Pediatric Dentistry
Children’s Dentistry
Your child’s first dental appointment should happen within a few weeks after their first tooth erupts. While baby teeth are not permanent, it’s very important for your dentist to evaluate your child’s dental health to ensure no problems will be forthcoming. Exams, cleanings, fillings and other professional dental treatments are just as important for your children’s teeth as they are for your own.
At 34 Ave Dental, we offer many children's dental services, including:
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Exams, cleanings and fluoride
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Dental sealants
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Fillings
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Sports mouthguards (customized so they fit great!)
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Instructions on how to brush and floss
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Monitoring early orthodontic needs
Sealants
Dental sealants are thick plastic coatings that are applied to the grooves (pits and fissures) on the chewing surfaces of back teeth. They act as a barrier, preventing cavities. Sealants protect the chewing surfaces from tooth decay by keeping germs and food particles out of these grooves. The likelihood of developing pit and fissure decay begins early in life, so children and teenagers are good candidates for sealant treatment.
Early Orthodontics Intervention
We start to monitor children's teeth, skeletal growth patterns, and habits (tongue-thrust, thumb sucking) at an early age to determine if early intervention is needed to avoid future braces or less complex cases with braces. These interventions may include:
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Extracting baby teeth that are pushing the permanent teeth to the incorrect position
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Serial extractions on permanent premolars in Class II severe crowding cases to allow correct alignment and eruption
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Functional appliance to align and promote jaw bone alignment and improve on facial profile (ex. Twin Block appliance for kids with class II small lower jaw)
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Expansion appliance at an early age before growth spurt if narrow arch and mouth breathing
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Space maintenance after premature loss of baby molars
