Dental
Care Includes:
-- Mouth exam, cleaning, &
topical fluoride treatment.
-- Diagnosis & radiographs
(x-rays)
Mouth Exam for New
Patients or Recares
During a mouth
exam the dentist will check for
any signs of dental decay,
periodontal problems,
abscess/infection, signs of oral
cancer, proper tooth/jaw
development and future
orthodontic needs. The dentist
will also discuss any questions
or concerns you may have.
Cleaning
During a dental
cleaning (prophylaxis) the
dental hygienist will remove any
plaque and tartar from your
child’s teeth. This includes
dental flossing. Your child’s
teeth will be polished with a
powered brush that feels similar
to that of a battery operated
toothbrush.
Towards the end of the visit
a topical fluoride will be
applied by either a mouth rinse,
styrofoam tray or a toothbrush.
The fluoride, when applied to
the surfaces of the teeth
regularly, helps to strengthen
the teeth against decay.
Why is a timer given out
to children? How is it helpful?
Most children
need to brush their teeth
longer. The sand timer helps to
extend brushing time to 2-3
minutes and to hopefully give
the child enough time to do a
more thorough job.
Proper Brushing Technique
The toothbrush
should be held with the bristles
at a 45 degree angle to the
gums. The brush should move in a
circular motion to sweep plaque
away from the gumline. In
younger children, large circles
can be used to encourage proper
brushing. It doesn't matter if
you start brushing on the top or
bottom, but you should follow
the same pattern each time you
brush to make sure no teeth are
missed. Encourage kids to follow
a pattern, too! To complete
plaque removal, brushing should
always be followed by flossing.
Trauma
If your child
has had a traumatic injury to
either their teeth or gums it is
a good idea to have it checked
by your dentist. An x-ray of the
area and a visual examination
will help to determine what, if
any, treatment needs to be done.
Second Opinion
Occasionally you
may consider having another
opinion regarding potential
treatment of your child. At a
second opinion visit it is
highly recommended that any
x-rays taken at the first visit
office be brought so new ones
are not needed. A thorough exam
of the teeth and x-rays will be
completed so a plan of treatment
can be presented.
Ortho Mouth Exam
A visual exam of
how the teeth articulate (come
together) and an exam of the TMJ
(jaw joint) will be done. If it
is determined that orthodontic
records (panelipse,
cephalometric x-ray, study
models, and photos of the teeth)
are needed another appointment
will be scheduled. A
consultation will follow where
the child, parent, and dentist
discuss treatment, potential
braces, appliances, etc.
Dental x-rays
Dental x-rays
are pictures of teeth, bone and
soft tissue that can not be seen
in a visual examination –
essential to accurate diagnosis.
The radiation from dental
x-rays is VERY LOW. We have new
state inspected equipment and
the child is covered with a
lead-lined apron.
Our x-ray protocol follows
the guidelines set forth by the
American Academy of Pediatric
Dentistry.
Why does
my child need dental x-rays?
1. Evaluate developing teeth
and jaws.
A panoramic x-ray is taken
when the adult front teeth have
erupted to evaluate adult tooth
development.
-- check for extra teeth
(supernumerary teeth)
-- check for missing teeth
(congenitally missing –failure
of tooth formation)
-- check for cysts and tumors
2. Cavity detection –
Bitewing x-rays
Bitewing x-rays are taken
every 18 months unless a child
is cavity prone. Then bitewing
x-rays would be taken more
often.
Bitewing x-rays are taken for
detection of decay in between
teeth where they touch each
other.
3. Periapical x-rays
Periapical x-ray shows the
whole tooth (crown & root)
-- Check position of developing
adult tooth
-- Check for dental abscess
-- Check fractured tooth
following an accident
-- Check for an extra tooth
(supernumerary)
