Preventive dental care at Kids Tooth Team is essential for protecting your child’s oral health. With regular appointments at our office, you can ensure that your child’s mouth is healthy and is developing properly. You can also avoid cavities and other common childhood dental health issues, which saves you both time and money. Schedule an appointment for your little one at Kids Tooth Team today! We have three office locations in Buda, TX, South Austin, TX, and Kyle!
Teeth cleanings and oral exams are some of the most important parts of preventive dentistry at our office. Your child will come in and see one of our team members for a cleaning and check up at least every six months. We’ll clean away plaque and tartar from your child’s teeth, then one of our specialty trained dentists will perform a comprehensive exam to make sure that their teeth, tongue, and gums are strong and healthy.
This oral exam also includes an essential head and neck cancer screening and any necessary x-rays that are needed to diagnose cavities or possible infections. The doctor will discuss her findings with you and let you know if your child might need any additional dental treatment, and all safe and reasonable options to do so.
If your child plays sports, a customized sports mouthguard is essential for protecting their oral health. We can create a cushioned, custom-fitted guard that will protect their teeth. Athletes are 60x more likely to experience dental trauma (especially on their front teeth!) when not wearing a mouth guard, so protect your child’s dental health at Kids Tooth Team!
Dental sealants are an ideal method for preventing cavities. Our team will apply a thin layer of plastic resin to your child’s tooth after it’s cleaned, then harden this resin with a UV light. The transparent plastic creates a strong barrier that prevents contact with oral bacteria and acid. If maintained and taken care of, a sealant can prevent cavity formation for up to 10 years!
A “dental home” is the office where your child will receive most of their dental care throughout their childhood. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends establishing your child’s dental home by age 1. There are a few key benefits to establishing a dental home:
Coming to Kids Tooth Team regularly ensures that we can keep an eye on your child’s teeth and jaw bones as they grow, so we can identify any potential oral development or orthodontic problems early. It also allows us to reinforce great nutrition and oral hygiene habits to your child. This allows us to provide your child with a better overall level of dental care.
You and your children will get to know our doctors and the staff at Kids Tooth Team. The process of going to the dentist will seem more familiar, which will help prevent dental anxiety. A dental home also helps provide guidance on every stage of dental development and growth so that you always know what to expect for your child’s oral health.
Your child will be able to learn everything they need to know to adopt great oral care habits, and keep their smile healthy for the rest of their life. In addition to having a friendly dental family to see for your regular check ups and cleanings, it is important to establish a dental home in case of a dental emergency. Should your child experience dental trauma after hours, having the ability to call your “dental home” for immediate treatment is essential, as many dental emergencies are time-sensitive.
We offer both traditional fluoride treatments as well as a newer fluoride option, called silver diamine fluoride (SDF), that helps stop cavities in their tracks. Silver diamine fluoride is a minimally invasive treatment option that is painted onto cavities to help prevent their growth and in some cases, reverse the cavity process. This is a great option for young or uncooperative children who cannot tolerate other options to repair their cavity.
Routine fluoride treatments consist of a fluoride-rich varnish or foam that one of our doctors will apply to your child’s teeth after their cleaning appointment. This fluoride helps attract minerals to your child’s teeth, strengthening them and even reversing the first stage of tooth decay. These fluoride treatments can be applied every six months to help maintain healthy teeth and prevent cavities from forming.
SDF uses a special blend of silver, fluoride, ammonia, and water, which is applied directly to a cavity to halt its progression. SDF is used as an alternative or interim treatment to fillings for baby (and occasionally adult) teeth. It may be a good option if you don’t think a filling is right for your child, or if your child can’t safely tolerate a filling due to age or cooperation.
The liquid does permanently stain the tooth black, but in some cases it can be combined with a white filling to minimize the appearance, and we can always remove the staining at a later date when your child can tolerate more advanced treatment.