Bright & Healthy Smiles For Life
Our dentists understand that children may feel apprehensive about visiting the dentist. We want to help our young patients feel at ease during each appointment so they feel comfortable with all aspects of oral hygiene.
Good life-long oral health starts in early childhood. Children who have positive early experiences with dental care have less anxiety about visiting the dentist as adults, and are therefore better equipped to maintain good dental health as they grow up.
At Kanaka Creek Family Dental in Maple Ridge, it's our mission to provide your kids with compassionate, gentle dental care to set them up with healthy smiles for life!
Invisalign First® for Early Orthodontic Intervention
As your child's primary teeth and jaw develop, they may experience some degree of imperfections with the alignment of their teeth. Invisalign first is designed to help support the natural development of their smiles to hopefully correct any issues before they become larger concerns.
When should children first visit the dentist?
Ideally, you should bring your child in to see the dentist for the first time around the age of one, or when you see the first tooth erupt.
You may not need to come in again after that until all the baby teeth have erupted, but this early visit will allow your dentist to monitor your child's development right from the beginning.
What to expect at my child's dental appointment?
Children's dental appointments have many of the same features as adults' appointments do.
Your child will have a standard dental checkup and professional cleaning, and the dentist will review proper brushing and flossing techniques with your child as well (and with you, if your child is not yet old enough to understand).
In addition though, the dentist will pay special attention to your child's developing primary and permanent teeth, as well as the jaws and gums, to make sure that no dental issues or misalignments are developing.
Children may also require special treatments for their unique dental health needs, including fluoride treatment, dental sealants, and early orthodontic intervention. Read on below to learn more about our dental services for kids.
Services for Children
We offer a wide variety of services tailored to meet the dental health care needs of children to help keep their growing smiles as healthy as possible.
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Cleanings & Checkups
Regular professional dental cleanings and checkups are just as important for kids as they are for adults. Your child should visit the dentist at least every six months for a cleaning and checkup in order to prevent problems from developing, and catch existing problems before they become serious.
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Healthy Baby Teeth
Baby teeth are an important factor in healthy oral development. Healthy baby teeth allow children to chew and digest their food properly, and they help guide the permanent teeth into the correct positions as they grow. Regular dental appointments when your child's baby and adult teeth are developing ensure that your child's mouth is growing as it should be.
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Fluoride Treatment
Fluoride is a mineral that helps strengthen tooth enamel and prevent dental decay. We offer fluoride treatment in various forms for children to help keep their teeth stronger and more resistant to dental decay as they grow.
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Dental Sealants
Molar and premolars often have deep fissures in them that are difficult for children to clean with regular brushing. Dental sealants are plastic coatings we can apply to the chewing surface of these teeth to protect them from decay. Sealants essentially seal off the tooth fissures so that bacteria and plaque cannot collect inside them.
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Early Orthodontics
During each appointment, the dentist will monitor your child's developing smile for signs of early tooth or jaw misalignments. If the dentist can catch a problem early enough, early orthodontic intervention can be implemented to prevent it from getting worse. This can help prevent or lessen the need for more invasive orthodontic treatment when your child is older.
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Space Maintainers
A space maintainer is a custom-made dental appliance, usually made of acrylic or metal material. It can be either removable or cemented in a child's mouth. When a baby tooth falls out too early, a spaces maintainer keeps the space open to allow the permanent tooth to erupt into the correct position.
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Oral Hygiene Guidance
The dentist or hygienist will regularly review proper at-home oral hygiene routines with children to make sure they understand exactly how to take good care of their teeth. This will include brushing and flossing instruction, dietary advice, and suggestions for supplementary hygiene aids.
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Invisalign First
Invisalign First is an innovative solution to abnormal growth and development for your child's teeth and jaw. With this early orthodontic intervention, we aim to help your child achieve straighter teeth, a well-aligned jaw and ensure they have a proper arch in the roof of their mouth. All of these can help ensure that your child can eat, speak and breath effectively.