Starting your child’s dental care early will help to detect risks and evaluate treatment that may be necessary to ensure proper dental health. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends scheduling your child’s first dental appointment by their first birthday.

Cleanings ensure removal of mineralized plaque that may not have been removed through home brushing. Afterwards, a thorough exam will be performed to discuss hygiene, examine the mouth visually and review x-rays.

Regularly scheduled x-rays allow us to detect issues that can’t be seen by an exam alone. The frequency of x-rays depends on your child’s oral health, risk for dental disease and developmental stage.

A sealant is a clear or tooth-colored protective coating, which protects the grooves on the back teeth that may be hard to clean. A filling is used to restore a tooth that may be damaged by decay or trauma. Sealants help to stop the need for fillings in the future.

The pulp of the tooth is the inner, central core of the tooth and contains nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue. The purpose of pulp therapy is to maintain the nerves in a tooth. The diseased pulp tissue is completely removed from both the crown and root. The canals are cleaned, disinfected and filled with a resorbable material.

There are multiple reasons why tooth extraction may be necessary. Depending on the age and health of your child, dental extractions can be done with the use of local anesthetic or in conjunction with a form of sedation.