Pediatric Dentistry
Pediatric Dentistry (Children)
Dr Mary-Lou Campbell and her team make sure that children of all ages feel welcome and safe by providing a sensitive and caring environment. Understanding how best to respond to a child’s fear, anxiety or pain is the foundation of our treatment approach.
We do everything we can to ensure that children feel comfortable and safe. Pleasant visits to the dental office promote the establishment of trust and confidence in your child that will last a lifetime. “My goal, along with my staff, is to help all children feel good about visiting the dentist and teach them how to care for their teeth. Our main concern is what is best for your child.”
Our office, as well as the Canadian Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, recommends that your child visit the dentist by his/her 2nd birthday. You can make the first visit to the dentist enjoyable and positive. Your child should be informed of the visit and told that the dentist and their staff will explain all procedures and answer any questions. The less to-do concerning the visit, the better.
We invite you to stay with your child during the initial examination. During future appointments, we suggest you allow your child to accompany our staff through the dental experience. We can usually establish a closer rapport with your child when you are not present. Our purpose is to gain your child’s confidence and overcome apprehension. However, if you choose, you may come with your child to the treatment room. For the safety and privacy of all patients, other children who are not being treated should remain in the reception room with a supervising adult.
WE OFFER:
EXPERT GUIDANCE OF BEHAVIOUR
Sensitive and affectionate management of a child’s fear, anxiety or pain is the foundation of our treatment approach. We use consistent yet adaptable methods of behaviour guidance that are scientifically proven.
PREVENTATIVE DENTISTRY
Healthy mouths – healthy children.
WE OFFER
effective toothbrushing and flossing instruction
nutritional information about diet and dental diseases
dental cleanings (scaling and polishing)
preventive treatment for oral habits
space maintainers
fluoride treatments in office or at home
dental sealants
custom-made athletic mouth guards for active children
SEDATION AND ANESTHESIA
Conscious Sedation is recommended for apprehensive children, very young children, and children with special needs. It is used to calm your child and to reduce the anxiety or discomfort associated with dental treatments. Your child may be quite drowsy, and may even fall asleep, but they will not become unconscious.
There are a variety of different medications, which can be used for conscious sedation. The doctor will prescribe the medication best suited for your child’s overall health and dental treatment, We will be happy to answer any questions you might have concerning the specific drugs we plan to give to your child.
Keeping your child safe and comfortable during dental treatment is a responsibility which we take very seriously. Children do feel pain. We recommend local anesthesia for all invasive dental procedures.
When A Child Is Very Anxious We Are Fully Qualified To Provide
oral sedatives
Some Children May Not Accept Treatment In The Office. In These Cases We Offer
oral sedatives
INTERCEPTIVE ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT
We can correct simple abnormalities in tooth and jaw position using removable appliances or we can refer the child to a specialist for fixed orthodontic appliances.
ROOT CANAL TREATMENT / PULP THERAPY
Some primary or permanent teeth require treatment of infection inside the tooth or jaw. This treatment helps to retain the natural tooth which, in the long run, means natural function, natural appearance and less costly treatment over time.
PREVENTING TOOTH DECAY
Four Things Are Necessary For Cavities To Form:
- a tooth
- bacteria
- sugars or other carbohydrates
- time.
We can share with you how to make teeth strong, keep bacteria from organizing into harmful colonies, develop healthy eating habits, and understand the role that time plays. Remember, dental decay is an infection of the tooth. Visiting us early can help avoid unnecessary cavities and dental treatment.
The pediatric dental community is continually doing research to develop new techniques for preventing dental decay and other forms of oral disease. Studies show that children with poor oral health have decreased school performance, poor social relationships and less success later in life. Children experiencing pain from decayed teeth are distracted and unable to concentrate on schoolwork.
IMPORTANCE OF PRIMARY (BABY) TEETH
It is very important that primary teeth are kept in place until they are lost naturally. These teeth serve a number of critical functions.
Primary Teeth
Maintain good nutrition by permitting your child to chew properly
Are involved in speech development
Help the permanent teeth by saving space for them. A healthy smile can help children feel good about the way they look to others
INFANTS & CHILDREN
Getting an early start in regular dental care is an important step on the road to teaching your child healthy lifetime habits. We want to share with you the latest available methods for keeping your child healthy and safe.
The first dental visit should occur shortly after the first tooth erupts and no later than the child’s first birthday. Beginning tooth and mouth examinations early may lead to detection of early stages of tooth decay that can be easily treated.
At The First Visit We Will Present
A program of preventive home care including brushing, flossing, diet and the importance of fluorides
A tooth decay (caries) risk assessment
Information about Early Childhood Caries, which may be due to inappropriate nursing habits or inappropriate use of sippy cups
The latest facts about finger, thumb and pacifier habits
What you need to know about preventing injuries to the mouth and teeth
Information on growth and development
ADOLESCENTS
Adolescents have special needs. Appearance and self-image are very important to them. Decayed or poorly positioned teeth or jaws might make them more self-conscious. Teens also eat frequently, and unhealthy snack foods tend to become a major part of their regular diet. We provide a professional, sensitive and caring approach to restoring and guiding teeth, and teaching preventive dental health care through the teen’s high school years. When necessary, we will provide information on sealants, oral piercing, wisdom teeth, missing teeth and tobacco use.