How Soon Should Children See a Dentist?

If you’re a new parent, you may be wondering how soon is too soon for your child’s first dentist appointment? Navigating through this part of early childhood can be quite daunting, but rest assured that our certified children’s dentist in North Hollywood has all the answers you seek for your growing family.

Even though they may not show it, your baby was born with a set of partly-formed baby teeth hidden in their gums. You’ll first see them grow in after they begin teething.  The American Dental Association recommends that you take your child in for their first appointment no more than six months after the eruption of their first visible tooth, ideally before they turn one year old. While it may seem very strange to take your child in so early, it is imperative to start protecting their enamel under the watchful eye of a professional as soon as possible, even for their temporary baby teeth, as cavities can begin to develop as soon as the tooth has emerged and is readily visible.

You will be asked about the developmental milestones your child has achieved so far, including any negative habits they may have picked up such as thumb-sucking or being reliant on a pacifier. Your child’s mouth will be examined thoroughly, and usually you will be able to sit right by their side. After checking for any type of injury, disease, or decay, a professional cleaning will be administered and you will be given more information on how to properly take care of your child’s growing mouth.

If necessary, you will be given recommendations for any additional products and/or tools that may be necessary to keep your child’s teeth in good health; this can include things like fluoride treatments, or special brushes to target any problem areas that may be apparent. Our dentist may suggest something called a dental sealant, used to protect the hidden crevasses of the molars from cavities in these early years. There is also the option of dental crowns, which can be used to protect a badly decayed or damaged tooth.

What Can Invisalign Do?

Invisalign is a product quite unlike traditional metal braces of the past; just by observing the difference between the two types of orthodontic implement, it can feel quite unintuitive believing that both have the same capacity to straighten one’s smile. From the outside, that may be a fair assessment. But in reality it couldn’t be further from the truth. The fact of the matter is Invisalign holds its own against ordinary braces at every intersection short of full-on head gear, and it does so without the unsightliness or discomfort that comes with wearing a mouthful of brackets for months or even years at a time.

Our orthodontist in Torrance is qualified to contend with a number of orthodontic issues. Crowding is a common concern. It occurs when one’s adult teeth grow in much too close together, overlapping and obscuring one another in a way that may limit one’s oral motor function. This is not only unpleasant-looking and uncomfortable, it also increases the surface area of one’s exposed enamel, giving bacteria and plaque more opportunity to set up shop and do some damage. The same can be said for the opposite problem – spacing - which occurs when the teeth instead are spread out too far apart. Invisalign can be used in both scenarios as it is able to both pull teeth in together and also gently pull them apart, same as ordinary braces of the past.

If your bite is improperly aligned, Invisalign is a perfectly capable source of relief. Overbites are a common concern. Not to be confused with buckteeth, an overbite occurs when the upper jaw protrudes more than usual, whether through negative habits acquired in early childhood or through sheer genetics. An underbite would be the opposite complaint where the bottom teeth are held in front of the top. Both conditions come with a slew of unpleasant side effects such as headaches, jaw fatigue, difficulty chewing or speaking, and excessive amounts of pressure being put on the jaw bones themselves. Orthodontic correction can help assuage all these discomforts.

Invisalign is a patented system of orthodontic correction that changes lives every single day. If you’re interested in a consultation, give us a call and schedule an appointment with our Invisalign provider in Torrance.

Uses of Dental Bridges

If you’re looking to improve your smile, there are many cosmetic options available to you. Bridges are fixed prosthetic devices that are cemented onto existing teeth or implants done by our dentist. Dental bridges are commonly used to cover a space if you’re missing one or more teeth. They are cemented to the natural teeth or implants surrounding the space where the tooth once was.

Our Huntington Beach dentist can help strengthen your teeth if they are damaged. There are a few types of dental bridges available. The first is the traditional dental bridge. This is the most popular kind of bridge that consists of one or more fake teeth held in place by dental crowns. The crowns are cemented onto the teeth adjacent to the missing tooth. These types of bridges can be used when you have natural teeth on both sides of the gap.

There are also cantilever bridges for replacing teeth. They are similar to traditional bridges, but a crown only on one side rather than both sides supports the fake teeth. This happens when one natural tooth is next to the gap. The cantilever bridge ensures that the tooth can still be secured. They are also similar to traditional bridges because our dentists will have to prepare the adjacent tooth to support the bridge by removing its enamel.

Maryland bridges are another option that is much more conservative than traditional bridges. These bridges consist of a fake tooth held in place by a metal or porcelain framework. The framework is bonded onto the backs of the two teeth next to the missing tooth. Since crowns do not hold the bridge together, the adjacent teeth don’t need to be filed.

Implant supported bridges are also another option for replacing missing teeth. If you have more than one missing tooth, this could be an option for you. This type of bridge is supported by dental implants. One implant is usually placed for every missing tooth and the series of implants holds the bridge in place. The bridge may also consist of a fake tooth suspended between two implant-supported crowns if placing one implant for every tooth is not possible.

              

Talk to our dentists if you are missing one or more teeth. There are many options available to help improve your smile. It’s our mission to have you smile with confidence and feel comfortable with your natural and replacement teeth should you receive them. Schedule a consultation with us today.f