Here you will find some of the most frequently asked questions we receive from our parents. If you have any additional questions, please reach out to us, we would be happy to speak with you!

What is a Pediatric Dentist?

Pediatric dentists are the pediatricians of dentistry. A pediatric dentist receives at least two to three years of specialty training after dental school that focuses on children’s oral healthcare care from infancy to adolescence, including special needs patients.

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), you should take your child to the dentist by their first birthday or when they get their first tooth, whichever comes first. It’s important that they get regular dental checkups every six months from then on to ensure they maintain their healthy, happy smiles.

Most children stop sucking on thumbs, pacifiers or other objects on their own, between 2 and 4 years of age. According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), children who continue these habits over long periods of time run the risk of their upper front teeth tipping forward toward the lip, or not coming in properly. These habits can affect the way the child’s teeth bite together, as well as the growth of the jaws and bones that support the teeth. We will carefully monitor the way your child’s teeth erupt and how their jaws are developing.  Since persistent habits may cause long term problems, intervention may be recommended for children beyond 3 years of age.

Teething, also known as tooth eruption usually takes place by six to ten months of age. Eruptions can also take place as early as four months or as late as twelve months of age and are still considered normal.

From six months to age 3, your child may have tender gums when teeth erupt. According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), teething can lead to intermittent localized areas of discomfort, irritability, and excessive salivation. Treatment of symptoms includes oral analgesics and chilled teething rings. Use of topical anesthetics, including over-the-counter teething gels, to relieve discomfort should be avoided due to potential toxicity of these products in infants.

Breast-feeding should be avoided after the first primary (baby) teeth begin to erupt and other sources of nutrition have been introduced. Children should not fall asleep with anything other than water in their bottle. While asleep, the saliva flow in the mouth slows down. As a result, the acid contained in milk or juice bathes the teeth the entire time. Eventually, the hard enamel surface becomes decayed and result in cavities.

Children should be weaned from the bottle at 12-14 months of age.

Every child is unique, and x-rays are a vital component in completing a thorough oral exam. Mighty Children’s Dentistry uses the latest technology in digital radiography which provides state of the art digital radiographs in HD image quality with reduced radiation. These digital x-rays allow us to see what is happening between the teeth, below the gums, erupting teeth, diagnose bone disease, evaluate the results of an injury, and diagnose and treat conditions that cannot be detected during a clinical examination. In addition to digital radiographs, we take the utmost care in limiting the amount of radiation exposure to your child through the use of lead aprons. The combination of these reduce the radiation of exposure by 90%.

Sealants are one of the best ways to help prevent cavities. Our toothbrush has a hard time cleaning the pits and grooves on the chewing surface of our posterior teeth. Sealants are a protective coating that fill these pits and grooves to make the surface smooth. This enables your child to brush effectively as well as keep food and cavity-causing bacteria out of these areas.

The application of a sealant is painless, quick and comfortable. It only takes one visit. The tooth is first cleaned, then conditioned and dried. The sealant is then flowed onto the grooves of the tooth and hardened with a special light. Your child will be able to eat right after the appointment.

Baby teeth are important to your child’s present and future dental health. They encourage normal development of the jaw, bones and muscles, they save space for permanent teeth and guide them into position.

If a baby tooth is lost too soon, the teeth beside it may tilt or drift into the empty space. When adjacent teeth shift into the empty space, they create a lack of space in the jaw for the permanent teeth. Therefore, permanent teeth are crowded and come in crooked.

Space maintainers are appliances that are small and unobtrusive in appearance. They are custom fit to your child’s mouth, making it easy to adjust to after a few days. Space maintainers hold open the empty space left by a lost tooth. They steady the remaining teeth, preventing movement until the permanent tooth takes its natural position in the jaw.

A baby tooth usually stays in place until a permanent tooth underneath pushes it out and takes its place. Unfortunately, some children lose a baby tooth too soon. A tooth might be knocked out accidentally or removed because of dental disease. When a tooth is lost too early, we may recommend a space maintainer to prevent future space loss and dental problems.

Grinding the teeth (bruxing) commonly occurs in children until age six to seven years. Some common theories behind this include stress at home or school, changes in inner ear pressure, and the presence of an abnormal bite. Most children will outgrow grinding. A large decrease in grinding can be seen with the eruption of the 6 year molars. The majority of grinding usually disappears once the child no longer has baby teeth present. Typically, no treatment will be needed in young children as long as no damage to permanent teeth is occurring. If your child grinds, be sure to let us know so the dentist can examine the surfaces of your child’s teeth to determine if any intervention is needed to protect the teeth from facing damage.

Fluoride is a compound that contains the natural element fluorine. Routinely using small amounts of fluoride can help prevent tooth decay. Fluoride has been shown to be extremely beneficial to both baby and permanent teeth. Not enough fluoride leads to a much higher chance of teeth developing cavities. We will evaluate the level of fluoride exposure in your child on an individual basis and make recommendations to make sure his/her teeth are as cavity resistant as possible.

For children under 3 years of age, use a smear or grain of rice sized amount of toothpaste. For children 3 to 6 years of age, use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste.

Emergencies happen, especially when you least expect them, this is why we are just a phone call away. Call our office for assistance, we offer same day emergency visits.

Sedation is a safe and effective technique administered by a pediatric dentist to guide a child’s behavior during dental treatment. Sedation is the use of mild sedatives (calming medication) to make your child calm and comfortable during dental procedures. You’re child’s dentist may recommend sedation dentistry for long or multiple procedures, for children with anxiety, fear of dental care, those who have special needs, or children who find it difficult to sit still. Sedation may also be recommended when several procedures need to be done at the same time, when the safety of a child may be compromised, or if your child has a strong gag reflex.

Sedation is for a child’s safety and comfort. It allows them to better cope with dental treatments and helps prevent injury to your child from uncontrolled or undesirable movements. Sedation promotes a better environment for providing dental care.

Various medications can be used to sedate a child. Medicines will be selected based upon your child’s overall health, level of anxiety and dental treatment recommendations.

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