Exam & Cleaning

When Should I Take My Child to the Dentist?

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that children have their first dental visit by age one. Our pediatric dentist will examine your child for any signs of early problems and provide information about child’s oral health and what to expect and prepare as he/she grows.

Visit us Twice a Year

Receiving a dental cleaning and exam is recommended every six months to achieve optimal dental health for your child. If your child has an increased risk for tooth decay or has an unusual growth pattern, we may recommend more frequent visits.

During this visit, your child’s mouth will be examined by our pediatric dentist for any signs of cavities, infections, sores, or bleeding gums. Then, all surfaces of teeth will be cleaned and polished.

X-rays during Dental Visit

During your child’s dental visit, the doctor may recommend to take x-rays. Dental X-rays are valuable part of our comprehensive exam because they can show images of your child oral health that are not visible to the eye.

Dental X-rays require very low levels of radiation exposure, and is considered safe for children and adults. Your child will be wearing heavy lead apron, which will also protect them from radiation. Also, M Dental Group uses advanced digital X-rays instead of film developed X-rays, which also lowers the radiation exposure.

If your child has taken X-rays recently within 6 months at another dental office, please inform us prior to your visit.

Sealants & Fillings

Sealants

Dental sealants are a primarily used on children to help protect the vulnerable pits and grooves on top chewing surfaces of posterior teeth. Sealants are made of dental resin and once hardened; it will form a protective smooth surface on the teeth.

Silver Diamine Fluoride

Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF), is a special liquid painted on dental cavities to prevent them from becoming more severe. SDF has been FDA approved and it is composed of two primary ingredients, which are silver and fluoride. Together, this liquid will strength the inner layer of the tooth and arrest the tooth decay from growing while turning the cavitated area black in color. Your child may be a candidate for SDF if he/she has severe early childhood cavities, is unable to cooperate for dental treatment due to behavior or young age, has special health care needs, or has incipient lesions that are being monitored. This treatment is contraindicated for children that has silver allergies or active painful sores in the mouth.

Extractions & Space Maintainers

If your child has a tooth that nothing else can be done to save it, it is necessary to remove it. If a baby tooth is lost prematurely, placement of a space maintainer will help prevent other teeth from shifting towards each other until their permanent tooth erupts.

Fillings

Receiving a dental filling is a way to restore the tooth after a cavity has been removed. The filling will take place of the decayed portion of the tooth so it can return to normal shape and function. At Starship M, we use composite fillings, which are tooth-colored and durable.

Crowns (Stainless Steel)

Stainless Steel Crowns

Dental crowns are recommended when the damaged tooth needs a full coverage protection. Stainless steel crowns are strong metal caps that cover the entire tooth and is resistant against further damage. Due to its smooth and polished surface, it is long lasting and very easy for kids to keep clean. In addition, stainless steel crown preparations also require less removal of natural tooth structure compared to other materials.

Our doctors will recommend the best treatment and material for your child. On very rare occasions, metal material can cause localized tissue irritation or allergic reactions. If any of these signs or symptoms are suspected, simply give us a call (714-526-5200).

Baby Root Canal (Pulpotomy)

Baby Root Canals

If your child has a very deep cavity, the blood vessel and nerve (pulp) inside the tooth could become infected. A baby root canal, also called pulpotomy, is a procedure that cleans and disinfects the damaged tooth.

The following are common symptoms your child may experience:

Constant throbbing pain
Toothache at nighttime, waking up due to pain
Sensitivity to hot or cold foods/drinks
Swelling and redness around a tooth

Read more about [link] Root Canal

Baby Root Canal for Children

The goal of baby root canal treatment is to save the badly decayed tooth until natural exfoliation. Although this baby tooth will exfoliate, it is important to keep until natural exfoliation because baby teeth play a vital role in a child’s physical, emotional, and social development.

Taking care of Baby Teeth is important because they:

Help proper chewing and eating habits
Help prevent infection spreading to other areas of the body
Guide permanent teeth alignment
Affect the jaw bones and muscle development
Affect speech development

The dentist will first make the patient comfortable by delivering anesthesia. During the procedure, the tooth that needs treatment will be isolated with a rubber sheet or another isolation system. Our doctor will remove all the cavities in the tooth and kill any bacteria in the pulp area with medication. The empty hole in the tooth will be then sealed with a putty. Finally, the tooth will be restored to normal function with a crown to prevent further damage.