Downey Park Family Dentistry is excited to announce that our offices are reopen to serve our community. We are taking additional special measures to ensure the health and safety of our patients and team, and appreciate your understanding that things will look and function a bit differently in our office for the time being.
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You've probably been nagging your child since the first tooth emerged about the importance of brushing two times a day. And, now that most of their adult teeth are out and they are fully capable teenagers, you can trust them to be serious about their oral health. But, the truth is that a lot of teens don't always brush their teeth two times a day. Maybe they were late to school in the morning and rushed through the door without brushing or maybe they were up all night playing their favorite game and forgot about brushing. Whatever the reason, you should always talk to your child about the importance of their oral health and how it can impact their overall well-being. You should also schedule regular visits for some dental care in Modesto. Call us today at (209) 343-5300.
From their first tooth, until they turn into adults, at First Smile's Children's Dentistry, you will find the comprehensive dental care that a set of growing grins need.
Most of us know very well that being a teenager can be quite hard. This is when children become the most aware of their appearance and any issue can affect their self-esteem. Crooked or uneven teeth can be such a problem that can affect not only how they look, but their speech too as well as the proper function of their mouth.
Braces or Invisalign are usually the best courses of treatment when it comes to crooked teeth.
This last set of molars can cause a lot of problems for your teen. The eruption of wisdom teeth is usually painful and can cause complications if there isn't enough room on the jaw and the molar starts pushing the other teeth to emerge. If your teen complains of discomfort or pain, then it may be good to schedule an appointment with First Smile's Children's Dentistry as a tooth extraction may be necessary.
The teen years are a period of rebellion, pushing the limits, and taking on risks. It's not unusual for teens to experiment with smoking during this time. Help your teen understand that smoking comes with serious dental issues too, such as dry mouth, bad breath, stained teeth, and even numbness of the taste buds if the habit is continued excessively. Young people who smoke are also more prone to gum disease and tooth loss.
The best ways to prevent oral diseases are :
Sedation options keep restless children calm while receiving dental treatment.
While it’s not exactly cosmetic dentistry, orthodontic treatments like Invisalign and braces help improve both your child’s appearance and their oral health. Many parents choose to get orthodontic treatment for their kids in order to set them up for a lifetime of healthy, beautiful smiles.
Teeth whitening may also be an option for some teenagers. If your teen has stains on their teeth, they can restore the natural brightness of their enamel with teeth whitening. However, this is only an option once your child’s teeth have fully developed, which usually happens by the age of 14.
Finally, teenagers can sometimes qualify for veneers if they have a misshapen or discolored tooth. However, to get veneers, your teen must usually be at least 16 years old. This is because veneers should not be applied until your teen’s mouth has stopped growing.
If you’re interested in learning more about cosmetic dentistry for teenagers, we recommend scheduling them for an appointment with Dr. Chris Ha. As an experienced children’s dentist in Modesto, he can examine your teen and help you explore their options for a brighter, more appealing smile.
The wisdom teeth are the third set of molars that grow into our mouths. The biggest thing that sets wisdom teeth apart from the other teeth is how long it takes for them to erupt. The wisdom teeth grow in much later than all of the other teeth. Most teens will have all of their other teeth by the age of about 13. But the wisdom teeth usually erupt sometime between the ages of 16 and 25.
If your teen’s wisdom teeth start to grow in and they're healthy, there’s no need to remove them. Some people have enough space in their mouths to accommodate a third set of molars. If this is the case for your teen, they can keep their wisdom teeth without any issues.
But because they erupt a lot later than the other teeth, wisdom teeth can often cause oral health problems. They may fail to erupt properly or even grow sideways due to a lack of space in your teen’s mouth. If this is the case, your teen’s wisdom teeth may need to be extracted to protect their oral health.
If your teen is getting their wisdom teeth and you think that they may need to have them extracted, you can schedule a consultation with Dr. Ha. He can examine their mouth and determine if wisdom tooth extractions are truly necessary for your teenager.
If your teenager has crooked teeth, uneven teeth, or issues with their bite, they may be a good candidate for braces or Invisalign. Orthodontic treatment is very common for teenagers. This is because, by the age of 13, most kids have all of their adult teeth, but their mouths are still growing. This makes it easier to change the position of their teeth and jaws with orthodontic treatments like braces or Invisalign.
However, not all kids need orthodontic treatment with Invisalign or braces. To find out if your child is a good candidate for orthodontics in Modesto, we recommend scheduling an orthodontic consultation with Dr. Ha and the team at First Smiles Children’s Dentistry.
All the 20 baby teeth will fall out before your child becomes an adult.
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