Children are as susceptible to tooth decay as adults, and require treatment to protect them from painful symptoms and risks to smile stability. Which is why pediatric dentistry is so essential for kids of all ages. In today’s blog, your Rochester, MN, dentist talks about pediatric dentistry and protecting kids from serious oral health concerns.
Starting with Checkups and Cleanings
Just like you, kids need to have their teeth examined and cleaned every six months. This is an essential part of pediatric dentistry. The checkup involves carefully examining the smile with digital x-rays and intraoral cameras, so we can make a diagnosis with precision and accuracy. If we discover an issue, we can offer treatment to address it, often in the early stages before any discomfort arises. Our team will often look for signs of cavities, infections, and gingivitis, and also make sure teeth are erupting and falling out as they should to limit the risk of misalignment.
The dental cleaning portion is a chance to remove all plaque and tartar from the surfaces of the teeth. We will employ an ultrasonic scaling device and a manual tool to break up and remove all plaque and tartar from the teeth. We then polish the teeth. This helps limit bad breath and teeth stains and also fights tooth decay and gingivitis too!
Treating Cavities
If we do discover a cavity in your child’s smile, we can offer dental fillings that are safe for kids of all ages. Made from composite resin, these are shaded to blend with the teeth and also provide years of quality restoration, stopping decay to prevent infections or premature tooth loss. The placement process only takes one visit. Our team could also offer custom crowns for little smiles as part of our pediatric dental treatments.
Preventing Tooth Decay
To help limit the risk of cavities, we provide preventive treatment for little smiles. During your child’s pediatric dental exam, we will apply fluoride in a topical gel form to the teeth, which strengthens and remineralizes the outer enamel to lower the risk of cavities. Since kids often have trouble reaching the rear teeth when they brush and floss, we could provide dental sealants, a special plastic coating that prevents food from becoming stuck on or between the teeth. These can stay in place for up to ten years!
If you have any questions about pediatric dentistry, then contact our team today to learn more.
TALK TO YOUR ROCHESTER, MN DENTIST ABOUT PEDIATRIC CARE
We want to help your kids maintain their best possible smiles. If you would like to learn more about treating little smiles, or if you wish to book an appointment at our location, call Greenview Cosmetic And Family Dentistry in Rochester, MN at (507) 281-3659.
