It may seem weird to take your toddler to the dentist, but regardless of how many teeth they do or do not have, these visits have great value. After all, oral health issues that are …
4 Benefits of Invisalign Over Traditional Braces
Did you know that orthodontics and the practice of straightening teeth have been around for hundreds of years? While the goal may have remained much the same, the tools and techniques for achieving it have …
How Often Should a Child Go to the Dentist?
Regular dental care is important for children’s oral health, similar to yearly well-child visits to your pediatrician. Teeth cleanings maintain the health of the teeth and mouth, and oral evaluations are important for early detection …
What To Do If You Have A Dental Emergency?
You can never plan for a dental emergency — they always seem to happen when you least expect it. What you can do, however, is be prepared for when one comes your way. With busy, …
How Long Does Invisalign Take to Straighten Your Teeth?
Teens and adults alike are turning to Invisalign to address their orthodontic needs. It should be no surprise since these clear aligners straighten teeth and align bites without restricting any freedoms. But do they work …
St. James St. Patrick’s Day Parade 2024
One of the most anticipated events of the year, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade is coming soon to St. James, New York. On March 9, 2024 at 1:00 PM the streets will come alive with …
Why Choose a Pediatric Dentist vs a Family Dentist
Proper dental care is extremely important for a child’s overall health and well-being. Choosing a dentist with experience working with children can help minimize the child’s anxiety and promote a better overall outcome. Both pediatric …
What Is Considered A Dental Emergency?
It does not matter how well your child cares for their oral health and how often you keep up with routine appointments — dental emergencies can happen. As a parent, knowing what to do when …
Could I Be a Candidate for Invisalign?
Invisalign is a highly sought-after orthodontic treatment that allows you to gain a beautiful, straight smile with the help of clear, removable aligners. Are you a candidate for Invisalign? How Invisalign Works Invisalign uses clear …
How Do You Explain Cavities To A Child?
As adults, we understand what cavities are — and we know how much we don’t want them. For kids, this isn’t so easy. It is hard for them to understand what a cavity is and …
What Do You Do For Cavity Pain For A Child?
Parenthood comes with challenges – especially when your little one is hurting and you aren’t sure what to do about it. What do you do when your child has a toothache? Cavity pain can become …
How Do You Remove a Kid’s Cavity?
It doesn’t matter how well you think your child brushes and flosses at home, cavities can happen in both baby teeth and permanent teeth. A cavity can be painful and disruptive to your child and …
Should You Fill a Child’s Baby Tooth Cavity?
Teeth are strong and durable – and can chew through many things. But they aren’t invincible. Tooth decay is powerful enough to eat through the enamel causing a cavity. If this happens to your child, …
What Causes Cavities In Kids?
Many children are prone to tooth decay or cavities caused by plaque. Plaque is a substance that forms when saliva, food, and bacteria create a film that sticks to the teeth. The bacteria in plaque …
What Should You Expect If Your Kid Has A Cavity?
Tooth decay is common in children, though it is largely preventable. If your child develops a cavity, you may have questions about how the doctor will treat it using restorative dentistry techniques. This article will …
How Often Do Kids Need Fluoride Treatment?
Fluoride treatment is essential for protecting children from tooth decay. Most dentists recommend that children receive fluoride treatments in the office two to four times a year, depending on their risk of developing cavities. Fluoride …
How Do You Clean Your Invisalign Retainers & Tray?
One of the great features of Invisalign alignment trays, and eventually your retainer, is how easy they are to maintain. You primarily care for your trays and retainer as you care for your teeth – …
How Can I Tell If My Child Has A Cavity?
Cavities are very common in children. However, if a cavity is left untreated, it can lead to serious and painful oral health conditions including gum disease or dental abscess. That’s why it is crucial that …
What is in the Dental Sealants Used for Children’s Teeth?
The road to a perfect smile starts at a young age, and while your child is growing up it’s important to pay attention to their oral hygiene. Good dental habits, such as maintaining a balanced …
How Does Invisalign Work?
Traditional metal braces are one of the best ways to straighten out teeth and help your child grow up to have a perfect smile. However, the brackets make it difficult to brush and eat, and …
What Does The Start Of A Cavity Look Like In A Child’s Tooth?
