Why Kids Should See a Dentist

It is a sad fact that the dental health of our children is in a state of decline. Recent studies show that 60% of children 15 years old or younger have at least one, if not more cavities. This trend should be easy to stop when you consider the advancements the dental industry. Our office wants to partner with our parents to create a system to help improve the dental health for all of our young patients.

Our Northridge dentist agrees with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) belief that a child should see a dentist by their first birthday. This makes dental visits more routine and adds familiarity to dental care. There are other reasons kids should see a dentist on a regular basis.

• Our pedodontist in Northridge is great helping children to relax while attending to their dental needs. This sets up a positive feeling for the next visits.

• Children often learn by example. If your child sees how to brush and floss correctly they will likely learn correct techniques. Additionally, some children respond better to the recommendations of a professional than they do when hearing the same advice from parents.

• Sometimes a dentist is the first medical professional to see the signs of other disorders. You child’s pediatrician may not notice signs of teeth grinding, but our dentist would spot that immediately and alert you to the problem. This gives you valuable insight and can help you to manage your child’s over all health in the best and most efficient way possible.

• Early prevention of cavities, gum disease, and other maladies gives your child the keys to good dental health. Visiting our dentist allows us to spot problems and intervene as soon as possible. Many dental issues are easily remedied when caught early by a professional.

• A proper professional cleaning is good for you at every age and stage of your life.
We understand it is easy to become busy, so our office will schedule and remind you about your child’s appointment upon request. 

Sedation Options for Children

There are differing opinions about using sedation in children’s dental treatments. In our office, we believe that removing the fear and showing a child that a visit to the dentist is not a frightful and painful experience will help build a lifetime of proper oral care. We always use the minimal amount of sedation on all of our patients and, we would never go against a parent’s wishes regarding pediatric sedation.
Here are a few different kinds of sedation that we use in our office.

• Nitrous oxide- Commonly known as laughing gas, nitrous oxide offers light sedation and an anesthetic effect. It comes to the patient mixed with oxygen via a mask which fits over the nose. Because patients inhale nitrous oxide, it is easy for our dentist to control. There are no long-lasting effects, and patients do not spend an extended period in a sleepy and groggy state because nitrous oxide wears off soon after the gas flow stops.

• Oral Sedation- This form of sedation gives patients a deeper level of relaxation than nitrous oxide. Our dentist gives patients a pill to calm any anxiety, before the dental procedure. The effects are longer lasting than nitrous oxide, and your child will wake up groggy. Because of the lasting effects of oral sedation, we recommend that your child go home to rest after the dental treatment and not return to school.

• Intravenous(IV) Sedation- Our dentist reserves this sedation for extended procedures or oral surgery, and it is highly unlikely that this would be the first choice in pediatric sedation. IV sedation enters the patient through a vein and has a longer lasting effect that other sedation methods. Because IV sedation typically accompanies complex dental treatments, your child should not return to school or engage in strenuous activities for 24-48 hours after the dental procedure.

There are some situations where pediatric sedation takes the angst out of a dental visit. For instance, if your child has high anxiety that a dental visit would intensify, a light sedative will temper the stress and allow for a positive experience. Also, if your child has cerebral palsy, autism, or Tourette’s syndrome, our East LA Dentist may suggest sedation.

If you have questions or concerns regarding pediatric sedation, do not hesitate to contact our office. Our staff is happy to get you the information you need.

Options for Restoring Dental Implants

Our office sees many patients who benefit from the latest dental implant technology. The most recent technique of placing a screw in an empty tooth socket to act as a replacement root prevents bone loss and saves many smiles. This process is so impactful that the American Dental Association (ADA) believes that this generation of dental implants is the most exciting advance that modern dentistry witnessed in many years.

The process of getting implants has two parts, the placement of a screw that acts as a replacement for the missing root. This procedure requires a specialist usually an oral surgeon, periodontist, or endodontist. The next part of the implant process is the restoration phase. This part of the treatment is when our dentist will attach an abutment and a customized crown to the screw already in your mouth. This attachment will restore your tooth, hence the name of the treatment.

The restoration phase of dental implants is straightforward. It will take place after the screw is a securely grafted part of your jaw, this process is osseointegration. While it is difficult to predict how long it will take the screw to integrate to your jaw, the process usually takes three to six months.

After osseointegration, our dental expert will begin your restoration process by attaching an abutment to the screw which is in your mouth. The abutment helps hold your new crown. We will also measure and size the space you have for the new tooth. Our dentist uses these measurements, as well as possible tooth impressions while crafting your new tooth.

You have other restoration options, but these depend on your overall oral health as well as the location of the implant.

If the replacement tooth is in a very prominent position, you may have a temporary restoration crafted and placed to maintain your smile while the screw fuses in the gum.

You also have an option for immediate restoration where the screw, abutment, and crown are put in place by a specialist during one office visit. Dentists rarely recommended this procedure because it has a lower success rate than waiting until the screw fully fuses to the jaw.

If you have concerns or would like more information regarding dental implant restorations, do not hesitate to contact our office.

Benefits of Dental Implants in Tooth Replacement

In our dental practice, we see many patients who deal with tooth loss. Despite all the dental advances seen today, patients are still vulnerable to tooth decay, periodontal disease, injuries, and accidents. All of which can lead to the loss of teeth.

