Pediatric Dental Services in Lehi, UT

We are committed to providing comprehensive, compassionate dental care for your entire family, including children!
Teeth Cleaning

Pediatric Dental Services

At Aspen Hills Dental, pediatric dentistry is very important to us. We are committed to providing comprehensive, compassionate dental care for your entire family, including children! Our dentist and dental team understand that your child may feel nervous about visiting our dental office. Dr. Dorny and each of our staff members are friendly and gentle, and we work hard to put your child at ease. When your child visits our Lehi, Utah dental office, we will clean their teeth and check for tooth decay and other dental problems. We encourage you to ask any questions you may have about pediatric dentistry, as well as your child’s dental development and health. We offer a number of treatments, such as fluoride treatment and dental sealants, that can further prevent tooth decay. Be sure to teach and encourage your child to brush and floss daily to ensure that they stay in good oral health. For more information on pediatric dentistry and to schedule your child’s appointment with our caring dentist, we invite you to contact us today. We are eager to care for your family!

Pediatric Dentistry is a branch of dentistry involving the examination and treatment of children’s dental health. Most dental patients perceive dental procedures as intimidating and gruesome experiences and avoid them. However, it is crucial to have children’s milk teeth, also known as baby teeth, examined regularly by a pediatric dentist for cavities and tooth decay.

Professionally trained and dedicated to maintaining dental health in children, pediatric dentists care for teeth, gum, and mouth from infancy to teen years. After teething at around six months, children lose their milk teeth at around six or seven years. Permanent teeth eventually replace these.

Without professional dental care, children are prone to oral decay and infectious diseases like early childhood dental caries. They could cause a lifetime of pain and dental complications.

Early Childhood Dental Conditions

Teething problems

Teething delay is a common problem in infancy. The teeth and jaws have to properly develop to allow the infant to move on to the weaning stage. On-time and proper toothache is crucial to appropriate speech development.

Misaligned teeth

Misaligned teeth occur when the upper and lower jaw teeth do not meet with the mouth closed. Misaligned teeth lead to speech and eating complications. It may also cause pain in biting and inner mouth, gum, and tongue injuries. Pediatric dentists recommend braces for misaligned teeth.

Dental caries and tooth decay

Although milk teeth are temporary, caring for them is vital to reduce tooth decay and tooth decay.

Children are more prone to dental plaque and tooth decay as they are likely to eat sugary and sticky foods without proper oral hygiene. Early childhood caries is five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever in children.

Preventive Pediatric Dental Procedures

Preventive pediatric dental procedures include sealant and fluoride, and both are used to prevent cavity development.

Tooth Sealants

In the case of deep pits and grooves in a child’s milk teeth, placing a sealant prevents tooth decay. Unfortunately, sealant cannot be helpful on permanent teeth as they aren’t durable.

Fluoride Treatment

Children can use dental care practices to prevent cavity formation. All it takes is brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and flossing. However, if a child already has a cavity, restorative treatment like fillings or crowns is suitable.

Treatments Performed by Pediatric Dentists

Daily fluoride usage is a sufficient preventive measure against plaque buildup, tooth decay, and tooth loss. However, in certain instances when a child already displays signs of tooth decay, a pediatric dentist has to carry out invasive restorative treatments like:

Cavity fillings

These are the most effective restoration treatments for children with minor cavities. They are straightforward procedures requiring only one dental procedure and are minimally invasive.

Pediatric pulp therapy

This procedure, also known as pulp treatment, treats, saves, and restores a child’s decayed milk teeth.

Stainless steel crowns

Under special circumstances, stainless steel crowns protect a child’s unformed or extensively decayed molars or front teeth.

Tooth extraction and space maintainers

Also referred to as tooth removal, tooth extraction focuses on decayed and crowded teeth or teeth afflicted by trauma or disease. After the tooth extraction procedure, space maintainers on the gap ensure that the expected permanent tooth forms correctly.

FAQs on Pediatric Dentistry

Q: What is the difference between a dentist and a pediatric dentist?

A: A general dentist caters for dental care for patients of all ages, while a pediatric dentist specializes in dental care for children and teens.

Q: How long do children go to a pediatric dentist?

A: Pediatric dentists take patients between the ages of 6 months to 18 years, after which they should go to a general dentist.

Aspen Heights Dental is a dental care provider based in Lehi, Utah. Contact us for further information on pediatric dentistry procedures or schedule an appointment for your child with our pediatric dentist.

Enjoy a relaxing environment as we help you maintain a beautiful and healthy smile.