SERVICES
Family And Kids Dentistry
Family And Kids Dentistry
We believe in establishing good oral health habits in childhood, including regular brushing and flossing, cleanings and checkups, is the key to healthy adult teeth!
FAQ
You can play a large part in preparing your youngster for his/her first visit to the dentist. Try to act relaxed and at ease. Any anxiety on your part will probably be sensed by your child. Tell your child that we will “count” and “take pictures” of his/her teeth. Do not use any fear provoking works such as “hurt, drill, pull, and needle.” Avoid statements like “the doctor will not hurt you.” (If I say to you, “Don’t think of a banana!” what is the first thing you think of? A banana! It’s the same with the word “hurt.”)
We will thoroughly explain each of our procedures to your child in terms that he/she can understand. Depending upon the child’s age, we will probably ask you to remain in the reception area so that we can spend time alone with your child. Afterwards, we will invite you to the operative area so that we may review your child’s history, diagnosis, or specific problems. Be assured that we will treat your children as carefully as we treat our own.
At this visit, we will emphasize oral hygiene techniques to be practiced by both you and your child. We will answer any questions you may have. A full examination of the teeth and supporting structures will be done and occlusion (bite) will be evaluated. Radiographs (x-rays) will be taken as necessary (not routinely) to assure a thorough and comprehensive examination. Subsequent appointments for restorations and fluoride treatments may be scheduled, as needed. When treatment has been completed, your child will be placed on a periodic exam schedule and you will receive a reminder phone call when the visit is due.
Our emphasis is on prevention both in the office and at home. We recommend regular periodic exams and cleanings as well as positive and thorough home care. Home care includes limited sweets, brushing two times a day, and flossing at least once a day, preferably before bedtime, and sometimes a topical application of fluoride.
Because the primary teeth form the basis of the adult dentition, we will do everything possible to preserve the integrity of your child’s dentition while fostering a healthy and relaxed attitude toward dental care. We offer a full range of dental services for children and adolescents, including restorative and preventive dental care, oral sedation, nitrous oxide ( laughing gas) and all phases of orthodontic treatment.
At the conclusion of your child’s exam the doctor will meet with you to explain what was found and what treatment is recommended. Before you leave the office, your 7Dental dentist or treatment coordinator will discuss the treatment plan again and answer any questions you might have.
We can bill directly to your insurance. All amounts estimated not to be covered by your insurance are due at the time of service. We will gladly submit all dental claims to your insurance for you, but the final determination of payment is a contract between you and your insurance company and you are ultimately responsible for any unpaid amounts.
You may use Visa, Mastercard, and Cash. We also have a contract with an outside financial agent for your convenience.
Your aim as a parent and our aim at 7Dental as a team of dentists and dental professionals are the same, to keep your child’s teeth and mouth in good health and to make the process of doing so a pleasant one for everyone. Our team looks forward to meeting you.
Every Child Deserves a Healthy and Beautiful Smile!
Every child should have a beautiful smile and healthy teeth. To achieve this, a child requires proper diet, consistent home care, and regular check-ups beginning at an early age.
The Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends the first check-up with a dentist between the age of six to twelve months, with follow-up visits at every six months to monitor dental development and prevent dental disease. During these visits at 7Dental, we will examine your child, give you updates on their oral health and growth, and show you proper home care.
Dos and Don'ts - First Dental Visit
Preparing your child for their first dental visit will help your child to feel more comfortable when they are in our office. At this visit, your experienced 7Dental team will examine your child’s teeth, give you updates on their oral health and growth, and show you proper home care. There are some things you can do to help this visit be as positive as possible for your child
- Dos :
- Try to make dental visits fun for your child
- Tell your child that the dentist at our clinic is a nice doctor who will count their teeth
- Set a good example by brushing and flossing in front of your child daily and by visiting your dentist regularly
- Don'ts :
- Don’t use fear-provoking words such as hurt, drill, shot, needle, or pull.
- Don’t let your child know that you may have anxiety about going to the dentist
- Don’t let siblings or friends tell your child scary stories about going to the dentist
- Don’t bribe your child into going to the dentist
Brushing
It’s important to brush at least twice a day, after breakfast and before bed, using a soft toothbrush. A soft toothbrush also makes it much easier to remove the plaque below the gum line, where periodontal disease starts. Use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste that contains fluoride. Fluoride hardens the outer enamel of the teeth. It might stop a cavity in its tracks and give you more resistance to future cavities.
Angle the bristles of the brush along the gum line at a 45 degree angle and apply firm pressure so the bristles slide under the gum line. Vibrate the brush while you move it in short back-and -forth strokes and in small circular motions. Brush two or three teeth at a time. Then move to the next teeth, allowing some overlap. Tilt the brush and use the tip to brush the backs of the front teeth.
It’s fine to brush in any regular pattern you choose, but since the insides of the teeth tend to get less attention, you might start with the insides of the upper teeth, then go to the insides of the lower teeth. Switch to the outsides of the upper teeth, and then the outsides of the lower teeth. Brush the chewing surfaces of the upper teeth, then the lower teeth, and end by gently brushing your tongue and the roof of your mouth. This removes germs and keeps your breath fresh.
Some tips on brushing
- Brush the front and back of each of your front teeth. Hold the toothbrush at an angle and use slow, circular motions.
- Work the brush between the wires and brackets of your braces. Go slowly. Make sure you cover each part of the appliance. Gently brush the gums, too.
