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Pediatric Dentistry

Central St. Louis, MO

Central St. Louis, MO Pediatric Dentistry

One of a parent's many jobs is to take care of your child's oral health. But with your full-time job, the hectic lives of your children, and all your other needs and priorities, it can be difficult to find a way to fit it in your life. Start by scheduling a simple biannual pediatric dentistry appointment with John Martin Dental and Associates. Pediatric dentistry helps growing Central St. Louis, MO children of all ages with all dental needs they have as they develop.

John Martin Dental is the top Central St. Louis, MO pediatric dentistry provider. We are a family dental center, equipped to be by your family's side for all your dental needs for many years to come. We pride ourselves not only in our high quality dentistry, but also in providing a welcoming, pleasant experience for all ages. You and your children will leave our office smiling. Call us today at (314) 739-1222 for our Maryland Heights location or (573) 764-2425 for our Gerald location to schedule a Central St. Louis, MO pediatric dentistry appointment for your child.




Pediatric Dentistry : When and Why

Providing your child with proper dental care from a young age sets them up for success. Early oral health education, treatment, and routines help your young child with a foundation for strong and healthy teeth and gums that will positively impact their oral health throughout the rest of their life. As soon as a child gets their first tooth, the principles of oral health and pediatric dentistry should be introduced. Dentists highly recommend that each child should begin seeing a dentist by the time they are a year old.

But how important is pediatric dentistry? After all, we start the first few years of our life with baby teeth, which aren't permanent. We realize that we have to take good care of our permanent teeth, but why is Central St. Louis, MO pediatric dentistry necessary? First, pediatric dentistry is for a large age range. Patients range from less than one year to eighteen years old, and sometimes continue into adulthood. Additionally, healthy baby teeth are a necessary foundation for strong, well-aligned permanent teeth. Lastly, a child still relies on their baby teeth for years, usually working with a combination of adult and baby teeth up until the early teenage years. To avoid pain and discomfort and to be able to bite, chew, and speak effectively, these teeth need to be well-taken care of.



The Role of Pediatric Dentistry

Pediatric dentistry is used for all the oral health needs of developing individuals in Central St. Louis, MO - including routine teeth cleaning, x-rays, and special and emergency procedures. All children should at least see the dentist every six months for regular pediatric dentistry appointments. However, in many cases your dentist may detect the need for additional pediatric dentistry services. Central St. Louis, MO pediatric dentists see a host of issues, the most common of which include delayed teething, malocclusion or misaligned teeth, dental caries and tooth decay, and ongoing thumb-sucking.

A child has unique needs from their dental care team, both physiologically and emotionally. Many young people get nervous or aggitated when going to the dentist, and can be easily upset by the pain they feel and the intimidating tools they see and hear. Pediatric dentistry not only requires the dentist to have an understanding of the needs of a developing mouth, but also possess a skill for keeping children calm, distracted, and comfortable and motivating them to follow dental hygiene instructions. Anyone with a child knows it can be challenging to get them to sit through an uncomfortable experience, so it is vital that your dentist is able to successfully communicate with your child and build a rapport between them.



Pediatric Dentistry Treatments

Some of the most common treatments conducted in pediatric dentistry are:

  • Topical Flouride: Flouride is great for in preventing cavities and decay, and strengthening tooth enamel
  • Dental Sealants: Sealants are painless and relatively simple to apply, and works to block food and other unwanted particles from entering the crevices of a tooth. Sealants can be used to shield a child's molars from infection and cavity.
  • Root Canal Therapy: Root canals are used when there is inflammation, infection, or nerve damage to prevent additional damage. The removal of pulp and damaged nerve tissue from within a damaged tooth relieves pain, prevents the formation of abscesses, and can prevent problems like maloclussion from developing.
  • Bonding: Bonding is used for both general and cosmetic dentistry. A resin material similar in appearance to a natural tooth is shaped, applied, and hardened. It is a swift and simple way to protect an exposed root, and is perfect for hiding minor chips, cracks, and gaps to give your child a perfect smile.
  • Fillings: Sometimes cavities happen even when we take the best possible care of our smile. Young people are more suseptible to tooth decay, plaque, and cavities because they generally eat more sugary, sticky foods and may not be as strict in their oral hygiene routine as adults are.
  • Emergency Dental: Children are active, and they are likely to encounter their share of accidents on some scale. If you have a dentist for your Central St. Louis, MO pediatric dentistry needs, there is no question about who to call when your kid trips on the playground and chips their tooth, or cracks a tooth playing ball. John Martin Dental provides excellent emergency dental services for patients of all ages.
  • Othrodontic & Other Treatments: As your child grows, they may need things like mouth guards, space maintainers, or braces to assist in the alignment of their teeth and jaw. As they get older, they will likely need wisdom teeth removal. Your pediatric dentistry clinic, John Martin Dental, can provide all these services and will work with your child throughout the stages of their dental needs.
  • John Martin Dental provides quality dental procedures from pediatric dentistry to many our other services. As your Central St. Louis, MO pediatric dentistry team, we are committed to educating both parents and children, helping children form good oral hygiene habits, tracking their oral development, keeping families abreast of their child's dental needs, and supplying dental hygiene products developed specifically for kids, like soft-bristle toothbrushes that are bright and colorful.


    Pediatric Dentistry Services Near Me | John Martin Dental & Associates



    Dr. John Martin and his skilled associates are committed to serving children in Central St. Louis, MO all of their dental needs. With us, a visit to the dentist is a positive experience that your child won't dread. It brings us joy to work with our pediatric dentistry patients over the years and see them grow and develop into strong adults with a beautiful, healthy set of teeth. Your children deserve the skilled dental work and stress-free experience that we provide at John Martin Dental & Associates. Reach out to us online or call the office nearest you to get your child's pediatric dentistry plan on track right away.