Tag: Oral Care for Kids

How to Tell if Your Child Needs Braces

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Do you remember when you first became the Tooth Fairy? You might recall a pang of bittersweet nostalgia as you saw your child cross off yet another developmental milestone. You might have playfully reminded your little one, “No more losing teeth! You’re growing up way too fast!” However, you were swiftly and thankfully reminded of his or her youthful innocence when your child excitedly placed the lost tooth underneath the pillow.

Depending on your child’s age—and your years of Tooth Fairy experience—you’ve started to see your little one’s adult teeth appear. Suddenly, his or her perfect baby teeth are replaced with larger, imperfect adult teeth. Now instead of focusing on the dollar placed under the pillow, you’re starting to calculate the cost of braces. Read on to discover whether your child needs braces and how to best invest in your child’s new smile.

What Causes Orthodontic Problems?

Orthodontic problems are either hereditary or can develop over time. Problems passed down from parents can include issues with jaw structure, crooked teeth, and overcrowded teeth. Other orthodontic problems can be attributed to a child’s habits such as pacifier use, thumb sucking and mouth breathing. These usually lead to issues of spacing and bite. 

Signs Your Child Might Need Braces

  • Irregular or delayed loss of baby teeth

  • Adult teeth that have not grown in

  • Trouble biting together

  • Misaligned teeth that are overcrowded or misplaced 

  • Overbite (upper teeth overlap lower teeth)

  • Underbite (lower teeth protrude beyond upper teeth)

  • Crossbite (upper teeth sit inside bottom teeth)

  • Open bite (upper teeth and lower teeth slant outward and do not touch)

  • Accidental biting of the inner cheek or the roof of the mouth

  • Mouth breathing and/or snoring

Benefits of Braces

Braces provide your child with a myriad of benefits. Perhaps the most obvious benefit is the aesthetic advantage and increased confidence that comes from a gleaming smile. Another important reason is that braces improve oral health. Braces can help align your child’s bite, thus decreasing the potential for breaking (traumatic injuries) and wear (tooth grinding). When teeth are aligned, there are also less tight spaces where plaque can build and thus less opportunity for gum disease and tooth decay. Aligned teeth can also mitigate speech difficulties. Finally, properly shaped jaws can help with better breathing, sleep, and general well-being as children develop into young adults.

Get an Evaluation for Your Child Today!

Being a parent—and Tooth Fairy—means doing whatever it takes to give your little one the healthiest smile possible. If you believe your child might benefit from braces, contact Children’s Dental Specialities in Worcester, Massachusetts, to get an evaluation by Dr. Dan today. 

Help Your Kids’ Smile: The Key Benefits of Pediatric Dentistry in 2020

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As a parent, you always want the best for your children. Their oral health is no exception! Having a healthy, radiant smile offers innumerable benefits, and it all begins with your child’s pediatric dental experience. 

Create Lifelong, Healthy Habits 

Robust oral health is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s a lifelong commitment that requires a solid foundation. Studies show that regular check-ups to a dentist in childhood pave the way for sustained lifelong, healthy habits. 

To children, actions speak louder than words. Simply telling your child the importance of brushing and flossing is less effective than showing them. Bringing your child to the dentist sends the message, “your oral health matters.” If you want your children to prioritize their oral health, you must first show them what it means to invest in their smiles. 

Keep Mouths Healthy

Some adults believe that baby teeth aren’t important as “they’ll eventually fall out.” On the contrary, baby teeth are needed for proper growth and development.  They provide dentists with crucial insight about your child’s future dental needs. Pediatric dentists analyze your child’s dental and jaw development and use it to create a long-term plan. 

If you choose to wait to invest in your child’s smile only after his or her adult teeth appear, it may be too late. A cornerstone of pediatric dentistry is preventative dentistry. Having your child regularly visit the dentist is a proactive—rather than a reactive—method of care. Just as you wouldn’t skip your child’s doctor’s check-ups, you won’t want to miss his or her dental check-ups either!

