To create a great relationship between you, your dentist, and your young child, it is important to arrange to have your child begin visiting the dentist at a very young age (1-2 years old). This will help your child become confident and trusting, and have positive dental experiences. This can help establish good dental health habits in your child that can last a lifetime. Early dental visits also allow your dental office team to provide useful educational information for you regarding the dental health of your child, such as dietary information, home oral hygiene training and preventive information to avoid tooth decay.
In Dr. Emerson’s practice, we enjoy building relationships with our young patients and their parents. We have young children come in to our office during their parents continuing care visits to get acquainted with our office and staff. Youngsters usually begin by having what we call a “Happy Visit”! They meet the staff, take a ride in the dental chair and are shown the basic tools that dentists use such as the suction (“Mr. Thirsty”), and the “Sunshine light”. Early visits are fun and easy and build trust.
Over time and periodic visits, we find that we can build great relationships with your children, clean and polish their teeth regularly, apply sealants when needed for protection from decay, teach the importance of good oral hygiene techniques, provide any needed early treatment, and ensure overall dental health. Kids, of course, love to visit the toy chest after their successful visits!
In some cases, young children with difficult and challenging dental needs may need to be referred to a specialist called a Pedodontist. In our practice we find that if children see us for regular care beginning at an early age, we can nearly always manage their childhood dental needs. We also find that for many older children and early teens that referral to an Orthodontist is often a good idea to determine if and when orthodontics (braces) may be advisable to achieve a healthy bite and great looking teeth to last a lifetime.
We look forward to providing excellent care and guidance to you and your child!