- Brush the top and sides of each back tooth. Also brush your tongue and the roof of your mouth. Rinse with water. Then use other rinses or gels as directed.
- Make sure you brush in small circular motions, brushing two to three teeth at a time. You must also floss your teeth, because the toothbrush bristles simply can’t remove the plaque between your teeth.
At 7Dental, we believe proper tooth brushing involves 4 things
- A soft toothbrush
- Toothpaste with fluoride
- The correct angle of brushing
- And brushing in a pattern
Flossing
Flossing should be started when your child is around 2 to 3 years of age, under the direction of your child’s dentist. Prior to this age, flossing is not necessary. Children usually need assistance with flossing until they are 8 to 10 years of age.
The importance of flossing
Brushing teeth properly and consistently helps to remove most dental plaque, however, brushing alone cannot remove plaque that is located in places that a toothbrush cannot reach, particularly in-between teeth.
In addition to removing plaque, flossing also helps to:
- Remove debris that adheres to teeth and gums in-between teeth.
- Polish tooth surfaces.
- Control bad breath.
Flossing should take place at least once a day for two to three minutes each time to be most effective.
Types of dental floss
Regular, consistent flossing is the single most important weapon against plaque, perhaps more important than the toothbrush.
The different types of dental floss include the following
Waxed and unwaxed
Fluoridated or un-fluoridated
Flavored and unflavored
Wide and regular
Infant Teeth
As soon as your child gets their first teeth you should begin cleaning them with a soft infant toothbrush using water only. No toothpaste is needed until age two or three. When your child is comfortable with a toothbrush, brush their teeth twice a day with an extra soft toothbrush. Use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste if your child likes toothpaste. Otherwise, it’s fine to brush without toothpaste. Gently floss your child’s teeth each day and pay particular attention to areas where the teeth are close together.
Regularly help your child brush and floss until they’re 7-10 years old and able to effectively keep the plaque off their teeth by themselves. After that, check their efforts occasionally. It’s a good idea to keep some disclosing tablets on hand. The pink dye in disclosing tablets stains missed plaque red and makes it much easier to see.
Fluoride is an important preventive tool for infants. It’s important that we first check the fluoride level of your child’s primary source of drinking water. We sometimes prescribe fluoride tablets, and generally recommend fluoride toothpaste and fluoride treatments in our offices after cleanings.
The most serious dental problem for young children is called early childhood caries or bottle syndrome. It’s caused by the constant presence of milk, formula, or fruit juice in a child’s mouth during the night, during breast-feeding, during naps, or for extended periods during the day. Use water at these times to prevent this severe decay of baby teeth, and always clean your child’s teeth immediately after each feeding. Our professionals at 7Dental often find that children learn best by imitation, so let them watch you as you brush and floss your teeth. Regular praise of their home-care efforts and a positive example will get your child started down the path of excellent oral hygiene.
Baby Teeth Are Important!
Your dental professionals at 7Dental will inform you about the negative consequences of early loss of primary teeth, and how often it causes misalignment of the permanent teeth. Early loss of baby teeth may even alter normal facial development. Expensive orthodontic solutions may be necessary to correct these problems.
Cavities or tooth loss may also make it impossible for a child to eat properly, and this affects a child’s overall level of health. Speech development can also be affected by premature tooth loss. In combination, these problems may combine to lower a child’s self-esteem during their important formative years.
As you can see, baby teeth are important to your child’s overall health. Children need strong, healthy baby teeth to eat well, and a healthy smile builds self-esteem. Primary teeth are critically important for a child’s health and development. It’s important to catch and treat problems of the primary teeth early and keep them in the mouth as long as possible.
Baby Tooth Removal
When things go right, baby teeth come out on their own without any special attention. The permanent teeth are right below the gums. They came in directly underneath the baby teeth. As the permanent teeth draw in, the roots of the baby teeth dissolve away. But sometimes permanent teeth don’t come in directly under the baby teeth, so the roots of the baby teeth stay strong, instead of dissolving away like they should, and therefore the baby tooth has to be removed.
Other times, a baby tooth is so damaged that it has to be removed, even though the permanent tooth isn’t ready to come in. Space maintainers are then used to hold the teeth in place until the permanent tooth is in.
Space Maintainers
Normally, as a permanent tooth comes in under a baby tooth, the roots of a baby tooth dissolve away and the permanent tooth replaces the baby tooth. In addition to being important for chewing, the baby tooth holds the adjacent teeth in place.
The best space maintainer is your child’s own primary tooth. When nature’s best space maintainer is lost prematurely, we need to intervene and maintain the space for normal development of the dental arches.
When a baby tooth is lost early, due to decay or injury, the adjacent teeth may drift together, causing loss of space in the dental arch. Fortunately, by placing a space maintainer, this loss of arch space can be prevented.
It generally takes your child’s dentist at 7Dental only two appointments to complete a space maintainer.
On the first appointment, orthodontic bands are carefully placed and an impression is taken. A duplicate model of the child’s mouth is made from this impression so that the dental laboratory can custom make the space maintainer to the exact contours of the mouth.
On the next appointment, the space maintainer is tried in, adjusted if necessary, and then cemented in place. Space maintainers are used until the permanent teeth begin to break through the gums. While wearing a space maintainer, it is important to avoid chewing gum, sticky candies, and hard foods like corn nuts or ice. Following up with periodic checks of the space maintainer at your 7Dental clinic, your dentist makes sure it’s still functioning properly and keeping all the teeth in their proper position.
