Andrew H. Gibson, DDS • Tamara M. Caouette, DDS
Dana A. Durlach, DMD • Amber H. Connar, DMD
Bethany A. Herbert, DMD Ph.D
Our doctors’ friendly and caring natures make children feel at ease during their treatments. We use the latest methods in children’s dentistry and administer them in a thoughtful and compassionate way. We teach kids how to care for their teeth with proper daily dental hygiene so they can keep their natural teeth for life. We enjoy meeting them for their first visit and look forward to all their visits as they grow and change.
You can be assured we are capable of helping your children, no matter what age, feel comfortable with our pediatric dentist and staff. We want this and all generations of children to be anxiety free while sitting in the dental chair. And parents have let us know that we’re achieving this goal! Whether your child is anxious or rambunctious, we can help them relax to enjoy their visits.
We always teach and encourage good dental hygiene for all our young patients. Their teeth are especially susceptible to cavities during their formative years due to various factors. They do not always brush well without supervision. We recommend that parents be a part of their daily dental care to ensure they clean their teeth as they need to be. Kids also tend to eat throughout the day, referred to as grazing. Every time food is present, acid is produced in the mouth. More exposure to these acids can cause more cavities if teeth are not brushed properly. Teeth that go without being cleaned cause ongoing acid production, which will not only increase the number of cavities, but the rate at which they develop.
Even careful brushing and flossing may not clean the back teeth thoroughly. As bacteria builds up and teeth are exposed to more acid, plaque forms and eventually develops into cavities. Even the smallest cavity is permanent damage that needs a restoration. The good pediatric dentistry news is that there is a quick and easy way to help prevent cavities. Dental sealants that are applied when a patient is still in his or her formative years have proven to greatly reduce the development of cavities.
After the teeth are thoroughly cleaned and sterilized, one clear coat of dental sealants is applied to the surface area of each tooth. A curing light is used to bond the application to the tooth. And that is the whole procedure! There is no tooth reduction, shots, or drilling. It is completely painless and takes just minutes to apply. This treatment is one of the best techniques for both children and adolescents to preserve their own teeth throughout their lives.