Pediatric Dental Care

At the office of Jeffrey I Klioze, DDS, LTD, we offer pediatric dental care to treat your whole family. The ages of our pediatric patients range from infancy all the way through adolescence. Since dental caries (cavities) are considered a very common childhood disease, with proper dental care, you can prevent your child from developing them.

Use Routine Dental Care to Build a Strong Foundation

If you help your child learn about and practice good oral hygiene early on, you’ll give them benefits that'll last them well into adulthood.

The Importance of Primary Teeth

The primary (baby) teeth are more important than you think. These teeth actually guide the permanent (adult) teeth into place as they begin to erupt.

The top of the permanent teeth (crowns) push on the primary teeth roots. This action causes the body to resorb the roots of the primary teeth.

The adult teeth continue pushing out their corresponding baby teeth.

During the first six years of your child’s life, their primary teeth assist them with chewing, biting, and speaking.

When Should My Child's Teeth Begin Emerging?

Typically, a child’s baby teeth begin to appear between the ages of 6 to 9 months. However, sometimes a child’s teeth start to emerge earlier than expected at 3 months of age. There are also times when the primary teeth erupt later, with some children turning a year old before their teeth begin to emerge.

How Can I Relieve Teething Pain?

You can use a clean, damp washcloth or a water-soaked piece of gauze to wipe their teeth and gums.

When Should My Child Have Their First Dental Appointment?

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, a child’s first dental appointment should be before they turn one.

Once your child turns 2, we recommend that you teach your child how to brush their teeth.

Purchase a soft-bristled, child-sized toothbrush. We recommend using a toothpaste that contains fluoride. Just make sure your child only uses a thin smear of toothpaste.

You should expect to continue helping your child brush their teeth twice a day until they start first grade.

What Happens During My Child’s First Appointment?

During their first appointment, our dentist examines your child’s mouth and teeth.

Since cavities in early childhood can develop quickly, you need to bring your child to our practice for their biannual cleanings and exams. These preventative measures are essential to maintaining the health of your child’s teeth.

Once your child reaches the age of 12, they’ll have both primary and permanent teeth. To ensure their teeth remain healthy, your child needs to follow a good oral hygiene routine. They also need to have their routine cleanings and exams.

During your child’s dental exam, our dentist makes sure their adult teeth are healthy, and their primary teeth are shedding (falling out) naturally and at the appropriate times.

Pediatric Dental Treatments

We offer treatments that help prevent cavities and procedures that repair or save teeth.

Teeth Cleaning (Prophylaxis)

During your child’s biannual appointments, we’ll gently, but thoroughly, clean their teeth. Having your child’s teeth cleaned every six months promotes good oral health and helps prevent cavities from developing.

Dental Sealants

We can apply a plastic coating to the chewing surfaces of your child’s teeth. These sealants are easy to apply and are designed to help prevent cavities. A dental sealant can protect your child’s teeth for up to 10 years.

Topical Fluoride

Fluoride helps harden tooth enamel, and harder enamel reduces the likelihood of decay.

How Does a Fluoride Treatment Help My Child?

Although small amounts of fluoride are present in toothpaste and water, the fluoride we apply is highly concentrated, which helps strengthen tooth enamel even more.

Pediatric Restorative Dentistry

If your child unexpectedly loses a tooth or a tooth sustains damage, our experienced pediatric dentists can help. With pediatric restorative dentistry, we can improve the function, appearance, and health of your child’s teeth.

Composite Bonding

Our dentists can use tooth-colored dental bonding material to fix minor fractures and chips in the teeth.

Tooth-Colored Dental Fillings

We can use composite fillings in conjunction with a tooth-colored resin to fill cavities. Once your child's tooth-colored filling is complete, it blends seamlessly with their other teeth.

A Root Canal

Sometimes, a child receives a root canal to save a severely decayed or injured tooth.

Tooth Extractions

Teeth with decay, trauma, or disease may negatively affect your child's oral development. When this is a concern, we can remove the tooth.

We Practice Healthy Smile Habits

We concentrate on helping your child learn about proper oral hygiene. Our goal is to assist them with developing consistent habits to prevent tooth decay.

How Can I Help My Child Practice Good Oral Hygiene?

Daily brushing and flossing are vital to ensuring the health of your child’s teeth and gums. In addition, routine cleanings and exams are crucial to your child's oral health.

Why Are Routine Cleanings and Exams Important?

During routine cleanings, we remove plaque and tartar buildup, which reduces the number of bacteria in the mouth. As we examine your child's mouth, we look for potential problems. At these appointments, we can also strengthen your child’s teeth with fluoride treatments and protect their chewing surfaces with dental sealants.

An Orthodontic Evaluation

At your child’s biannual cleanings and exams, we’ll assess their need for orthodontic intervention.

Child-Friendly Sedation Options

We want your child to feel comfortable while receiving treatment. So, we are happy to offer sedation options for children.

Dental Emergencies

If you aren’t sure whether your child’s dental pain requires emergency attention, please contact our office right away.

Why You Should Seek Pediatric Dental Care

Our experienced pediatric dentists take the time to teach your child about their dental health. They are always happy to explain in great detail the procedure they recommend, and why they’re recommending it.

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