Dentistry for Kids![]() What Do Early Childhood Visits Entail?When your little one comes in, we will likely start with lap visits. This means you will hold your infant on your lap while we examine their mouth. These early exams are typically very short, but as your child gets older, we will start to do more detailed ones. Around age five, we may do an x-ray to see how their teeth are positioned. When they reach age seven or so, we will do an orthodontic exam to get an idea of the alignment of their teeth and determine if your child may need braces. Older Child and Teen VisitsAs your child gets older and becomes a teenager, their visits will begin to look more and more like what your visits do. We will do a full oral exam, take x-rays as needed, and will do a full cleaning to remove any built-up plaque and tartar. We will discuss good oral health habits with your child and talk to them about their brushing and flossing habits. Procedures Common With ChildrenThere are a number of pediatric procedures that are quite common. While baby teeth do eventually fall out, it is still vital that they are kept in good health. If your child loses a tooth too early, we may need to place a spacer there in order for the adult tooth to have the space it needs when it erupts. For older children, fillings can become a fairly common procedure if they have a lot of cavities. If their teeth are not aligned correctly, they may also need braces. While it is not necessarily as common as it is with adults, older children can still need root canals. It is also possible they will need to have a tooth extracted, especially if their wisdom teeth begin to erupt and cause complications. Why Dentistry for Kids Is ImportantChildren’s mouths go through a lot of changes as they grow. Infants get their baby teeth, young children transition into permanent teeth, and even after that, there can be many different oral health concerns that need to be addressed. If you wait until your child is an adult for them to come see us, correcting those issues will be much more difficult. By monitoring your child’s oral health as they age, we can identify and treat conditions when they first appear. If you have a child who needs to see us, do not delay. Call Everglades Family Dental at (754) 764-0465 to schedule an appointment. |