Dental Care for Children, Pre-teens, and Teens
At Ferguson Dental Care, our goal is to treat all the members of your family. We enjoy seeing children in our practice, and families of children and teens getting their check-ups together is a pretty common sight at our office.
The goal of dentistry for children, pre-teens, and teens is to protect emerging adult teeth, so that they will remain healthy throughout the child’s entire life. There are a number of dental services designed specifically for children, pre-teens, and teens.
Sealants
When permanent molars first appear in children’s mouths, they are particularly prone to decay. Sealants provide protection for these critical teeth that may need to last for 90 years or more! After thoroughly cleaning the enamel and preparing the surface for bonding, a thin layer of resin is applied to the biting surfaces of the teeth. This resin fills the small crevices and pits in the enamel surface and is cured in place there, sealing out food particles and bacterial plaque that cause decay. Sealants can also be used on other susceptible teeth in children and adults.
Fluoride Treatments
Fluoride strengthens tooth enamel, making it more resistant to decay. Toothpaste and municipal water supplies provide a good baseline of protection, but professionally applied topical fluoride (in the form of a varnish or a foam) gives your child’s teeth even more protection at the enamel surface where decay begins.
Orthodontia (“Braces”)
Childhood and adolescence, when jaw bones are still growing and remodeling, is the ideal time to correct many bite problems, airway deficiencies, and crowding/spacing issues that Dr. Ferguson and Dr. Hoyt-Rehm can identify or even anticipate. Our practice works with local orthodontists to ensure that our patients get orthodontic treatment (if needed) at the appropriate time and that their treatment objectives are met.
Athletic Mouthguards
Custom-fitted athletic mouthguards provide comfortable and effective protection for athletes of all ages. Mouthguards not only protect teeth, but are also believed to provide protection against concussions involving certain kinds of trauma to the jaw.
First Dentist Visits for Children
Teeth play an important role for young children, helping them to speak and eat properly during a critical time for those activities. At Ferguson Dental Care, we recommend that children begin seeing a dentist between ages 3 and 3 1/2. Visits to the dentist for young children include evaluation and preventive care, and also dental education for the child and parent. Our goal is to begin the child’s relationship with the dentist in a positive way and avoid dental anxiety in the future.
There are rare circumstances that can lead to dental problems earlier than age 3 (such as congenital defects, trauma, or neglect), and if you suspect a dental problem in a very young child, he or she should be seen by a specialist in pediatric dental care (a pedodontist) as soon as the problem arises. We can help you find a pedodontist if the need arises.