Pediatric Dentist Miami
Do many people begin their search for the best pediatric dentist near me by asking questions like Where is a good pediatric dentist near me in Miami? Is there a pediatric dentist and orthodontist near me? Is there a pediatric dentist that takes Medicaid? Is there a emergency pediatric dentist near me that accepts medical insurance? What about a pediatric dentist near me that take Medicaid? How can I find a good pediatric dentist near me in Miami FL?
You may wonder if the Miami pediatric dentist you find will be able to meet the needs of your child. Your search for a pediatric dentist in Miami will be for someone who will be not only the best pediatric dentist near me but also an ally in your quest to make sure your child starts off life as healthy as possible.
But why is finding the best pediatric dentist near me or an orthodontic office important? Aren’t most of them pretty much the same? Unfortunately, there’s a huge variability in the quality of a dental office. A single bad dental experience for your child can lead to a lifetime spent resisting and avoiding important orthodontic and dental work, which can decrease their health and quality of life. As the experts say, a visit to the dentist is normal for some children. For others, it can be a terrifying experience (Alsarheed M, 2011).
And a fear of dental treatment is considered a major hindrance to obtaining good quality dental services (Alsarheed M, 2011).It may seem amazing but the truth is that fear is a major motivator for avoiding dental work both in children and adults. Most adults who are terrified of going to the dentist were oftentimes children who themselves were scared of going to the dental office. This is why it’s so important to make sure that you find a great dentist pediatric near me.
That’s why at Ivanov Orthodontic Experts Miami, you will find:
- A happy place that makes kids feel welcome.
- A staff that is dedicated to making sure your child has a good experience and that you don’t feel stress, either.
A pediatric dentist is your perfect partner in your child’s dental care and overall good health
A pediatric dentist is someone who your child is going to be able to appreciate and not be afraid of. But what sorts of aspects should you be looking for in this pediatric office? One of the first things that you need to do is to make sure that this dentist actually has the skills.
While a general dentist may be willing to see a child patient, the fact of the matter is that a pediatric dental office will be much better poised to help meet any of your child’s needs. This is because dental and orthodontic offices that have a pediatric certification mean that the dentist actually went to school and got additional accreditation for issues that might come up when working with children’s teeth.
Because there are some specific differences between adult teeth and children’s teeth, having an individual with this additional level of certification will help make sure that they have the important classroom experience and practical skills to be able to work with your child.
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Ways to pay for a pediatric dentist Miami that won’t break the bank
One big worry that parents have is how to pay for dental care for their children. An emergency pediatric dentist near me that accepts medical insurance is a place to start. Many dental insurance plans will provide full coverage for dependent kids on your plan. This includes everything from periodic cleanings to fillings to orthodontic care. If you are not sure if your dental plan offers coverage, you can ask your plan administrator or your benefits office at work.
Another way to pay for pediatric dental care is to find an emergency pediatric dentist near me with Medicaid. In many states, this means your child can get full coverage up to age 18 for whatever care they need. A lot of states realized that giving kids the dental care they need when they are young will help set them up for great health their whole life, so they made sure coverage was available.
Finally, you can always ask about payment plans that will give you an opportunity to spread out the cost of your child’s dental care over time. No matter what way you choose to pay for your child’s dental care, you should not let the price keep you from visiting your dentist. Good dental care when your child is young means a better chance of great oral health for life.
And, of course, having an excellent orthodontist or dentist who can help make dental care fun will ensure that your child is relaxed and, in some cases, even enjoying going to the dental office. With some dental offices offering prizes, flavored floss, kid-friendly bubblegum flavored paste, or children’s toothbrushes, it can give your child the experience that going to the dental office is something fun and positive which will help lead them to a lifetime of oral health and orthodontic success.
FAQs
Are dental X-rays safe for children?
This is a question that many parents ask because like with most things, one of the greatest fears is the fear of the unknown. Many people have heard about things like X-ray radiation and the very concept of using radiation conjures up unpleasant images in the heads of most people.
However, just like for adults, dental x-ray radiography is totally safe. Generally extra precautions are taken for children but only as a precautionary measure and not because of any significant increase of risk or harm. X-rays for children are generally not done unless necessary on the recommendation of a dental office. And, even in those cases, utilizing proper shielding and a metal or lead lined apron to help ensure that x-rays do not come in contact with anything except the jaw and teeth will make it safe. High quality dental offices will work to minimize any potential issues that might arise from the safe medical procedure.
When should my child start losing baby teeth?
Baby teeth will not start to fall out until usually around 5 years old. If baby teeth start falling out significantly before this age it could be a sign of a potential dental issue and you should check in with your dental office just to be on the safe side.
Baby teeth will generally continue to fall out between the ages of 5 and 12 although there may be outliers as with all things. Teeth falling out is a perfectly normal part of a child’s development. The losing of teeth can sometimes be unnerving for some children and is of course a good reason why parents and dental offices work especially hard to make sure that losing teeth is something that children know is normal, natural, and even try to make it fun. Some dental offices will give toys or prizes for lost teeth and parents encourage it with stories of the tooth fairy.
How should I look after my child's baby teeth?
