Children’s Dentistry in Morton Grove

A Clean & Safe Practice…”Your Child’s Health and Safety is our First Concern”.
The health of your child’s teeth and smile today can affect their oral wellness for decades to come.
Dental Care for Children of All Ages….Complete Dental Care For Your Kids.
Mercury-Free Fillings (No Amalgam Restorations).
Pediatric Dentistry in Morton Grove, IL…A Family-Friendly Practice, safe and kid-friendly facility.
Your child deserves excellent Dental care that’s warm and nurturing.

When isYour Child’s First Visit to the Dentist?

The first “regular” dental visit should be just after your child’s first birthday. The first dental visit is usually short and involves very little treatment. We may ask you to sit in the dental chair and hold your child during the examination. You may also be asked to wait in the reception area during part of the visit so that a relationship can be built between your child and your dentist.

We will gently examine your child’s teeth and gums. X-rays may be taken (to reveal decay and check on the progress of your child’s permanent teeth under the gums). We may clean your child’s teeth and apply topical fluoride to help protect the teeth against decay. We will make sure your child is receiving adequate fluoride at home. Most important of all, we will review with you how to clean and care for your child’s teeth.

What should I tell my child about the first dental visit?

We are asked this question many times. We suggest you prepare your child the same way you would before their first haircut or trip to the shoe store. Your child’s reaction to his first visit to the dentist may surprise you.
Your child deserves excellent dental care that’s warm, nurturing, and made especially for them. Kids shouldn’t be scared of the dentist!
We take pride in our experienced dentists, safe and kid-friendly facilities, and our well-thought-out approach to handling our young patients.

Here are some “First Visit” Tips:

Take your child for a “preview” of the office.
Have them sit in same room while you have your teeth cleaned and examined.
Read books with them about going to the dentist.
Review with them what the dentist will be doing at the time of the first visit.
Speak positively about your own dental experiences.

During your child’s first visit the doctor will:

Examine the child’s mouth, teeth and gums.
Evaluate adverse habits like thumb sucking.
Check to see if they need fluoride.
Teach them about cleaning their teeth and gums.
Suggest a schedule for regular dental visits.
Child Prophy (Dental Cleaning) with the Hygienist
Necessary Digital X-Rays (Depending on the age of the Child)

What about preventative care?

By providing prevention-based care at a young age, we can help your child enjoy healthier teeth while reducing their chances of tooth loss in the future. Tooth decay and children no longer have to go hand in hand. At our office we are most concerned with all aspects of preventive care. We use the latest in dental sealant technology and Fluoride Treatment to protect your child’s teeth. Dental sealants are space-age plastics that are bonded to the chewing surfaces of decay-prone back teeth. This is just one of the ways we will set the foundation for your child’s lifetime of good oral health.

The health of your child’s smile today can affect their oral wellness for decades to come. Our goal as your child’s dental provider is to facilitate healthy tooth development and good oral habits that will set their smile up for success.

Can children get root canals? Baby Root Canals?

If a baby tooth is damaged, a pulpotomy may be performed. Although often called a “baby root canal,” a pulpotomy does not extend into the tooth’s root. Instead, only the pulp in the crown is removed, treated with antimicrobials, and the tooth is sealed.

Cavity Prevention

Most of the time cavities are due to a diet high in sugary foods and a lack of brushing. Limiting sugar intake and brushing regularly, of course, can help. The longer it takes your child to chew their food and the longer the residue stays on their teeth, the greater the chances of getting cavities.

Every time someone eats, an acid reaction occurs inside their mouth as the bacteria digests the sugars. This reaction lasts approximately 20 minutes. During this time the acid environment can destroy the tooth structure, eventually leading to cavities.

Consistency of a person’s saliva also makes a difference; thinner saliva breaks up and washes away food more quickly. When a person eats diets high in carbohydrates and sugars they tend to have thicker saliva, which in turn allows more of the acid-producing bacteria that can cause cavities.

Tips for Cavity Prevention

Limit frequency of meals and snacks.
Encourage brushing, flossing and rinsing.
Watch what your child drinks.
Avoid giving your child sticky foods.
Make treats part of meals.
Choose nutritious snacks.
Fluoride Treatments with the Dentist

Did you know that children’s teeth begin to develop in the womb? For most babies, teeth grow at around 3 to 6 months of pregnancy. Once the baby is born, a complete set of primary teeth (also called milk teeth) are already grown and hidden within the gums. At 6 months, your baby’s first tooth erupts from the gums, commonly referred to as ‘teething’.

The first baby teeth that come into the mouth are the two bottom front teeth. You will notice this when your baby is about 6-8 months old. Next to follow will be the 4 upper front teeth and the remainder of your baby’s teeth will appear periodically. They will usually appear in pairs along the sides of the jaw until the child is about 2 1/2 years old.

At around 2 1/2 years old your child should have all 20 teeth. Between the ages of 5 and 6 the first permanent teeth will begin to erupt. Some of the permanent teeth replace baby teeth and some don’t. Don’t worry if some teeth are a few months early or late as all children are different.

Baby teeth are important as they not only hold space for permanent teeth but they are important to chewing, biting, speech and appearance. For this reason it is important to maintain a healthy diet and daily hygiene.