Our Services

A white filling may be recommended after a cavity is discovered on your child’s tooth. We have state of the art materials that your pediatric dentist will select based on your child’s unique situation. These fillings are esthetically pleasing and allow your child to eat right away, after the numbness wears off.

A baby root canal, or “pulpotomy,” or “pulpectomy” may be recommended to save your child’s tooth. If a cavity is deep and near the nerve of the tooth, the bacteria has invaded the pulpal chamber or “nerve” of the tooth. Once the nerve is contaminated, the nerve must be cleaned out. If the top of a nerve needs to be cleaned, this is called a pulpotomy. If the complete nerve inside a tooth’s roots must be cleaned, this is a pulpectomy. Often this is diagnosed by looking at a radiograph, but the dentist will make a definitive decision once they start cleaning out the cavity.

A crown may be recommended for your child’s tooth if there is very little tooth structure remaining after all of the decay is cleaned out. In order to prevent further breakage or fracture of the tooth, a crown will cover all surfaces to improve strength of what remains. A crown may also be recommended if a baby root canal has been completed, or if a tooth is hypersensitive. Stainless steel crowns or “silver caps” are the gold standard in pediatric dentistry. While we offer white zirconia crowns, these are only offered on a case by case basis. Please talk to your dentist about what is best for your child.

Extraction of your child’s tooth may be recommended for several reasons. Some of these reasons include: a deeply decayed tooth with little tooth structure remaining, severe crowding, orthodontic reasons, and if infection or pain is present. We help make this procedure as comfortable as possible and provide many techniques to help ease you and your child’s anxieties including chairside distraction (both by story-telling and IPADs in every treatment room), nitrous oxide, and if necessary, other sedation techniques.

Silver Diamine Fluoride is a liquid that helps to prevent cavities from growing larger. This medicine is made of silver, water, fluoride, and ammonia and has been used by dentists since the 1940s. While SDF does stain a cavity black, this medicine can be a more comfortable alternative for your child than traditional dental methods such as fillings and crowns. SDF is only used in certain situations and your pediatric dentist will inform you if SDF is right for your child.

Prolonged habits past the recommended age like thumbsucking, nailbiting, tongue thrusting, can be aided with the use of special appliances designed by a lab and customized to your child’s mouth. If your child has any habit you are concerned with, please discuss with your dentist

If a baby tooth is lost early due to decay, crowding, trauma, or otherwise, a space maintainer may be recommended to hold the current teeth in place and prevent shifting of neighboring teeth into the empty space. This will hold the space for the incoming adult tooth and prevent further crowding.

At PDO, we understand the importance of a happy, bright, beautiful smile. Our pediatric dentists are skilled in esthetic and cosmetic dentistry during both routine and emergency situations. Additionally, at PDO, we have the most trusted whitening techniques for both generalized yellow staining due to plaque buildup, and the newest techniques for clearing up specific areas or discolorations on your child’s teeth. Please inform us of any concerns you may have so we can properly direct you towards the smile of your dreams.

Nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, is occasionally recommended to help provide a comfortable treatment visit for your child. Nitrous oxide alleviates anxiety while still remaining safe and effective for your child. Nitrous oxide is a gas inhaled through a mask placed on your child’s nose, alternating oxygen and nitrogen levels in your child’s body while leaving them with a happy, calm, and sometimes “giggly” feeling. Your child will not be asleep while using nitrous oxide. At the end of the appointment, your child will be placed on 100% oxygen for several minutes to ensure they feel back to their beautiful selves before leaving the office. Note* Not every child requires nitrous oxide, and there are certain contraindications to using nitrous oxide. Please discuss your child’s medical history with your pediatric dentist thoroughly before your child participates in nitrous oxide. Your child should have a very light meal before nitrous oxide.

Our office provides both oral conscious sedation and IV sedation.

Oral conscious sedation: if your child is undergoing oral conscious sedation, the dentist will provide a liquid medicine for your child to drink. The dosage of medicine is decided based on several factors, including your child’s weight. This type of sedation is not meant to put your child fully to sleep. Your child will be awake during this procedure, but may feel slightly loopy or disoriented. You will be expected to monitor your child for the rest of the day, and your child is not to go to school after this appointment.

IV Sedation is performed by a dental anesthesiologist. This type of sedation will put your child fully to sleep. A consultation and discussion will be set up with the anesthesiologist prior to scheduling this appointment. Please Note: Sedation is not taken lightly and a thorough, honest medical history must be provided at the time of consultation for the safety of your child. A medical clearance may be necessary prior to treatment. Please remember, your child is NOT to eat for a specified period of time (often at least eight to ten hours, or as we say, “the night before the procedure”) prior to administration of either oral sedation or IV sedation. Your pediatric dentist will provide specific instructions that are of utmost importance to follow. If your child is sick for 4-6 weeks prior to sedation (including runny nose, fever, congestion, mucus production), please inform your pediatric dentist. Should your child demonstrate signs of affected health, or should they eat or drink something the morning of an oral conscious sedation or IV sedation appointment, the appointment will be cancelled and rescheduled for your child’s safety.