Children’s Dentistry
For many children, a trip to the dentist is a frightening experience. The lights and sounds, combined with the unexpected nature of dental appointments, can make many children feel afraid. At Gardner Family Dentistry, our team has special training to help children feel not only comfortable, but also fully supported when they visit the dentist. Our kid-friendly approach, combined with our comprehensive dental knowledge, will help your kids keep their teeth clean and healthy, without unnecessary fear or discomfort.
Planning the First Dental Visit
Timing your child’s first dental visit is often the key to avoiding unnecessary fear and frustration. At Gardner Family Dentistry, we recommend a checkup as soon as your baby’s teeth start to grow in. This checkup will help us check for any early problems, including early tooth decay, while also helping you learn how to best care for your child’s oral health as they grow.
If your child is already well into the toddler years, that’s fine, too. As soon as possible, schedule that first appointment. If you bring your children to the dentist early, they will have less opportunity to develop a fear and a better chance to enjoy a lifetime of healthy teeth.
How We Care for Children
At Gardner Family Dentistry, we work to build a strong relationship with our youngest patients. We know that kids need to see a friendly face while also learning how to take care of their teeth in an age-appropriate way. Using fun additions like sunglasses to block the overhead lighting or prizes at the end of the visit, and adding in our friendly hygienists and dental team, we make a visit to the dentist fun.
Yet it’s not just about relationships and fun. We also focus on oral health. We carefully clean your child’s teeth to help prevent tooth decay. We offer fluoride treatment to help them develop strong, healthy enamel.
Monitoring Oral Development
A major part of our pediatric dental service is monitoring the growth and development of your child’s teeth and jaw. There are many issues with growth, such as crowding and concerns about bone development, that can lead to serious dental issues in the future. By spotting these early, we can take steps to correct the problems before they create more serious issues for your child.
While monitoring your child’s oral development, we provide education about how to care for teeth properly. This education sets a foundation for a lifetime of good oral health.
Common Problems We See with Children
While a main focus of our pediatric dentistry in Huntsville, AL, is on preventive care and supportive education for good oral health, there are problems kids can develop. Sometimes, these are due to no fault of the child or the parent. Sometimes, they are because kids have a little trouble brushing consistently. Either way, we’re here to help. Some of the common problems we see in our practice include:
Tooth Decay
Tooth decay, also known as cavities, is one of the most common issues we see with children’s teeth. Sometimes, kids just don’t have the brushing skill and consistency that adults have, and as a result, they can develop problem areas.
Cavities occur when bacteria from plaque buildup sit on the teeth and eat away at the enamel and the actual tooth. If left untreated, a cavity can reach the root of the tooth and become quite painful.
For most cavities, we use fillings to remove the decayed part of the tooth and fill in the hole with a tooth-colored material. This procedure stops the decay from spreading and protects the tooth. On baby teeth that are close to falling out, we may take an approach of watchful waiting, keeping close watch on the teeth and allowing them to simply fall out.
Tooth Eruption Issues
When either baby teeth or adult teeth grow in, they can have problems that need the help of a pediatric dentist in Huntsville, AL. Impacted teeth, for instance, occur when the child’s adult tooth is trapped behind a baby tooth or another adult tooth, preventing it from erupting.
Sometimes the gum tissue around the new tooth can be painful, swollen, or infected.
For all of these issues, our dental team has solutions. We will monitor your child’s tooth growth, intervening if problems are preventing the teeth from erupting properly. BY intervening early, we can help prevent serious problems down the road for your child.
Tooth Grinding and Thumb Sucking
Children are often in the habit of grinding their teeth or sucking their thumbs. Both of these actions can have long-term consequences. Tooth grinding, for instance, can wear down the tooth and lead to problems with your child’s bite. Thumb sucking can create issues with alignment and spacing in the mouth.
For these types of issues, we will work with you to devise a plan to prevent the unwanted behavior. Sometimes, we will offer mouth guards and other training tools to help your child learn new, healthier habits. If problems have developed due to these behaviors, we will address those.
Misalignment and Bite Problems
When a child’s teeth and jaw are not properly aligned, their bite can be affected. This issue can lead to problems with chewing and speech. While sometimes this requires a referral to an orthodontist, there are many treatments we can do within our office to help address misalignment concerns. If we are not able to address the issue using aligners and other appliances, we can send a referral to a skilled pediatric orthodontist.
Early Tooth Loss
If a child has a traumatic injury and loses a tooth early, our dental team will ensure that the issue doesn’t present further problems. Sometimes, we can just wait for the adult tooth to fill in the space, but there are times when a dental appliance to hold the space will be an important part of protecting your child’s teeth and the integrity of the dental arch. If your child has an accident that knocks out a tooth, make sure you visit Gardner Family Dentistry right away for an evaluation.
A Kid-Friendly Dental Experience
From preventive care to treating these dental concerns, there are many reasons why you may need to visit the dentist. When that time comes, you’ll want an office that focuses on a kid-friendly experience. For pediatric dentistry in Huntsville, AL, that is Gardner Family Dentistry. We help soothe your child’s anxieties while ensuring they have good oral health through kind, caring practitioners who understand children.
Our compassionate approach includes building time into each appointment to establish a trusting relationship with the child. This approach helps put your child at ease so that we can perform the necessary dental procedures. In addition, when extensive dental work is needed for young patients, we offer a range of sedation techniques to help prevent any unnecessary anxiety.
Your child’s oral health requires regular visits to the dentist. Make those visits as positive as possible with the right dental team. Schedule an appointment with Gardner Family Dentistry today to ensure quality dental care for life.
