Our Services

Along with the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, we recommend that your child visit the dentist by his/her first birthday. At their first dental visit, we will ensure that the eruption status of their teeth is on track, evaluate for complete dental health, answer any questions you may have, and initiate a comfortable dental home for your child!

Routine exams are recommended biannually, or every six months in order to ensure optimal dental health. Radiographs are often indicated in order for your dentist to provide a thorough, proper exam. Without properly prescribed radiographs, your dentist cannot see between the contacting teeth to rule out cavities. A panoramic radiograph may be prescribed in order to evaluate the growth and development of your child’s teeth and to rule out any abnormalities.

Clean, healthy teeth start with you! Proper brushing 2-3x daily, flossing at home, and at times mouth-rinse is recommended to ensure proper dental and gingival health. However, calculus and heavy plaque or tartar cannot be removed at home with simply your toothbrush, but require a more thorough cleaning by a professional. We recommend biannual cleanings (every six months), unless otherwise specified by your dentist. This will keep your smile sparkling and as beautiful as you are!

Our pediatric dentists and staff are specialized and trained to work with patients of all backgrounds, including patients with special needs. We provide both chairside dentistry, oral sedation, and IV sedation. We have a holistic approach and your child’s happiness, comfort and safety is our first priority. Please let us know of any concerns you may have prior to seating your child.

One of the most important parts of pediatric dentistry is preventing cavities from starting! Sealants are one of the easiest and simplest ways to prevent decay. Sealants protect the outer surface of a tooth, most commonly a molar, from food/plaque buildup, thus preventing bacteria from invading healthy tooth structure. Sealant placement is painless, and is brushed directly on top of the tooth, bonding into the grooves and fissures of teeth.

Fluoride is a natural mineral that strengthens tooth structure both topically (on top of the existing teeth) and systemically (affecting developing teeth). By strengthening enamel, your teeth will be more resistant to acid produced by bacteria and thus, more resistant to decay. Fluoride also helps to re-mineralize tooth structure in the very beginning of the cavity process. Your dentist may prescribe a toothpaste with a higher fluoride part per million fluoridated toothpaste if they determine the cavity process. Fluoride should not be consumed in large quantities and should not be swallowed, as it is not meant to ingest. Please ask your dentist should you have any questions regarding fluoride and its safety.

Lip ties and tongue ties are an up and coming field in the art of pediatric dentistry. At your child’s routine check-up, we will perform a thorough examination and obtain a detailed history of your child to determine if a frenectomy is necessary. A frenectomy or release of tissue may be recommended in a newborn with difficulty latching or breastfeeding, a child with speech difficulties, or for orthodontic reasons. We do not perform frenectomies without an appropriate consultation from an outside pediatrician, speech therapist, lactation specialist, or other trained practitioner. At our practice, we perform frenectomies with a CO2 laser. Please ask your pediatric dentist if you have any concerns about your child’s lip or tongue tie.

In the event of an emergency, we know your mind may be racing. The most important thing to remember is to remain calm. If a baby tooth falls out, it should not be placed back into the gums as this can cause problems for the adult tooth underneath. If an adult tooth falls out, please call the office immediately. If an adult tooth is out of the mouth due to trauma, it is best that you see your pediatric dentist immediately to ensure the best prognosis for your child’s tooth.

In the event of an emergency, remember: if the tooth is broken or fell out, place the broken pieces/tooth in milk. If possible, do not touch the root of the tooth, only hold the crown. If your child has a high fever, excessive bleeding, large swelling of the face, eye, or otherwise, please consider this an emergency and visit your nearest emergency room. If you perceive something as a life-threatening emergency, please call 911. If you have any questions, remember, we are always here to help. A doctor is on call 24/7 for emergency situations, just call our office at 954-581-7883.

Crooked teeth, a “small mouth”, delayed teeth eruption, and over-spacing are just a few of the most common concerns we hear from our patients. We provide a thorough evaluation of growth, development, and occlusion or “bite” at every check-up. Not every child needs orthodontics, but if indicated, we may recommend that your child see an orthodontist, or a specialist in alignment and crowding of the teeth to aid in transforming your child’s beautiful smile. We have a wonderful in office orthodontic team. Dr. Lisa Slingbaum and Dr. Jamie Zupnik are trusted orthodontists who are both stellar additions to our PDO team.

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A white filling may be recommended after a cavity is discovered on your child’s tooth. We have state of the art materials that your pediatric dentist will select based on your child’s unique situation. These fillings are esthetically pleasing and allow your child to eat right away, after the numbness wears off.

