Dental Care Specifically for Children
A child’s primary teeth, or baby teeth, are made from the same material as adult teeth, and serve the same purposes (i.e., processing food, enunciating speech, sustaining a strong jawbone, and more). However, children’s dentistry requires special attention that adults don’t need, and caring for children’s dental health means expertly helping them navigate issues that are specific to young patients. In most cases, you should bring your child to visit the dentist by the age of one, or shortly after the first tooth appears. Once they begin attending routine exams and cleanings, we can help make sure that your child’s primary and permanent teeth grow and develop correctly.
Dental Health Education
Knowledge is the basis of your good dental health. The more you know about your smile and the issues that could threaten it, the better you can prevent such issues from developing. An important part of children’s dental care is teaching them how to take responsibility for their daily dental hygiene. Therefore, we invest our time in educating children and parents on tips for better home hygiene and how to avoid the need for more extensive dental treatments.
Enhanced Cavity Prevention
Cavities, a condition caused by tooth decay as it erodes your tooth structure, are the most common chronic condition among school-aged children in the US. While cavities can typically be treated easily with dental fillings, prevention is preferable, especially in the more vulnerable primary teeth of young children. To help your child successfully prevent decay and cavities, we offer a number of non-invasive preventive options, such as:
Dental Sealants
Sealants are thin layers of biocompatible acrylic that are painted onto the chewing surfaces of molars. The sealants prevent plaque and food particles from gathering between the cusps of the chewing surfaces where your child’s toothbrush may have difficulty removing them. As the building blocks of tooth decay, plaque contains hundreds of types of oral bacteria that can damage healthy tooth structure the longer they remain.
Fluoride
When oral bacteria weaken the enamel on your child’s teeth, they become more susceptible to cavities and tooth decay. Fluoride bonds to the highly-mineralized enamel layer strengthening it when it grows weak, and improving your child’s chances of preventing cavities and protecting their healthy smiles. We can apply fluoride directly to your children’s teeth during their regular visits, as well as recommend fluoride-infused hygiene products such as toothpaste and mouthwash.
Proper Growth and Development
If your child’s primary teeth grow in crooked, known as malocclusion, then he or she may require interceptive orthodontic braces to correct their growth and development. Teeth must be positioned and angled symmetrically for the jaw to work properly, and to adequately sustain the pressures of biting and chewing. Early braces can help ensure that your child will not need complex restorative treatment to correct bite problems later in life.
Call Austin General Dentistry Today!
Drs. Ryan and Lauren Loveless, both graduates of the University of Texas Dental Branch in Houston, Texas, take pride in delivering high-quality, family-based dental care to patients of all ages. At Austin General Dentistry, our goal is to create a comfortable, welcoming environment so you can enjoy your visits. We’re dedicated to providing advanced dental technology and techniques that make your treatment easier and more effective. To schedule a consultation, call our office in Austin, TX, today at 512-346-5540.
