Dr. Amy agrees with the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry's recommendation that children be seen by a dentist when their first baby tooth appears but no later than age one.
Baby Teeth Are Important Too!
As soon as your child has a baby tooth, they can develop cavities (caries), and it's crucial that we prevent this from happening. Several problems can occur if they have an untreated cavity and lose the tooth before it's ready to come out on its own.
Neighboring teeth start to drift and tilt, closing the space meant for the permanent tooth when it emerges. Since the tooth doesn't have enough room to emerge in a straight position, it can come in at an odd angle. In turn, this can lead to tooth misalignment that may require orthodontic treatment in the future to correct.
Evaluating Your Child's Risk for Cavities
To prevent this from happening, Dr. Amy will complete a caries risk assessment to determine the likelihood of your child developing cavities. If they are at high risk, we will discuss strategies to minimize the likelihood that we will need to intervene with fillings.
We also use this first visit to answer any questions you may have about your child's dental health, review home care recommendations, and screen for any habits that may adversely affect the development of the jaws.
Schedule Your Child's First Dental Visit with Us
We understand you might feel nervous or apprehensive about bringing your little one to the dentist at an early age. You can rest assured that Dr. Amy loves working with children and will provide the same caring treatment she would for her own child.
Please call our Lincoln, NE, dental office today to schedule a convenient appointment for your child's first dental visit.