Pediatric (Children) Dentistry
Ready for a dental experience your child will look forward to?
Hello Kitty and I are excited to welcome your child to the world’s only dentistry featuring Gudetama and Sanrio Friends!
Our pediatric dentist is dedicated to the oral health of children from babies through the teen years!
At Parklane Dental, we are committed to your child’s needs because we know how to examine and treat children in ways that make them comfortable.
With help from Badtz-Maru and Little Twin Stars, we are outfitted with specially designed equipment that are arranged with your child in mind!
when is my child’s first visit?
A child has unique concerns for their teeth, gums, and mouth throughout the various stages of childhood.
The first “regular” dental visit should be just after your child’s first birthday.
The first pediatric dental visit at Parklane Dental is usually short and involves very little treatment.
For a relaxing experience for your child, you may be asked to sit in the dental chair and hold your child during the examination! We find our children love the comfort of their parents at their visit.
You may also be asked to wait in the reception area during part of the visit so that a relationship can be built between your child and our pediatric dentist!
What Baby Teeth do my Dentist Look At?
Good question!
We humans are quite lucky to have two sets of teeth over the course of our lifetime!
Our first set of teeth come during our first year after our birth. They are replaced by our adult teeth during our adolescent.
- The first baby teeth that burst into our mouth are the two front teeth on the bottom jaw.
- As a parent, you might notice their cute first teeth when he or she is about 6 to 8 months old.
- Next to follow will be the 4 front teeth on the upper jaw.
Soon afterwards the rest of your baby’s teeth will appear periodically and commonly in pairs along the sides of the jaw until your child is about 2 and a 1/2 years old.- At around 2 and a 1/2 years old, your child should have grown all 20 teeth!
- Between the ages of 5 and 6, the first permanent teeth will begin to erupt and exfoliate from your child’s jaw. Some of the permanent teeth replace baby teeth, but some don’t (like wisdom teeth!).
Don’t worry too much if some teeth are a few months early or late as all children are different and grow at their own pace!
However, it is important to check on the development of your child’s adult teeth!
Will My Child have orthodontic Problems?
Misalignment can worsen into dental problems later in adulthood.
Early age is the best time to examine for signs for orthodontic issues, such as overcrowding and teeth misalignment.
At your pediatric dental visit, our doctor may refer you to our orthodontist to check if your child is a good candidate for orthodontic treatment at complimentary consultation!
Baby teeth positions are important as they not only hold space for your child’s permanent adult teeth, but also as they are important to chewing, biting, speech and appearance.
For many reasons, it is important to catch bite and gap issues early in childhood to begin correcting them right away.
Just ask us how our pediatric dental team is prepared with your child in mind!
How Should I prepare My Child For A Visit?
Many of our parents asked us how to prepare their kids for appointments.
We suggest you prepare your child the same way you would before their first haircut or trip to the shoe store: with plenty of excitement and care!
With Hello Kitty and Gudetama as friends to your child, his or her reaction to your visit to Sanrio x Parklane Dental may surprise you!
Our pediatric dental team will gently examine your child’s teeth and gums. X-rays may be taken (to reveal decay and check on the progress of your child’s permanent teeth under the gums).
During your first visit our pediatric dentist will:
- Examine your child’s mouth, teeth and gums.
- Evaluate adverse habits like thumb sucking.
- Check your child’s teeth and jaw growth to see if your child might need an orthodontic treatment.
- Check to see if your child might need cavity prevention or fluoride treatment.
- Teach your child about cleaning teeth and gums.
- Suggest a tailored schedule for regular dental visits.
how does cavity form?
For most of the time, cavities are due to a diet high in sugary foods and to a lack of tooth brushing.
Limiting sugar intake and brushing regularly, of course, can help with cavity prevention.
The residue of food stays on their teeth after eating, the greater the chances of developing cavities in baby teeth.
hello kitty’s Tips for cavity prevention
- Limit frequency of meals and snacks.
- Encourage brushing, flossing and rinsing.
- Watch what your child drinks.
- Avoid giving your child sticky foods.
- Make treats part of meals.
- Choose nutritious snacks.
Every time your child eats, an acid reaction occurs inside their mouth as mouth bacteria digests the sugar in the food. This acid reaction lasts about 20 minutes.
During this time, the acid environment can harm the tooth structure and eventually can lead to the development of cavities.
Consistency of a person’s saliva also makes a difference in food digestion.
Thinner saliva can break up and wash away food more quickly.
When a person eats diets high in carbohydrates and sugars, their saliva tend to be thicker, which then leads to more activity from the acid-producing bacteria that can cause cavities for baby teeth.
What about preventative care for my Child?
Dental Sealants
Dr. Wesley uses the latest in dental sealant technology to protect your child’s teeth as they grow and mature. Dental sealants are dental devices made of space-age plastics.
During treatment, Dr. Wesley bonds the sealants to the chewing surfaces of decay-prone back teeth.
Fluoride Treatment
Dr. Wesley may clean your child’s teeth and apply topical fluoride to help protect the teeth against decay.
We will make sure your child is receiving adequate fluoride at home. Most important of all, we will review with you how to clean and care for your child’s teeth.
This is just two of the ways we will set the foundation for your child’s lifetime of good oral health!
What happens at a Pediatric Visit?
At Parklane Dental, tooth decay and children no longer have to go hand in hand!
As parents, we understand the difficulty of helping our kids to maintain healthy oral habits. During the visit, our pediatric dental team will perform a pediatric teeth cleaning that will remove plaque on baby teeth.
Our pediatric dental team is most concerned with all aspects of preventive care for our patients starting at a young age!
Ready to freshen up your child’s smile?
