At Sandalwood, we understand that for many children the dentist can be a frightening experience. Oftentimes they have preconceived notions about the dentist, many of which they have learned from friends or other family members. The key to a lifetime of oral health is education. We feel that if we can meet with your child and establish a relationship early on that we can prevent major dental problems as well as easily manage the smaller ones should they occur.
Dental examinations should begin as early as the age of two. We find that it is often easiest to bring your child in for a tour of the office and to meet the dentist. You could even bring your child with you at your cleaning appointment so that they become comfortable with their surroundings. After that, appointments will be dictated by what your child is willing to allow. Initially we will attempt to clean their teeth with a manual toothbrush and progress from there. X-rays are normally taken around age four unless we suspect decay prior to then.
It is our hope that if we meet your children early on and establish a relationship and routine of visits and cleaning that we will be able to educate them on oral hygiene and avoid tooth decay. One of the most critical steps in this process is the sealing of the six-year molars. They are the cornerstone of the adult mouth and are also the permanent tooth most often lost to decay.
In the event that your child has cavities, we will take one of several approaches to treatment based upon your child’s age, behavior, level of anxiety, overall health, and what specific procedures are required. If you bring your children to the dentist regularly, most cavities can be filled with quickly and easily, many without any anesthesia. It is as simple as that. Only when patterns of poor oral hygiene, combined with diets high in sugar and a lack of routine dental checkups, do things get more complicated.
At Sandalwood we utilize several strategies to initiate treatment based upon the factors listed above. We do recommend nitrous oxide (laughing gas) sedation for most children under the age of twelve if major treatment is needed or if we anticipate poor behavior. It is crucial to realize that the things that you tell your children at home, along with what they hear from their siblings and friends can either reinforce or destroy our attempts at treatment. It is important that you do not scare your children prior to their visit even if it is in good fun.
In a small number of cases, we may refer your child to a pedodontist if we feel that they are unable to behave in a manner that is safe for themselves and for our staff. Additional reasons for referral may include complicated health histories or when treatment needs are extensive enough to warrant sedation in order to accomplish more in less visits. We understand that being referred is inconvenient and we make it our goal to only do so after attempting to alleviate the situation in-house.
Dr. Romero and Dr. Strepka are both comfortable with children and hope to relate that comfort to you and your loved ones. Of course, when all else fails, we have cartoons, snacks, toys and stickers.