We would like to see young patients for the first time from Age 2 to Age 5.

Every child can be different in this situation, and therefore we trust your judgement as parents.

With that said, first visits are often not soon enough. The general rule should be that the first check-up is done as soon as possible, for three main reasons,

• make sure hygiene is satisfactory and teeth/ gums are healthy, healthy habits.

• get your child used to new environment before emergency / or when dental work is required.

• teach children that regular dental visits are normal and main goal is prevention.

Routine checkup intervals will be determined by the dentist, depending on caries risk, and how comfortable your child is. Children who have
difficulty becoming used to this new environment are encouraged to attend for checkups more frequently.

As practitioners we want to provide a positive first experience to the dentist. It is important to avoid an emergency at the time of first visit.

Regular visits to the dentist and dental hygienist are very important to keep required work to a minimum.

Tips for Parents for Children's teeth

• Start early.

  •     Good brushing habits, before school and before bed.

  •    Dentist visits.

• Set a good example.

• Speak about dentistry in a positive way at home.

• Children's books.

• Fluoridated tap water is good for children's teeth.

• Avoid bringing children to your own dental appointment on their first visit.

• Avoid holding children's feet or hands during procedures.

Deciduous teeth vs. Adult teeth

• Deciduous (Primary teeth/ Baby teeth) are lost generally between ages 6 –12. More detailed ages for tooth loss are listed below.

• The most important difference is that deciduous teeth will decay at a much faster rate than adult teeth.

• Deciduous teeth are much smaller and prone to fracture if decay is present.

• Adult first molars erupt around age 6-7 and do not require baby tooth loss. Sometimes they are not noticed!!

• In the anterior regions, most commonly adult teeth erupt from behind the primary teeth.

Ages of tooth eruption

• Fissure sealants are a preventive treatment sometimes used for permanent teeth.

• A flowable material is placed carefully  into the fissure systems and/or crevices of the tooth surface and is then light cured, becoming hard and fixed to the tooth.

• The point of this is to block out the areas of the tooth which may be more susceptible to developing decay. If these fissures are steep and deep, they can be traps for sugars and plaques that are not as easily cleaned.

• Fissure sealants will often fall out after a few years.

• Fissure sealants are not placed in older teeth or teeth with any staining present already.