographs (X-rays):

Radiographs (x-rays) are a vital and necessary part of your child’s dental diagnostic process. Without them, certain dental conditions can and will be missed.

Radiographs detect much more than cavities. For example, radiographs may be needed to survey erupting teeth, diagnose bone diseases, evaluate the results of an injury, or plan orthodontic treatment. If dental problems are found and treated early, dental care is more comfortable for your child and more affordable for you.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends examinations every six months for children. Radiographs are updated once a year. Approximately every 3 years it is recommended to have a complete set of radiographs, either a panoramic and bitewings or periapicals and bitewings.

We utilize digital x-rays and proper shielding to assure your child receives a minimal amount of radiation exposure. These measures makes the risk negligible, in fact, the dental radiographs represent a far smaller risk than an undetected and untreated dental problem.

Emergencies:

TOOTHACHE: Clean the area of the tooth. Rinse the mouth thoroughly with warm water or use dental floss to dislodge any food that may be impacted. If the pain still exists, contact our office. Do not place aspirin or heat on the gum or on the aching tooth. If the face is swollen, apply cold compresses and contact our office immediately.

CUT OR BITTEN TONGUE, LIP OR CHEEK, INCLUDING TORN LIP TIES: Apply ice to injured areas to help control swelling. If there is bleeding, apply firm but gentle pressure with gauze or cloth. If bleeding cannot be controlled by simple pressure, call your pediatrician or seek emergency care.

KNOCKED OUT BABY TOOTH: Call our office to schedule an examination of the area.

KNOCKED OUT PERMANENT TOOTH: Call our office immediately. If possible, find the tooth. Try not to touch the root portion of the tooth. You may rinse with water, milk or a saline solution, such as Hanks Balanced Salt Solution ®. If possible, reinsert the tooth into the socket. If you cannot reinsert the tooth, place the tooth in a cup containing the patients saliva or milk.

CHIPPED OR FRACTURED TOOTH: Call our office. Rinse the mouth with water and apply cold compresses if any lip trauma present.

SEVERE BLOW TO THE HEAD: Call 911, or take your child to nearest emergency room immediately.

POSSIBLE BROKEN/FRACTURED JAW: Keep the jaw from moving and take your child to the nearest emergency room.

I V Sedation:

I V Sedation is recommended for apprehensive children, very young children, and children with special needs that would not work well under nitrous oxide/oxygen sedation. Dental treatment is completed in our office with the child anesthetized under IV Sedation, administered by a Pediatric Anesthesiologist.

If your child requires this type of procedure, complete and thorough explanation of the procedure and pre-op/post-op instructions will be discussed and a written copy given to you.

For additional information regarding IV sedation for your child, please visit the anesthesiologist website at:

http://www.pediatricsedation.com

Lip & Tongue Tie Treatment:

Feeding should feel natural, for both mom and baby. Speaking, swallowing, and healthy oral development should too!

A lip tie or tongue tie occurs when the small band of tissue (the frenum) under the tongue or inside the upper lip is unusually tight or restrictive. In infants and children, this can affect feeding, latching, speech and growth development, oral hygiene, swallowing, and overall oral function.

A frenectomy is a simple procedure that releases this restrictive tissues to allow for improved movement, growth and function. When appropriate, treatment can help support more comfortable feeding, improved tongue mobility, better oral development and clearer speech patterns.

At our office, we perform frenectomies using the Solea laser. For children, this technology offers several important advantages. The Solea laser is highly precise, minimizes bleeding, reduces swelling, and often allows for a faster, more comfortable recovery. Because the laser seals tissues as it works, many children experience less postoperative discomfort than with traditional techniques. The procedure is typically quick, efficient, and designed with your child’s comfort in mind. Depending on severity of the frenum, we can often complete the procedure with little to no anesthesia.

Every child is unique, we take time to carefully evaluate function, symptoms, and oral development so families feel informed and confident about whether treatment is the right choice.

Laser Dentistry for Kids:

Children deserve dental care that feels gentle, comfortable, and less intimidating. Laser dentistry allows us to provide this. We use the Solea laser, an advanced dental laser designed to make many procedures faster, more comfortable and less intimidating for children.

Frenectomies: The Solea Laser allows for precise release of lip ties and tongue ties with minimal bleeding, no stitches, reduced swelling and a more comfortable healing experience.

Tissues Growth Removal/Operculetomy: Sometimes extra gum tissue can partially cover erupting teeth, making brushing difficult, causing cavities due to food impaction or causing irritation. A laser operculectomy gently removes this tissue to improve comfort, help teeth erupt normally and make oral hygiene easier.

Biopsy and Soft Tissue Removal: When evaluation of soft tissue is needed, laser treatment offers excellent precision while minimizing trauma to surrounding tissue. The laser also helps control bleeding and can make healing more comfortable. This technique also eliminates any need for stitches after tissue sample removal.

Hard Tissue Caries Removal: The Solea laser can also be used to remove tooth decay in select cases. For many children, laser dentistry can reduce the vibration, pressure, and noise often associated with traditional drilling, which can help make treatment feel less stressful. We can also complete almost all cavities without the need for local anesthesia, meaning, NO SHOTS!

Why Parents and Patients Love Solea: Laser dentistry can make dental visits feel calmer and more comfortable for children and their parents! Benefits may include:

Less vibration and noise
Minimal bleeding and swelling
Greater precision with preservation of healthy tissue
Shorter treatment times for many procedures
A more comfortable and positive overall experience
Often no need for local anesthesia, meaning no shots or numb lips after treatment.

Our goal is simple: to make treatment easier for kids and less stressful for parents. Thus, making the dental environment as positive, efficient, and child-friendly as possible.

Cosmetic Pediatric Dentistry: Icon Resin Infiltration

White spots or areas of discoloration can develop for several reasons, including developmental enamel changes or after orthodontic treatment when plaque collects around braces.

Icon resin infiltration is a minimally invasive cosmetic treatment designed to improve, or camouflage, the appearance of these white spot lesions without drilling or removing healthy tooth structure. The treatment works by allowing a highly specialized resin to penetrate the porous enamel and blend the affected area more naturally with the surrounding tooth.

Icons can be an excellent option for:

Development enamel “spots”
Post-braces white spot lesions
Mild enamel discoloration

For many children and teens, the treatment can noticeably improve the appearance of the smile while preserving natural tooth structure.

Ready to Give Your Child a Super Smile?

We’re accepting new patients! Contact us today to schedule your child’s appointment. We’re happy to answer your questions.

Request Appointment

or call (352) 483-9183