Located in Montgomery, AL
334-801-9800
Dental Topics
Important Dental Topics
At ToothBuds at Lagoon Park LLC, we know there are a lot of dental topics to learn about, especially when you're wondering what's best for your children. Listed below are some of the topics we consider most important. You can also find more information on our dental services page. Download our HIPAA
form, new patient form, or give us a call to request an appointment!
Diet and Snacking
In order for children to have properly developed teeth and healthy gums, they must have a well-balanced diet. A diet high in sugars and starches can put your child’s teeth at risk for cavities. This does not mean, however, that you shouldn’t give your child any starches or sugars. Some foods with sugars and starches are necessary for your child’s diet. However, try and incorporate those foods as part of their meals and not as a separate snack.
As a general rule, sticky foods should be avoided. These foods stick to the chewing surfaces of the teeth and cannot be easily washed away by saliva or removed with brushing.
Space Maintainers
Your child's little baby teeth have some big responsibilities. Until the adolescent years, they will not only help your youngster bite and chew — i.e., get proper nutrition — and speak correctly but also help guide the permanent teeth underneath them into proper position. In fact, a major function of baby teeth is to hold space for the adult teeth that will eventually push them out.
At least that's how it's supposed to work; sometimes, however, injury or disease can cause a baby tooth to be lost prematurely. When that happens, the permanent teeth that are coming in on either side can actually drift into the space that was reserved for another tooth. This can cause teeth to erupt out of position or to be blocked entirely, and it may result in crowded or crooked teeth.
Fortunately, if your child loses a tooth prematurely, there's a dental appliance that can be used to hold the space open for the permanent tooth that is meant to fill it. The device is called a “space maintainer” or a “space maintenance appliance.” Made of metal, space maintainers will be fixed (cemented). This appliance is to help your child develop the best bite possible and hopefully avoid the need for braces later on.
Fixed appliances are cemented onto adjacent teeth. They are made in many different designs: One consists of a band that goes around a tooth and then a wire loop that extends out from the band to hold the space; another features a loop attached to a stainless steel crown, which goes over a nearby tooth. In either case, the loop extends just to the point where it touches the next tooth. Fixed space maintainers are often preferred with younger children, because they are less easy to fidget with, break, or misplace than appliances that can be removed.
Fixed appliances for your child's space maintainer will be custom-made after we take impressions of his or her mouth. A child will wear a space maintainer until X-rays reveal that the tooth underneath is ready to erupt naturally. It is very important that anyone wearing a space maintainer keep up good oral hygiene at home and have regular professional dental cleanings.
Nitrous Oxide
Nitrous Oxide, also referred to as laughing gas, is a blend of two gases, oxygen and nitrous oxide. This colorless, odorless gas is delivered through a small breathing mask that is placed over the child’s nose. This will allow your child to relax, without putting him/her to sleep. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recognizes this technique as a very safe and effective way to treat children with anxiety. The gas is mild, easily taken and non-addictive.
While inhaling Nitrous Oxide, your child will remain fully conscious and keep all natural reflexes. Upon completion of treatment, solely Oxygen will be given to your child for 5 minutes to reverse the effects of the Nitrous Oxide. Your child will be fully alert upon leaving the office.
Contact us today to learn more about healthy oral habits!
334-801-9800
At ToothBuds at Lagoon Park LLC, we use the latest techniques and treatments in our dental services.