Children's Dental Care in Virginia

What Is a Kid’s Dentist?

It’s another name people use for pediatric dentists. Pediatric dentist are dentists who take two years of residency training after dental school to learn more about children’s oral health. They also learn techniques for making children feel comfortable in a dentist’s chair. If you’ve been looking for a pediatric dentist who can make your child’s dental exam a pleasant experience, please call our office.

When Should My Child Have Their First Dental Visit?

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, you should bring your child to a childrens dentist six months after their first tooth erupts or by age 12 months, whichever comes first. As soon as your child has their first tooth, he or she can get a cavity. Parents, please know, that you shouldn’t put your child to bed with a bottle. When milk, formula or juice rests on your child’s teeth, it can cause decay.

What Is a Child’s Dental Exam Like?

If it’s your child’s first dental exam, he or she will probably sit on your lap while you sit in the chair. Your children’s dentist will check your child’s teeth at each exam and see if you have questions about feedings, oral care, thumb sucking, pacifier use or teething. Our dentist will also show you how to clean your child’s teeth. He or she will evaluate your child’s risk for developing decay and may suggest services to help reduce their risk. Normally, small children don’t have x-rays taken very often.

What Are Children’s Dental Services?

We keep your child’s teeth healthy with the following kid’s dental care services:

Teeth Cleaning for Children: Most children get their first dental teeth cleaning between 12- to 36-months old. It is an excellent way to remove plaque before it can cause decay.

Fluoride: Fluoride treatments strengthen tooth enamel which helps prevent cavities.

Dental Sealants: Dental sealants are an important part of dentistry for kids. A thin coating goes over the chewing surface of your child’s molars. This makes the top of the tooth smooth, creating a barrier against plaque and making the surface easy to keep clean.

Dental Bonding: If your child falls and chips or cracks a tooth, one of our dentists can use dental bonding to repair the tooth.

Fillings: If your child has a cavity, one of our pediatric dentists will remove the decay and fill the cavity with a metal or white composite material.

Baby Root Canal: A children’s dentist will perform a baby tooth root canal if the tooth has decay which reached the pulp. The root canal stops your child’s pain and preserves the tooth.

Pediatric Crowns: Our dentists use crowns to protect baby teeth with a large filling or a tooth where we had to perform a root canal. The crown protects the tooth until it falls out naturally.

Mouthguards: We supply mouthguards to protect children’s teeth from being loosened or knocked out when they participate in activities where they could take a blow to the face.

When Will My Children’s Baby Teeth Come In?

Baby teeth usually begin appearing at six months and finish erupting by three years old. However, all children are different; some children don’t start teething until 12 months. The first teeth to come in are usually the two bottom front teeth, but it depends on your child.

When Do Baby Teeth Usually Fall Out?

Most children lose their first baby teeth at age five or six, although it can be as early as age four and as late as age seven. If your child got their baby teeth early, they will also lose them early.

Why Do Children Get Toothaches?

It’s hard to determine why your child has a toothache if they’re having a hard time explaining it to you. The pain could be from teething if your child is young, a cavity, a piece of food stuck between their teeth or something else entirely. If you believe your child has a cavity or you don’t know why they are in pain, please call our office and make an appointment for your child.

If you’re looking for a children’s dentist near me, please call our office to schedule an appointment for your child. We’re specially trained to put our youngest patients at ease.