Pediatric Dental Care for Children
When it comes to caring about oral health, Stanley Pediatric Dentistry of Overland Park provides everything from the routine cleaning to the more difficult oral procedures. We’ll fill cavities in children and teenagers, provide teeth whitening when necessary, offer fluoride treatments with lasting benefits and handle root canals for children and teenagers. If it’s important to your child’s oral health, we’ll take care of it.
Cavities and Fillings
Even the best dental habits are not guarantee that the occasional cavity won’t be a part of your child’s life. The fact is that cavities in children and teenagers are going to happen from time to time. While the concept of having a filling done might seem overwhelming to both you and your children at first, we’re here to make the experience as simple and painless as possible.
Cavities damage the structure of the tooth. That’s one reason a filling might be necessary. In other cases, the tooth or teeth might have been fractured by some sort of material. Whatever the case, teeth fillings for children restore and replace the damaged tooth structure, leaving your child’s smile as good as new. At Stanley Pediatric Dentistry, we only use white, composite filling material. No old fashioned silver fillings will ever be part of the solution.
Teeth Whitening
Teeth whitening for children and teenagers continues to become a more commonly discussed concept. A great smile is important not just for health reasons, but for social ones, too. At Stanley Pediatric Dentistry, we’re here to discuss every option available, and to help in any way we can with the decision-making process. Most importantly, we want you to have all the facts.
For starters, whitening isn’t generally recommended before the age of 14. There are exceptions in certain cases, but that’s a good rule of thumb. By the mid-teenage years, the teeth have had a chance to fully develop, and your child is old enough to make a decision about whether whitening is the right choice for them.
Dental Sealants
Some parts of our teeth are easier to clean than others. In fact, some of them are downright impossible to clean properly. The grooves and depressions that form the chewing surfaces of the back teeth are among those areas that are extremely difficult to clean bacteria and food out of. The bacteria reacts with the food, acids form and break down enamel, and before long, you’ve got the perfect storm. We’ve learned from recent studies that nearly 90 percent of cavities in children are caused in this manner.
If you can’t clean those grooves and depressions properly, sealing them is generally the best approach. Tooth sealants protect these susceptible areas, and prevent food particles and bacteria from taking up permanent residence there. Sealant material is typically a resin applied to the back teeth, molars and premolars, as well as areas prone to cavities.
Sealants will generally last for several years, which is great news. However, it's going to be important that we check them every appointment, just to make sure everything looks good.
Fluoride Treatment
You’ve probably heard it said that calcium builds strong bones. Fluoride works in a similar fashion for your child’s teeth. It not only helps them to become stronger, it also makes each tooth more resistant to decay. The science is clear that drinking water treated with fluoride along with regular flossing and brushing is going to make a big difference by significantly lowering the chance of cavities.
Board certified pediatric dentist, Dr. Stanley is happy to provide personalized dental care for your child. Schedule an appointment today.