Menu
740.383.3223
← YOUNG SMILES
General Anesthesia – This option is done under the care of a certified anesthesiologist and can be performed in our office. Going fully under may be the most ideal option for long, in-depth procedures, for very young children and for children with high anxiety. The major benefit of this option is the child has no memory of the treatment and all work can be completed in one appointment.
An essential part of maintaining your child’s oral health is having regular professional cleanings. During your cleaning appointment, the hygienist will:
For most children, Young Smiles Dental recommends a professional cleaning every six months to keep their mouths healthy and avoid the number one chronic childhood infection: tooth decay.
As a new patient at Young Smiles Dental, we want to welcome you and your child to our office. Our goal is to make your child feel comfortable in our office by gaining their trust and helping to alleviate their fears. Our kid-friendly staff is skilled at helping children have a positive experience in our office.
We’re happy to answer any questions and address any concerns you may have. We want this first visit to be educational and fun for both you and your child.
Baby (primary) teeth are placeholders for the adult teeth, ensuring the adult teeth fit and grow in where they belong. When a primary tooth is decayed or damaged, it may be necessary to put a crown on the tooth to keep it in place until the adult tooth comes through. Depending on the location of the tooth, two types of crowns are available:
Taking great care of your child’s teeth now will give them the best chance for healthy adult teeth. Young Smiles Dental can help you protect your child’s bright smile.
At least 60% of kindergartners suffer from tooth decay, the number one childhood disease. Even with daily brushing and flossing, plaque can still develop, particularly in areas that are difficult to reach. Only professional cleanings can remove the plaque and tartar that cause tooth decay and gum disease. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and Young Smiles Dental recommend that your child have regular dental check-ups beginning at age one.
At the check-up, which typically takes 30-60 minutes, we will:
The dentist will advise you about any decay or other problems requiring treatment, and our staff will schedule an appointment for the treatment. Regularly scheduled visits will help your child keep their teeth for a lifetime.
Injuries to the mouth and teeth need to be addressed immediately. Getting to Young Smiles Dental office quickly may save a tooth, prevent infection and reduce suffering. Please call us if your child has:
Leaving issues untreated or delaying treatment can contribute to poor oral health and other serious health issues. The sooner you seek evaluation at our office, the better the chance of avoiding more extensive dental treatments and the faster your child will be back to their smiling, happy, active self.
Children’s mouths grow quickly and changes occur that cannot be seen in a visual exam. Your child’s dental exam will include xrays every 12-18 months to evaluate the teeth and mouth for conditions such as cavities, erupting teeth, extra or missing teeth and bone disease. To protect your child, our office uses the most recent digital technology, which has greatly improved the safety, comfort and speed of x-rays:
With digital x-rays, the staff at Young Smiles Dental can provide the safest and most pleasant dental experience for you and your child.
Tooth enamel is dissolved and replaced constantly in the mouth, and fluoride makes that replacement material much stronger. Research indicates fluoride can help prevent cavities by:
Water fluoridation is a common practice in U.S. public water systems. However, bottled water, home treatment systems and private well water may not be fluoridated. The use of fluoride toothpastes and mouthwashes and a diet that includes foods with natural fluoride may be sufficient. However, children under 6 with any history of decay and older children with a few cavities and other risk factors are at moderate to high risk for decay and may benefit from professional fluoride applications. Young Smiles Dental will evaluate your child’s dental health and offer fluoride treatments in our office if needed.
When baby (primary) teeth are lost before the permanent teeth erupt, the space may need to be filled with a space maintainer (spacer). Not only are primary teeth used for chewing and speech development, they guide permanent teeth into the spaces where they belong without shifting, and protect the mouth from crowding and future orthodontic problems. Spacers are removed when the new tooth erupts.
Not every space needs to be filled:
Space maintainers are made of stainless steel or plastic, and come in two forms:
Regular brushing and good oral hygiene are especially important. During your child’s regular dental check-ups at Young Smiles Dental, we will inspect the spacers and follow the progress of the incoming permanent teeth.
Not just for permanent teeth, even baby (primary) teeth sometimes need fillings. Primary teeth play a critical part in your child’s development, affecting their ability to:
When a tooth is cracked, disfigured or decayed, a composite (white) filling may be used to restore the tooth to prevent more extensive breakage needing a crown or to keep a primary tooth in place until the permanent tooth erupts. Composite fillings are tooth colored and can be closely matched to the existing tooth color, especially important in more visible areas of the mouth. These fillings are very durable and should last many years, but fillings in permanent teeth will most likely eventually need replacing. Good oral hygiene and regular visits to Young Smiles Dental will help fillings last longer and help you enjoy a pain-free, healthy mouth.
Food and bacteria can become packed in the grooves of the back molars, and even the most careful brushing and flossing cannot fully clean these areas. Dental sealants are clear plastic coverings that protect the chewing surfaces from tooth decay by providing a barrier to food and bacteria. Application is simple and painless:
Children should get sealants on their permanent molars as soon as the teeth come in — before decay attacks the teeth. Teenagers and young adults who are prone to decay may also need sealants. Sealants are a cost-effective prevention option, and when used along with regular dental check-ups and cleanings, provide the most effective defense for tooth decay. Young Smiles Dental can apply them during a regular check-up.
The removal of single teeth may be necessary to maintain the health of your child’s remaining teeth, permanent teeth and mouth. After evaluating all options, extraction may be the best or only choice. Teeth are most commonly extracted due to:
After determining that extraction is necessary, we will discuss the treatment with you. In some cases, we may recommend replacing the extracted tooth with a space maintainer to keep the teeth and jaw from shifting and creating problems with chewing and dental health. Most tooth extractions are very routine procedures. Young Smiles Dental will make sure your child is comfortable, using local anesthesia to completely numb the area. The mouth should heal and return to normal in just a few days.