Glossary

Together with dental sealants, fluoride can prevent about 95% of tooth decay. To receive the best benefits, we recommend your child drink fluoridated water and use fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride is a safe, highly effective and cost-efficient way to make teeth more resistant to decay.

About two-thirds of towns and cities across the country have fluoridated water. If your water is not fluoridated or if your child needs more fluoride to maintain good oral health, we will work with you to find the treatment option that best fits your child. This includes prescribing tablets, gels, or mouth rinse. Children between the age of six months to 16 years may require fluoride supplements. In order to prevent unsightly spots from developing on permanent teeth and a potential overdose, the amount of fluoride your child uses must be supervised.

Tooth extractions are commonly used to remove seriously damaged teeth and may also be used to reduce the risk of infection when a tooth is impacted or is crowding other teeth. Before any extraction procedure we will consult with you, review your child’s medical and dental history, and take a digital x-ray. This helps us determine the best way to extract the affected tooth. If needed, we will prescribe your child antibiotics to take before the extraction procedure. If your child is receiving anesthesia, they will have to prepare for that by not eating several hours before and making sure a parent or guardian can transport them home.

While Digital X-Ray equipment is much more expensive than traditional x-rays, it offers patients tremendous advantages, including less exposure to radiation, better picture quality, shorter “chair time”, better dental records, and no resulting hazardous waste disposal. The digital images allow us to enlarge images for a better view and can be instantly manipulated to help our team make a better diagnosis, which results in better care and better treatment for your child.

Dental sealants provide protection to the pitted and grooved surfaces of the teeth. Using a clear or shaded plastic, a dentist applies the sealants to help keep teeth cavity-free. This is especially effective on the chewing surfaces of back teeth, where most childhood cavities are found. Cleaning the surfaces of back teeth can be difficult or sometimes impossible, which can cause food and bacteria to build up in the crevices. This leaves your child’s teeth in danger of tooth decay. Sealants reduce the risk of decay by sealing out food and plaque. When properly cared for, dental sealants can last for many years. This means your child can remain protected throughout the years they are most cavity prone. Good oral hygiene habits will help sealants last longer.

Dental crowns are used to protected weakened teeth from cracking or breaking. For baby teeth, crowns are usually prefabricated, then fitted and trimmed right here in our office. If we have to perform a procedure where some or all of the pulp area of a tooth is removed, this often does not leave enough of the original tooth structure intact. This means a crown must be used. Primary (baby) teeth are so small that when a tooth suffers from serious decay, a crown must be used to preserve structure and function.

Dental bonding is a restorative technique used to repair cracked, chipped or damaged teeth. It restores aesthetics and strength to a tooth. During the procedure, your child’s dentist will apply a tooth-colored resin material to a tooth, and then harden it with a special light. This creates a bond between the material and the tooth, and improves the overall appearance of teeth.