Pediatric Dentistry in Florida

What Is Pediatric Dental Care?

Similar to pediatricians, pediatric dentists provide dentistry for kids. For this specialty, they finish four years in dental school along with another two years of training. Their dedication lies with treating kids from their infant to teen years. As part of their training, they learn skills to keep children comfortable during office visits. Also, our dentists can guide parents and kids at practicing proper dental care at home.

When Should Children Go to the Dentist?

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry encourages parents to take their kids to a pediatric dentist by the time that they turn 1 year old. Children can get cavities when their teeth emerge. For instance, baby bottle tooth decay can occur when sugary drinks such as juice, milk or formula sit on their teeth for an extended period of time. It’s even more likely when two teeth touch each other, which requires flossing.

Seeing pediatric dentists is important to avoid decay and protect baby teeth. The reason is because these primary teeth have an essential role despite their short life. For example, they aid with clear speech, proper facial structure and chewing to attain good nutrition. Baby teeth are also vital for the development of permanent teeth. Ask our dentists to learn more about caring for baby teeth at home.

What Happens During a Pediatric Dental Visit?

Our commitment to reliable kids dental care starts with performing full assessments of your child’s teeth and jaws. The exams allow us to see problems before they become serious. When we detect a possible problem, we’ll use X-rays to explore it further.

Kids aren’t always cooperative at doctors’ offices. Because of that, our pediatric dentist in Florida allows them to sit in the dental chair or their parents’ laps during the assessment. We want to make them feel comfortable during the visit. In fact, we decorated our office with that in mind.

Kids Dentistry: Which Services Are Included?

To provide comprehensive care, dentistry for children includes gum disease management, tooth repair, oral exams and other preventive procedures. Our team offers a range of services, including:

• Teeth Cleaning – Professional cleanings are just as important as proper at-home hygiene. Your kids will be at ease during the procedure because of the presence of our gentle dental professionals.
• Fluoride Treatment – Another good way to fight decay is using fluoride for children’s teeth. It combines with tooth enamel to keep cavities from developing.
• Dental Sealants – We apply sealants for kids whose back primary and permanent teeth have deep grooves. This treatment fills the grooves to protect the teeth from decay-causing bacteria.
• Fillings – Prior to filling cavities in children, we carefully take out the damaged inner pulp. Then, our dentists use a tooth-colored or amalgam filling to repair the hole.
• Children’s Crowns – If the cavities in your kid’s teeth are too big to repair with fillings, we can apply crowns on baby teeth to secure them from further damage.
• Mouthguards – Protecting primary and permanent teeth during athletic sports such as gymnastics and football is important. Mouthguards soften hits or falls on the face, which decreases the risk of teeth falling out or breaking. At night, they can prevent damage to teeth that’s caused by grinding.

When Do Baby Teeth Come In?

At about 6 to 10 months old, you’ll notice your child’s baby teeth coming in, so you should schedule a pediatric dentist appointment. The lower central front teeth are usually the first to emerge. Then, the upper central front teeth come in at about 8 to 12 months old. Every six months, four more teeth will develop. By 3 years old, your kids should have all of their primary teeth.

When Do Kids Lose Their Primary Teeth?

After the age of 4 years, children’s jaws and facial bones grow to create space for their permanent teeth. Then, their front primary teeth begin falling out by the time that they turn 6 or 7 years old. By 12 years old, they don’t typically have any baby teeth left. Throughout this process, it’s important for them to visit a kid’s dentist to ensure that their permanent teeth grow in correctly. Find out more about primary tooth loss when you speak to our dentists.

Why Do Children Get Toothaches?

There are a lot of causes of toothaches in children, including emerging teeth, cavities and gum disease. Other pain in the mouth could be caused by a sinus infection, earache, or mouth sore. A pediatric dentist can determine the cause and provide relief. Call our office in Florida to plan your visit.