Pedodontic Services
Diagnostic and Preventative


Routine Dental Wellness Visits
An oral evaluation is recommended every six (6) months to prevent cavities and other dental problems.
Sealants are applied on the chewing surfaces of teeth, usually in one visit.
Restorative Treatments –
Repair of the Decayed Tooth

To ensure your child has a positive experience, we recommend the use of both Nitrous Oxide, to help them relax, and a local anesthetic to numb the area. Your child require stitches only rarely, and the area will heal on its own.
It is important to monitor your child so that they do not bite their lip or tongue. If there is sustained bleeding at home, try placing cotton gauze over the extraction site and have your child bite firmly for 30 minutes. You may also wet a tea bag and have your child bite on it gently. The tannic acid will stop bleeding naturally within 15 minutes. Keep your child’s fingers out of the mouth. Your child may eat soft food once the numbness wears off, avoiding acidic food and drinks, such as tomato sauce and orange juice. Do not drink from a straw for the first 48 hours. Brush the area carefully and gently. Your child should relax after surgery, as strenuous physical activity may increase bleeding.
You may start rinsing with a warm salt-water solution after 24 hours. Make your own salt water by mixing 1 tsp (5 g) of salt in a medium-sized glass (8 fl oz.) of warm water. Give your child Tylenol or Motrin per label instructions if they have discomfort. Return to the office in seven days for follow up.
Contact our office if you have any concerns about pain, bleeding, or healing.
Interceptive Orthodontics

Aesthetic

Behavior Management

Nitrous oxide is mixed directly with oxygen and delivered through a mask as the patient breathes in and out regularly. The patient is asked to breathe normally through the nose, and as the gas begins to take effect, your child will become more relaxed and less nervous. The gas raises the pain threshold and may even make the time appear to pass quickly. Some normal sensations that a patient may feel may include tingling in the fingers, toes, cheeks, lips, tongue, head, or cheek area; heaviness in the thighs and/or legs, followed by a lighter floating feeling; resonation in the voice; warm feeling throughout body, flushed cheeks; fits of uncontrollable laughter or giddiness; a lightweight or floating sensation with an accompanying “out of body” sensation; sluggishness in motion and slurring and/or repetition of words. Rarely a child may feel dizzy or nauseous. We do ask you not to give your child any food or drinks for two hours prior to any procedure scheduled requiring the use of laughing gas. Laughing gas can enhance communication between your child and their doctor during dental procedures. It can also reduce the gag reflex, which can interfere with effective dental treatment. These feelings and sensations are temporary and recede once 100% oxygen is delivered after the procedure.
Nitrous Oxide is completely safe to use during treatment and is quickly eliminated from the body once the gas is turned off. Your child will be awake and able to interact and communicate with the pediatric dentist. When the procedure(s) is complete, the nitrous oxide gas will be turned off and your child will be given oxygen for 3 to 5 minutes, which flushes the laughing gas and its effects out of your child’s system. There are no lingering effects.
Nitrous Oxide is perhaps the safest relaxant used in dentistry. It is well tolerated, has a rapid onset, is reversible, and can be adjusted in various concentrations. No one is allergic to oxygen or nitrogen, which are the only two ingredients in Nitrous Oxide. Your child will remain fully conscious and retain all natural reflexes when breathing the gases. He or she will able to respond to questions or requests. Inform our office regarding any respiratory condition that makes breathing through the nose difficult for your child. In a very small percentage of children, Nitrous Oxide may not be effective, especially those children who have severe anxiety, nasal congestion or discomfort wearing a nasal mask. We will review your child’s medical history, level of anxiety, and treatment needs and when determining if nitrous oxide is recommended for your child.
The doctor can discuss the risks and benefits of either type of anesthesia to help you decide if this is a good choice for your child.