A baby root canal, or “pulpotomy,” or “pulpectomy” may be recommended to save your child’s tooth. If a cavity is deep and near the nerve of the tooth, the bacteria has invaded the pulpal chamber or “nerve” of the tooth. Once the nerve is contaminated, the nerve must be cleaned out. If the top of a nerve needs to be cleaned, this is called a pulpotomy. If the complete nerve inside a tooth’s roots must be cleaned, this is a pulpectomy. Often this is diagnosed by looking at a radiograph, but the dentist will make a definitive decision once they start cleaning out the cavity.

A crown may be recommended for your child’s tooth if there is very little tooth structure remaining after all of the decay is cleaned out. In order to prevent further breakage or fracture of the tooth, a crown will cover all surfaces to improve strength of what remains. A crown may also be recommended if a baby root canal has been completed, or if a tooth is hypersensitive. Stainless steel crowns or “silver caps” are the gold standard in pediatric dentistry. While we offer white zirconia crowns, these are only offered on a case by case basis. Please talk to your dentist about what is best for your child.

Extraction of your child’s tooth may be recommended for several reasons. Some of these reasons include: a deeply decayed tooth with little tooth structure remaining, severe crowding, orthodontic reasons, and if infection or pain is present. We help make this procedure as comfortable as possible and provide many techniques to help ease you and your child’s anxieties including chairside distraction (both by story-telling and IPADs in every treatment room), nitrous oxide, and if necessary, other sedation techniques.

Silver Diamine Fluoride is a liquid that helps to prevent cavities from growing larger. This medicine is made of silver, water, fluoride, and ammonia and has been used by dentists since the 1940s. While SDF does stain a cavity black, this medicine can be a more comfortable alternative for your child than traditional dental methods such as fillings and crowns. SDF is only used in certain situations and your pediatric dentist will inform you if SDF is right for your child.

Prolonged habits past the recommended age like thumbsucking, nailbiting, tongue thrusting, can be aided with the use of special appliances designed by a lab and customized to your child’s mouth. If your child has any habit you are concerned with, please discuss with your dentist

If a baby tooth is lost early due to decay, crowding, trauma, or otherwise, a space maintainer may be recommended to hold the current teeth in place and prevent shifting of neighboring teeth into the empty space. This will hold the space for the incoming adult tooth and prevent further crowding.

At PDO, we understand the importance of a happy, bright, beautiful smile. Our pediatric dentists are skilled in esthetic and cosmetic dentistry during both routine and emergency situations. Additionally, at PDO, we have the most trusted whitening techniques for both generalized yellow staining due to plaque buildup, and the newest techniques for clearing up specific areas or discolorations on your child’s teeth. Please inform us of any concerns you may have so we can properly direct you towards the smile of your dreams.

Nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, is occasionally recommended to help provide a comfortable treatment visit for your child. Nitrous oxide alleviates anxiety while still remaining safe and effective for your child. Nitrous oxide is a gas inhaled through a mask placed on your child’s nose, alternating oxygen and nitrogen levels in your child’s body while leaving them with a happy, calm, and sometimes “giggly” feeling. Your child will not be asleep while using nitrous oxide. At the end of the appointment, your child will be placed on 100% oxygen for several minutes to ensure they feel back to their beautiful selves before leaving the office. Note* Not every child requires nitrous oxide, and there are certain contraindications to using nitrous oxide. Please discuss your child’s medical history with your pediatric dentist thoroughly before your child participates in nitrous oxide. Your child should have a very light meal before nitrous oxide.

Our office provides both oral conscious sedation and IV sedation.

Oral conscious sedation: if your child is undergoing oral conscious sedation, the dentist will provide a liquid medicine for your child to drink. The dosage of medicine is decided based on several factors, including your child’s weight. This type of sedation is not meant to put your child fully to sleep. Your child will be awake during this procedure, but may feel slightly loopy or disoriented. You will be expected to monitor your child for the rest of the day, and your child is not to go to school after this appointment.

IV Sedation is performed by a dental anesthesiologist. This type of sedation will put your child fully to sleep. A consultation and discussion will be set up with the anesthesiologist prior to scheduling this appointment. Please Note: Sedation is not taken lightly and a thorough, honest medical history must be provided at the time of consultation for the safety of your child. A medical clearance may be necessary prior to treatment. Please remember, your child is NOT to eat for a specified period of time (often at least eight to ten hours, or as we say, “the night before the procedure”) prior to administration of either oral sedation or IV sedation. Your pediatric dentist will provide specific instructions that are of utmost importance to follow. If your child is sick for 4-6 weeks prior to sedation (including runny nose, fever, congestion, mucus production), please inform your pediatric dentist. Should your child demonstrate signs of affected health, or should they eat or drink something the morning of an oral conscious sedation or IV sedation appointment, the appointment will be cancelled and rescheduled for your child’s safety.