Pediatric Dental Care in Bay City, MI

Regular exams are important for maintaining a healthy mouth. Exams are an important part of preventive care for patients of all ages, and especially for infants whose teeth are just starting to erupt. We recommend that children visit our office approximately every six months. These check-ups allow us to detect early signs of potential problems and treat those problems as conservatively as possible.

In addition to exams, preventive care for children also involves fluoride treatments and dental sealants. Fluoride adds strength to the enamel, protecting it against acid from plaque and sugars. Our Bay City dental team places sealants on molars shortly after they erupt. Sealants prevent food particles and other destructive material from getting stuck in the grooves of teeth, helping protect against decay. Dr. Picard will evaluate the grooves of your child's teeth and determine if any additional teeth would benefit from sealants. Remember, daily brushing and flossing are still very important for preventing decay!

At our office, we use composite (tooth-colored) material in our fillings. Tooth-colored fillings are smaller than traditional silver fillings, meaning there is less prep work and we are able to leave more of the healthy tooth structure in place.

Note that we no longer place silver (amalgam) fillings at Tri City Kids. Some health insurance companies only reimburse for these silver fillings, so we recommend that you check with your insurance company regarding your individual benefits.

We use space maintainers to hold space for a permanent tooth when a primary tooth has been lost early. If space maintainers are not used, teeth on either side of the missing tooth can move into the empty space and prevent the permanent tooth from erupting properly.

We place stainless steel silver-colored crowns to restore a tooth when a large portion of that tooth has been lost due to decay or fracture. The crown covers the entire visible portion of the tooth and provides strength, allowing the tooth to sustain normal biting forces.

Pulp treatment, or a "puloptomy," is performed when decay has reached the nerve of a tooth. In a pulpotomy, we remove pulp tissue that may have been exposed to bacteria in hopes of saving the tooth and preventing it from becoming abscessed. First, the decay is removed. Next, the top portion of the nerve is removed and a special medicine is applied to sterilize the area, help soothe the tooth, and seal the remaining exposed nerve. Finally, we place a stainless steel crown to cover the remaining tooth structure and provide strength.

If your child is having tooth pain from cavities, clean the tooth and gently floss out food debris, then rinse with warm salt water. Do not use Orajel on gums because this can cause more pain. If the pain continues, we recommend Children’s Motrin or Tylenol. Make an appointment to see Bay City dentist Dr. Picard as soon as possible.

Rinse the mouth with warm water and try to find the fragment, if possible. Call our office for a same-day appointment, and bring any tooth fragment you are able to find with you to your child’s appointment.

Swelling of the face or cheeks could be a sign of a medical emergency. Notify our office immediately. If your child has difficulty breathing, or the swelling approaches the eyes, call 911 or go to the emergency room.

If a cut or bitten cheek, lip, or tongue is causing bleeding, clean the area with water and apply a cold compress. If the cut is severe, it may need stitches, and the best place to receive this care if at an urgent care facility or emergency room. Our pediatric dentist in Bay City can often handle smaller cuts, so call our office.

If your child loses a primary tooth, it should not be replaced so as not to damage the permanent tooth. Make sure your child did not swallow or aspirate the tooth, and then rinse the mouth with warm water. Have your child bite down on a washcloth or paper towel. Call our office, and we will schedule an appointment to evaluate the healing process.

A knocked out permanent tooth is a dental emergency and you should call our office right away. Rinse the crown quickly with water and saline, holding the tooth by the crown, and then replace it in the socket as soon as possible. Your child should keep the tooth in place by biting down on a cloth or paper towel. If you cannot replace the tooth, place it in a cup of cold milk and bring it with you to our office. Bay City pediatric dentist Dr. Picard will see your child the same day for the best chance at saving and replacing the tooth.