Diagnostic

• Dental Examination
  “Dr. Ashley and staff are wonderful! This office was a recommended to me by a family friend and I am so glad she referred. My two children had a great experience at Behind the Smile. My son is autistic and usually gets very anxious at the dentist. Dr. Ashley and her staff made him feel very comfortable and he had no problems at his first visit (or the next two visits). My daughter also saw Dr. Ashley for her very first dental exam and she actually had fun! I also love that the doctors send personal notes after the visits. I will recommend Behind the Smile to all of my friends and family.”
• X-rays
  Rest assured that when we take X-rays, we use state of the art digital films, which reduce the risk and exposure to your child. In fact, your child receives more radiation playing outside for 20 minutes than they do when they receive their routine dental X-rays.

Preventive

• Teeth Cleaning
  Routine dental cleanings are the heart of what we do and the first step towards building a foundation of good oral hygiene. Following the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) guidelines, your child should visit the dentist every 6 months or sooner, depending on their individual dental health needs.
• Fluoride Treatment
  “No more tears! My son had been going to our family dentist for a couple of years and each visit was filled with so such much anxiety and fear that he wouldn’t even sit in the exam chair alone. On the recommendation of a good friend, we decided to switch dentists and see Dr. Carolyn. Oh my gosh, what a difference! Is this the same boy? My son actually completed a full exam, cleaning, x-rays and fluoride treatment without a single tear. In the past, he never even got past the cleaning. He is no longer afraid of the dentist because he knows he’ll be going back to Dr. Carolyn and her excellent hygienists. This is THE PLACE for kids!”
• Dental Sealants
  Dental sealants help protect the deep pits and grooves that naturally occur in teeth. In addition to brushing and flossing, sealants are another line of defense we have available to keep teeth healthy. We offer fissure sealants to all of our patients who need them to help prevent decay.
• Space Maintainers
  Simply put: space maintainers hold space inside the mouth to allow for uncomplicated or uninhibited eruption of permanent teeth.

Restorative

• Fillings
• Veneers
• Crowns
  Crowns preserve the integrity of a tooth damaged by a cavity that’s too large to be remedied with a filling. When a cavity is on multiple surfaces of a tooth or encompasses a large portion of it, a filling has a very high chance of breaking. In that case, a crown is needed.
• Bridges

Endodontics

• Pulpotomy
  As cavities grow, they can start to infiltrate the inner layers of the teeth. Depending on how deep the cavity has reached, the method necessary to treat the cavity may change. If the cavity is only in the outermost or dentin layer, a restoration filling is usually the treatment of choice. If the cavity is larger or covers more surface area, a crown may be needed. If the cavity penetrates the nerve layer, a pulpotomy, or sometimes a pulpectomy, is required to clean the nerve out and remove the bacteria.
• Root Canal Treatment

Implants

• Dental Implants

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

• Tooth Extractions
  There are two main reasons that a child may need a tooth extraction: stubborn baby teeth and infection.

Orthodontics

• Orthodontics
  Dr. Downey began his dental education at the prestigious University of Iowa. After graduating with a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in 1999, Dr. Downey continued his training at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio pediatric dental residency. Dr. Downey received exceptional training in childhood and adolescent growth and development, including age-appropriate orthodontics.
• Braces

General

• General Dentistry
  In addition to the specialized certification for pediatric dentists, all dentists have the option to seek board certification from the board that oversees their particular area of dentistry (general dentistry or pediatric dentistry). To receive board certification, a dentist has to demonstrate their knowledge and expertise beyond that of other dentists in their field.