As a parent, one of the most important things is the health of your child. In addition to their physical health and well-being, their dental health is also essential. A good oral hygiene routine is necessary to help your child keep their mouth clean and healthy. This routine should also include professional dental care for optimal oral health.
Advanced Dental Associates can help you and your child ensure that their mouth remains healthy and develops properly. Our family dental services in San Antonio, TX, are for everyone. We also provide general dentistry services to new and existing patients in and around Bexar County.
Family Dentistry in San Antonio, TX
Many parents are unaware that their child should see the dentist by their first birthday. Early childhood dental visits are essential for a growing child. They can help prevent the development of cavities in your child’s teeth and help you properly care for your child’s mouth.
With these visits, we can help ensure that your child’s baby and adult teeth develop properly and remain cavity-free. Our family dentists help prevent serious oral health problems and the need for invasive dental work.
Our San Antonio dentists offer preventative services for children. Services include routine cleanings and exams, fluoride treatments, and dental sealants. The goal of our preventive care services is to keep young teeth healthy and free from cavities. Restorative services allow us to help restore your child’s oral health if an issue does arise.
Restorative treatment plans may include fillings, dental crowns, or a pulpotomy. If your child loses a baby tooth prematurely, we can provide a space maintainer. Space maintainers are custom dental appliances that preserve space in a child’s mouth after they loose a baby tooth.
Many children may also require orthodontic treatment. Traditional braces are usually the most common treatment. However, we can provide other orthodontic treatments like early two-phase orthodontics.
With early treatments like palatal expanders, we can help ensure that your child’s mouth grows and develops appropriately. Our ultimate goal is to help your child reduce the need for orthodontic care in the future.
How can I help my child maintain a healthy mouth at home?
Good oral care for your child starts at home and begins early. Even before any teeth appear, use a damp washcloth to clean your baby’s gums after each feeding. When the first teeth appear, you should switch to a soft-bristled toothbrush. Make sure that you are using a small toothbrush designed for children.
You should teach your child how to brush their teeth as they grow. As you teach them, go over their teeth to clean areas they may have missed after they finish. Around the age of 5 or 6, your child should be able to begin brushing independently.
You should still monitor them to ensure that they continue to brush correctly. If your child is resistant to brushing, encourage them by brushing with them, reading books, or playing music.
Why Baby Teeth Matter
One of the biggest questions parents have is why their baby’s teeth need proper care if they are going to fall out anyway. The baby teeth are essential and need good care to function properly. These teeth not only help your child to eat but also to develop proper speech. They also act as space holders for adult teeth.
If an issue like an infection develops in the baby tooth, it can affect the developing adult tooth underneath. Proper oral care isn’t just about protecting the baby teeth, it’s also about protecting the health of your child’s whole mouth.
Age-Specific Dentistry
Family dentistry isn’t just for young children and their parents. We welcome patients of all ages to receive care at our office. The dental concerns most prevalent in toddlers and children aren’t the same ones most common in adults and seniors. We target your dental care to ensure that we’re protecting you against the most likely issues you’ll have with your smile.
Adolescence Through Young Adulthood
As children get older and get their permanent teeth, it’s a crucial time for orthodontics. This is when they’re developing their permanent smile. Orthodontic treatment can occur at any age, but it’s easiest when the mouth is still developing. Our office offers clear braces for mild to moderate orthodontic concerns.
If there are more serious issues, we’ll refer your child to a trusted orthodontist. The wisdom teeth become a factor in the late teens and early twenties. We monitor their growth and development to try and prevent any problems. Most of our mouths don’t have the space for this extra set of molars.
As they grow, they can erupt and create cramped and crooked teeth. Impacted wisdom teeth that remain under the surface of the gums can cause pain and infection. We recommend wisdom tooth removal in almost every case.
Dental Care for Adults and Seniors
Our mouths continue to change as we age. We use our teeth every day, contributing to natural wear and tear. Teeth discolor as they age, and more so if you frequently eat and drink things that can stain them. Cosmetic improvements like teeth whitening and porcelain veneers can take years of stains off your teeth.
Missing teeth is the main dental problem that most seniors face. Medications and health conditions can cause dry mouth and other problems. These issues can make you more likely to get decay, gum disease, and tooth loss. When you lose a tooth, there are immediate impacts on your oral health and jawbone.
However, our dental office offers solutions to replace any number of missing teeth. Get dental care for the whole family in our San Antonio dental office. Schedule an appointment if you have questions about your child’s dental health. You can also call Advanced Dental Associates at 210-361-6847 today.