Children's Dentistry
Children's Dentistry Overview
NELSEN FAMILY DENTISTRY
Children's Treatments
Infant Oral Exams
Following the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, our doctors suggest infants should come in for their first oral exam between the ages of six months to 1 year old.
Our doctors will review proper diet, age-appropriate hygiene, and go over pacifier use to make sure your child’s oral health starts strong and stays strong.
Children's Cleanings and Exams
Preventative care is one of the simplest and most important ways to make sure your child’s teeth grow in strong and healthy. Giving them the proper tools and teaching them the right way to brush when they are young lays the groundwork that will create healthy habits they will carry with them into adulthood.
Most children have two cleanings a year, but children with a higher risk of caries may need more frequent visits.
During a checkup, your child’s hygienist will clean their teeth and, if necessary, take x-rays and give your child a fluoride treatment. The dentist will perform an exam and review if any other treatment is needed.
Digital X-Rays
Digital x-rays help diagnose cavities while they are tiny, often allowing for less invasive treatment. If they are caught early enough, decay may be stopped with some minor changes to your child’s homecare routine.
Using digital x-rays, our doctors can look for teeth that haven’t erupted yet, make sure your child’s jaws and teeth are developing well, and monitor whether orthodontic treatment will be needed in the future.
Today’s digital x-rays expose your child to less radiation than ever before. Lead aprons and taking x-rays only when necessary further reduce your child’s exposure.
Fluoride
Topical fluoride treatments help keep your child’s teeth cavity-free between visits by strengthening the enamel. Depending on your child’s age, the fluoride may be brushed onto your child’s teeth or put into a foam tray and allowed to sit on their teeth. For younger children, a fluoride varnish is brushed onto the teeth. Fluoride varnish hardens when it comes in contact with saliva, forming a hard film that is brushed off later that evening.
Older children usually have a tray loaded with foam fluoride placed in their mouths for a specific amount of time along with a suction straw to remove any foam overflow and saliva. When the time is up, your child is told not to eat or drink for at least 30 minutes to allow the fluoride to work.
Our doctors and their hygiene team are happy to answer all your questions about fluoride treatments and treatment options.
Frenectomies
A frenum or frenulum is a small piece of tissue that attaches either the upper lip to the gum tissue or the tongue to the floor of the mouth.
In some children, this frenum or frenulum is attached too tightly and can pull on the lips or gums causing tongue-tie, problems nursing, speech issues, trouble eating or drinking, or cause pulling on the gums around teeth that can create a periodontal issue as the child ages.
During a frenectomy, the dentist makes a small incision in the frenum or frenulum, allowing for greater movement of the lips. Results are instant, and this simple procedure can be done in-office with a local anesthetic. The incision site usually heals in a few days with little to no discomfort.
Sealants For Children
Sealants help prevent decay by protecting the surface of the teeth, especially the back teeth where brushing can be more difficult for children. They are made of a clear, liquid resin that hardens when a special light is shined on it. This creates a smooth, hard surface that prevents food from settling in the grooves of your child’s back teeth.
Research has shown that sealants can reduce a child’s risk of decay in treated teeth by up to 80%. The CDC has even weighed in, stating that children without dental sealants may be 3 times more likely to develop decay in the same teeth than children with sealants.
HOW ARE SEALANTS PLACED?
First, the tooth or teeth are washed, dried, and isolated with either cotton rolls or a rubber dam. Then the teeth are etched with a special gel that roughens the teeth, so the sealant material has a rough surface to adhere to. Once that is rinsed off, the sealant material is flowed into the grooves of the teeth and light cured. When all the teeth have been treated, the dentist checks for rough edges and makes sure floss can pass between the teeth.
Generally speaking, there are no side effects with dental sealants unless your child is allergic to one of the ingredients in the resin material, which is extremely rare.
CARING FOR YOUR CHILD’S SEALANTS
Sealants are sturdy and should last up to 10 years, but may need replacing sooner, depending on your child’s lifestyle. Avoiding chewing on ice and hard candy can prolong their life and prevent chipping which might allow decay to sneak in and rot the tooth from the inside. The dentist will monitor your child’s sealants at each visit to make sure they are still intact.
While sealants don’t eliminate the need for proper homecare such as flossing and brushing twice daily, they can offer some protection and can even stop minor decay from developing further.
Restorative Dentistry
If your child needs restorative treatment in the form of a filling or crown, our doctors and their team will create a custom treatment plan for your child and review all options with you before treatment begins. We believe a conservative approach to children’s dentistry is usually the best course of action.
Fillings are placed in the tooth following decay removal to preserve natural tooth structure. Nowadays most fillings are made of a composite resin that is matched to your child’s natural tooth color. In some rare instances amalgam (silver) fillings may be used.
Crowns can be made of many different materials depending on where in your child’s mouth they are to be used. Stainless steel, resin, and zirconia are all durable choices and require very similar preparations.
WHY DOES MY CHILD NEED A CROWN?
Sometimes an area of decay is too large for a filling or the decay has compromised the whole side of a tooth, so there is not enough tooth structure to support a filling. If your child has an accident that results in a heavily damaged tooth or if your child is at high risk for developing cavities, the doctor may decide it’s best to preserve the entire remaining structure.
If you are concerned that your child needs a crown, our doctors and their team are happy to answer all your questions.
Special Care For Dental Anxiety
Sometimes a child comes to us that has had a negative dental experience or they are too young to understand the dental treatment needed. We offer different sedation options to help them relax and make their dental appointment more comfortable for everyone, patient and parent alike.
