Posts for tag: family dentist
Question: My child needs extensive dental work done and is quite nervous. What options are available to my child for sedation?
Anwer: That can really depend on certain factors such as age, weight, medical history, previous dental experiences, etc. The majority of the time, nitrous oxide(laughing gas) is sufficient to help calm the child down and eliminate anxiety. Nitrous is great because the onset of effect takes ~ 2-3 minutes and laughing gas is completely removed from the body following several minutes of administrating oxygen. If a child is unresponsive to laughing gas and will not cooperate, I would then recommending the patient be referred to a pediatric dentist. Pediatric dentists have more extensive training in sedation techniques for children such as oral sedation or even general anesthesia.
Question: Can you get a cavity around a crown?
Answer: Yes even though the tooth is "covered" by a crown, it can still get a cavity. You can get a cavity around a crown much like you can around a filling. The reason is that the interface between the crown and the tooth, which dentists refer to as "margins" has potential to get decay, or collect food. While crowns do minimize the tooth fracturing and help decrease the chances of getting another cavity, decay can still form around the edges of the crown right around the gum line. Hygiene becomes especially important for brushing and flossing to prevent decay from developing.
When should my child start seeing a dentist?
I recommend bring your child as soon as they get their full complement of baby teeth, which is approximately 2-3 years of age. While this age is young, and very little dentistry can often be accomplished, it establishes a couple things:
1. The dentist is able to count all the teeth to verify that all the teeth are present as well as checking for cavities. The dentist can also determine and assess for further problems such as crowding issues or potential diastemas(spaces between front teeth).
2. By establishing a routine early, the child will typically have more positive experiences and be comfortable with future visits.
3. Enables the dentist to help the parents establish a good system of oral hygiene to prevent further problems.
At ages 2-3, typically the teeth will be counted and will be checked for cavities and any other abnormalities. X-rays are not usually taken unless a problem is discovered and the child may or may not receive a cleaning depending on the child's temperament. By ages 4-5,the child will get the same treatment as an adult which involves an exam, x-rays and a cleaning. It is VERY important to have your child assessed before their permanent teeth start to come in as there could be preexisting problems that may affect the permanent teeth. An ounce of prevention provides defense against a ton of problems!