Unfortunately, many children are prone to cavities. Cavities can be caused by inadequate home care, an unhealthy diet, or genetic predisposition, among other reasons. In a child’s tooth, the beginning of a cavity may look …
At What Age Should a Child Get Their First Dental X-Ray?
Dental X-rays or radiographs are valuable diagnostic tools that allow practitioners to see inside a tooth and detect cavities and other problems. Children should receive their first dental X-rays at about two or three or …
How Much Does a Palate Expander Cost in Suffolk County, NY?
If your child needs a palate expander, also known as a palatal expander device (PED), the oral appliance will cost a few thousand dollars. If you have dental insurance, they may cover part or all …
When Is It Safe To Give A Child Their First Dental X-Ray?
The American Association of Pediatric Dentists (AAPD) do not have a specific age recommendation for when children get their first dental X-rays. This is because no two children are the same. Instead, the AAPD recommends …
What Should You Feed Your Child After Getting a Tooth Extraction?
Getting a tooth extracted can be an intimidating experience for both the child and the child’s parents. But this common, safe procedure can be made less frightening if you have a plan in place for …
Can A Child Swim After Getting a Tooth Extraction?
The American Association of Pediatric Dentists recommends that children avoid physical exercise and exertion on the day of a tooth extraction. To that end, children should not go swimming after having a tooth removed. Read …
Are Dental Sealants Safe For Children?
When it comes to maintaining your child’s oral hygiene, nothing beats the best practices. Regular and through brushing, a healthy diet, flossing, and mouthwash are all vital in helping your child develop lifelong oral health. …
How Do You Protect Your Kid’s Teeth From Cavities?
Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) show that nearly 30% of children will develop cavities (also called caries) by their 5th birthday. By age 11, more than half of children will have at …
How Often Should Kids Get Dental X-Rays? | New York
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) suggests that children should receive x-rays every few years if they are at average or low risk for tooth decay and orthodontic problems. However, the AAPD stops short …
How Long Do Kids Need Fluoride?
Most parents know that children need fluoride for strong teeth, but the guidelines for how long children should use it and in what form may be confusing. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that …
Does Invisalign Hurt?
More comfortable than traditional metal braces, Invisalign uses pressure rather than pulling as an orthodontic treatment to align your teeth correctly. Invisalign relies on clear aligners to position teeth. Your aligners are custom shaped from …
How to Prepare Your Child for a Tooth Extraction
Having a tooth extracted can be scary – especially for kids. If your child needs to have a tooth removed, you want to do everything you can to make it as easy as possible. How …
Should Kids Get Fluoride Treatments?
Fluoride treatments are a great way to help your child’s teeth stay healthy and strong. In fact, it’s been shown that fluoride treatments can prevent more than 90% of cavities from forming in children. Fluoride …
Is Fluoride Necessary For Kids?
Regular dental check-ups are important for adults and children. The sooner kids receive dental checkups, the better. Early checkups mean healthier oral hygiene throughout a child’s life. Why are they important? Early check ups can: …
Can You Eat With Invisalign?
If you’re currently undergoing Invisalign treatment or thinking about it, you’re probably curious about how to care for the aligners properly. Eating and drinking with Invisalign is a common concern. Unlike traditional braces that are …
Common Problems with Braces & How to Fix Them
Braces help to straighten your teeth and correct a misaligned bite. You know that after wearing your braces for the recommended time, you’ll have a smile you can feel confident about. The trouble is, that …
My Child Knocked Out a Tooth! Now What?
Every year, millions of people lose a tooth due to an injury or accident. If your child gets a tooth knocked out while they’re playing, it can be a scary moment. But, don’t panic. Acting …
How Much Does Invisalign Cost in Suffolk County, NY?
If you’re considering orthodontic treatment, Invisalign can be an excellent option. Invisalign consists of a series of clear aligners made to gently correct alignment issues. Read on to learn more about Invisalign and how much …
How Do You Get a Kid Used to a Palate Expander?
Palate expanders can be a little intimidating for kids and parents. But don’t worry – most kids adapt very quickly. Here’s information to help you get your child off to a great start. Know …
What is a Palatal Expander?
If you’ve been told by your pediatric dentist or orthodontist that your child needs a palatal expander, or a palate expander device, don’t panic. Palatal expanders are very common, orthodontic devices designed to enlarge the …
How Much Do Braces Cost for a Child in Suffolk County, NY?
