Pediatric Dentistry

Planning your child’s first dental visit can be stressful. Many parents wonder when the perfect time is to bring their child in for their first exam. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentists or AAPD recommends that children visit the dentist by the age of one, or when they first notice signs of teeth erupting. Typically, primary teeth do not erupt until about six months of age.

Parents tend to worry how their child will feel or behave at the dentist for the first time. There are many benefits to visiting the dentist starting at a young age, and with positive encouragement and our amazing staff we always ensure your child’s first visit and every visit after will go well. 

There are a few things we recommend to parents to help prepare their child to visit our office for the first time. We want all of our patients to feel calm and relaxed and enjoy their visit. Our staff is specially trained to work with children, and they are in good hands while in our care.

Helpful Ways to Prepare Your Child Before Their First Visit to Our Office

  • We welcome all new patients to schedule a tour of our office and meet our staff. This helps your child get to know where they are going, and when they arrive they will feel more comfortable because they have already been here for a visit.
  • Talk to your child about how important it is to see your dentist regularly. With positive attitude your child will feel excited and not afraid, and will enjoy visiting our office.
  • There are dental books and TV shows available that you can show your child so they can get an idea what a dental office looks like, and what we do during a dental exam and cleaning.
  • During your child’s appointment we recommend bringing in any comfort items such as a stuffed animal or blanket to make your child feel relaxed.
  • Our staff provides each child with a reward at the end of each visit so they have something to look forward to. Parents are welcome to plan for a reward as an incentive to help the child get through their first appointment.
  • It is important to talk to your child about how important dental hygiene is. Keeping our teeth and gums clean so we can have beautiful smiles can help teach them good oral hygiene habits at a young age.

Starting your child out right with proper dental care helps to set the stage for later in life and teaches children good oral hygiene. We look forward to establishing a good relationship with each of our pediatric patients, and our staff will help your child understand how important it is to take care of your teeth and visit our office regularly.

Our dental exams are thorough and we can check for any issues as your child grows older. We believe in preventative care to help keep your child’s teeth feeling and looking their best.

Are You Interested in Scheduling Your Child’s First Exam?

If you are interested in scheduling your child’s first dental exam we are here to help. Contact our office and our friendly staff can assist you!

Helping your child take charge of their oral health at a young age is important and our staff is here to support both our pediatric patients and their parents, and provide the highest level of dental care.

We look forward to meeting you and having your child join our dental family.

WHAT IS THE CARIES OF THE FEEDER OR BOTTLE?

This type of infant caries causes injuries to the temporary teeth of children that can destroy them very quickly. It affects young children and infants, so it is difficult to detect if the child is not taken for regular checkups to the pediatric dentist. How can you tell if your child suffers from bottle caries? The initial lesion is a small stain on the teeth, but the problem is that it quickly gets older and acquires a yellowish color. If it is not detected immediately, it can affect the root of the tooth and create an important inflammatory lesion.

WHY IS IT CALLED CARIES OF THE FEEDER?

Although it can appear in children who drink breast milk for a long time, the most common origin of this type of infant caries is that the child has a bottle in his mouth constantly, or a pacifier covered with some sugary substance to keep the child distracted.

Many parents let the child fall asleep with the bottle, but the sugar of its content permeates the teeth and creates the bacteria that end up causing tooth decay. In addition, it should be taken into account that the enamel of baby teeth has very low density, which makes it very easy for the lesion to be caused.

THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE CARIES OF THE FEEDER

Bottle decay can precipitate the loss of temporary teeth, which can have important consequences on your ability to chew or pronounce well. In addition, it should be borne in mind that possible infections originated are difficult to treat in a young patient.

Similarly, the early lack of baby teeth can alter the eruption of the final teeth, causing space and aesthetic problems.

