Fluoride application & Dental Sealants
Topical Fluoride
Topical fluoride is a preventive agent applied to tooth enamel. Fluoride inhibits loss of minerals from tooth enamel and encourages remineralization, which can strengthen areas that are weakened and beginning to develop cavities. Fluoride also affects bacteria that cause cavities and discourages acid attacks that break down the tooth.
The procedure requires placing gels or foams in trays that are held against the teeth for up to 4 minutes. Fluoride varnish is brushed or “painted” on the enamel. Varnish is especially useful for young patients and those with special needs who may not tolerate fluoride trays.
Teeth Sealants ( PIT & FISSURE SEALANT)
Even if your child brushes and flosses carefully, it is difficult to clean the tiny grooves and pits on certain teeth. Food and bacteria build up in these crevices, placing your child in danger of tooth decay. Sealants “seal out” food and plaque, thus reducing the risk of decay.
Sealants protect the grooved and pitted surfaces of the teeth, especially the chewing surfaces of the back teeth where most cavities in children are found. Made of clear or shaded plastic, sealants are applied to the teeth to help keep them cavity-free.
The application of sealants is quick and comfortable. It only takes one visit. The tooth is first cleaned. It is then conditioned and dried. The sealant is then flowed onto the grooves of the tooth and allowed to harden, or hardened with a special light. Your child will be able to eat right after the appointment. A routine dental visits to check the sealants and re-application or repair recommended when necessary.
Appliance to correct Oral Habits
It is recommended to see your pediatric dentist sooner if any of these dental health risk factors exist:
- Sleeping with a cup or bottle
- Thumb sucking,
- Tongue Thursting,
- Mouth Breathing
THUMB SUCKING APPLIANCE
Thumb sucking
usually involves placing the thumb into the mouth and rhythmically repeating sucking contact for a prolonged duration. It can also be accomplished with any organ within reach (such as other fingers and toes) and is considered to be soothing and therapeutic for the person. As a child develops the habit, it will usually develop a “favorite” finger to suck on. Thumb sucking generally stops by the age of 4 years. Some older children will retain the habit, which can cause severe dental problems.
While most dentists would recommend breaking the habit as early as possible, it has been shown that as long as the habit is broken before the onset of permanent teeth, at around 5 years old, the damage is reversible Thumb sucking is sometimes retained into adulthood and may be due to simply habit continuation.
TONGUE THRUSTING APPLIANCE
It is a habit that involves pushing the tongue forward between the lower and upper front teeth while swallowing. The proper way of swallowing is by pushing the tip of the tongue against the gum on top of the back of the upper front teeth instead of between the lower and upper teeth.
It is an dysfunctional muscle pattern in which the tongue protrudes anteriorly or laterally during swallowing, during speech, and while the tongue is at rest. Nearly all infants exhibit a swallowing pattern involving tongue protrusion, but by six months of age most lose this reflex allowing for the ingestion of solid foods. Many school-age children have tongue thrust. For example, according to recent literature, as many as 67–95 percent of children 5–8 years old exhibit tongue thrust, which may be associated with or contributing to an orthodontic or speech problem. Up to the age of four, there is a possibility that the child will outgrow tongue thrust. However, if the tongue thrust swallowing pattern is retained beyond that age, it may be strengthened.
MOUTH BREATHING APPLIANCE
Mouth breathing
is breathing through the mouth rather than the nose. Human infants are sometimes considered obligate nasal breathers, but generally speaking healthy humans may breathe through their nose, their mouth, or both. During rest, breathing through the nose is common for most individuals. Breathing through both nose and mouth during exercise is also normal, a behavioral adaptation to increase air intake and hence supply more oxygen to the muscles. Mouth breathing may be called abnormal when an individual breathes through the mouth even during rest. e. However, in about 85% of cases, mouth breathing represents an involuntary, subconscious adaptation to reduced openness of the nasal airway, and mouth breathing is a requirement simply in order to get enough air. Chronic mouth breathing in children may affect dental and facial growth. It may also cause gingivitis (inflamed gums) and halitosis (bad breath), especially upon waking if mouth breathing occurs during sleep.
Scaling and Polishing
The key to healthy teeth and gums is keeping plaque and food decay from building up in your child’s mouth. Plaque and food decay attract harmful bacteria that cause cavities, gum disease, and persistent bad breath.
When your child is ready to use fluoridated toothpaste, use only a small pea-size amount on the toothbrush. Swallowing too much fluoridated toothpaste can lead to staining of children’s teeth (dental fluorosis).
Dental cleaning involve removing plaque (soft, sticky bacteria infected film) and calculus (calcified plaque, white hard deposit) that have built up on the teeth over time.
