thumbs up toddlerDo you stay on top of your little one’s dental examination schedule? By bringing them to the dentist every six months, we can clean your child’s teeth and monitor the development of their smile. Because children are learning the healthy habits that set them up for a lifetime of success, these visits are critical to see that they are performing as expected. At each appointment, we discuss appropriate brushing and flossing techniques and identify areas where they should concentrate. Digital imaging allows us to create a record that quickly identifies when any active concerns appear in your little one’s oral structures. We can immediately provide additional services to help get issues like tooth decay or gum infection under control.

At your Shirley, NY, pediatric dentist and orthodontist, caring for children’s smiles is our number one priority. While we provide services to family members of all ages, helping young children develop healthy teeth is our specialty. When your little one receives high-quality care, you prevent the need for more involved restorative procedures at a later age. We can track the growth of their adult teeth and perform services to straighten their grins when necessary. At each checkup, we can discuss the need for further smile protection. By offering dental sealants and fluoride treatments, we go the distance to protect young enamel from oral bacteria.

When Your Child Attends Their First Checkup

We recommend bringing your young one to their first dental visit by their first birthday or when their first tooth erupts, whichever occurs first. At this appointment, we perform a standard knee-to-knee lap exam to inspect their mouth. By holding your little one in your lap, they feel comfortable while meeting the dentist for the first time. This sets them up to feel at ease for more involved visits in the coming years. Beginning around their second birthday, we suggest biannual checkups to perform a cleaning and continue to examine the development of their smile.

Children’s Services For Smile Protection

At each appointment, we can offer a fluoride treatment for additional enamel protection. Applying a fluoride gel to the surface of their teeth allows this strongest material in the human body to remineralize. We ask that your little one avoid drinking or eating anything for half an hour following this treatment

When a child’s molars come in, we recommend placing dental sealants to protect them against plaque deposits. This physical barrier lasts many years and requires no additional service to remove. This sealant simply degrades over time while preventing plaque from sticking to the surface of their teeth. As kids are still learning to fully reach their back teeth when brushing, this offers critical smile protection.

Schedule Your Child’s Next Dental Appointment In Shirley, NY

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call us at Shirley Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry in Shirley, NY at (631) 399-1600.