For most patients, laughing gas is very safe and plenty to help your child relax. It is mixed with oxygen and delivered with a small mask worn over your child’s nose. Your child is awake, responsive, and breathes without assistance. When treatment is finished, the mask is removed, and within a few breaths of air, the laughing gas has left your child’s system.
If your child is older or suffers from severe anxiety, oral sedation (a pill or liquid medicine), IV sedation, or general anesthesia in a hospital setting under the care of a board-certified anesthesiologist may be recommended. Our doctors will be able to discuss these options with you to help your child get the care they need.
Additional Children's Treatments
root canals on baby teeth
If a baby tooth has decay that has entered the nerve, or pulp, of the tooth, or if the tooth has suffered trauma, it may cause hot and cold sensitivity or constant pain. A root canal might be recommended to preserve the tooth until it is ready to come out on its own and be replaced by its permanent counterpart.
Saving a baby tooth instead of extracting it can help prevent issues with self-confidence, chewing, speech development, and bite alignment.
If your child has a broken tooth with exposed pulp, complains of hot/cold sensitivity or pain in a tooth, suffers trauma to the mouth, or if you notice a sudden change in your child’s eating habits, call Nelsen Family Dentistry as soon as possible.
THE PROCEDURE
Just like a root canal on an adult tooth, the doctor will remove the diseased pulp tissue from the tooth, disinfect the area, and fill the root chamber with gutta-percha, a rubber-like natural material.
After the root canal, a small crown or other restoration will placed on the tooth to help support the remaining tooth structure until it is ready to fall out on its own.
There may be some slight post-procedure sensitivity, but since the nerve is removed, there shouldn’t be any pain. Make sure to maintain a regular home care schedule to prevent the need of a root canal on any other baby teeth.children with special needs
When caring for children with special needs, our overall approach to dentistry doesn't change, but the treatment plan may be slightly different to accommodate any issues you may be facing at home; e.g., brushing, flossing, dietary concerns and addressing aversions to food textures and tastes, etc. We are always empathetic to the needs of the caregiver as well as the child and show support in any way we can.
Our empathy and advanced training allows us to read a child’s body language to help them even when your child can’t express those feelings themselves. The team at Nelsen Family Dentistry has been trained to help every child remain as calm as possible throughout their visit.
Our office’s treatment rooms are designed to accommodate children with special needs so we can administer care in an environment that's accessible and comfortable for your child.
By visiting Nelsen Family Dentistry , you can rest assured that your child will be in the care of someone who can understand them and give them the gentle, respectful treatment they deserve.sports mouth guards
It’s estimated that over 20 million children take part in one after-school sport or another. With that amount of children engaging in sports and other activities like skiing, gymnastics, and martial arts, there is a higher chance of injury. Did you know that up to 20% of these injuries are due to fractured or otherwise damaged teeth?
Our doctors can create a sports mouthguard for your child. After an impression of your child’s teeth is taken, they will fabricate a new mouthguard molded to custom-fit to their unique smile.
When worn regularly, your child can protect their teeth, jaws, and lips from injury. Your child only gets one set of adult teeth. Our doctors can help you keep them safe.tooth-colored fillings
Studies have shown that almost 33% of children aged 2 to 5 have had a cavity. Even though baby teeth are only around for a few short years, it’s still important to keep them healthy because they hold the space for your child’s adult teeth. They also help develop proper speech patterns and help your child chew.
The procedure is the same for a child as it is for an adult. Depending on the size of the decayed area, a local anesthetic may be given, and if your child has any anxiety over the procedure, we have some sedation options available to make the procedure more comfortable.
After the decay is removed, a special gel is used to clean and etch the surface. Once the filling material is in place, it is light cured, polished, and adjusted to make sure it doesn’t interfere with your child’s bite. Tooth-colored filling material is much like a natural tooth in texture and is matched to your child’s tooth color.
After treatment, it’s important to maintain a regular homecare routine of brushing and flossing twice daily, so your child’s restorations stay healthy and prevent any more decay.tooth extractions
An extraction can make both children and parents anxious, but they are a common procedure in most dental offices. Sometimes a child’s tooth has too much decay to restore, or they need a tooth or teeth removed to make room for orthodontic treatment.
Regardless of the reason, our doctors and their team will make sure you and your child are comfortable with the treatment plan.
After some local anesthetic, the doctor will remove your child’s tooth. If it is impacted or if it is a complicated removal, the doctor will discuss with you if sedation options are recommended.
Once the tooth is removed, our dentist will give you post-op instructions, and place a small piece of gauze over the extraction site to stop any bleeding and to help a clot form. Check and replace the gauze every 20 minutes until bleeding stops.
Here are some recommended tips for the first 24 hours after your child’s extraction:
Use over-the-counter or prescribed pain reliever if recommended by the dentist.
Give your child soft foods for the first 24 hours after their extraction.
DO NOT allow your child to drink from a straw, rinse their mouths out, spit, or brush that area for at least 24 hours after tooth removal. This could dislodge the blood clot and cause a very painful issue called dry socket.
Place an ice pack wrapped in a towel over the area for about 20 minutes to relieve swelling and discomfort.
Immediately call our office if your child experiences fever, immense pain, or chills.
Nelsen Family Dentistry always considers your child’s comfort regardless of the type of treatment they are receiving. The dentist will discuss their unique situation with you to determine the best way to help them receive the treatment they need.
We'd Love To Hear From You!
Take the first step toward a healthier, brighter smile by booking your appointment with Nelsen Family Dentistry today! Whether you need a routine cleaning, cosmetic enhancement, or specialized dental care, our experienced team in Chico, CA, is here to provide personalized treatment in a comfortable and welcoming environment. Don’t wait—schedule your visit now and experience the exceptional care you deserve!