Preventive

• Teeth Cleaning
  Wild Smiles uses the most appropriate fluoride protocols following your child’s routine teeth cleaning. Research has shown that these techniques are effective at further reducing cavities by up to 15-20%. In total, fluoride protocols are able to reduce the incidence of childhood cavities by up to 65 to 70%. This, in combination with sealants, proper diet and brushing and flossing at home, make becoming a cavity-free adult a very realistic goal for most — if not all of our patients — at Wild Smiles.
• Fluoride Treatment
• Dental Sealants
  To ensure that your child grows up with a healthy smile, we offer comprehensive dental care, ranging from regular check-ups, sealants and tooth-colored fillings, to advanced pediatric dental procedures, including in-office sedation and hospital dentistry.
• Space Maintainers
  If your child loses a baby molar due to injury or decay, the doctors at Wild Smiles may recommend placement of a space maintainer. New technology allows for easy placement with a customized fit that is comfortable in your child’s mouth, is easy to brush and does not interfere with eating. The spacer is also easy to remove when the new permanent tooth is erupting. These pictures show a small one-sided space maintainer and a two-sided space maintainer that will be in place until age eleven or twelve when the permanent teeth are scheduled to erupt.

Restorative

• Fillings
  The research has shown that more than 30% of silver/mercury amalgam fillings on baby teeth fail within 18-20 months. Treating the same tooth twice is both expensive and unpleasant for the patient.
• Resin Composite
  The doctors at Wild Smiles use state-of-the-art technologies and techniques when restoring tooth decay. Research shows that bonded (composite resin) restorations, particularly in baby teeth, are much stronger and last more predictably than the old silver amalgam (mercury) fillings with which most people are familiar.
• Veneers
  Wild Smiles also has general dentists that have dedicated their life and career to dentistry for children. These general dentists have years of experience treating children and are very fun! They not only see smaller children, but are able to handle the more adult type procedures of older children and teenagers. They are also able to perform cosmetic procedures such as veneers and porcelain crowns.
• Crowns
  More than 30% of large fillings placed on baby teeth fail, regardless of the type of filling material, within 18-20 months after placement. That is why stainless steel crowns are often recommended for baby teeth with significant decay. This is particularly important for younger children whose molar teeth are needed for a number of years. This one-appointment technique offers a predictably strong restoration that will protect the tooth until its normal exfoliation. (It will protect molars until 10-12 years old).
• Restorative Dentistry
  At Wild Smiles the vast majority of children easily tolerate restorative dentistry using local anesthetics with the aid of supplemental nitrous oxide administration. However, an in-office sedation approach is sometimes helpful in accomplishing care with very young children or those children with substantial fears and dental needs.

Endodontics

• Pulpotomy
  When this happens a "nerve treatment," "baby root canal," "pulpectomy" or "pulpotomy" is required in order to save the tooth. The purpose is to treat the tooth so that it will be comfortably maintained until normal exfoliation time, typically age 11 to 12.
• Root Canal Treatment
  A pulpotomy removes the diseased pulp tissue within the crown portion of the tooth. Next, an agent is placed to prevent bacterial growth and to calm the remaining nerve tissue. This is followed by a final restoration (usually a stainless steel crown). A pulpectomy is required when the entire pulp is involved (into the root canal of the tooth). During this treatment, the diseased pulp tissue is completely removed from both the crown and root. The canals are cleansed, disinfected and, in the case of primary teeth, filled with a resorbable material so that the roots resorb and the baby tooth falls out at its natural time. Then, a final restoration is placed.

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

• Oral Surgery

Orthodontics

• Orthodontics
  During his residency, Dr. Chuck received extensive training in hospital dentistry for children at LeBonheur Children's Hospital and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. He is able to provide comprehensive dental treatment with the use of general anesthesia in a hospital setting for children with severe dental problems as well as emotionally and physically challenged patients. In addition, in each of the last 2 years, Dr. Chuck has completed more than 100 hours of continuing education in full-face orthodontics and other aspects of pediatric dentistry.