Dentistry for Toddlers – Worcester, MA
Gentle Dental Care for Growing Smiles
At Kids’ Smiles on Lincoln, Dr. Clancy and our team understand how challenging it can be to take care of your toddler’s dental needs. Their increased mobility, hunger and interest in the things around them can make each day unexpected. Add on your attempts to brush their teeth, and it can quickly become exhausting. This is why we offer services that are designed to prevent cavities and other potential problems in a toddler’s developing smile. Contact us today to schedule your child’s visit. We’re happy to help!
Why Choose Kids’ Smiles on Lincoln for Dentistry for Toddlers?
- Board-Certified Pediatric Dentist on Staff
- Your PPO Dental Insurance Plan is Welcome
- Same-Day Emergency Dental Appointments Available
Dental Checkups & Teeth Cleanings
Your toddler’s six-month dental checkups and cleanings will include a complete examination of their teeth, gums and bite as well as a gentle cleaning to remove any accumulated plaque. Dr. Clancy and our team will ensure your little one’s teeth are erupting properly while also offering helpful tips to make brushing at home easier and more successful. It is during this time that we will also answer any questions about your child’s oral health and address any concerns you might have.
Dental Sealants
As the molars and premolars begin to erupt, these chewing surfaces can become easy targets for bacteria and food particles. Without proper protection, cavities can develop. Fortunately, we can recommend dental sealants to safeguard your child’s back teeth. Since these areas can be harder to keep clean, sealants offer a layer of protection, preventing decay from penetrating the enamel and breaking it down over time.
Fluoride Treatments
A toddler’s smile can be prone to dental decay, especially if they snack on foods that contain a lot of sugar or starch or drink highly acidic beverages (i.e., fruit juice). To combat the potential for cavities, we can suggest fluoride treatment as an added source of protection between appointments. When applied, teeth will become stronger and the chances of decay will lessen, allowing for a healthier set of teeth. The process takes only a few minutes and is completely painless.
Tooth-Colored Fillings
Although the goal is to prevent cavities, there is a chance that your toddler will develop one at some point. Should this happen, we can apply a tooth-colored filling. Instead of using traditional amalgam that can easily capture the attention of others, composite resin is used because of its flexibility and color-matching capability. Not only will your child’s tooth remain protected and unlikely to experience sensitivity, but it will also look natural because of the tooth-colored material.
Safe Digital X-Rays
Dr. Clancy needs to be able to see what is occurring beneath your little one’s gumline, so dental X-rays are often recommended. These high-resolution digital images are much safer than traditional radiographs used in the past, emitting far less radiation. Also, our team will be able to better identify any problem areas and administer timely treatment so that your child’s smile remains in the best possible shape.
Root Canals/Pulp Therapy
When your toddler becomes fussy because of pain inside their mouth, you might assume it’s just another tooth erupting. However, one of their existing teeth may be infected or slightly damaged. If so, we will evaluate the severity of the problem and provide pulp therapy. Instead of extracting the tooth, we can remove the infected pulp so that there is no more discomfort, and the tooth can continue to work normally while waiting for a permanent one to eventually take its place.
Non-Nutritive Habits
Infants and toddlers are known to rely on self-soothing habits like pacifiers and thumb-sucking. While these should not cause you to initially worry, prolonged practice can cause potential problems with their oral and facial development. Dr. Clancy and our team will provide helpful methods and techniques to stop these non-nutritive habits in a way that promotes positive reinforcement and regular encouragement as well as effective results.
Emergency Kid’s Dentistry
Toddlers are always on the go, so when fast-moving feet cause your little one to take a tumble, it may result in a chipped or broken tooth. If this happens, you can count on Dr. Clancy to provide emergency kid’s dentistry. With restorative services that are designed to repair your little one’s smile, we can quickly help them out of pain and ensure their mouth feels better. All you have to do is call our office the moment it happens so that we can get you and your child in for an appointment.
Tooth Extractions
We never want to remove a child’s natural tooth, even if it is destined to fall out on its own. However, certain situations require extraction. Although these are not common, we may suggest this procedure if your little one’s adult tooth is ready to erupt but the primary one will not fall out on its own, or they have a large cavity or have sustained serious facial trauma.