This answer will vary, of course, depending on the age of your child. The way that a 5-year-old cares for their teeth will be much closer to the way an adult does. However, the way an individual cares for their children’s initial teeth at about the one year mark will be different as a baby is not self-sufficient enough to brush their own teeth.
In cases like this, it’ll be important for the parent to make sure that cleaning teeth starts as soon as there are teeth to clean. Utilizing a finger brush or a little bit of gauze with damp warm water can be a great way to help clean off those earliest baby teeth that start poking through the gum line.
As children get older, they become more self-sufficient and by about three or four, children ought to be becoming much more proficient at brushing their own teeth the same way adults do. It is important to make sure that you get child-friendly toothpaste as this can help to cut down on any potential risks or harm if a child accidentally swallows toothpaste. Children should not be brushing their own teeth until you can be sure that they will not be swallowing the toothpaste.
How often should children visit the dentist?
The vast majority of dental and orthodontic offices will usually recommend visiting the dentist about every 6 months. By visiting every 6 months this helps your dentist or orthodontic office to have a good idea of the growth and development of your child’s teeth and jaws.
One of the other major reasons for this is because at this stage a lot of things that might become issues later in life will become apparent. Things like crooked teeth, underbites or overbites, or any other number of potential dental issues are most likely to manifest at this earliest stage of a child’s tooth development. By visiting a dental office regularly, you can make sure these issues do not become expensive problems that would have been far easier and cheaper to fix had they been found sooner.
Visiting every 6 months also gets your kid into a habit of visiting a dental office which can also help set them up for a habit of orthodontic and dental success.
When should children get their first teeth?
Generally speaking, most children will get their first teeth around the age of 6 months, although sometimes it can take as long as 12 months. Within this 6 to 12 month spread, you should expect to start seeing the first baby teeth poke their way up through the gum lines. If you are noticing teeth coming in well before or well after this, it would not hurt anything to set up an appointment with your local dental or orthodontic office to get their opinion and make sure that everything is progressing smoothly.
However, there is no need to necessarily be alarmed if your child happens to be an outlier on either end of the bell curve. The fact of the matter is that everybody is an individual and teeth will come in usually when they are supposed to.
Teething can be sometimes a painful process for children as the teeth poke their way through the gum line. By talking with your dental office about ways of comforting your child and making it easier for them is a great way of ensuring that this phase occurs as comfortably for your child as possible.
What happens when my child visits the dentist?
This will depend on what you’re there for. What happens to your child at the dental office will vary widely depending on the reasons for your visit. However, if this is simply a checkup, especially if it’s the first time checkup, your dental office will probably do a couple of things.
Firstly they may take extensive measurements and molds of the teeth. This will help them to be able to track how the teeth are coming in and developing overtime. This can help an orthodontic or dental office know if there are any issues that they may need to be aware of in the future.
In addition, they may also take an x-ray to be able to get a deeper view of the teeth and the roots to make sure that everything is as it should be. Also likely is of course a tooth cleaning where your dental office will make sure that your children’s teeth are sparkling clean and will usually end with the office giving special children’s toothbrushes, toothpaste, and even flavored flosses designed to help encourage children to brush and floss regularly.
Should I attend my child's dental visit?
That would largely depend upon both your and your child’s comfort levels. If this is the first time your child is coming into a dental office for their initial checkup on the baby teeth coming in at about 1 year old then most parents generally do stay with their infant.
However, if your child is older and is comfortable with you not necessarily being present, then it will really depend upon you and your personal desires. There are not usually hard and fast rules when it comes to whether a parent can be present when a child is having their teeth cleaned or their checkup done.
Ultimately it just comes down to if you and your child are comfortable with it, your dental office will generally be comfortable with it as well. After the checkup is complete, it is important that you are involved as your dentist is likely to have information regarding the development of your children’s teeth and gums as well as give any helpful hints that may assist in making sure your child develops healthy oral habits.
What should I do if my child is agitated at the dentist office?
Some children are frightened by dental offices and can be nervous about being in a new place and seeing new people. Because of this, there are many different ways that dental offices and parents alike can help make sure that a child remains happy, healthy, and calm during this new experience.
One of the ways that offices try their best to make sure this is a welcoming environment for children is to provide toys, games, or magazines that children may enjoy reading or watching to help them relax.
If your child is very agitated, though, it’s important as a parent or guardian that you comfort them in a way that your child best responds to. Sometimes this might be offering to come in and sit with them during the appointment as sometimes having their parental figure available and nearby can help this new experience be less frightening for a child.
Can children visit a general dentist or do they have to visit a pediatric dentist?
There are of course no rules mandating that a child must see any particular dentist. However, it ultimately comes down to what you as a parent feel will be in the best interests of you and your child. While a general dentist will be able to give a checkup and their best recommendations, the fact of the matter is that dental offices that include pediatric certification are far more qualified to help diagnose, monitor, and treat any potential issues that particularly might affect children and developing teeth.
This can be very important as once teeth reach maturity, issues can be far harder and more invasive to fix then if issues were noticed when the child’s teeth were still developing. This is one of the reasons why dental offices often tout their pediatric credentialing as there is a significant amount of literature, research, and education that goes into being able to diagnose and treat oral issues that are more specific to children that your general dentists simply are not certified on or aware of.