FAQs
Giving Your Kids Their Most Confident Smile
Pediatric FAQs
At PDGO, we work tirelessly to prevent and overcome that fear. Our pediatric dentists spent an extra 2 years in school because they love working with kids. Our staff sought out pediatric dental employment because they love working with kids. Our office is designed to make your kids feel comfortable and at ease. If there is anywhere for your children to overcome their fear of the dentist, it’s PDGO. Just get them through the door and we’ll take care of the rest.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends that parents take their infant to the dentist within 6 months of when they get their first tooth or age 1, whichever comes first. This is to educate the parents on nursing, what to put in the bottle and how to clean their infants teeth.
Don't nurse your child to sleep or put them to bed with a bottle of milk, juice, or formula. When a child is sleeping, any liquid that remains in the mouth can support the bacteria that produce acid and harm the teeth. A bottle of water or a pacifier is fine.
A sealant is applied to the chewing surface of the back teeth (premolars and molars) where cavities are more likely to occur.
Sealants are bonded to the grooves of the chewing surface of the molars as a means of helping prevent the formation of tooth decay. The sealant acts as a barrier and protects the decay-prone areas of the teeth.
Children's teeth begin forming before birth. As early as 4 months, the first of the baby teeth to erupt through the gums are usually the lower front teeth (central incisors) followed by the upper front teeth. All 20 baby teeth usually appear by the age of 3. Their permanent teeth begin appearing around age 6 and will continue until around age 21.
Call our office and schedule an appointment as soon as possible.
Our goal is to save the tooth and prevent infection so time matters! Contact our office as soon as possible. Rinse the mouth with water and apply a cold compress to reduce swelling. If you can find the broken tooth, it's possible that we can reattach it.
Please call our office as soon as possible. If it's a permanent tooth, rinse the tooth and place in cool water. If possible, replace the tooth in the socket and hold it there with gauze. If you can't put it back in the socket, place the tooth in a cup of milk (or water if milk isn't available) and contact us immediately. If it's after hours, please call our after hours emergency number.
The easiest way to understand the confusing world of insurance is to break it down into 3 categories:
In-Network Providers: If your plan qualifies as “in-network”, you get the best of both worlds - negotiated rates and the insurance company helps you pay your balance.
Out-of-Network Providers: With an “out-of-network” plan, your insurance company will usually help you pay the bill, but you won’t receive the negotiated rates.
Do Not Accept: In the rare case that we do not accept your insurance at all, we have many options for self-pay and will be happy to help you find an in-network provider.
Call our office and our staff will be happy to help you with any questions regarding your insurance.
Orthodontic FAQs
The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recommends an orthodontic screening for children by the age of 7 years. At age 7 the teeth and jaws are developed enough so that the orthodontist can see if there will be any serious bite problems in the future. Most of the time treatment is not necessary at age 7, but it gives the parents and orthodontist time to watch the development of the patient and decide on the best mode of treatment.
Research has shown that serious orthodontic problems can be more easily corrected when the patient’s skeleton is still growing and flexible. We can prepare the mouth for the eventual eruption of the permanent teeth by correcting the skeletal problems at a younger age. If the permanent teeth have adequate space to erupt they will come in fairly straight. If the teeth erupt fairly straight, their tendency to get crooked again after the braces come off is diminished significantly. After the permanent teeth have erupted - usually from age 12-14, complete braces are placed for final alignment and detailing of the bite. Thus, the final stage of treatment is quicker and easier on the patient. The last phase of treatment usually lasts from 12 - 18 months and is not started until all of the permanent teeth are erupted.
Your child may be experiencing some discomfort after beginning treatment or at the changing of wires or adjusting of appliances. This is normal and should diminish within 24-72 hours. A few suggestions to help with the discomfort
- Rinse with warm water.
- Eat a soft-food diet.
- Take acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) as directed on the bottle.
- If pain persists for more than a few days, call our office.
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