Pediatric Dentist Boulder & Lafayette, CO
Here at Boulder County Smiles, we are proud to be a family establishment. You can make us your one-stop shop for the entire family, kids included.
Our comfortable and personal approach to pediatric dentistry is great for children, and we’re happy to help in any way we can. We not only provide regular teeth cleanings and dental checkups, but orthodontics for kids as well.
When Should My Child Start Seeing a Dentist?
There are two principal reasons to make sure children get comprehensive dental care as early as possible: prevention and protection. For general dentistry visits, we recommend that children come in at the age of 3 or when they get their first tooth.
The Benefits of Regular Visits
Prevention and protection go a long way in maintaining a child’s oral health. When you take your child to the dentist they can experience benefits such as:
- Growing more comfortable with the dental office
- Sedation dentistry for anxious children
- Early detection, which leads to less invasive treatments
- Getting to know the dentist and office
Having a space where they feel comfortable is essential to maintaining oral health throughout the years. At Boulder County Smiles we seek to offer an inviting space for kids, teens, and adults.
Oral Hygiene for Kids
Dental Prevention
As soon as a child has teeth, they are susceptible to dental issues, making dentistry for children a necessary—and rewarding—aspect of health care. These dental issues can stem from bottles, pacifiers, chewing on toys, or simply jaw shape and natural tooth positioning. Seeing a kid’s dentist regularly is just as necessary as adult checkups.
Dental Protection
Children’s teeth collect plaque bacteria just as well as adult teeth, and they can develop cavities even more easily due to thinner layers of enamel. It’s easy to think this doesn’t matter so very much because baby teeth will be replaced by adult teeth anyway. However, there are a few things to consider. The first of which is that baby teeth often don’t finish falling out until age twelve or so. Twelve years is a long time to live with cavities or damaged teeth.
Orthodontics for Kids
When it comes to braces for kids, you might be wondering why we should bother with braces or retainers on teeth that will be replaced later anyway.
The answer has to do with the old adage that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Children’s teeth and jaws are still developing, which makes them more flexible and able to receive treatment effectively. This is especially true if the treatments happen between the ages of six and thirteen.
Preventative Orthodontics
As kids dentists, we can track their tooth growth and movement from a young age, and we try to spot problem areas before they actually become problems. Then we can use orthodontic treatments to make small and easy adjustments now that will prevent major adjustments later.
The second consideration is that the baby teeth actually prepare the way for the healthy growth of adult teeth. Their positioning, spacing, and relative health directly affect what the adult teeth will look like when they come in. Regular dental checkups, as well as preventative orthodontics for kids, protect the health of both the baby teeth and the adult ones.
Options For Children’s Orthodontics
Now, having a young child in braces may not seem ideal. Maybe you are worried about the braces getting broken or being uncomfortable for a young child. While that may be what we recommend for older children, we also utilize aligners and retainers to slightly adjust teeth while they are still growing.
We have orthodontic options for every child.
When to Take My Child for an Orthodontic Visit?
The American Association of Orthodontics recommends that a child comes in for their first visit around the age of 7. You can take a child to visit an orthodontist earlier if you notice:
- Jaw clicking or pain
- Severe gaps in a smile
- Teeth growing in crooked
- A crowded smile
A crowded smile or crooked teeth may present as teeth growing in front of other teeth. While helping your child brush their teeth be on the lookout for signs that they might need orthodontic assistance.
Talk to Us About Dentistry for Children
Boulder County Smiles is a great pediatric dentist for your kids.
Dr. Gordon West and Dr. Andrew Johns, along with their expert staff, provide trustworthy children’s dentistry services to patients who come to see them from across the Boulder area, including Lafayette, Boulder, and Broomfield, CO.
Talk to us today about our various pediatric dentistry services, including orthodontics and braces for kids. We’ll be happy to answer any questions and to schedule an appointment.