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Your Child’s first Dental visit: What to Expect!

Posted on by Dr. Chea Rainford

The arrival of baby teeth is momentous because they allow children to graduate to a variety of new foods. In addition to celebrating this new stage in your baby’s development, you should also begin to think about a first visit to the dentist. Although parents of infants may not yet be concerned with dental care, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that the first dentist visit for children take place before a baby’s first birthday. Initially, dental visits are mostly informative in nature, but even at this early age, dental professionals help to establish a proper oral care routine that can last a lifetime.

Finding a Dentist

To find a dentist, check with your pediatrician or insurance company about providers in your area. Additionally, you may want to ask friends and family members for referrals. Narrow your search based on locations and office hours that fit best into your schedule. Try to interview several dental practices before selecting the one where you and your child feel most comfortable. In addition to calling for information, many dental practices also have websites with FAQs to help answer your questions.

Prepare in Advance

Ensure that your child is well rested and not hungry around the time of the appointment. It may be helpful to write down a list of questions ahead of time to ask the dentist. Very importantly, check with your dental insurance provider about copays and coverage before the day of your child’s first dentist visit. Most dental providers ask for proof of dental and medical insurance at time of service. Last, bring a list of your child’s current medications, and be prepared to fill out a health history form.

Although it is not necessary to prepare extremely young children in advance of a dental appointment, you may want to discuss the first visit with an older child. If your child experiences some anxiety over a dental appointment, try to ease his worries by reading books about dentists or by watching television shows to help to visualize what the visit will be like.

What to Expect during Your Child’s First Dentist Visit

During the first visit, the dentist will typically educate parents on proper gum and tooth care for babies. You may also discuss pacifier use and how proper nutrition helps to maintain healthy teeth. The dental professional should also demonstrate brushing techniques for parents so that they are able to knowledgeably assist young children with oral care. At the end of the appointment, the dentist should also provide you with the opportunity to ask questions.

By establishing a good working relationship with a childdentist, parents will ensure that their child receives proper dental care beginning at an early age. Setting a precedent for dental appointments at an early age helps children to become accustomed to a proper oral care routine.

The Science And Art Of Smile Design

Posted on by Dr. Chea Rainford

Patients have asked why this office puts an emphasis on cosmetic dentistry. The answer is easy. Cosmetic dentistry involves some of the more creative aspects of dentistry, rather than the simple, straightforward and routine mechanical side. There are so many things to evaluate when trying to remake someone’s smile. The challenge of figuring out the puzzle so that the patient will look their best is really intriguing and fun, and the results are highly satisfying.

The finished product of a smile design is the result of a lot of work with excellent communication and cooperation between our dental office, the lab and the patient. Please call our office, if you would like to evaluate or discuss your smile.

The Instant Makeover

Posted on by Dr. Chea Rainford

More and more these days, instant sorts of makeovers are shown on television shows and in the news. It seems that once a person makes the commitment to proceed, they want to get moving quickly. Our practice has noticed that too, and we are doing many more “makeovers” where we finish the entire treatment in a short period of time.

It seems like many people just hit a point where they have “had it” with their smile or their appearance, and decide it’s time to look better. The next steps are important, because how happy a person is with the results, depends on how the treatment is approached and accomplished.

Here is what we do when someone presents with some true esthetic concerns and is ready to do something about them:

• First of all, we interview the patient to determine their true desires, needs and wants. Everything starts with getting a good understanding of what the patient wants and expects.

• We have to do a complete exam to understand the underlying health of the teeth, gum and bone, and how the bite, or occlusion, is working.

• We take photographs, and impressions of the teeth for what we call study models. Sometimes we ask the dental lab to create the desired appearance in an ideal wax smile. It is a fun process.

Once we know where we want to be at the finish, the process of getting there is usually just a couple of long and relaxed appointments.

In the First Visit the teeth are prepared and impressions are taken; the patient leaves with plastic temporary restorations that are an actual preview of the desired end point. These provisional restorations allow us to personalize shape, size and color so that before the final porcelain restorations, we know that the patient is going to love their smile. This works really well, relieving much of the anxiety of someone not knowing how they will look.

The patient generally receives the final restorations in the Second visit, where we take off the temporary crowns/veneers and try in the permanent ones. If they are fitting and looking like we want, these restorations are permanently bonded to the teeth. Subsequent visits are made as necessary for any follow up or adjustments.