Fortunately, our dentist in Huntington Beach has a solution for our patients who are missing teeth. Dental implants are the very best way to replace missing teeth. Unlike bridges or false teeth, these implants go directly in your jaw providing a secure and natural- looking substitution for your missing teeth. The American Dental Association strongly approves of implants and believes they are one of the most important advances in modern dentistry.

While some patients believe that the implants are mostly for cosmetic improvements, dental implants have benefits to patients beyond aesthetics.

• A practical option – Before dental implants, bridges were common tooth replacements. Although bridges are still a useful part of dentistry, implants are a better choice for tooth replacement because healthy teeth do not need to be modified to help attach a bridge.

• Stop bone loss- When you lose a permanent tooth, your brain believes that the empty space the tooth once occupied is not useful. Because there is no longer a root present, your body permits the jaw bone to deteriorate slowly. The resulting facial bone loss is unhealthy and unattractive. When our dentalimplants dentist positions an implant in your jaw, the body senses it and believes the jaw bone is holding the root of a tooth. So, the implant will halt the process of bone loss.

Getting dental implants is not complicated, but it can take between three and six months to complete the process. The amount of time from start to finish varies between patients because everyone heals at their own pace.

During the two-part procedure, you receive a local anesthetic. First, the dentist places and secures a screw into the site that held your tooth. After three to six months, the screw will fuse to the jaw creating a solid anchor for the upper part of the implant. Next, our dentist attaches an abutment to the screw and cements a permanent crown to the abutment, and the process is complete.

If you are missing teeth, you no longer need to suffer. Contact our office for a no-obligation consultation and love your smile.

Can Porcelain Veneers Cover Stains?

Porcelain dental veneers are consistently popular with both our dentists and our patients. A simple and non-invasive treatment to quickly improve the appearance of teeth, porcelain veneers can correct many cosmetic issues. Many of our patients tell us the choice to see our porcelain veneers dentist was one of their best decisions ever.

A brilliant white smile is not always easy to create. While there are crowns, braces, and light treatments, not all of our patients have the time to commit to these kinds of treatments. Porcelain veneers correct many dental problems such as cracks and chips, wide gaps between teeth, and minor issues with misalignment. The most common reason patients seek treatment from our cosmetic dentist in San Francisco is to cover stains on their teeth.

Applying porcelain veneers is a painless procedure that requires no anesthesia. Often our patients need only one visit to cover their stains effectively.

Our teeth generally start out white and shiny; there are specific factors that lead to strains on teeth:

• AGE
As we get older, we endure many body changes. Our teeth are not immune from age-related changes, and often they discolor as a part of the aging process.

• DRINKS
Dark beverages are often behind the stains on teeth. Daily cups of coffee or tea over a period of years create tough stains. Colas are particularly bad for oral health. They often contain excessively high amounts of sugar which damage tooth enamel and increasing cavities. We suggest that our patients should not consume cola if you do consider using a straw to protect your tooth enamel.

• FOODS
Naturally colorful foods such as beets along with dark artificially colored foods will create stains on teeth. Always brush after eating to try and prevent stains.

• MEDICATIONS
Often patients receiving chemotherapy experience darkening of their teeth. The antibiotic tetracycline and doxycycline are well known to cause dark staining especially if the child is under eight.

• GENETIC PREDISPOSITION
Some people simply have darker tooth enamel than they would like.

Many of our patients believe that their porcelain veneers changed their lives. While not every patient has a life-changing experience with their porcelain veneers, every patient we treat leaves our office with a brilliant and confident smile.

Signs of Periodontal Disease

We live in a busy world and in this business, many people believe that they are taking good care of their teeth. However, a once-over with a toothbrush and a little floss often is not enough to maintain good oral hygiene. Inattention to your dental health can lead to periodontal disease (also known as gum disease) which causes a variety of problems. Our staff can help diagnose and treat gum disease and help prevent future complications.

Periodontal disease comes from a build-up of bacteria in the plaque that coats your teeth and gums. If the bacteria are allowed to grow unchecked, you risk losing teeth and even bone. While gum disease often occurs without dramatically noticeable symptoms, if you are aware of the subtle changes associated with it, you can seek treatment as soon as possible. Here are some of the most common signs of periodontal disease.

• Bleeding gums, especially while flossing or brushing your teeth. Blood, while you are doing routine oral care, is a sure sign that something is going wrong in your mouth. You may also experience bleeding when eating hard foods like apples.

• Red or swollen gums. It is not normal to have gums which are excessively puffy or bright red.

• Constant bad breath. If you have halitosis despite your best efforts to keep your mouth fresh and clean, gum disease is a likely culprit.

• Receding Gums. Elongated teeth and gums that are pulling away from your teeth, both signal potential periodontal disease. Consult with our periodontistin Torrance as soon as you can.

• Loose teeth. Unless you are a young child with baby teeth, your teeth should not wiggle or move. Also look for small gaps between teeth that you have not previously noticed. Gaps may not always be visible, so notice if your dental floss suddenly seems to get trapped between teeth.

• Pus gathered between your teeth and gums. The presence of pus or any kind of sore in your mouth is a signal to call our dental office right away.

The good news about periodontal disease is that diligent oral care can prevent it.

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.