Many parents want to know how much they can expect braces to cost for their child, but the answer to this question is complicated! You can’t exactly call around for prices and then pick the …
How Long Do You Have to Wear a Retainer?
When you get your braces off, you might think you’re done with your orthodontic treatment, but you’re actually about to embark on the next phase of your journey: maintaining your results for a lifetime! For …
What Age Should a Child Get Braces?
Children who need braces should get them when notified by their dentist or orthodontist that it’s time to begin orthodontic treatment. To monitor the progression of your child’s smile, it’s recommended that they see an …
How Long Does Invisalign Take?
If you’re an adult or teen patient thinking about getting Invisalign to straighten your teeth, you probably have a lot of questions about what you can expect from treatment, and especially about how long it …
What is a Dental Space Maintainer?
If your child has a gap in their smile, we may recommend that they get a dental space maintainer. If you’ve never heard of this dental appliance before, you’re not alone! Many parents wonder what …
What Age Should a Child Go To the Dentist?
When you ask friends and family when you should start taking your child to the dentist, you’ll likely get a wide range of responses. Even some dentists and pediatricians are divided on the subject! Fortunately, …
Getting Braces: What You Should Know
If you’ve decided to get braces for your child—or maybe even for yourself!—you likely have a lot of questions about the process. Is it uncomfortable? Will the results last? And, most importantly, how are you …
Tongue Thrust Appliance: What It Is and How It Works
Tongue thrust is a common issue in children, and it’s actually not uncommon in adults either! The tongue should rest on the roof of the mouth, but children with tongue thrusting habits press the tongue …
What to Expect at a Pediatric Orthodontics Appointment
If your child needs braces or early orthodontic treatment, you’re probably wondering what you can expect during their orthodontics appointments. Here’s what you need to know. Pediatric Orthodontic Consultation Orthodontic treatment begins with a consultation. …
How Do You Clean a Retainer?
Plaque and bacteria accumulate on retainers the same way they do on the surfaces of your teeth, so it’s important to keep them clean. While retainers themselves can’t get cavities, the bacteria they harbor can …
Baby Pacifiers: What You Need to Know
There are many controversial topics in parenting and pacifiers rank among the most heated, right up there with baby formula and screen time. The root of the debate seems to be the belief that pacifiers …
What You Need to Know About Pediatric Dental Care
There was a time when the prevailing attitude about pediatric dentistry was that there was no need to bring children to the dentist unless they had cavities. Even then, some people would argue that because …
What to Expect at Your Child’s First Dental Visit
Do kids really need to see the dentist by the time they turn one? It’s a common question that many parents have and the answer is an emphatic yes! The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry …
What You Should Know About Retainers After Braces
It’s the day you’ve been waiting for—you’re getting your braces off! You may think that your orthodontic treatment ends as soon as that last bracket is removed, but saying good-bye to braces (or aligners) just …
Thumb Sucking: Is It Normal?
When you went for your 20-week ultrasound and saw that image of your baby on the screen sucking her thumb, it was adorable. When she was born and put herself to sleep effortlessly by sucking …
Delayed Tooth Eruption: What You Should Know
Teething. It can be a difficult time for babies and parents. Your baby was sleeping through the night, but suddenly they are waking up multiple times during the night and fussing. You may not realize …
How To Brush Teeth With Braces
Good oral hygiene is more important than ever when you have braces. While the purpose of the braces is to straighten teeth, they also put you at a higher risk for tooth decay. It is …
Can You Get Braces Just on Your Bottom Teeth?
Getting braces on only your bottom teeth is referred to as one-arch or single-arch orthodontic treatment. On the surface, it may seem like a great way to cut your orthodontic expenses in half, but the …
Starting Your Child on the Road to Dental Health
When you help your child establish good oral hygiene practices, those habits last a lifetime. Children who take pride in caring for their teeth and view going to the dentist as a positive experience have …
All of Your Questions Answered on Your Child Losing Baby Teeth!
It seems like it was just yesterday that weeks of drooling and gumming everything in sight gave way to your child’s first two teeth poking their way through the gums. Those tiny little baby teeth …
How to Calm Children’s Dental Fears
As pediatric dentists, we understand that kids are afraid of dental visits. We expect it, we’re trained in handling it, and we’ve seen even the most fearful patients warm up to us after a visit …