Offer Professional Feedback 

How often have you reminded your child about the benefits of brushing and flossing? Children are inundated by verbal “shoulds” and “shouldn’ts” from their parents, so it’s challenging to know which lessons will stick. 

Strengthen this particular message with the help of your child’s pediatric dentist and dental hygienists! Not only will he or she provide fun lessons about brushing and flossing, but he or she also stands out as an authoritative figure. When an expert looks your child in the eye and gives them the feedback that lack of brushing will lead to cavities or gum disease, your child is more likely to listen. Your children are also more susceptible to an expert’s positive reinforcement when their dentist exclaims, “No cavities! You must be brushing and flossing every day. Keep up the good work!” 

Minimize Dental Anxiety 

Even as an adult, you might feel some latent anxiety when you hear the word “dentist.” Other adults feel neutral or even excited at the thought of a dental check-up. Your childhood dental experience heavily influences how you think about the dentist today. 

Introducing your child to the world of dentistry within their first year of life normalizes the experience. Pediatric dental offices are intentionally designed to be a welcoming place for children. Colorful walls, fun photos, kid-friendly books, and prizes help your child feel at home in a new environment. The staff is trained to work with children and are often characterized as reassuring, patient, understanding, and kind. Choosing the right pediatric dental office can have significant effects on your child’s lifelong relationship with his or her oral health. 

What Now? 

This overwhelming desire to give your children the best of everything can be daunting. You’re well aware that regular visits to the dentist for your child are crucial in achieving lifelong oral health. Rest assured that once you choose the right pediatric dentist, you can sit back and relax. Give your child the best dental care possible and contact Children’s Dental Specialities in Worcester, Massachusetts, to make an appointment today!

Picking The Perfect Dental Home for Your Child

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Choosing a primary doctor or dentist for your child can be a hard and confusing process. So, how can you choose the right dentist for your children? We’ve outlined a few reasons why pediatric dentists are the absolute best choice to be your kids’ dental home.

Pediatric Dentists Make Office Visits Fun

Pediatric dental offices seek to foster a fun and inviting environment that is specifically designed for children. The comfort of your child is one of the most important factors in creating a positive association with visiting the dentist, so we recommend reviewing our practice’s photos to see if they will enjoy their visit. You can also check out our social media channels to get a feel for how fun we are! Facebook is a great place to look for news about our practice, and it’s also a good spot to read some of our patient reviews.

Trained to Care for Children

Pediatric dentists have had 2-3 years of special training to care for young children and adolescents. Check out the “about us” section of our website to learn more about our dentist’s degrees, professional associations and affiliations, as well as distinguishes and honors. You can rest easy knowing that we have had extensive training which has equipped us to care for your child.

Sensitive to Special Healthcare Needs

Does your child need any special attention or procedures? Before coming in for a visit, scan our website to see if we offer any specific procedures your child requires. We are specifically trained to treat children with specific healthcare needs. Call us to speak with an office administrator about the different care options that we provide.

Stress-Free First Visit

Introducing children to a dentist can be a difficult task for any parent. Kids are usually very nervous to visit the doctor or dentist for the first time for a variety of reasons. Pediatric dentists know this, which is why we offer relaxed “meet and greets” for their first office visit. The first visit is a great way for you to speak with us about our practice, and it gives you a chance to gauge how your child responds to the new surroundings. Before you arrive, be sure to tell them that their first visit won’t involve any procedures or “chair time.” Remind them that you are there to meet some new people who want to help them get a healthy smile!

From Toddler to Teen

Pediatric dentists care for children of all ages. From first tooth to adolescence, we help your child develop a healthy smile until they’re ready to move on to a general dentist. We work with you to teach your kids healthy brushing habits, inform them about the importance of flossing, and give them dietary tips that will keep their mouth clean for years to come.

Give Us a Call

We would love to speak with you about your child and their dental needs. Establishing a dental home early is very important, so we suggest that you bring your toddler in right after their first tooth emerges. We see children of all ages, so call us and schedule an office tour! We want to make visiting the dentist fun, so stop by and see why pediatric dentistry is the way to go for your children!

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