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Invisalign for Busy Parents: Your Top 10 Questions Answered

Thinking about Invisalign clear aligners to get that smile you’ve always wanted? As a busy parent, you probably have a lot of questions. Here are the answers to the most common ones:

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  • What is Invisalign? It’s a set of clear, removable aligners that gradually straighten your teeth. Think of them like a discreet alternative to traditional braces.
  • Why choose Invisalign over braces? Invisalign is practically invisible, more comfortable, and sometimes faster than braces. No more worrying about food getting stuck or metal brackets irritating your mouth.
  • How does it work? Your orthodontist creates a series of custom aligners, each slightly adjusting your teeth. You switch to a new aligner every week or two, gradually straightening your smile.
  • What’s the cost? It varies, but typically ranges from $3,500 to $8,000, depending on your needs and treatment length.
  • Can my child use Invisalign? It’s suitable for kids and teens, but your orthodontist will determine if it’s the right choice for your child’s specific needs.
  • How long does treatment take? Treatment can take anywhere from 6 to 24 months depending on how much correction is needed.
  • Can I switch from braces to Invisalign? It’s possible in some cases, but it’s best to discuss it with your orthodontist.
  • How do I clean the aligners? Brush them daily with your toothbrush and water or non-abrasive soap, and rinse them after eating or drinking anything other than water.
  • How do I sanitize them? Your orthodontist can recommend a special cleaning solution. Avoid using hot water, as it can warp the aligners.
  • How often are the aligners worn? For optimal performance, aligners should be worn 22 hours a day. You should only remove them when eating, drinking anything but water, and brushing your teeth.

Still have questions? Don’t hesitate to ask your PDGO pediatric orthodontist for personalized advice!

Teething Rings: A Mom’s Guide to Soothing Your Baby’s Sore Gums

As a mom, you know that teething can be a tough time for your little one. Swollen, tender gums can cause drooling, fussiness, and sleepless nights. But don’t worry, a teething ring can be a lifesaver!

What is a Teething Ring?

A teething ring is a specially designed toy that your baby can chew on to help ease the discomfort of teething. It’s designed to be easy for little hands to grasp and provides a safe, soothing outlet for your baby’s urge to bite and chew.

Choosing a Safe Teething Ring

  • Cool, not frozen: A chilled teething ring can be soothing, but never freeze it! A frozen ring can be too hard and may damage your baby’s gums.
  • Supervision is key: Always watch your baby while they’re using a teething ring. Never tie a teething ring around your baby’s neck, as this could be a choking hazard.
  • Choose safe materials: Look for teething rings made of safe materials like BPA-free plastic or silicone. Avoid liquid-filled rings, as they can break and leak. Also, steer clear of rings with small parts that could pose a choking hazard.

Other Ways to Soothe Your Teething Baby

Teething rings aren’t the only way to help your little one feel better. You can also:

  • Gently massage their gums: A clean, cool washcloth or your finger can provide soothing relief.
  • Offer cool, soft foods: If your baby is eating solids, try offering chilled applesauce or other soft foods.
  • Use a water-filled bottle: If you’re using a bottle, make sure it’s filled with water only.

When will my baby lose their first tooth?  Child

  • Gently massage their gums: A clean, cool washcloth or your finger can provide soothing relief.
  • Offer cool, soft foods: If your baby is eating solids, try offering chilled applesauce or other soft foods.

Teething is a natural part of your baby’s development, and with a little help from you, they can get through it comfortably. Remember, if you have any concerns about your baby’s teething, don’t hesitate to talk to one of our PDGO pediatric dentist in Germantown, Southaven, or Olive Branch.

Pediatric Dental Group & Orthodontics is here to help you walk through this phase of your child’s growth and development. We offer a FREE visit for your child before their 2nd birthday. We would love to meet you and your little ones! 

Tips for Giving Your Child a Healthy Smile

We had a Q&A session with our Board-Certified Pediatric Dentist, Dr. Nate Denson. As a dad to two young daughters, Dr. Denson has walked through many of these scenarios himself. If you are a new or expecting parent, we hope you will find this information to be valuable.

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When will my baby cut their first tooth? The average age for babies to start cutting teeth is 6 months old. However, there is a wide range for when this actually occurs. It is very normal for some children to get teeth as early as 4 months and some to be a year old or older.

 

What can I do to soothe my baby while they are cutting their teeth? Tylenol, cold teething rings, or even a cold damp washcloth for them to chew on can be helpful as they get their teeth.

 

When do I need to bring my baby to the dentist for the first time? The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends when you see the first tooth erupt or when your baby is one year old, it’s time to see a pediatric dentist. This appointment is to educate the parents on caring for their baby’s teeth! 

 

When will my baby lose their first tooth?  Children usually lose their first tooth around the average age of six years old, however, there is a very wide range that is considered normal for getting permanent teeth as well. It’s very common for them to lose one of the bottom front teeth first followed by the top front teeth. 

 

Is it ok for my baby to suck their thumb?  While we know that thumb sucking is so cute, and it seems to soothe your baby, it can also be a very hard habit to break. Your dentist can talk to you about strategies for breaking thumb, finger, and pacifier habits.