HOW IS FEEDER CARIES TREATED?

specialized pediatric dentist will normally assess the extent of the baby bottle decay your child suffers and decide on the most appropriate treatment. In milder cases, a composite seal may be sufficient, while major lesions may require crowns or tooth covers. In the most severe cases, the treatment of the nerve of the milk tooth, or the extraction of the tooth is carried out. 

If the tooth is removed, the child dentist will opt for the application of space maintainers that avoid problems in the eruption of the final teeth. 

Feeder caries can be a severe problem and we highly recommend that you visit your pediatric dentist before it gets any worse. 

Contact Bright Star Sapphire Dental in Fair Lawn, NJ

If you have any additional questions about cavities  please don’t hesitate to contact Bright Star Sapphire Dental! Dr. Boris Kleyman & Dr. Denada Kleyman, our Fair Lawn dentists, would be happy to help.

The main reason for serious deformities is the insufficient control of the occlusion by the parents and the failure to observe the schedule of visits to the dentist Bite problems are familiar to many adults. The main reason for serious deformities is the insufficient control of the occlusion by the parents and the non-observance of the schedule of visits to the dentist. Any difficulties with a bite can be more convenient and faster solved in childhood.

Why is bite monitoring important from an early age?

One of the main causes of malocclusion is heredity. If parents and grandparents have problems, then the child needs a regular visit to the dentist. Most likely, the curvature will be noticeable already with the appearance of the first milk teeth. Do not wait for their change to permanent – early correction is considered one of the most effective approach to deal with it.

Even if the whole family is distinguished by even strong teeth, teach your child the correct articulation. There are frequent cases of deformation of 1-2 teeth due to a constant incorrect position of the tongue. Also, the cause of the curvature can be premature extraction of milk teeth, trauma, malnutrition, bad habits, such as prolonged sucking of the nipples, fingers and lip sucking.

Signs of malocclusion in a child:

  • Teeth come forward or come back.
  • Separate teeth rotated along its axis
  • Large gaps between teeth
  • Incorrect jaw closure
  • Irregularities in a number of teeth are visible to the eye.

How to correct a child’s bite?

Consult a doctor orthodontist no later than 5-6 years of age. Half the success is to start bite correction with deciduous teeth. The specialist will determine the method of correcting the bite, taking into account the individual characteristics of the child.

Today are widely used:

Myotherapy

A comfortable technique for correcting malocclusion without braces, using special exercises. They train facial and chewing muscles, can be used from 4 years. During classes, adult control is necessary.

Hardware

From the age of 6 it is possible to use trainers and records. Depending on the degree of curvature, removable or fixed structures are chosen. The plates can be removed during eating, brushing and sleeping, but you need to wear constantly the rest of the time. Trainers are devices for temporary wearing, for example, for 3-4 hours daily, they are used for crowding of teeth and the appearance of gaps between them. Braces can only be installed on permanent teeth from 12 years. If bite correction measures were taken in a timely manner, and exercises and wearing corrective devices were regular, then the problem can be solved before this time.

Surgical method.

It is used for severe anomalies associated not only with the location and growth of teeth, but also with the development of skull bones. The operation is performed under anesthesia and the jaw is fixed with special inserts, after which a splint is applied for constant wear for 2-3 weeks.

How to prevent malocclusion in children?

Some ways to prevent malocclusions in children include:

  • During pregnancy, you need to eat foods rich in fluoride and calcium.
  • For artificial feeding, choose orthopedic nipples.
  • In the diet of the child should be enough solid food (carrots, apples, nuts)
  • Watch the child’s breathing through the nose – if it is difficult, consult a doctor.
  • Visit the dentist 2 times a year, even without complaints. This will allow you to constantly monitor the development of the bite.

Contact Bright Star Sapphire Dental in Fair Lawn, NJ

If you have any additional questions about correcting the bite of your child please don’t hesitate to contact Bright Star Sapphire Dental! Dr. Boris Kleyman & Dr. Denada Kleyman, our Fair Lawn dentists, would be happy to help.