Glossary

The foundation of good preventive care is a combination of professional dental treatments and good at-home dental practices. Together with you, we will help you monitor and maintain your child’s dental and oral health. In addition to good feeding habits in infancy and childhood, professional dental visits are important for establishing long term dental health. Preventive dental care for children includes regular dental checkups and cleanings, early treatment for congenital conditions, dental sealants, early detection and treatment of cavities, as well as the use of space maintainers. Our team is dedicated to helping your child establish good dental health to last a lifetime.

While you may think gum disease only affects adults, the first stage of periodontal disease, gingivitis, has been found in children and teens. The main cause of gum disease is bacterial plaque, which is a sticky, colorless film that is constantly forming on your teeth. If not treated, gingivitis can lead to periodontitis, which affects a child’s first molars and incisors. Signs of gingivitis in children are swollen gum tissues, redness, and bleeding. If left untreated, it can affect the gums and bone supporting the teeth, which can lead to tooth loss. You should schedule an appointment at our office as soon as possible if your child is exhibiting signs of gum disease. If your child has an advanced form of periodontal disease, it may be an early sign of diabetes or another systemic disease. If this is the case, they should receive a medical evaluation to ensure they receive the appropriate treatment.

Our pediatric dentist office is specially designed for children to make them feel special and secure while they are receiving dental treatments. We do our best to make children feel welcome in our office and are proud to have a team that loves working with kids. However, some children feel anxious during dental treatments and may need more support than just a gentle, caring environment to feel comfortable. Nitrous oxide/oxygen is an effective and safe way to help calm a child’s fear of the dentist. It does not inhibit your child’s natural reflexes.

Nitrous oxide is a blend of oxygen and nitrous oxide that when inhaled, is absorbed by the body and has a calming effect. Your child will smell a pleasant, sweet aroma and feel relaxed. This treatment is particularly effective if your child is anxious about the sounds, sights, and sensations of dental treatments. Normal breathing eliminates the gas from the system. We recommend giving your child little to no food before their visit, as occasionally nausea or vomiting occurs when a child has a full stomach. If your child is unable to be treated using nitrous oxide due to nasal congestion, severe anxiety, or discomfort with wearing a nasal mask, we will explore other treatment options with you.

In addition to being more attractive, metal-free fillings prevent the side effects experienced with metal fillings. This includes biting pain, sensitivity to hot/cold foods. It also preserves tooth structure, and unlike metal fillings, composite fillings are virtually undetectable to the naked eye. Taking a proactive approach to metal filling replacement helps to eliminate unnecessary pain. Our use of composite fillings is part of our commitment to providing our patients with the latest and best pediatric dentistry treatment.

Malocclusion, also known as open bite, refers to the way teeth make contact, specifically how the upper and lower teeth fit together. Ideally, the points of a molar should fit into the grooves of the opposing molar, and all teeth are spaced proportionally, straight, and aligned. The upper teeth keep the lips and cheeks protected from being bitten and the lower teeth protect the tongue. The back teeth may receive too much pressure because the front teeth don’t share equally in the biting force. This can lead to premature wear of the back teeth and makes chewing less efficient.

Misalignment or malocclusion is the most common reason patients are referred to the orthodontist. While many people do not have perfectly straight teeth, many occlusion problems are so minor they do not require treatment. Treating moderate or severe malocclusion makes it easier to clean teeth, reduces risk for tooth decay and periodontal diseases. It also reduces strain on jaw muscles and teeth, which reduces symptoms of TMJ and decreases the risk of breaking a tooth.

A number of factors can affect tooth alignment, including heredity, extra teeth, impacted or lost teeth, malformed teeth, and the abnormal eruption of teeth. In addition, habits like thumb sucking, tongue thrusting and pacifier use beyond the age of three can affect the shape of the jaws.

 

An impacted tooth is a tooth that fails to fully emerge. The most common teeth to become impacted are wisdom teeth. These teeth normally emerge between the ages of 17 and 21 and it is very common for them to become impacted. When a tooth is impacted, it remains embedded in soft gingiva (gum) tissue or bone beyond its normal eruption time. This can cause overcrowding, and sometimes the impacted tooth will push on the next tooth, which can cause a misalignment of the bite.