 

What about pacifiers? Are some better than others for their gums and teeth?  A pacifier is also something that can bring comfort and soothe your baby, but it needs to be discontinued around the age of one.  There are some that have an orthodontic nipple, and these are the best option for your child. 

 

When do I start brushing their teeth? When you see the first tooth erupt, that is the time to begin.  You may get a gentle cloth and wipe the tooth off after nursing or bottle feeding and then when you begin to give them baby food. 

 

What kind of toothbrush and toothpaste is best on baby teeth?  Any small soft brush designed for babies will work for brushing his/her teeth. Until your child is able to spit, training toothpaste or a small, rice-sized amount of kid’s fluoride toothpaste is okay to use. Once they are able to spit, a pea-sized amount of kid’s fluoride toothpaste is recommended.

 

Is it ok for me to put them to bed with a bottle?  A baby should NEVER go to bed with a bottle. The milk could pool around the teeth allowing it to form cavities. 

 

When should I wean them off the bottle? This is best coordinated with your pediatrician, but most children can start using a sippy cup or 360 degree sippy cup by age 1.

 

Pediatric Dental Group & Orthodontics is here to help you walk through this phase of your child’s growth and development. We offer a FREE visit for your child before their 2nd birthday. We would love to meet you and your little ones! 

Early Orthodontic Treatment and Braces – Are they Necessary?

Pediatric Dental Group & Orthodontics is announcing the launch of our Super Smile Club. This is a brand new pre-orthodontic observation program for 7 through 12 year olds. This club allows your child to become a part of the orthodontic family while PDGO watches their dental development and determines if early orthodontic treatment is needed. It is important that children are seen at an early age by an orthodontist.

Early Orthodontic Treatment and Braces

The American Academy of Orthodontics (AAO) recommends an orthodontic screening no later than age 7. You may wonder why this is. By this age, your child will have a mix of baby teeth and permanent teeth. This exam would determine if your child has an existing orthodontic problem or if one is about to begin.

First Orthodontic Visit for 7-12 Year Olds

Parents, if your child is 7 to 12 years old, ask their pediatric dentist at their next cleaning if they need to schedule a complimentary visit with an orthodontist. At PDGO, you can make that appointment before you leave the office! Of course, if your child is younger than 7 years old and you notice that something isn’t right with their smile or with their bite, please don’t hesitate to ask your pediatric dentist about that at your child’s upcoming appointment.

Pediatric Dental Group & Orthodontics makes it so easy for parents to take care of all of their child’s dental needs in one place. Our Super Smile Club program is set up to give your child’s smile the attention it deserves. After all, their smile will be with them for a lifetime!  Following your first visit, Dr. Collazo will determine how often he wants to see your child in order to really observe their dental and facial development. These visits are all complimentary while a part of the Super Smile Club. Once Dr. Collazo determines your child is ready for treatment, our dedicated Treatment Coordinator will speak with you concerning cost and payment options, and we will move your child seamlessly into Phase I or Phase II of orthodontics, depending on their specific need. While a part of the Super Smile Club Observation program, our team will treat your child like a part of PDGO’s Ortho Family!  That means everything from a free t-shirt, to fun prizes, to the most enjoyable and fun dental visits you can imagine.

Phase I Orthodontic Treatment can look different for different children. Dr. Collazo will make a specific treatment plan for each of his patients. Some examples of dental challenges that our team helps to fix are traumatic bite or jaw issues like severe crowding, cross bites, or underbites. Not all problems require early braces. Sometimes it simply requires removal of a baby tooth so that the permanent tooth can come in. Sometimes appliances are needed to help a child stop sucking on their thumb or finger, and some children need an appliance to keep the tongue in the right place when swallowing. When a child’s jaw is too narrow, an expander is necessary to help widen the jaw to make room for all of their permanent teeth to come in.

Is Early Orthodontic Treatment Necessary?

Don’t worry - most 7 year olds don’t require braces. The majority of kids do not need early orthodontic treatment. However, if a problem does exist, early intervention may be needed - making it all the more important for children to be seen early for pre-orthodontic observation. If such a problem is not discovered in time, it could be more difficult to be treated later in life. At PDGO, Dr. Collazo and our orthodontic team are prepared to work with you to give your child the precise treatment they need. In some of these instances braces are required for young children in Phase I of orthodontic treatment. Braces may be placed on their baby teeth to move them to the right place. Baby teeth are essentially placeholders for their permanent successor; therefore, these braces would ensure their mouth is healthy and ready for their permanent teeth to come in.

What is the Best Age for Early Orthodontic Treatment?

Although it is more common for children to get braces after they have lost their baby teeth, Phase I Orthodontics is sometimes necessary for children between the ages of 7 to 12. This means that these early orthodontic visits are so important to ensure that your child gets their braces at just the right time for them, whether it's 7, 8, 9, or even 14 years old. It’s not so much dependent upon the age of your child, but the development of their teeth and jaw that tells us when they need braces.

