Children’s Dentistry
Rockford & Loves Park, IL
Children’s Dentistry
Rockford & Loves Park, IL
Your child’s health is extremely important to you as a caring parent. You want to keep your child healthy, and to grow strong.
Children’s dentistry, also called pediatric dentistry, is the area of the dental health industry that focuses entirely on the teeth of children. This most often includes children from the ages of 1 to 11 years old.
Your child’s health is extremely important to you as a caring parent. You want to keep your child healthy, and to grow strong. You also want them to have a healthy smile, and to experience as little discomfort when experiencing any dental exams or procedures. For these reasons you should consider Burch Dental for your child.
The team at Burch Dental has a simple goal. That is to ensure your trust through our commitment to quality treatment and your continued satisfaction. It is our daily agenda to maintain a caring environment that is respectful and comfortable for everyone. Our team members are united in our efforts to promote oral health by means of prevention, enhancement, wellness, and rejuvenation. Call or visit one of our convenient locations today to schedule your appointment for an evaluation for your child.
What Is Children’s Dentistry?
Even though it may seem early, it is important to get your child into Burch Dental around their first birthday. Even if they are still teething, it is extremely important for us to examine their teeth and monitor the development of their teeth and gums.
Bringing your child to Burch Dental for twice-yearly check-ups is essential to not only maintaining their oral health, but to also help them develop proper oral care habits as they grow.
Emergency Care
We understand emergencies are never planned, so our team at Burch Dental is equipped to provide emergency dental services.
Cosmetic Dentistry
Depending on your specific needs, there are several cosmetic options for teeth that can improve and enhance the appearance of your smile.
Experienced Dentist
The dentists at Burch Dental have over 50 years of combined experience in dentistry. Stop by and let our staff take care of you!
Implant Dentistry
Dental implants are a terrific option for you if you are looking for a long-term solution for missing teeth replacement. If you would like to learn more about dental implants, please contact us today.
Children’s Dentistry Checkups and Cleanings
Just like adults, children should visit Burch Dental for routine preventative children’s dentistry services. These will include a full checkup and then a proper cleaning. These professional cleanings every six months go a long way in preventing problems common with children. These children’s dentistry checkups will help to ensure that your child avoids cavities, tooth decay and gum disease. Just like with adult patients, we will remove plaque and debris from your child’s teeth. We will conduct a thorough oral exam, to also ensure their teeth are coming in properly. Once your child is older, we will make sure that the permanent adult teeth are erupting properly.
Oral exams are an important part of children’s dentistry to allow us to develop a history of your child. By avoiding these simple checkups what might have been a small cavity may end up requiring more severe treatment. Now it becomes more difficult in children’s dentistry because we will all be dealing with unnecessary discomfort, fears, and anxieties.
Cavity Repair for Your Child
You may be diligent about your child’s at-home oral hygiene, but cavities are still quite common among all children. Baby teeth are just not as strong as adult teeth, so they are more susceptible to cavities. Children love snacks and are not diligent about the brushing habits that are necessary to remove damaging plaque, therefore resulting in cavities. Just like adults, cavities require fillings for children. These can be made with silver, amalgam, or composite fillings.
Some Tips to Help Avoid Tooth Decay
As a new parent, taking some early steps at home can help to prevent tooth decay with your child, even before their first dental visit:
- You should flush your baby's teeth with water or wipe them down with a damp cloth after feeding before they fall asleep. By leaving milk or formula residue in the mouth it can promote decay even in the youngest of children. Untreated cavities will lead to unnecessary pain and infection.
- Try to wean your child from breastfeeding or bottled milk by the age of one year. This will help avoiding decay and minimizes the chance of jaw growth problems from excessive sucking.
- Begin brushing their teeth as soon as the first tooth appears. Even a small piece of tooth showing can develop a cavity. Begin by brushing with a soft bristled brush and then ask us when it is ok to begin using a tiny amount of toothpaste.
- When your child is old enough to begin brushing on his or her own, continue to monitor their efforts, going back to clean any areas they may have missed. They will rush through the process.
- Avoid any sugary drinks or milk before bedtime.
- Encourage the use of a straw with sugary drinks to minimize contact with the teeth and the liquid.
- Do your best to limit the overall sugary foods your child eats or drinks.
The Challenge of Finding A Pediatric Dentist
A major implication of children’s dentistry is finding the right dentist for both you and your child. You will want to make sure that you identify a dentist that is not only qualified to perform children’s dentistry, but also does so regularly. You also want to make sure the pediatric dentist that you choose is good with children and is friendly. Visiting the dentist for children’s dentistry services is already a challenge for children, so it is important to find a dentist that will ensure your child’s comfort throughout the experience.
While you may decide to go with a purely pediatric dentist for your child’s children’s dentistry services, another option is a family dentist. Family dentists can treat your child from early childhood to well into adulthood. One of the advantages of having a family dentist such as Burch Dental is your child’s ability to keep the same dentist past their childhood and into their teen and adult years. They can continue to visit a dentist that they know and trust.
Our goal is for your children to leave our office knowing that the dentist and our team are their friends who will help them reach the best oral health possible. We do that by treating each young patient with respect, patience, and kindness. Every procedure is explained in an age-appropriate manner, and we take the time to answer all questions they ask. By building trust in this way, we assist in setting your child on the path to a lifetime of good oral health!
Finding the right children’s dentist is important. The entire team at Burch Dental will provide high-quality dental services for your child, all with a friendly smile.
