Sealants
Dental sealants are resin-based materials placed in the deep grooves on the chewing surface of back teeth to protect them from cavities. When a tooth is sealed, the tiny grooves become smooth and less likely to harbor plaque.
Sealants are typically applied to children’s teeth after their permanent teeth have erupted as a preventive measure against tooth decay. However, sometimes, we recommend those on baby molars as well. Sealants typically last for years. However, at each dental checkup, we check them to make sure they are intact, and if needed, we will touch them up. Our sealants are BPA-free. Sealants are fairly easy to apply and are typically done in a few minutes without the need for numbing or drilling.
Digital X-rays
Digital X-rays are incredibly safe. Even though conventional dental X-rays only emit low levels of radiation, digital X-rays have about 90% less radiation than traditional ones. Although radiation exposure is extremely low, we still use protective lead aprons and thyroid collars to limit exposure further.
X-rays will not be taken at every dental visit, only as your dentist recommends based on caries risk and dental health.
Sedation
Nitrous Oxide
What is Nitrous Oxide?
Nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, is a safe, mild sedative that’s administered through a small mask placed over your child’s nose. As your child breathes through the mask, they inhale the soothing medicine and oxygen.
Nitrous oxide produces an overall sense of calm and relaxation very quickly, often within a matter of moments. For anxious children in the dentist chair, nitrous oxide can mean the difference between a nerve-racking procedure and a relaxed, calm experience. It’s also helpful for children whose strong gag reflex may interfere with dental treatment.
Is Nitrous Oxide safe?
As one of the safest sedatives used in dentistry today, nitrous oxide is well-tolerated by the vast majority of patients, including young children. Even though nitrous oxide can be very relaxing, it won’t make your child fall asleep. They’ll be able to maintain control of their reflexes and communicate normally while sedated.
Does Nitrous Oxide have any after effects?
Compared to other types of sedation used in dentistry, such as oral sedatives and intravenous (IV) sedation, the effects of nitrous oxide wear off relatively quickly. We use oxygen at the end of the procedure to help flush the nitrous oxide from the child’s system, which will only take a few minutes. The majority of patients can go back to normal activities after the procedure without feeling druggy or dizzy. To find out if nitrous oxide can help put your anxious child at ease in the dentist’s chair, call our office. We are here to help and answer your questions.
General anesthesia
General anesthesia is a form of sedation that uses medication to induce a controlled state of unconsciousness that eliminates awareness, movement, and discomfort during an especially long or potentially difficult dental procedure.
General anesthesia for pediatric patients is recommended in a wide range of circumstances, the most common of which is when a young child requires an extensive amount of treatment, or children with extreme dental phobias or special needs who are unable to tolerate dental treatment in a traditional setting. Pediatric dentists have widely used general anesthesia for decades, and when administered by qualified and experienced providers, it has an excellent safety record. Contact us if you have any questions about general anesthesia. We are here to help.
Why fix baby teeth when they will eventually fall?
Baby teeth are not as strong as permanent teeth and are at a higher risk of developing tooth decay (cavities). In baby teeth, small cavities can become large in a short time. Small areas of decay are often fixed with a tooth colored (composite) filling. If the area of decay is too large, the tooth will need a crown or may need to be extracted.
Untreated cavities can cause your child pain and possibly progress into an infection. If the infection is not taken care of, it can affect the permanent teeth that are developing behind the infected tooth. Baby teeth are important for your child to chew and also act as a guide for the eruption of permanent teeth. Early loss of baby teeth creates an open space, allowing other teeth to move into that place, resulting in crowding of permanent teeth in the future and more expensive orthodontic treatment.
