Pediatric Dentist Near You
An important part of keeping your kids healthy is making sure their teeth are healthy. Dr. Syed and Delaware Star Dental offer children’s dentistry in Wilmington, DE – we love our patients of all ages! Start the habit of healthy oral hygiene by scheduling an appointment for your child’s first dental appointment by the age of 1 or within 6 months after his or her first tooth comes in. You’ll find that our office will make the appointment fun and fast – we understand toddlers don’t care much for staying still. At each checkup, your dentist will continue talking with your child about the importance of at-home dental care.
What Can I Expect at My Child’s Dental Exam?
Whether it’s your child’s first or 10th visit, we know how to make the most of our time with younger patients – that means keeping it fun, educational, and safe! We will offer some preventative measures to help keep your children’s teeth healthy now and for many years to come.
Pediatric Dentist Wilmington DE
At your child’s first pediatric dental exam, the dentist may start off by asking you and your child some questions. We may ask about your child’s health history to determine if there are any special issues that may affect his or her teeth, and may also ask about your child’s oral hygiene, eating and drinking habits. In addition, you may be asked if your child has any habits that may affect their teeth, such as thumb sucking or nail-biting.
Your dentist will examine your child’s teeth and gums, including the soft tissues of the mouth, such as the inside of the lips and cheeks, the tongue, and the floor and roof of the mouth. There will also be an examination of the head, neck, and jaw for any abnormalities. We will evaluate how the teeth are developing and how well the upper and lower teeth fit together.
The visit may include X-rays, which will help your dentist check for decay in between the teeth. X-rays can help the dentist to see how teeth are developing, if there is enough space in the mouth for teeth to come in, and if permanent teeth are coming in properly.
The dentist will want to go over some oral hygiene basics with your kids, such as how to brush and floss properly, and how to eat properly for healthy teeth.
Dr. Syed and his staff will do a cleaning of your child’s teeth, and he may recommend pediatric dental treatments that can help protect their teeth from decay. One of these is sealants.
FAQs
Dental sealants are an easy and effective way to help your kids prevent cavities, and they are used in adults who want to avoid cavities as well. They are absolutely painless! Unfortunately, even kids who are great at brushing and flossing can be prone to getting cavities. Teeth have grooves and pits in them that trap food and debris. These grooves can be hard to clean, no matter how well you brush. This can lead to tooth decay and cavities. Sealants are a liquid plastic coating that the dentist “paints” onto teeth. Once applied, the liquid hardens to protect teeth. They create a smooth surface for teeth, eliminating the pits and grooves and making it easy to get debris off. Dentists apply sealants to the premolars and molars usually, which are in the back of the mouth, because this is where decay is most often found. They can even be applied to teeth that are already showing signs of decay.
First, a rubber dam is placed around the tooth to prevent moisture from interfering with the procedure. Then, we will thoroughly clean and dry the tooth. Your dentist will use a chemical, acidic substance to “etch” the tooth, which increases the surface area of the tooth and makes the surface rough. Etching the tooth helps the sealant adhere properly to the tooth.
Then, your dentist will apply the sealant to the surface of the tooth, paying special attention to pits and grooves. He may shine a warm light onto the sealants so that they dry quickly.
We may recommend sealants for your children as soon as their premolars and permanent molars come in the mouth. However, if your child’s baby teeth have deep grooves or pits, we may recommend that you get sealants on those baby teeth to ensure that permanent teeth come in properly, and it is important that they are well maintained.
Part of the beauty of sealants is that they are not only easy to apply, but also very easy to maintain. They don’t need any special attention. Children should brush, floss, and visit our office twice a year for a dental exam and cleaning. Depending on the type of sealant used, they can last five years or longer.
Schedule Your Child’s Visit Today
If you are searching for a great pediatric dentist for your kids, look no further than Delaware Star Dental. Give our Wilmington pediatric dental office a call at (302) 994-3093 to make an appointment today.