Pediatric Dentistry

Dr. Ivory at Graceful Grins Pediatric Dentistry offers a wide variety of dental services for your child, from infancy through adolescence

Why Choose Pediatric Dentistry?

Pediatric dentistry builds a good foundation for a lifetime of healthy smiles. Pediatric dentists focus on the diagnosis and treatment of dental conditions that most commonly occur in children, such as cavities. We also work to prevent many of the lifelong oral health issues that develop in childhood, such as crooked teeth.

Baby teeth are more important than you might think

Also known as primary teeth, baby teeth help your child bite, chew, and speak. Baby teeth also serve several important purposes that can affect your child’s oral health later on.

Primary teeth act like placeholders to help the permanent teeth come into the right spot in your child’s jaw. The tops, or crowns, of the permanent teeth push up against the roots of the baby teeth. This pressure causes the roots of the baby teeth to melt away, which makes it easier for the permanent teeth to come up through the gumline in their proper position.

Your child’s first teeth

A child’s first tooth will usually appear when they are between 4 and 7 months old, although it is later for some kids. The two lower front teeth and the two upper front teeth usually appear first, followed by the canines and molars.

For about the first six years of your child’s life, their 20 baby teeth do all the work. Pediatric dentistry helps ensure that your child’s primary teeth are healthy.

Between the ages of 6 and 12, your child will have a mix of primary and permanent teeth. It is important that the primary teeth are healthy until they fall out, and that they fall out naturally and at the right time. Without a primary tooth root to use as guidance, a permanent tooth may come up in the wrong spot on your child’s jaw.

Great dental care starts at home, of course, we recommend you establish a daily brushing routine with your child about the time they turn 2 years old. Using a small, soft-bristled toothbrush and no more than a thin smear of fluoridated toothpaste, brush your child’s teeth for them. As they grow older, teach them how to brush for themselves. They may be old enough to brush on their own when they are about 6 years old.

According to American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommendations, every child should see a dentist by their first birthday, as an early start helps ensure a lifetime of healthy smiles. During this visit, Dr. Ivory looks for signs of cavities, also known as dental caries. Cavities are the most common chronic disease affecting children, and dental caries can cause significant pain, infection, lost school days, and difficult visits to the emergency department. Cavities can develop in children as young as six months old.

Pediatric Dental Treatments

Graceful Grins offers a number of dental treatments to prevent tooth decay in children, and to save or repair teeth.

Topical fluoride

Fluoride is a natural mineral that hardens tooth enamel and makes teeth more resistant to decay. While there is some fluoride in drinking water and toothpastes, topical fluoride treatments provide maximum protection from cavities.

Dental sealants

Dr. Ivory can apply a plastic coating to the chewing surfaces of your child’s teeth to offer years of protection.

Root canal treatment

Root canal therapy can save an injured or severely decayed tooth.

Bonding

Tooth-colored bonding material can repair chips and minor fractures of the front teeth.

Teeth cleaning

Also known as prophylaxis, teeth cleaning helps prevent cavities and promote good oral health.

Tooth colored fillings

We can use tooth-colored fillings to treat cavities.

Tooth extractions

Dr. Ivory must sometimes remove teeth that are severely decayed, diseased, traumatized, or in the way of normal oral development.

Dental emergencies

Dental emergencies include tooth pain, bleeding that won’t stop, broken teeth, and knocked out teeth.

Orthodontic evaluation

Crooked teeth can cause a serious dental health concern. We look for signs of early orthodontic issues and can suggests early intervention as needed.

Child-friendly sedation

Sedation may help your child relax during their treatment. Child-friendly sedation may include nitrous oxide (laughing gas) or oral sedation that comes in the form of a pill or liquid. Intravenous (IV) sedation is available for especially anxious children or for long or complex procedures.

Restorative treatment

This type of treatment helps improve the appearance, health, and function of a child’s smile after tooth damage from a dental condition or trauma.

For more information about pediatric dentistry, contact our office. Dr. Ivory offers a wide variety of pediatric dentistry services, and we are always glad to share information on ways to give your child a healthy smile for a lifetime!