Pediatric Dental Procedures in Santa Monica
When dental treatment is required, we will work with you to tailor a treatment plan to fit you and your child’s needs.
We understand that each situation is unique, and we do our best to create the ideal plan with your child’s health being our primary focus.
Our two main goals are:
- Addressing treatment needs in a timely manner
- Ensuring that your child is as comfortable as possible throughout the process
Dr. Andrew only treats what is necessary and always does his best to provide the most ideal and conservative treatment. He will often explain to the child what he is doing using age-appropriate words and “Tell-Show-Do” (explaining step by step so the child understands).
Positive reinforcement is very important, which involves giving lots of praise so the child knows when he or she is doing a great job! Your child will pick their favorite movie to play during the procedure and get a cool prize after!
Depending on the age and cooperation level of your child, treatment may be completed over multiple visits. If indicated, Dr. Andrew may recommend nitrous oxide or sedation to assist in the comfort of your child. If preferred, a parent is more than welcome in the room to support the child through the procedure.
Some common pediatric dental procedures are described below:
Dental Sealants in Santa Monica
Sealants keep out food debris and plaque by creating a tooth-colored protective layer over the pits and fissures of your child’s molars. This helps lower the risk of decay. The procedure is fairly simple and does not involve any anesthesia or drilling. The tooth is carefully cleaned and dried, and then the sealant is painted over the pits and fissures. Learn more about sealants on our Preventive Dental Care page.
Fillings
If your child develops a cavity, we may recommend a dental filling. At Vision Dental, we use the highest quality composite filling material. This allows for the most conservative approach and white fillings that last longer than most.
Depending on the size and depth of the cavity, Dr. Andrew may numb your child’s tooth prior to beginning the procedure.
Crowns and Pulp Therapy
If a cavity on a primary tooth (“baby tooth”) becomes deep, the tooth may require a crown. Though the tooth will eventually fall out, it is important to fix the tooth, if possible, to maintain healthy function and space maintenance.
Depending on the location and depth of the cavity, we offer different types of crowns – including esthetic ceramic crowns. Depending on the health of the nerve, the tooth may require pulp therapy prior to crown placement.
Cosmetic Restorations
A child may benefit from cosmetic restorations due to fractured teeth, cavities, or enamel defects. Dr. Andrew can recommend some cosmetic options depending on your child’s needs.
Extractions (Removal of Teeth)
There are times when a baby tooth requires an extraction. This may be due to a deep cavity, orthodontic needs, or dental trauma. If an extraction is necessary, Dr. Andrew will review this with you and provide options to ensure your child is as comfortable as possible.
Space Maintainers
If a tooth is lost prematurely, a space maintainer may be necessary. Without a space maintainer, teeth may shift into the space of the missing tooth, which leads to issues with the adult teeth coming in later on. A space maintainer works to hold the teeth in position to prevent space loss and promote healthy eruption of the adult teeth.
