Welcome to Pax Kids!
Maintaining proper oral health and hygiene is a life-long journey. At Pax Dental, we’re proud to be a resource for parents in the Lexington Park area looking to develop proper oral hygiene habits and healthy, strong smiles for their children. Whether you’re bringing in your infant or toddler in for their first appointment, or you have an older child or teenager in need of routine or restorative care, we feel honored that you would consider us for your family’s oral health needs.
Our Services for Pax Kids
Pax Dental serves the entire family.
Restorative Care
Pediatric restorative dentistry can help improve the appearance and overall health of a child’s smile after experiencing tooth loss or damage from disease, injury, or other causes. It is important to seek proper treatment and dental reconstruction for lost or damaged teeth in order to prevent further damage and relieve difficulties with eating or speaking.
Sleep Disorder Breathing (SDB)
Airway Health in children is a much more critical and common problem than what has previously been thought. SDB can manifest itself in a variety of symptoms that can be easily overlooked, misdiagnosed, and most unfortunately often left untreated. The symptoms associated with SDB can include mouth breathing, loud snoring and fatigue can point to serious underlying health issues and the need for treatment.
Nitrous Oxide Sedation - Pax LP
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry endorses the use of nitrous oxide therapy as a safe and effective technique to reduce anxiety and decrease pain in children. The gas (a mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen) is administered by inhaling a sweet, pleasant aroma through a nasal mask. Laughing gas is considered a form of “conscious sedation” because patients will still be awake, but they will feel relaxed and, in some cases, drowsy. Your child will be able to breathe normally and respond to verbal cues from our dentists.
Emergency Care
You are probably aware that things can go wrong at the most inconvenient moments. Dental emergencies sometimes come from out of the blue and at other times, what was a preventable circumstance turns into a situation that needs immediate attention. Emergency dentistry is available at Pax Dental just for those moments.
Orthodontics - Pax LP
While there is no exact age for children to begin orthodontic treatment, the American Association of Orthodontists recommends visiting the orthodontist around age seven. By this age, most children have a mix of baby teeth and adult teeth, making it easier for the orthodontist to diagnose and correct tooth and jaw problems sooner and without surgery.
Preventative Care
Preventative pediatric dentistry aims to keep your child’s teeth free from plaque buildup, gum disease and tooth decay before any serious treatments are needed. By preventing problems from ever happening, you are protecting your child in a way that has positive effects throughout his or her whole body. Poor oral health can lead to other complications in your child’s body.
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy
The position of a child's tongue while swallowing, speaking, and resting can be an important indication of their health. Abnormal tongue positions can be successfully treated and corrected with myofunctional therapy, a specialized training process that ensures a future of good health for a child struggling. See our here for more information and how to schedule an appointment with Pax Dental MYO Therapist.
Tooth Extractions - Pax LP
There’s nothing like the excitement of watching your child lose their first tooth; and it helps that most baby teeth come out on their own. But occasionally, baby teeth need a little help to move things along. When teeth are badly decayed or damaged, or when baby teeth start to crowd adult teeth coming in, it may be necessary to consider having your child’s teeth extracted. Getting a tooth pulled may cause a little anxiety, but in most cases, the procedure is straightforward and less involved than a tooth extraction in adults.
Infant Oral Care - Pax LP
Your child should be seen by a dentist before he or she is 2 years old. After that, he or she should have regular healthy teeth check-ups to make sure the teeth stay healthy. If you have any questions, be sure to contact us to schedule an appointment with our dentist or dental hygienist. We are here to help you at all stages of your child's life.
What to expect your first visit.
You will be greeting by our awesome patient experience coordinator as soon as you walk in! As you check in your child, we have a spot just for them in our Kids Korner. There they will find 3 interactive gaming screens, where they can color a giraffe or design silly faces. Take a look at our facility before you even walk in here.
It is recommended that you bring your child in for their first dental appointment around their first birthday or as soon as their first tooth erupts; whichever comes first.
If you are bringing in an infant or a young child, one of our dentists will inspect their gums and primary teeth to ensure their teeth are healthy and erupting properly.
