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We love kids – and your kids will love us too! At Scarborough Dental Care, we have been treating children and teens in a warm and child-friendly environment for over 30 years. The children we used to treat are now adults coming in with their own children!
It’s important for children to have positive dental experiences from an early age in order for them to develop healthy oral habits for life. Maintaining your child's dental health now will provide health benefits well into adulthood, as primary (baby) teeth serve some extremely important functions.
Primary teeth serve as guides for the eruption of permanent (adult) teeth, holding the space into which these new teeth will erupt.
During your child's first 6 years, he or she will be relying on primary teeth exclusively to bite, chew and speak. From 6 - 12, your child will have a mix of primary and permanent teeth. You will want to make sure those teeth stay healthy and are lost naturally — when it's time.
Your Child's First Dental Appointment
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The Ontario Dental Association recommends that your child see a dentist by his or her first birthday. Though this may sound early, learning proper pediatric oral hygiene techniques, checking for cavities, and watching for developmental problems is extremely important.
Babies and young children are highly susceptible to tooth decay. Early Childhood Caries (tooth decay) can develop rapidly, progressing from the hard, outer enamel layer of a tooth into the softer, inner dentin in less than six months.
Most of all, it's important for your child to have a positive experience at the dental office as he/she will be a regular visitor for years to come.
Pediatric Dental Treatments
There are a variety of dental treatments offered to prevent tooth decay in children, or to save or repair teeth when necessary. They include:
Topical Fluoride — Fluoride incorporates into the enamel of teeth, making it harder and more resistant to decay. Although there is a small amount of fluoride in toothpastes and in some drinking water supplies, a higher concentration can be applied professionally to your child's teeth for maximum protection.
Dental Sealants — A plastic coating can be applied at the dental office to prevent cavities by sealing the little grooves on the chewing surfaces of back teeth known as “pits and fissures.” These little crevices become the perfect environments for decay-causing bacteria. Immature tooth enamel is more permeable and therefore less resistant to tooth decay. Dental Sealants are easy to apply and can provide years of protection.
Bonding — Chips and minor fractures to front teeth — common childhood occurrences — can be repaired with tooth-colored bonding materials. These lifelike resins can be used on baby teeth as well as permanent teeth.
Root Canal Treatment — If your child's baby tooth is injured or severely decayed, they may need root canal treatment to save it from being extracted. Baby teeth are important guides to the permanent teeth that are already forming beneath your child's gums. Therefore, saving them from premature loss can help prevent a malocclusion, or "bad bite" that would require orthodontic treatment in the future.
Early Orthodontics / Orthopedics
Many children benefit from early orthodontic (teeth) or orthopedic (bone) treatment. As children grow and develop, they may show beginning signs of bite problems or excessive crowding of teeth. Some children have jaws that may be disproportionate in size or shape.
Children should have an orthodontic screening around the age of 7 to 8 to assess for problems that could be corrected with early orthodontic and/or orthopedic treatment, prevent more severe problems from developing and simplify future treatment. We will develop a plan for treatment based on each individual child’s needs.
With early diagnosis and treatment, we can guide the growth of the jaw and the incoming permanent teeth into a more favorable position. Early treatment also helps to develop the width of the upper and lower dental arches, gain space for permanent teeth and may avoid the need for permanent tooth extractions.
At Scarborough Dental Care, we offer dental care for your child throughout each stage of childhood. We are experienced in interacting and communicating with children to make the dental experience a fun and positive one for your child. Our dentists and hygienists are extremely patient with young children, working within the child’s comfort level and pace. Our stickers and high quality rewards for a job well done are a hit with kids of all ages!