EXAMINATIONS

Infants and Toddlers

The most important part of an infant exam is our time talking with you, the parent! We know that each child can have a different set of difficulties. There are no “one size fits all” recommendations at Parkview Pediatric Dentistry. We work to help you through the specific challenges you face, whether it is how to brush teeth, how to get rid of pacifiers, or how to choose healthy foods. We are parents who have gone through the same difficult times of raising children, and we are excited to meet you and be a resource for your questions.

What does an exam look like for an infant or toddler?

Our exams are completed in the Knee to Knee position (see pictures) so that your child can stay comfortably in your lap. Knee to knee positioning also allows you to see everything we are looking at in our exam and point it out. Many parents find it very informative!

What is checked for in an infant and toddler exam?

Strength of Teeth:
Following the cleaning with our wireless dental “toothbrush,” we carefully check each tooth for strength. Some teeth naturally have soft spots (hypoplasia) or pits and fissures (cracks and gaps) that make them more susceptible to dental decay or breakdown.

Angle of Teeth:
We also check for the angulation of the teeth coming in. Teeth are sometimes coming in at a completely different angle or direction than expected. The growth angle is related to various habits such as thumbsucking, pacifier use, mouth breathing, etc. It can also be the result of an altered relationship between the top and bottom jaw.

Cheeks, Tongues, and Everything Else!
Lastly, we look at all the tissues inside and around the mouth to ensure everything is healthy and developing correctly.

What are dental intervention options for babies and toddlers?

In infants and toddlers, our goal is to prevent dental decay from starting. However, we have many non-invasive measures we can take to stop or slow the progression of dental decay as well!

If early decay is present, we usually see our patients back more frequently than usual to check-in and ensure the teeth are staying healthy.

We can also utilize fluoride varnish to remineralize early tooth decay. Other options include “silver diamine fluoride, ” a fantastic medicine used if the dental decay is already getting worse.

Children

What does a dental exam look like for children?

All children have specific people, toys, and activities they get excited about or are afraid of. Knowing this, we are completely flexible when it comes to completing dental exams. We aim trips to the dentist to not be scary. To accomplish this, we have literally completed exams on the floor, in our playroom, in a stroller, in the parking lot, and even in a car. We care to help keep your child comfortable in our office so they can master their dental check-up and understand the importance of healthy teeth for their lifetime.

Around age 3, all baby teeth have come in and closed the spaces between teeth. This makes three years old a great time to take the first radiographs (x-rays) of teeth! We evaluate the growth and development of the adult teeth and visualize spaces between teeth that we can not see or feel with our instruments.

Following the x-rays, there is an exam completed in our special dental chairs made specifically for children! They are a flat bench with a soft headrest pillow that can be flat or reclined, and there are even headphones for the tv on the ceiling! Our hygienists show your child every step of the cleaning process so they can be comfortable and understand what is happening. We call this Tell, Show, Do!

What are we checking for during a Children’s Dental Exam?

In our exam, we are looking at teeth and gums to make sure they are healthy and strong. We also check the jaws’ growth and development and help assess the potential long or short-term needs of orthodontics. In our practice, we can complete some early small orthodontics work. However, we work with some fantastic local orthodontists and can help prepare and guide you if that’s what your child needs.

What are dental intervention options for children?

Education:
Our first course of action is always education. We know that as parents who love their children, we’re all trying hard to do a good job. However, you can’t know everything! That’s where we would like to come alongside you to help establish good practices for now and the future through guidance and education.

Tooth Decay:
If there is tooth decay or misformed teeth that require fixing, we can address these issues in-house.

Some options available include:

• Remineralization therapies such as fluoride varnish
• Silver diamine fluoride to slow or stop the decay
• Filling material

Restorations:
Fillings: We offer all-white fillings that bond to the tooth and restore the tooth area with the cavity.
Crowns: For larger decay areas, a crown covers the entire tooth and protects from future decay or breakdown. We have silver (surgical grade stainless steel) options or all white ceramic (zirconia) crowns.

Extractions:
When a tooth is broken so badly it can’t be fixed or has an infection that has traveled to the central part of the tooth(aka an abscess), we can recommend taking this tooth out.

We talk about “wiggling the tooth out” instead of “pulling” or “yanking.” We aim to avoid language that can be scary to kids. All children have “wiggled” out a baby tooth, though! Sometimes, we use space maintainers to serve as a replacement for a removed tooth. This small piece prevents the movement of the other teeth into the area where the tooth was removed.