Kids Corner
Your children's comfort is important to us.
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Welcome to the Sandy Point Dental Kid’s Corner. We are committed to making your child’s first dental visit a pleasant and comfortable one. We understand the importance of establishing a good oral hygiene regimen early in a child’s life, and we provide children with the necessary knowledge and treatment to maintain a healthy smile. Our practice strives to make this new journey for your child a fun and rewarding experience. Below you will find helpful advice to help maintain and improve your child’s overall oral health; along with some useful information to guide you along your children’s tooth development.
Developmental chart: http://www.ada.org/public/topics/tooth_eruption.asp
tooth eruption animations: http://www.ada.org/public/games/animation/interface.asp
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Helpful Hints
Age 6mo-1 yr: present toothbrush and brushing, you may allow the child to chew on the toothbrush but do not use toothpaste at this time. Children will begin teething at this phase. Even before teeth begin to erupt, thoroughly clean your infant's gums after each feeding with a water-soaked infant washcloth or gauze pad to stimulate the gum tissue and remove food. When the baby's teeth begin to erupt, brush them gently with a small, soft-bristled toothbrush using a pea-sized amount of fluoridated toothpaste.
Age 1-3 yrs: Importance of primary teeth: baby teeth help maintain space for the permanent(adult) teeth to come in properly, premature loss of primary teeth can cause crooked and poorly aligned permanent teeth.
Teeth aid in proper speech functions. the first teeth in the mouth help shape the mouth and jaw.
Considerations of the baby teeth: baby bottle syndrome- frequent exposure, for long periods of time, to liquids containing sugars. The upper front teeth are most commonly affected. the dietary change that occurs from liquid to solid foods.
Dental needs: initial office visits can start at the end of this age group depending on maturity level. Brushing should be checked by the parents but allowing the child to attempt to brush is important right now for motor skills. Encourage good diet to prevent tooth decay.
At age two or three, you can begin to teach your child proper brushing techniques. But remember, you will need to follow up with brushing and gentle flossing until age even or eight, when the child has the dexterity to do it alone
Age 3-5 Regular office visits for the child are important at this point. X-rays will be taken as necessary and with the cooperation of the child. Reviewing brushing and start of the discussion of plaque control is started with the hygienist. The use of fluoride in office is started and explained. Discouraging the child to thumb suck and other oral habits to prevent malformation. Allow and encourage your child to discuss any fears he or she might have about oral health visits, but do not mention the words ‘hurt' or 'pain'. Saying "it won't hurt" instills the possibility of pain in the child's thought process.
Age 6-8: Time where patient starts taking more responsibility and a more active role in home care, with some guidance and supervision from parents still. More self supervised dental cleanings occur. Fluoride use occurs. Checking tooth brushing techniques as well as introducing flossing. x-rays taken on an annually occurrence or as needed per patient. Sealants as needed. Inform patient/child of personal dietary choices, chain of decay.
Age 9-12: Patient at this point is doing oral hygiene on their own without parental supervision, however, some gentle remainders may be needed. Self supervised routine cleanings occur, including necessary fluoride, x-rays, and sealants. Reviewing dietary choices is also continued.
Age 13-18 Patient is independently doing all oral hygiene activities without supervision or remainders from parents. Adult cleanings begin, with continued x-rays, fluoride, and sealants, as needed.
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Types of Restorations
If your child does need a cavity filled there are options in what to fill them with. The two main choices are amalgam (silver) or composite (white) fillings.
Amalgam: Dental amalgam is a mixture of mercury, and an alloy of silver, tin and copper. Mercury makes up about 40-50 percent of the compound. Mercury is used to bind the metals together and to provide a strong, hard durable filling. After years of research, mercury has been found to be the only element that will bind these metals together in such a way that can be easily manipulated into a tooth cavity.
Dental composite: A composite resin is a tooth colored plastic mixture filled with glass (silicon dioxide). Following preparation, the dentist places the composite in layers, using a light specialized to harden each layer. When the process is finished, the dentist will shape the composite to fit the tooth. The dentist then polishes the composite to prevent staining and early wear.
