Diagnostic

• X-rays
  Dental X-Rays are very safe and the amount of radiation from dental X-Rays is very small. Today’s equipment filters out unnecessary x-rays and restricts the x-ray beam to the area of interest. Dental X-Rays are designed to limit the body’s exposure. Pediatric dentists are incredibly careful to minimize the exposure of their patients to radiation. Dental radiographs represent a far smaller risk than an undetected and untreated dental problem.

Preventive

• Teeth Cleaning
• Fluoride Treatment
• Dental Sealants
  Dental sealants work to prevent cavities by sealing pits and fissures that naturally occur in molars. Sealants “seal off” the pit and fissure of your molars to prevent food and plaque from collecting and forming cavities.

Restorative

• Crowns
  If your child fractures or knocks out a tooth, you may store the tooth or fragments in a clean container of milk. If milk is not available, you may use the child’s saliva to store the tooth. Never use water to transport a broken or knocked-out tooth. You must visit the dentist immediately to prevent infection and other complications that are brought on by chipped or knocked-out teeth. If the tooth is knocked out, only touch the crown of the tooth and not the root. Your pediatric dentist will be able to repair your child’s tooth or fix it with a crown.

Orthodontics

• Braces
  Frenectomies can be an important part of orthodontic treatment when a long or short frenum is causing tooth or jaw displacement. In the case of a short lingual frenum, patients may push out the lower jaw to make eating or speaking easier – causing pain in the jaw or an underbite. In this case, a lingual frenectomy may be recommended to help ensure the success of orthodontic treatment. When treating a patient with a gap between their front teeth, the orthodontist may recommend a maxillary frenectomy after braces to prevent the teeth from spreading apart after treatment.

General

• General Dentistry
  Dr. Blume has served as the President of the Texas Academy of Pediatric Dentistry as well as on the board for the College of Diplomates for the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry and a council for the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Dr. Blume has been a dentist since 1999 and has completed 2 residency programs. The first was an Advanced Education in General Dentistry with the US Navy, where she served until 2006. The second was a residency in pediatric dentistry at The University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. Dr. Blume has her undergraduate degree from the University of Texas in Austin. Hook ‘em Horns!