Services
Our philosophy is a commitment to preventive dentistry and to creating a supportive and nurturing environment for our patients. Additionally, we are dedicated to providing safe, comfortable and quality dental treatment for all of our patients.
We refrain from using certain terminology ("pulling or taking a tooth out, shot, injection, syringe, pain, restraint, straight jacket, hold down, etc.") in order to mitigate or prevent fear arousal in our patients.
X-Rays
The use of dental radiographs, or X-Rays, allows the Doctor to detect dental problems early before serious damage is done to your child's teeth, gums and supporting bone and structures. If these conditions are not detected until there are visible or painful signs of disease, your child's oral health can be seriously affected. Dental radiographs are part of a comprehensive dental oral examination.
Local Anesthesia
If dental treatment is necessary, the use of local anesthesia, Novacain, may be required. It is necessary to obtain parental/guardian consent for this procedure. Local anesthesia, like many other medications, may cause adverse reactions. Some of these may include: Redness and swelling of tissue, pain, itching, vomiting, dizziness or possibility a more serious reaction. Advantages vs. disadvantages will be reviewed with parents/guardian prior to consent.
Laughing Gas
The use of Nitrous Oxide may be required on patients who are apprehensive, nervous or anxious about receiving dental treatment. Because the Nitrous Oxide has no anesthetic effect, the patient will also require local anesthesia so the dentist can perform the necessary treatment. Occasionally a patient receiving Nitrous Oxide may experience slight nausea and/or dizziness. The effect of Nitrous Oxide will be reserved upon completion of the dental procedure. There are no significant side effects associated with the Nitrous Oxide, however, some patients may experience vomiting if they receive this treatment on a full stomach or have eaten greasy food recently; therefore we recommend no consumption of food or drink two (2) hours prior to the dental appointment.
Fluoride
America Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends Fluoride use for the prevention and control of caries (cavities), because it is safe and highly effective in reducing dental caries prevalence. Fluoride is part of the comprehensive oral health care for infants, children, adolescents, and persons with special health care needs. However, once your child establishes a primary dentist, he/she should be receiving Fluoride treatment by their dental team solely, to prevent Fluorosis (excessive Fluoride harm)
Sealants
Dental sealants (also termed pit and fissure sealants, or simply fissure sealants) are a dental treatment intended to prevent tooth decay by sealing the fissure (grooves) of the back teeth.
Restorations
There may be the need for fillings, such as composite (plastic), to replace tooth structure lost to decay. Fillings will not last indefinitely, and will need to be replaced due to wearing of the material. In cases where very little tooth structure remains, or the existing tooth structure fractures, more extensive treatment such as crowns and direct or indirect pulp capping, or baby root canal therapy (pulpotomy) for deep cavities may be necessary.
Extraction
Baby teeth are important to the development of the jaw bones and muscles and help in guiding permanent teeth into position; but when they become infected or are badly decayed and cannot be restored or saved, extracting them is necessary to relieve a patient's pain and prevent the spread of infection.
Space Maintainers
A space maintainer is an appliance that is custom-made by a dentist in acrylic or metal material. It can be cemented in a child's mouth. Its purpose is to keep the space open to allow the permanent teeth to erupt and come into place. If a space is not maintained, then the teeth can shift into the open space and mess up the child's occlusion, which may require Orthodontic treatment in the future to correct this shift. Not every child who losses a baby tooth requires a space maintainer; however a professional consultation with your child's pediatric dentist should be conducted to determine if a space maintainer is needed.
Restorative Treatment under General Anesthesia
If a child does not cooperate during a routine dental sitting or/& suffers extreme anxiety that makes treating him/her in a regular dental chair almost impossible or so difficult, we will take him/her to the OR (Operating Room) at one of the facilities that we are affiliated with to have the work done while he/she is under GA (General Anesthesia) in which your child would be "asleep".
Prior to the procedure the anesthesiologist will conduct a physical examination of your child's airways, heart, and lungs, the anesthesiologist will also want to get your child's medical history, which will include asking about:
- your child's current and past health.
- your family's health.
- any medicines, supplements, or herbal remedies your child takes (consider bringing a list of exactly what your child takes, detailing how much and how often).
- any previous reactions your child or any blood relative has had to anesthesia.
- any allergies (especially to foods, medicines, or latex) your child may have.
It's important to make sure that your child doesn't eat anything before surgery (usually nothing after midnight the day before the operation). You'll get specific instructions based on your child's age, medical condition, and the time of day of the procedure.
Why is eating before surgery an issue? Because the body normally has reflexes that prevent food from being aspirated (or inhaled) into the lungs when it's swallowed or regurgitated (thrown up). But anesthetic medicines can suspend these reflexes, which could cause food to become inhaled into the lungs if there is vomiting or regurgitation under anesthesia. Sometimes, though, the anesthesiologist will say it's OK to drink clear liquids or take specific medicines a few hours before surgery.
To ensure your child's safety during the surgery, it's extremely important to answer all of the anesthesiologist's questions as honestly and thoroughly as possible. Things that may seem harmless could interact with or affect the anesthesia and how your child reacts to it.