Diagnostic

• Dental Examination
  For your child’s first visit to our office, we like to do a comprehensive examination. This includes looking at your child’s teeth along with the supporting structures of the gums. We will also address your child’s oral hygiene, as well as clean your child’s teeth. We will look at your child’s bite and will only take X-rays if necessary. This is the optimal time to ask questions about your child’s mouth and teeth.
• X-rays
  Radiographs  (or X-Rays) are an essential part of our diagnostic protocol.  Without them, dental conditions may go undetected. Dental X-Rays detect much more than dental cavities, and they allow the dentist to evaluate growth and development, bone health, pathology, and trauma. At Smiles 4 Kids Pediatric Dentistry, we use the latest dental X-ray technology with very minimal exposure.

Preventive

• Teeth Cleaning
• Fluoride Treatment
  Teeth are composed of many tiny pieces called molecules that attach to each other. These tiny pieces are constantly breaking apart throughout the day and reforming depending on our diet. Fluoride can be thought of as a “glue” for these pieces by keeping the molecules more tightly bound together and less prone to breaking apart. Topical fluoride treatment is effective in protecting children’s teeth and reducing cavities.
• Dental Sealants
  Think of a tooth’s top (chewing) surface as mountains with many grooves. When your child eats, food gets caught in those grooves.  Although daily brushing is essential, applying a dental sealant will enhance the ability to keep those hard-to-reach areas clean. A dental sealant flows into the grooves, “sealing” the tooth and reducing the probability of cavities.
• Space Maintainers
  The baby teeth serve as space holders for the permanent teeth. With the loss of a baby tooth, neighboring teeth start migrating into that vacant space, potentially causing problems as your child grows. This loss may lead to the need for extensive orthodontic treatment at a later age. A space maintainer is placed in that area to hold the space open so that the adult tooth can erupt in a more appropriate position.

Restorative

• Fillings
• Crowns
  If your child’s cavity is too large to restore with a tooth-colored filling, a crown may be recommended. Crowns help protect the baby teeth, providing structure for the tooth. Crowning a tooth also maintains the space, allowing the eventual permanent tooth to erupt properly.

Endodontics

• Root Canal Treatment
  Baby root canals are often needed when the cavity approaches the tooth’s nerve. This procedure stops the progress of the cavity and minimizes the chances of an infection or abscess. The procedure is completed by cleaning out the center of the tooth where the nerve lives and placing soothing medicine. The tooth is then protected by placing a crown.

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

• Tooth Extractions