Accumulation of bacteria will lead to deposition of hard calculus, in which both your gum and bone will be in danger. Calulus tend to push the gum and bone down, therefore slight tooth mobility will occur, Bad mouth odor and yellowish color of your teeth.
The purpose of cleaning and polishing is basically to leave the teeth surface clean and smooth so that the bacteria will not be able to stick to your teeth, keeping you gum line and bone level intact.
Procedure
- A vibrating instrument is used to dislodge the large Pisces of calculus as it spray a cooling mist of water to wash the debris out.
- A low-speed hand-piece with rubber cup is used along with prophylactic paste to smooth the rough or sharp areas on your teeth.
- Every six months a full mouth scaling and polishing is highly recommended.
A mouth guard is used by athletes of all ages to protect teeth from trauma during competitive and individual sporting activities Mouth guards are individually designed and created by taking a high-quality impression of the mouth in order to create a model. A mouth guard made of special material is then molded over the model to create a custom, accurate fit.
The inside of a tooth is filled with soft tissue known as the pulp. The pulp contains the nerves, blood vessels, connective tissues, and other cells needed to maintain a healthy tooth. Cavities or tooth trauma may damage the pulp. Pulp therapy aims to repair the damage and preserve any healthy pulp, so that your child’s primary tooth remains intact until it naturally falls out. Pulp therapy is required to remove damaged pulp and restore the function of the tooth. There are two types of pulp therapy in pediatric dentistry: pulpotomy and pulpectomy.
Pulpotomy
A pulpotomy removes the portion of the pulp that is damaged or infected, and provides relief to the remaining pulp. After the damaged pulp is removed, the crown portion of the remaining tooth is cleaned and filled with a special medicated filling. A restorative crown is then placed on the tooth to protect it from further damage.
Pulpectomy
In cases of severe decay, trauma, or pulp infection, the entire pulp structure may need to be removed. A pulpectomy, commonly referred to as “baby root canal therapy,” will remove all pulp tissue and then clean the crown and root structure of the tooth. The cleaned structure is then filled with a therapeutic filling material. A restorative crown is then placed on the tooth to protect it from further damage.
If a baby tooth is lost too soon, the teeth beside it may tilt or drift into the empty space. Teeth in the other jaw may move up or down to fill the gap. When adjacent teeth shift into the empty space, they create a lack of space in the jaw for the permanent teeth. Therefore, permanent teeth are crowded and come in crooked. If left untreated, the condition may require extensive orthodontic treatment.
A space maintainer is given to prevent future space loss and dental problems. Space maintainers are appliances made of metal or plastic that are custom fit to your child’s mouth. They are small and unobtrusive in appearance. Most children easily adjust to them after the first few days.
Restorative dentistry in pediatric dentistry typically comprises two procedures: fillings and crowns. Both procedures aim to repair damage to the tooth’s surface, or enamel, and restore the function and esthetics of your child’s teeth.
Fillings
A filling repairs and restores the surface of a tooth that has been damaged by decay, fracture, or wear. A dental filling strengthens the tooth. If tooth decay is not repaired at its early stages, it will worsen and additional or alternative dental treatments may be necessary.
With proper care and routine oral hygiene, a filling has a lifespan of 5-12 years, depending upon the type of filling material used.
A dental crown restores a a tooth that is worn, decayed, cracked, or broken and protect and support a tooth after a very large filling or pulp therapy.
Crown Types
1. Stainless Steel
2. Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal
3. Zirconia Ceramic
The Procedure Involves
1. Apply a local anesthetic to prepare your child’s tooth.
2. Use a hand-held instrument to prepare the tooth by removing the decayed or damaged tooth surface.
3. Cleanse the prepared tooth to remove debris and bacteria
4. Isolate the tooth using a small, protective sheet called a “dental dam” to keep it clean and free of saliva during the procedure.
5. Fit and bond your child’s crown.
Regarding Dental Emergencies
As a parent, it is not always easy to determine when a child needs immediate attention. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us and call us at Dr. Khullar Dental clinic.
Pain
Dental pain can range from minor gum irritations to severe tooth infections. As a general rule, pain needs to be addressed quickly if it happens spontaneously, keeps your child awake at night, or doesn’t respond to pain relievers.
Knocked-Out PERMANENT Tooth
- Handle the tooth by the crown, not by the root.
- Briefly rinse the tooth with water to remove dirt.
- DO NOT clean the tooth with soap or handle it unnecessarily.
- Inspect the tooth for fractures. If it appears whole, try to reinsert it into the socket. The tooth should displace the blood clot relatively easy.
- If excessive force is needed, do not continue to reinsert the tooth.
- Have your child bite on gauze to hold the tooth in place.
