Our dentists at Willoughby Smiles Dental in Langley provide dental care for children of all ages, from infancy through adolescence. We offer a wide variety of services to bring out the best in your child’s smile!

Building a Good Foundation for a Lifetime of Smiles

Maintaining dental health during childhood provides long-lasting wellness into adulthood – pediatric dentistry also helps your child’s baby teeth perform some very important jobs. 

Also known as primary teeth, baby teeth are actually quite important. Baby teeth help permanent teeth emerge, or erupt, in the right spot on your child’s jaw. They do this by holding the space open. 

In fact, the baby teeth and adult teeth interact in a way you might not expect. Have you ever noticed that a baby tooth has almost no roots when it comes out? That’s because the top (crown) of the permanent tooth pushes against the roots of the primary tooth; the pressure causes the tooth’s roots to disintegrate, which makes it easier for the baby tooth to come out. The process also ensures that the adult tooth takes the right place on the jaw.

For about the first six years of your child’s life, their baby teeth do all the work of biting, chewing, and speaking. Between the ages of 6 and 12, your child’s primary teeth will fall out and be replaced with permanent teeth.

Losing a baby tooth too early can cause problems. If your child loses a primary tooth before the permanent tooth is ready to erupt, the baby tooth next to the missing tooth can drift into the space left behind. This can prevent the permanent teeth beneath the missing tooth and the drifting tooth from coming up through the gum correctly. Drifting teeth can also stop other baby teeth from falling out, cause crowding, and even damage permanent teeth.

Regular trips to your pediatric dentist will help ensure that your child’s baby teeth stay healthy and are lost when it’s time. Your child’s dentist will also help improve the health of your child’s adult teeth as they replace the primary teeth. 

Your Child’s First Teeth

The first of your child’s baby teeth will likely appear when your baby is between 6 and 9 months old. Sometimes, though, primary teeth erupt as early as 3 months or as late as 12 months. 

By the time they are 3 years old, your child will have 20 baby teeth, of 3 main types:

Incisors – the four frontmost teeth on the upper and lower jaws

Canines – the slightly pointed teeth on each side of the incisors; also known as “eyeteeth” 

Molars – the large, flat teeth at the back of the mouth

The two lower front teeth, or central incisors, usually come in first; the two lower central incisors erupt next, followed by the molars and canines. 

Teething can be uncomfortable for babies. You may ease your child’s discomfort by wiping their gums and newly-erupted teeth with a damp washcloth or gauze pad soaked in water. 

Establishing a daily brushing routine is one of the best things you can do to give your child a healthy and appealing smile for a lifetime. Our children’s dentist in Langley encourages you to start your child’s daily brushing routine when they are about 2 years old. Begin with a small, soft-bristled toothbrush and a tiny smear of fluoridated toothpaste. Start by brushing their teeth for them, and then gradually have them take over as you supervise until they are age 6 or so. 

Your child's first dental appointment

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that all children see a dentist before their first birthday or within 6 months of their first tooth, whichever comes first. During a child’s first visit, the dentist looks for signs of cavities and other dental problems. Cavities, also known as dental caries, are the most common and preventable childhood disease. Early childhood caries can develop quickly to reach the inner tissue of the tooth in less than 6 months. 

Our Dentist at Willoughby Smiles Dental in Langley Provides Child-Friendly Dental Care

Our dentists at Willoughby Smiles Dental in Langly perform a number of dental treatments that help prevent tooth decay in children, and to save or repair teeth. 

Topical fluoride

Fluoride makes teeth harder and more resistant to cavities. While some toothpastes and drinking water contain small amounts of fluoride, topical fluoride applied by a pediatric dentist can provide maximum protection against tooth decay.

Dental sealants

Your child’s dentist can apply a plastic coating that seals chewing surfaces to prevent cavities. 

Dental bonding

Chipped and fractured teeth can happen, especially among children. Pediatric dentists can repair chips and minor fractures with tooth-colored bonding materials. 

Healthy smile habits

The habits children develop in their early years often continue throughout childhood. Our dental office in Langley focuses on help children learn how to take care of their smiles.

Prophylaxis (teeth cleaning)

We offer teeth cleaning at every 6-month checkup. This thorough, yet gentle cleaning helps prevent tooth caries and promotes good oral health. 

Tooth-colored fillings

Even with regular cleanings and good oral hygiene, tooth decay can happen – and when they do, pediatric dentists can use a tooth-colored resin to fill in the cavities. 

Tooth extractions

Tooth extractions are a last resort, but are sometimes necessary when a tooth is too decayed, diseased or traumatized to treat, or when a tooth interferes with normal development of a child’s mouth

Dental emergencies

Dental emergencies include:

• Knocked out teeth
• Loose tooth
• Chipped, cracked or fractured tooth
• Injuries to the lip, tongue, or cheek
• Suspected broken jaw
• Toothache

Orthodontic evaluation

Straight teeth are important for a great smile, but they are also essential for clear speech and eating. A pediatric dentist looks for signs that a child needs orthodontic tooth straightening. 

Child-friendly sedation

We offer nitrous oxide sedation to help patients feel relaxed and at ease during especially long or complicated treatments. 

Restorative treatment

Pediatric restorative dentistry helps improve the appearance, function, and health of a child’s smile after tooth loss or damage to a tooth. 

For more information, consult with your pediatric dentist in Langley.