Why choose a pediatric dentist?

Pediatric dentists are the pediatricians of dentistry. With two to three years of specialty training after dental school, we have additional expertise in the specific physiological, psychological and emotional needs of children’s dentistry compared to general or family dentists. We are primary and specialty oral care providers for infants and children through adolescence, including those with special needs.

When to see a pediatric dentist?

In line with American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry guidance, we advise parents to bring their child in for their first preventive visit when the first tooth appears but no later than your child’s first birthday.

A check-up and hygiene treatment every six-months is recommended to prevent cavities and other common dental problems. A regular, preventive routine minimizes the chances of more serious and costly emergency or restorative intervention in the future and also helps your child become more comfortable and relaxed in a healthcare environment, setting them up for a lifetime of improved healthcare outcomes.

What services does a pediatric dentist provide?

As primary dental care providers, pediatric dentists provide the comprehensive suite of dental services from preventive to restorative and emergency services.

Preventive

Preventing cavities is our main goal and how we aim to practice dentistry with our patients. Preventive dentistry refers to all care and interventions intended to prevent oral decay from starting or progressing and includes the specific techniques below:

• Oral care counseling is the bedrock of our preventive service because education is the key to a healthy mouth. A healthy mouth not only prevents cavities but improves our systemic health. We take time to understand your child’s unique risk factors for cavities, oral pathology and dental trauma and tailor our approach to meet your family’s unique needs.
• Hygiene includes flossing, deep cleaning, stain removal and scaling, if needed, by a licensed dental hygienist to remove dental plaque and tartar, prevent cavities and scan for decay and pathologies. We demonstrate proper oral healthcare techniques to use with your children at home including twice daily flossing and brushing and fun ways to involve your children in their own dental care.
• Fluoride varnish is the topical application of highly concentrated fluoride to strengthen teeth and help slow-down (or even reverse) current decay and prevent future decay.
• MI paste is a water-based, sugar-free cream that comes in a tube like toothpaste. When applied directly to children’s teeth, it can help condition, protect and rebuild the teeth’s surface.
• Sealants are thin protective coatings made of glass ionomer applied to the chewing surfaces of the molars (baby or adult) to help prevent cavities. ADA research has showed that sealants can reduce the risk of decay by 80%.
• Non-invasive restoration is the treatment of cavities using hand instruments and without drilling. We practice both atraumatic restorative treatment (ART) and interim therapeutic restoration (ITR) as the case requires to seal off tooth decay and prevent progression of the caries with a fluoride-releasing restoration.
• Silver diamine fluoride is a topical fluoride-infused liquid applied directly to the tooth to prevent progression of cavities.

Restorative

In cases where a tooth structure has been damaged due to cavities or physical trauma, we use restorative techniques after removing the decay to build up lost tooth structure. Specific techniques include:

• We use fillings to rebuild lost tooth structure. At BPD we use both silver amalgam and white (composite or glass ionomer) depending on the physical nature of the cavity and patient preferences.
• Crowns are caps for damaged teeth that completely cover and/or encircle the tooth when a large cavity cannot be filled and threatens the health of the tooth. Similar to fillings, crowns come in silver (metal alloy) or white (zirconia).

Resources:

Educational

American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry

American Board of Pediatric Dentistry

Delaware Dental Society

Virtual consults