Your child’s primary, or “baby” teeth are important in their dental development. Healthy teeth play a crucial role in a child’s nutrition, speech, jaw growth and guidance in the eruption of permanent, or “adult” teeth. The self-esteem that healthy teeth gives a child is also immeasurable.
At District Family Dental, we want each child to have a nurturing and soothing experience so they’ll always look forward to their next visit with us! Our emphasis is prevention, always. We provide many preventive measures to keep your child’s teeth clean and healthy.
Happy Visit
We encourage parents to bring their child for their first dental visit as early as the eruption of the first baby tooth or before the age of one. We believe this first visit or the “happy visit” should begin with a pleasant and soothing experience: your child will be given time to familiarize with the dentist and staff to foster trust and positive feelings.
Check-up and Teeth Cleaning
Cavities progress very fast in baby teeth. This is why we recommend a check-up and cleaning every six months. With very small dental x-rays, we can detect early signs of weakened enamel. We will also have a thorough discussion regarding diet and oral hygiene practice at home to help our little patients protect their pearly whites.
Fluoride Treatment
Fluoride is a natural mineral that is topically applied to the tooth surface making it more resistant to decay. As we live in a community where the water district does not fluoridate its water (the Calgary City Council decided in 2011 to cease adjusting the fluoride levels in Calgary water), professional application of dental fluoride is highly recommended.
Dental Sealants
A dental sealant is a thin, plastic “raincoat” applied to teeth to help prevent cavities. They fill and seal the grooves on the chewing surfaces of “baby” and “adult” molars in children and adolescents to blocks out food particles that could get caught, causing cavities. Fast and comfortable to apply, dental sealants can effectively protect teeth for many years.
Tooth Colored Fillings
Cavities progress very fast in baby teeth but are usually very hard to see with the naked eye. With the help of very small x-rays, we can detect these small cavities and repair and clean them using a white filling.
Baby Teeth Root Canal Therapy
A cavity that takes shape of a hole in a baby tooth can be seen with the naked eye. Sometimes, the baby tooth will require a baby tooth root canal therapy (pulpotomy) in addition to a filling or a crown. The baby tooth root canal therapy is a nerve treatment to get all the infected nerve out to avoid an extraction.
Space Maintainer
The purpose of this appliance is to keep the space of a missing baby tooth open to allow the permanent tooth to come into place. If a space is not maintained, teeth can shift into the open space and orthodontic treatment may be required.
Nitrous Oxide Sedation
Commonly called “laughing gas”, this sedation option is great for older children and those who only have very few cavities. It helps with mild anxiety and is very safe.
