Children's Dental Care in Sun Prairie, WI

When Should I Take My Child to the Dentist?

The experts at the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommend receiving kids' dental care by the time children have baby teeth coming in. This first dental visit should happen no later than your child's first birthday. Since even baby teeth are vulnerable to cavities, it's essential to schedule a dental appointment once your child has baby teeth. Flossing should also begin when your child's teeth begin to touch together.

Tooth decay in young children is often called baby bottle tooth decay. This occurs when a baby's teeth are regularly exposed to drinks containing sugar, such as putting a baby to bed with a bottle. This type of tooth decay usually affects the front teeth, but it can also affect other teeth. To prevent baby bottle tooth decay, give your child a bottle before going to bed and avoid filling bottles with juice or sugar water.

What to Expect at Your Child's Dental Appointment

Our friendly and caring team will do whatever they can to help your child feel comfortable and more at ease at every visit, especially their first visit to our office. A typical visit to our office includes an examination of the teeth and jaws to make sure that there aren't any problems, such as tooth decay. We may also clean and polish your child's teeth to remove tartar and plaque.

Unless there's a potential dental issue that requires further evaluation, most young children won't receive an x-ray, but an x-ray may be needed for older children. If your child feels comfortable, they can sit in the dental chair while receiving children's dental care. Younger children may feel more comfortable sitting on their parent's lap. Make your appointment today with our children's dentist in Sun Prairie.

Our Dental Services for Children

Dentistry for kids refers to services and treatments that help children improve their dental health. These are some of the dental services provided by our children's dentist:

Teeth cleaning for children: The dental hygienist provides a gentle baby teeth cleaning that removes plaque and tartar from the teeth.

Fluoride: Fluoride for children's teeth is a safe and painless treatment that strengthens tooth enamel and prevents tooth decay. Our children's dentist in Sun Prairie applies this topical treatment to the surfaces of teeth.

Dental sealants: Sealants for kids reduce the risk of developing cavities by preventing pieces of food and bacteria from adhering to teeth.

Fillings: Fillings in baby teeth can repair decay and prevent further damage to the tooth.

Pediatric crowns: Our children's dentist will recommend baby teeth crowns to restore badly decayed teeth that can't be treated with a dental filling.

Mouthguards: A kid's mouthguard can protect your child's teeth while playing sports or if they grind their teeth while sleeping.

When Will My Child Develop Baby Teeth?

Most babies start teething around the age of six months, but baby teeth can erupt through the gums any time between four and twelve months. It's common for kids to develop their two bottom front teeth first, which are closely followed by the two upper front teeth after one or two months. By the time a child is three years old, they usually have all 20 of their primary baby teeth.

However, you shouldn't be alarmed if your child's teeth erupt through the gums at a slightly different schedule. Contact our office today to set up an appointment with our children's dentist.

When Do Children Lose Baby Teeth?

Usually, by the age of six, kids will start to lose their baby teeth, but the process is a slow one and typically follows a "first in, first out" pattern. The first teeth kids lose are usually the ones that developed in their mouth first. The typical pattern for losing teeth involves losing the two lower teeth first and then the two upper teeth. Most kids have a full set of adult teeth by the time they're 14 years old.

What Causes Toothaches in Kids?

Most toothaches in kids are caused by tooth decay, especially if the pain is consistent. Other causes of toothaches in kids include cracked or chipped tooth enamel, having food wedged between two teeth, and discomfort from emerging teeth. Visit our children's dentist in Sun Prairie if your child has a toothache.

If your child needs dental care and you're looking for a children's dentist near me, get in touch with us to make an appointment.