Loose Tooth Treatment - In Your Local Palo Alto, CA Area

Early Child Dentist Visits

Many people don't consider a child's need for pediatric dental care until they actually get their pearly whites. In fact, most kids don't see their child dentist until about two years of age (though they really should have their first appointment by their first birthday). Why spend a lot of time worrying about something that hasn't happened yet, right? While it's true that it's pointless to check an empty mouth for cavities, good child dental care habits begin long before a baby's first baby teeth break through the gums. Ensuring that teeth grow in healthy and in place will result in proper facial arrangement and speaking abilities.

Caring for Your Baby's Teeth!

Whether breast-fed or bottle-fed, baby gums need to be cleaned after every feeding. Just moisten a gauze square and gently wipe away plaque. Never put a baby to bed with a bottle containing anything but water! Sugar could decay teeth beginning to surface. It's also a difficult habit to break, so nix it now before you have to try to pry juice from your 5-year-old's hands.

Healthy Habits Last a Lifetime

Research shows that kids who are brushing their teeth by the age of five will continue this habit all their lives. Begin supervised flossing by this age as well, and be sure to get your child to a dentist by his or her first birthday. Remember that a healthy diet is an important part of good oral health, so reinforce wise food selections during each and every meal. Give your child a head start on good dental health!

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.

Dental Care: Malocclusion (Bad Bite) In Children

Malocclusion means "bad bite." It's when the upper and lower teeth are not meeting correctly, or when the teeth and jaws are not positioned for good dental health. This condition affects jaw growth, speech development, facial appearance, gum tissue health, and the ability to clean teeth properly.

What Causes Bad Bite In Children?

Many malocclusions are inherited. This includes crowding of teeth, too much space between teeth, extra or missing teeth, or irregularities in the jaws, face, and teeth.

Malocclusions also can be environmental in nature, caused by accidents, thumb sucking or sucking on a pacifier, obstruction by tonsils and adenoids, dental disease, or premature loss of primary (baby) teeth.

Why Is Dental Treatment Important?

If dental care is delayed or not taken, many problems get worse and more complicated (and expensive) to remedy. Malocclusion can cause excessive wear of tooth enamel, poor chewing, stress on both the gums and jawbone that support the teeth, chronic headaches, and facial and neck pains. Correcting the malocclusion can improve overall oral health and eliminate other potential problems.

Does the Pediatric Treatment Involve Removal of Some Teeth?

Sometimes when permanent teeth are crowded and their spacing and proper positioning is being affected by the primary teeth, removing primary or baby teeth is necessary. Otherwise, the severely crowded permanent teeth will either remain "stuck" (impacted) and unable to erupt, or they will erupt in an undesirable position.

Treatment of a malocclusion involves a thorough evaluation of your child's specific condition by a pediatric dentist and/or orthodontist. This may include recommendations for removal of some primary or permanent teeth because some malocclusions cannot be treated successfully without doing so. Extraction of some teeth in severely crowded conditions enhances proper alignment, function, and appearance, too.

How Is a Diagnosis of a Malocclusion Performed?

Each child's specific condition dictates the diagnostic procedures, but they often include several or all of the following:

• Clinical exam.
• Medical and dental history.
• Impressions of the teeth for making plaster models.
• Photographs of the face and teeth to provide a record of the child's facial appearance prior to treatment.
• Panoramic X-rays showing all the upper and lower teeth in biting position, and teeth that are not yet visible.
• Lateral (cephalometric) X-rays of the entire head showing the relationship of the teeth and jaws to the face and skull.

How Long Does Dental Care Treatment Take?

Each condition is unique and must be treated individually. The actual time is dependent on the growth of the child's mouth and face, the severity of the problem and the cooperation of the child in following instructions. Mild correction problems or early treatment may take only a few months. Treatment for more complex malocclusions range from one to three years.

An attractive smile, proper alignment, and healthy teeth are valuable rewards gained from a custom-designed treatment program made for smile after smile!

by Brian J. Gray, DDS, MAGD, FICO

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.