Treating Kids

Stop fear of the dentist, before it begins!

Children should have all their teeth by the age of 2 ½. At around 6 years old the child’s permanent back teeth should appear – with the front teeth starting to come out between 6 and 7 years old. Normally the lower front baby teeth are lost first, with the upper front teeth a short while after that. By the age of 13, your child should only have permanent teeth, apart from the wisdom teeth which will only erupt between ages 18 to 25.

Children can become fearful of dentists if parents wait until a dental problem arises before the child is taken for a dental examination. The reason for this is that drilling or tooth extractions might have to be done during the very first visit then, risking the child becoming fearful of future visits to the dentist.

Although children differ, we suggest bringing your child for their first dental visit with Dr. Stark at about 2 years of age. This visit will be geared more at familiarizing the child with the dentist and dental office, so we will make special effort to make it a pleasant experience. However, Dr. Stark will do a quick check with a dental mirror and probe and examine the child’s teeth and gums; she'll also check if he or she needs any treatment for cavity protection.

Preventative care is very important when it comes to children. At our practice we use top quality dental sealant technology to protect your child’s teeth. Dental sealants are bonded to the chewing surface of the child’s back teeth, as these teeth are usually prone to decay.

We will also  discuss  the adverse effects of thumb sucking in children with you, if this is habit with your child. Depending on the child's age, we may suggest taking diagnostic x-rays,  but we will not  perform extractions  or fillings during the first visit, so as to not make the child fearful of their future visits with us.