Phase I braces and appliances are aimed to improve major bite issues, severe crowding or spacing, or any social concerns that your child may have. Phase I treatment usually lasts around one year, and the goal is to set your child up for an easier and more successful round of orthodontic treatment in the future. After Phase I treatment is over for your child, they will enter (or re-enter) into the Super Smile Club observation program so we can monitor their growth and development. Once all of their permanent teeth have erupted, they will be ready to complete Phase II treatment.

If you have a child in this 7 to 12 age range, make sure to speak with their dentist at their next cleaning appointment to see if it is time for them to be a part of the Super Smile Club!

Should You Get Cavities Filled In Baby Teeth?

Girl brushing teethAs a dental office that works with children, we often get asked the question of why we fix cavities in baby teeth. This is a good question and worth looking into further. First, it helps to address what a cavity is.

What is a Cavity?

A cavity, or dental caries, is a progressive disease that is caused when certain bacteria in the mouth produce acid which destroys the tooth structure creating a hole, or cavity.  A cavity can be a small lesion in the enamel (outermost layer) of the tooth, or a very large lesion progressing into the nerve and blood supply of the tooth causing an abscess.

Is it Necessary to Fill Cavities in Baby Teeth?

Usually. Your child’s dentist will be able to tell you if these are cavities that need to be fixed or if they can be left alone.  If the lesion is still very small and only in the outer enamel layer of the tooth they can be left alone. For these lesions we will put a note in your child’s chart to closely monitor them to see if they are progressing at future visits. Often when the lesion is still in the enamel, minerals from your child’s saliva or fluoride from their toothpaste or drinking water can remineralize them and keep them from progressing.

Another case where your child’s dentist may recommend not treating the decay is if the tooth is close to coming out.  We will weigh how quickly the cavity is progressing versus how long the tooth will be in the mouth to determine if it needs to be treated. If we don’t believe it will cause pain or infection before it comes out, we will recommend not treating it. However, if the decay is through the outer enamel layer of the tooth and the tooth will still be in your child’s mouth for a significant period of time, we will recommend repairing the tooth to prevent pain and abscess.

How Long Do You Keep Your Baby Teeth?

On average, children start loosing teeth around six years old and lose their last baby tooth around twelve. Everyone is different, and some will have earlier ranges or later ranges, but this would be considered average.

Pulling Baby Teeth with Cavities

Baby teeth perform lots of functions. They chew food, help with the esthetics of your child’s smile, are used in speech, and among the most important, they hold space open and help guide the permanent teeth into place.  If a posterior baby tooth is lost early, it will allow the other teeth to shift and will often crowd out the space needed for the permanent tooth to come in when your child is older.

How Do You Fix Cavities in Baby Teeth?

Overall, the process of repairing cavities in baby teeth is similar to their permanent counterparts. This involves numbing the tooth, removing the decay, and repairing it with the most conservative restoration. White fillings are used for smaller cavities. White or silver crowns are used for larger cavities.  Depending on the proximity of the decay to the pulp (the nerve and blood supply of the tooth), a pulpotomy may be recommended.  A pulpotomy is a procedure used to treat and soothe the pulp of the tooth when it has been affected by tooth decay. It removes the affected part in order that the roots of the tooth may remain healthy and progress normally for the remainder of the tooth’s life.

What if the Baby Tooth has an Abscess?

If the decay and bacteria have progressed far enough into the tooth to cause an abscess, your child’s dentist will recommend extracting the tooth. This will alleviate the infection and pain that can go with it.  Depending on the spacing in your child’s mouth, his or her dentist may recommend a space maintainer to prevent space loss. A space maintainer prevents shifting of teeth from the early loss of a baby tooth that could cause crowding or impaction of the permanent tooth.

What if my Child Cannot Cooperate During Dental Treatment?

This is a very common concern for parents whose child needs dental treatment.  We have a number of ways to address it.  First, our office is geared toward children.  Our dentists and assistants only work with children and teenagers so we are very comfortable in helping with dental anxiety. Secondly, we have many options for helping with dental fear and anxiety including nitrous oxide or laughing gas, oral sedation, in-office IV sedation, and general anesthesia

Nitrous Oxide

We offer nitrous oxide or laughing gas with all treatment visits.  Nitrous oxide helps with dental anxiety. For a lot of our patients, especially older patients, it is all they need.

Oral Sedation

We also offer oral sedation.  This is used when your child is a little more nervous and anxious for dental treatment.  They come in before the appointment to take a small amount of medicine that offers a mild sedative effect.

In-Office IV Sedation

Sometimes oral sedation is not enough to break through a more intense fear of the dentist. A new option we provide is in-office IV sedation. This is a deeper sedation than our oral sedation option and is provided by a pediatric anesthesiologist. This allows a very young or very fearful patient to have all of their dental work done while they are asleep.

General Anesthesia

For patients with a lot of dental needs and a severe dental phobia, we partner with LeBonheur Children’s Hospital and Outpatient Surgery Center to provide dental care under general anesthesia.  This allows us to take care of all your child’s dental needs while asleep under the care of LeBonheur’s anesthesiologists. This is also a great option for delivering dental care for our patients with dental fear and a health history that precludes them from some of our other options.