If you have an older child who already has most or all of their permanent teeth, we will perform a cleaning and oral exam. X-rays may also be taken to get a better picture of your child’s oral health.
During your child’s appointment, we’ll answer all of your questions and provide any information you need about your little one and their dental health.
Pediatric Dentistry
Just as pediatricians specialize in health care for children, pediatric dentistry refers to children's dental care. Sometimes called pedodontics, pediatric dentistry starts even before a child's first teeth appear. Your child's dentist can assess oral health and ensure that new teeth grow normally. Early dental visits also teach children about proper oral hygiene from a young age and foster good dental habits. Kids who learn early that dental visits are neither painful nor unpleasant generally grow into adults who feel comfortable with regular dental upkeep.
What Does Pediatric Dentistry Entail?
Children's teeth are markedly different from the set of teeth they will have as adults. The smaller, softer deciduous teeth, also called milk teeth or baby teeth, that erupt in the first few years of a child's life have thread-like roots. These delicate roots facilitate their eventual loss when permanent teeth grow to replace them. However, shallow roots also make early tooth loss a concern. While a tooth that will soon be lost may not need replacement, a tooth lost to a sports injury or fall may need a crown or bridgework to maintain proper tooth spacing and bite health.
Baby teeth can also get cavities, and like cavities in adult teeth, they can be painful. Cavities in baby teeth are frequently associated with corresponding decay in permanent teeth, so it is still important to keep a child's mouth free of decay and to fill any cavities even if those teeth will eventually disappear. Children who visit the dentist at early ages are likelier to develop good brushing habits that can forestall future cavities.
Pediatric dentists also deal with issues unique to children's teeth. Baby bottle tooth decay is fairly common and should be addressed early. Thumb-sucking and pacifiers can affect a child's bite. Your child's dentist can monitor growing teeth and ensure that permanent teeth are growing in well. If necessary, the dentist can also recommend an orthodontist who can correct crooked or gapped teeth soon after the permanent teeth appear. Brushing and flossing instructions, fluoride treatments and baby tooth removal are other tasks a pediatric dentist might do.
How Do Children's Teeth Develop?
Children have smaller jaws and fewer teeth than they will have as adults. When they are young, kids have a maximum of 20 teeth. Tooth growth begins at the front with incisors, the flat teeth that comprise the most visible part of the smile, and continues toward the round molars toward the back of the jaw. The first permanent molars erupt behind the baby molars without displacing them at around 6 years old. Another full set of four molars comes in six years later, and at 18, the wisdom teeth erupt for the full adult complement of 32 teeth.
Although most babies are born without teeth, some have one or more teeth already peeking from their gums at birth. Children get their teeth at widely varying times, but the following list is an approximate indication of when a child's baby teeth generally appear.
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Central front teeth at 6 to 12 months
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Lateral front teeth at 9 to 13 months
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Canine teeth at 16 months to 2 years
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First and second molars at 1 to 3 years
When Should a Child See a Dentist?
Most pediatric dentists recommend bringing a child in for an initial visit before one year of age. Even children without teeth should have their oral health assessed. Babies are prone to conditions such as thrush and may develop gum infections before teeth erupt. Like adults, children should see the dentist every six months. The schedule is especially important to maintain for kids whose teeth are in a state of flux as baby teeth disappear and adult teeth erupt. Regular visits also allow your dentist to assess how well the permanent teeth are growing in and recommend steps for a healthier bite. Take your child to the dentist sooner in the event of an injury or tooth pain. Although their roots are smaller, baby teeth still have nerves and can be quite painful or sensitive if damaged. A dentist can also encourage a stubborn milk tooth to leave the gums and make room for a new permanent tooth.
The Importance of Pediatric Dentistry
Despite the temporary nature of your child's teeth, pediatric dentistry is as important as dental visits for adults. Keeping milk teeth healthy and intact for as long as possible serves a variety of purposes:
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Saving space for permanent teeth
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Facilitating normal speech development
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Contributing to proper nutrition
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Giving permanent teeth a healthier start