- If you cannot reinsert the tooth, transport the tooth in a cup containing MILK or your child’s SALIVA.
- Time is a critical factor in determining the long-term outcome for the tooth. So You have to rush to your family dentist in first 6 hrs.
Knocked-Out PRIMARY (Baby) Tooth
- DO NOT try to reinsert the tooth.
- You may apply cold compresses to injured areas to help control swelling and bleeding.
- Baby teeth are not reinserted because of the potential for damage to developing permanent tooth buds. Usually this type of injury does not need immediate follow-up.
- Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions, or if your child sustained other injuries.
Chipped or Fractured PERMANENT
Tooth
- Rinse the mouth with water and apply cold compresses to reduce swelling.
- Locate any broken tooth fragments, place them in milk, and bring them with you to the dentist.
- Contact us as soon as possible.
- Not all fractured permanent teeth need immediate attention; however, the outcome for a tooth with a complicated fracture can significantly improve with prompt treatment.
- Chipped or Fractured PRIMARY (Baby) Tooth:
- Small fractures of primary teeth are very common.
- This is particularly true when children are learning to walk.
Severe Blow to the Head or Broken Jaw
If your child loses consciousness or experiences vomiting contact the nearest hospital emergency.
Regular dental check up is required to check the proper eruption & alignment of teeth. Sometimes primary teeth was not shed at time and permanent teeth is erupting over primary teeth, resulting in improper alignment of permanent teeth. So, routine visits after every 4 months is mandatory during eruption phase of permanent teeth. During these visits, we check the eruption sequence of primary and permanent teeth. If permanent teeth are erupting and primary teeth are not shedding then we can plan the serial
extraction of primary teeth so, permanent teeth will erupt at its appropriate position. We can also check the growth pattern of upper and lower jaw. If there is discrepancy in growth of upper and lower jaw, then we can improve the jaw growth pattern with the help of orthodontic treatment and appliances which is possible only upto growth phase of individual. So Dr. Khullar Dental Clinic is the place where you can trust and book your appointment.
No Cut. No Drill. No Fear.
Dr. Khullar’s Dental Clinic offers Zolar, the breakthrough in laser dentistry that promises the most comfortable and pain-free experience without cuts/incision, drills or needles. Zolar is a safe and gentle alternative to traditional dental tools. Using laser, Zolar can perform many procedures without a shot or a drill. Finally, going to the dentist in fun again!
Dr. Khullar’s Dental Clinic in Mohali has advanced technology and we are trained in laser dentistry – this is amazing for children as it is – wait for it – pain free.
BENEFITS OF ZOLAR LASER
No Cut/Incision. No drill. No fear.
- No Bleeding.
- Disinfect Wound.
- Exceptional patient comfort.
- Safety and precision.
- Reduced trauma.
- Promotes Healing.
- Fewer dental visits.
- Reduced risk for cross-contamination.
- Great option for older babies and kids.
- Minimal Post Treatment Discomfort.
VERSATILITY
We can perform multiple dental procedures with laser such as :
- De-pigmentation Of Black Gums.
- Oral Ulcer Healing.
- Tongue Tie Correction.
- Disinfection Of Root Canals In Primary & Permanent Teeth.
- De-senstization Of Sensitive Teeth.
- Removal Of Excessive Gum Growth(Gingivectomy)/ Reshape Gums.
- Orthodontic Exposure Of Impacted Canines.
- Exposure Of Implants.
- High Frenum Attachment Correction (FRTNECTOMY).
Teeth Whitening
Lasers are used to speed up in-office teeth whitening procedures. A peroxide bleaching solution, applied to the tooth surface, is ”activated” by laser energy, which speeds up of the whitening process.
Removal Of Tooth decay
Lasers are used to remove decay within a tooth and prepare the surrounding enamel for receipt of the filling. A composite restoration is a tooth-colored filling used to restore decayed teeth. Dental Composites are also used for improvements of the smile, for whitening the shades of the teeth or reshaping disfigured teeth.
Biopsy or lesion removal
Lasers can be used to remove a small piece of tissue (called a biopsy) so that it can be examined for cancer. Lasers are also used to remove lesions in the mouth and relieve the pain of canker sores.
GUMS BLEACHING (Gums De-Pigmentation)
* What is the cost of a gum depigmentation procedure?
The cost of the gum bleaching treatment can vary depending on the degree, depth and location/extent of the discoloration. It is best to book a appointment with us at Dr. Khullar Dental Clinic
* What causes gum pigmentation?
Gum pigmentation is caused by melanin and melanin is a natural substance in our body that we find in freckles, sun spots, age spots. … Unfortunately, some people have an overproduction of melanin in their gums. Discoloration may also be caused by long term use of certain medications.