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Sealants
A sealant is a plastic material that is usually applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth—premolars and molars. This plastic resin bonds into the depressions and grooves (pits and fissures) of the chewing surfaces of back teeth. The sealant acts as a barrier, protecting enamel from plaque and acids.
Thorough brushing and flossing help remove food particles and plaque from smooth surfaces of teeth. But toothbrush bristles cannot reach all the way into the depressions and grooves to extract food and plaque. Sealants protect these vulnerable areas by "sealing out" plaque and food.
Sealants are easy for your dentist to apply, and it takes only a few minutes to seal each tooth. The teeth that will be sealed are cleaned. Then the chewing surfaces are roughened with an acid solution to help the sealant adhere to the tooth. The sealant is then 'painted' onto the tooth enamel, where it bonds directly to the tooth and hardens. Sometimes a special curing light is used to help the sealant harden.
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Products For Children
Cool Blue: Tints teeth blue so children pay more attention to cleaning. Perfect for encouraging tooth brushing properly http://www.listerinekids.com/agent-cool-blue.jsp
MI paste: Strengthen tooth enamel, Reduce sensitivity, Buffer plaque acid. Perfect for remineralizing white lesions. http://www.gcamerica.com/mipaste.html
Varnish: is a highly concentrated form of fluoride which is applied to the tooth's surface. To help prevent decay, remineralize the tooth surface and to treat dentin hypersensitivity. http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/preventive-care/home/products/in-office-therapies/vanish/
Electric Toothbrush: is a toothbrush that uses electric power to move the brush head, normally in an oscillating pattern. Helps motivate children, helps remove plaque. http://www.theessentials.com/images/us/local/products/thumb/5095_th.jpg
Fluoride treatment: Gels and foams are used for individuals who are at high risk for caries, orthodontic patients, patients undergoing head and neck radiation, patients with decreased salivary flow, and children whose permanent molars should, but cannot, be sealed. The gel or foam is applied through the use of a mouth tray, which contains the product. The tray is held in the mouth by biting. Application generally takes about four minutes, and patients should not rinse, eat, smoke, or drink for at least 30 minutes after application. http://www.flickr.com/photos/derekandjess/362626475/
Prevident 5000: Strength teeth by helping fight existing decay and to prevent future decay.
http://www.colgate.com/app/Colgate/US/OC/Products/FromTheDentist/PrevidentPrescription.cvsp
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Ortho
Orthodontists diagnose, prevent and treat dental and facial irregularities. Orthodontists limit their practices to orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics. That means that orthodontic treatment is what they do, and that is all they do. Orthodontists treat a wide variety of malocclusions (misaligned aligned teeth and/or jaws). They regularly treat young children, teens and adults.
Most patients only require orthodontic treatment in one phase in the early to mid teen years after all (or most of) the permanent teeth have erupted. Usually, this is best for mild or moderate crowding cases, and when significant changes in jaw size or position aren't required. Long term (indefinite) retainer wear at night follows this stage of treatment.
Althought, some patients only require orthodontic treatment at age 11 years or older in one step after all baby teeth are gone (One Phase Treatment), some may benefit from having treatment completed in two steps. When indicated, Two Phase treatment separates orthodontic treatment into two time periods, with each period being the best time to correct specific problems. Certain conditions, when severe, are better treated in two steps rather than one. Some of these indications are the following:
• Severe Protruding Incisors (buck-teeth)
• Excessive Horizontal Overbite (overjet)
• All Underbites (lower front teeth in front of upper front teeth)
• Severe Crowding that may lead to extractions of permanent teeth
• Openbites
• Crossbites
• Esthetically unpleasing tooth positions that are corrected for socialization
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Games
http://www.oregondentistry.com/kidspages/kids_flashmain.html
http://www.colgate.com/app/Kids-World/US/HomePage.cvsp
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