Is a Tooth Extraction and Filling Advisable for a 5 Year Old Child?

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One of the most common questions parents face is how to handle cavities during their child’s dental exam. If your child has cavities there are proper ways to handle those cavities in young children. Many parents ask if teeth should be pulled, and in most cases it is better to fill a cavity rather than pull the tooth.

At Upbeat Pediatric Dentistry in Pembroke Pines, FL,  our patients’ health is our first priority. Before any treatment is done we discuss all options with the child’s parents and develop a customized treatment plan. Our team works to provide the highest level of care to ensure your child’s oral development is not affected.

Why Are Baby Teeth Important?

Baby teeth or primary teeth play an important role in the development of children. A child’s first teeth begin to erupt between the ages of six months to two years of age. Baby teeth help children to chew food properly as they move from milk or formula to solid foods. This aids in good nutrition and lessens the risk for choking.

Primary teeth also help children to speak and develop language. If a child has missing teeth, this can affect their speech or cause issues. Keeping baby teeth healthy and in place is necessary to ensure a child develops their speech properly. Primary teeth also help a child’s jaw growth or bite. If a child has missing teeth this can affect the development of the jaw, and lead to other orthodontic problems in the future.

Why Should You Keep Baby Teeth?

Baby teeth are meant to be kept in the mouth until they naturally fall out. Baby teeth help to hold space for the permanent tooth and prevent any collapsing due to empty space. If the surrounding teeth collapse this can cause the permanent tooth to be affected and erupt in the wrong position. In some cases permanent teeth can become impacted where they are unable to erupt at all. In addition, if a child has had multiple teeth removed this can cause their dental arch to collapse, create severe crowding, or even affect their airway.

How Should Cavities in Children Be Treated?

Small cavities in children are common and in most cases the cavity has begun the stage of softening or weakening the hard shell or enamel. At this point the cavity can still be reversed and we do not recommend treatment. To stop the progression we recommend good brushing and flossing to help stop the decay on the teeth.

If the cavity is severe we may recommend a filling to stop the decaying process and protect the permanent tooth underneath as well as the surrounding teeth. This allows the baby tooth to remain in the mouth until the tooth naturally falls out on its own.

When Is It Safe to Pull a Baby Tooth?

There are times when pulling a tooth may be necessary. Using X-rays Dr. Vanessa Freitas & Dr. Rod Souza will examine the primary tooth and determine where the permanent tooth is positioned. If the permanent tooth is close to eruption, pulling the tooth is safe. If the permanent tooth is not ready to erupt, pulling a primary tooth is risky, and the primary tooth should be kept in place.

If the cavity is so small that there is no risk to the permanent tooth or surrounding teeth, it is best to leave the primary tooth in place and let it fall out naturally. For children that have issues with the placement of permanent teeth, a primary tooth may need to be removed to help produce a better result in the future.

Looking for a Pediatric Dentist Near You?

Our goal at Upbeat Pediatric Dentistry is to always keep a child’s primary teeth in place, and only remove them if absolutely necessary. We want our pediatric patients to love visiting our office. Our skilled and caring staff always work to ensure each appointment is an amazing and positive experience.

If you are looking for a pediatric dentist near you or have concerns about tooth extractions or dental fillings, please contact our pediatric dental office in Pembroke Pines, FL to set up a consultation appointment for your child. Our friendly staff will be happy to assist you!

Are Pediatric Dentists Trained to Help Autistic Patients?

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Choosing a pediatric dentist for your child is important, and parents want to know their child is in good hands, and receiving the very best care. For those patients that have special needs, it is important for parents to find a dentist they are comfortable with. At Upbeat Pediatric Dentistry, we provide exceptional dental care for our pediatric patients. We welcome autistic patients and patients that have special needs.

Pediatric dentists attend two to three years of training after dental school to help them understand all of the unique needs to treat pediatric patients. This training includes children with autism. Any medical appointment can be a challenge to both the parent and child, and finding the right dentist is essential.

Oral hygiene is important, and bringing your child to the dentist helps to ensure their teeth look great and are free of decay. At Upbeat Pediatric Dentistry in Pembroke Pines, FL, we ensure your child has a positive experience, and feels comfortable and relaxed when they visit our office. We make many adjustments during the visit to make the appointment run smoothly.

Benefits of Taking Your Child to a Pediatric Dentist

  • Pediatric dentists are trained to work with children, and to treat children with autism or special needs. Our staff has also been trained how to handle children with special needs. We work together with the parent and patient to ensure there is a positive experience in our pediatric dental office in Pembroke Pines, FL.

  • Pre-visits are available to have the parents and child meet our doctor and staff, discuss any sensory issues or concerns, and see the exam room. This allows the parent to prepare their child for the visit to our office, and gives our staff the opportunity to brief the parent with details on their child’s appointment.
  • Our practice is kid friendly, and the way the staff handles each procedure helps to make children feel comfortable during their visit. If your child is sensitive to light or sounds we have the ability to turn the lights down, and make adjustments in the room to help make the appointment run smoothly.
  • If needed we offer nitrous oxide or “laughing gas”, conscious sedation, and general anesthesia to help our special needs patients get through a dental procedure. These options are safe, and allow our doctors to treat patients easily if they require a complicated procedure. We take these options very seriously, and only use these methods when absolutely necessary. All medical conditions are considered, and a medical exam is required before any sedation is done.
  • Communication is key when you take your child to their dentist appointment. Our staff is trained to communicate before, during, and after any treatment. This helps to ensure the parent and pediatric patient are comfortable, and are aware of what is needed every step of the way.
  • The dental office is decorated in kid friendly colors, and we provide games and entertainment for the kids.
  • Our patients are provided with small toys after their visit, and this gives them something to look forward to when they visit our office.

Looking for a Pediatric Dentist or Special Needs Dentist in X?

If you are looking to find a pediatric or special needs dentist in Pembroke Pines, FL, our team is here to help. We strive to provide the very best care for our special needs patients, and ensure when they visit our office they have a positive experience. We know choosing the right pediatric dentist is important, and part of our consultation process is to get to know our patients, and understand what we can do to help make their visit exceptional.

If you are looking to schedule a dental exam for your child, contact Upbeat Pediatric Dentistry and we will be happy to assist you!