* How Long Does the Gum De-pigmentation Treatment Last?
One gum depigmentation treatment can last From 6- 20 years or up to a lifetime.
* How Long Does the Treatment Take?
The procedure takes 20-45 minutes depending on the colour and size of the dark patch.
* Is gum bleaching painful?
Laser gum bleaching is a cosmetic procedure to easily remove the brown or black patches that often occur naturally on gum tissue. The treatment is quick, pain-free, and will leave you with healthy, pink gums.
* Why is my gum black around my crown?
* Why There’s a Line Around Your Gum Line
This black line surrounding your gum occurs because light, which can pass through natural teeth, is unable to pass through the crown’s metal, makes the crown’s porcelain fusion look darker, and restricts the amount of light in the root and gum areas.
* How do you get rid of gingival pigmentation?
Depigmentation procedures such as scalpel surgery, gingivectomy with free gingival autografting, electrosurgery, cryosurgery, chemical agents such as 90% phenol and 95% alcohol, abrasion with diamond bur, Nd: YAG laser, semiconductor diode laser, and CO2 laser have been employed for removal of melanin hyperpigmentation.
DENTAL LASER-ONE OF ADVANCE TECHNIQUE FOR GUMS BLEACHING
A dental laser can target and ablate the melanocytes, thus reducing the production of melanin in the gingival tissue. Following laser depigmentation, the gingiva heals by secondary intention. This results in a lighter and more uniform color of the gums.
BENEFITS OF GUM WHITENING
- Fast and quick result
- It improves your appearance along with the general oral health
- The treatment is safe, long-lasting and reliable
- Wear a happy, confident and brighter smile
- Initiates a practice of good oral hygiene
- Avoid the risk of gingivitis
Tongue/lip tie releases (Frenectomy)
may be recommended for several reasons. The most common reason is to provide relief from breastfeeding difficulty. Other reasons for releases might be to improve speech, improve the ability to clean the teeth, to decrease risk for cavities and to relieve muscle tension.
Gingivectomy/Gums Recontouring By Laser
We are professionally trained to perform the latest technology in laser dentistry for children ensuring painless dental procedures.
SDF is a liquid used to stop dental decay from progressing. In some cases, where cavities were historically treated with fillings or crowns, SDF can be used in a non-invasive manner to arrest dental decay. It can also relieve sensitivity. SDF is “painted” on to the cavity with a small brush or flossed in between the teeth if the cavity is in between the teeth. While this is a very conservative way of treating a cavity, it does stain the cavity black (see photos below). For teeth in the back, this is rarely a concern. SDF can be effective in treating certain types of cavities. The dentist will decide on an individual basis if SDF may be an effective option for treating your child’s dental decay.
A Cavity-Fighting Liquid Lets Kids Avoid Dentists’ Drills
Nobody looks forward to having a cavity drilled and filled by a dentist. Now there’s an alternative: an antimicrobial liquid that can be brushed on cavities to stop tooth decay — painlessly.
- The liquid is called silver diamine fluoride, or S.D.F. It’s been used for decades in Japan.
- The Food and Drug Administration cleared silver diamine fluoride for use as a tooth desensitizer for adults 21 and older. But studies show it can halt the progression of cavities and prevent them, and dentists are increasingly using it off-label for those purposes.
- “The upside, the great one, is you don’t need to drill and you don’t need an injection,”
- “It’s less trauma for the kid.”
- The main downside is aesthetic: Silver diamine fluoride blackens the brownish decay on a tooth. That may not matter on a back molar or a baby tooth that will fall out, but some patients are likely to be deterred by the prospect of a dark spot on a visible tooth.
- The noninvasive treatment may be ideal for the indigent, nursing home residents and others who have trouble finding care. And many anxious dental patients want to dodge the drill.
- But the liquid may be especially useful for children. Nearly a quarter of 2- to 5-year-olds have cavities, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Some preschoolers with severe cavities must be treated in a hospital under general anesthesia, even though it may pose risks to the developing brain.
- “People assume that parents will reject it because of poor aesthetics.” But “if it means preventing a child from having to be sedated or having their tooth drilled and filled, there are many parents who choose S.D.F.,”
- Silver diamine fluoride has another advantage over traditional treatment: It kills the bacteria that cause decay. A second treatment applied six to 18 months after the first markedly arrests cavities, studies have shown.
- “S.D.F. reduces the incidence of new caries and progression of current caries by about 80 percent”
- Fillings, by contrast, do not cure an oral infection.
- That’s why some children must have dental treatment under anesthesia twice.
- Still, silver diamine fluoride is no silver bullet. Patients with mouth sores or a silver allergy can’t use it. Severe cavities — huge holes that trap food and plaque — still require fillings.