A child has a dental exam while also having a book read to her.

Preventative Dentistry

Preventative dentistry for pediatric patients helps keep teeth and children healthy and can help avoid more costly and involved procedures down the road.

We offer:

Early Dental Care
Routine Dental Care
- Sealants,
- Silver Diamine Flouride,
- Dental Prophylaxis (Cleanings),
- Flouride,
- Radiographs (panoramic, bitewing, periapical, and cone beam CT's).

More About Preventative Dentistry

Restorative Dentistry

We all know sometimes things don't go as planned. Especially with kids. When these things happen to their teeth, we are here to help!

We offer:

Laser Dentistry
Trauma/Emergency Dental Care
Primary Teeth Extractions
Composite (white) restorations
Stainless Steel & Zirconia Crowns
Pulpotomy
Sedation Dentistry (conscious sedation, nitrious oxide, and general anethesia)

More about Restorative Dentistry

Our Services

207 Pedatric Dentistry is committed to providing the highest quality dental care that is personalized to our patient needs.

Preventative

Preventative Dentistry: Early & Routine Dental Care

Good Habits are formed young.

We want to keep your child's smile bright and healthy, so continuing care and preventative routine cleanings are important to us. We work to earn your trust as we discuss teeth in connection to diet and nutrition, dental x-rays, preventative measures such as sealants and fluoride, as well as early caries detection and diagnosis.

During a child's routine exam, the dentist will evaluate their teeth, gums, head, and neck to rule out any tooth decay, gum disease, or abnormalities. The dentist will look at your child's jaw growth and tongue positioning to determine any airway obstructions or frenulum restrictions. The dental occlusion and growth and development of your child will be evaluated for any orthodontic needs. Any preventive or restorative procedures needed, such as dental sealants or fillings, will be outlined to ensure your child maintains a healthy smile for years to come.

A young boy smiling at his sister during a dental appointment

What are Dental Sealants?

Dental sealants are a thin, protective coating made from dental materials that cover the deep grooves on the chewing surfaces of teeth, helping to prevent decay. They are a preventative procedure that can reduce the risk of decay by up to 80%.

How are sealants applied to a child's teeth?
Applying sealants to the teeth is a quick and painless procedure. First, the tooth is cleaned to make sure all the food particles and germs are removed from the grooves. Next, a special gel called etch is placed on the chewing surface for a few seconds and then rinsed off with water. The tooth is dried and painted with a thin layer of liquid dental sealant material which sets by shining a special light on the tooth for a few seconds to help harden the sealant. It takes only a few minutes to seal each tooth.

Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF)

SDF is a colorless antibacterial liquid that is applied to teeth with a small brush. It contains silver, which kills germs that can cause tooth decay, as well as fluoride to prevent, slow down, and stop decay. SDF can reduce sensitivity associated with tooth decay. It can be put on teeth as soon as tooth decay is detected and works best on primary (baby) teeth. Applying SDF is a good way to stop the spread of decay without removing tooth structure. This treatment is non-invasive and comfortable for the patient.

Pros: SDF has very low toxicity, it is quick, painless, non-invasive, affordable, and can stop tooth decay and help prevent recurrent decay.

Cons: SDF permanently stains cavities black. SDF does not restore tooth form or function, so large holes that trap food may still eventually require a restoration. SDF requires repeat application for maximum efficacy. SDF can not be used in the presence of infection or decay into the nerve.

Child getting dental cleaning with helper younger sibling

Dental Prophylaxis (Cleaning)

Also referred to as a ‘cleaning’, a dental prophylaxis is the removal of plaque and calculus by instrumentation from one of our experienced Dental Hygienists.

During your child’s visit to 207 Pediatric Dentistry, we’ll:

Remove the calculus which is hardened plaque that clings to the enamel of your teeth and can be removed only by specialized dental instruments.
Get rid of the other sticky plaque formed on the teeth that serves as a breeding ground for living bacteria.
Polish your child’s teeth to remove stains.
Go over instruction of effective oral hygiene with your child.

Our ultimate goal is to make the child and parent feel comfortable during the cleaning. We operate on a TSD (tell, show, do) approach and always take into account the abilities of our patients during the appointment. Our goal is always to provide a positive experience.

Fluoride

Fluoride is a mineral that naturally occurs in many foods and water and aids in the prevention of tooth decay. Fluoride can help to remineralize the outer structure of the tooth (enamel). 207 Pediatric Dentistry recommends a fluoride treatment at every preventative appointment. Fluoride has been recognized as one of the top 10 public health measures by the World Health Organization.

A fluoride treatment is when a dental clinician applies topical fluoride to the teeth, our fluoride treatments are usually performed using a varnish. We simply paint the varnish on your child’s teeth after their dental cleaning. The whole process only takes a few minutes and is completely painless. One of the great benefits of fluoride varnish is that kids can eat most foods immediately after treatment.

Radiographs

A dental X-ray is a valuable diagnostic tool and gives the dentist and hygienist detailed pictures of particular areas in a child's mouth. This can be beneficial for identifying issues that are not obvious during the dental exam itself. X-rays are not usually required at every pediatric dental check-up, and we will discuss the necessity of X-rays depending on a child's age, oral health, and disease risk. The types of X-rays typically taken at a pediatric dental office include Bitewing, Panoramic, Periapical and occasionally Cone Beam CT images.

Panoramic: A panoramic dental X-ray shows all of the structures in your mouth on a single image, including your upper and lower teeth, jaw joints, nerves, sinuses and supporting bone. A panoramic X-ray allows your dentist to get an overview of any existing oral health issues. It also allows the dentist to evaluate a child for any orthodontic needs.
Bitewing: A bitewing X-ray studies the crowns of the upper and lower teeth in one area of the mouth, for instance, the molars and premolars. It can be used to look at cavities or decay between teeth and monitoring previous fillings' wear or breakdown.
Periapical: Periapical X-rays are zoomed in on one or two teeth, and they display the whole tooth from the crown to the root. These X-rays can be used to look for problems with the tooth’s root or the surrounding jaw bone as well as cavities.
Cone Beam CT: A Cone Beam CT image is a state of the art radiograph that allows us to see a defined area in three dimensions. This can be helpful in evaluating trauma, pathology and orthodontics. In some cases, it can also be used to evaluate a patients airway.

Early Dental Care

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend a child’s first dental visit should be scheduled 6 months after their first tooth erupts or by their 1st birthday. 207 Pediatric Dentistry agrees that it is important for your children to get used to the dentist and for you to learn about preventive care for good dental health.

The most important part of this initial visit is getting to know and becoming comfortable with your child’s dental home, the doctor, hygienists, and staff. We recommend showing pictures and videos of the dental office to your child can help familiarize them with the office and eliminate fear of the unknown if it’s the first visit! Dr. Mike and one of our experienced Dental Hygienists will go over your child’s health and dental history, discuss any concerns you may have, provide you with age appropriate oral hygiene instructions, and discuss what to expect and look for during particular development stages. If needed, Dr. Mike will perform an oral exam “knee to knee” so your infant or toddler can remain in your lap where they feel most safe. We will do everything we can to make sure that children feel comfortable and safe while in our care.

boy with Downs Syndrome having his first dentist appointment

Restorative

Restorative Dentistry: We're Here to Help

We're your partner in restoring your child's oral health.

A tooth can get damaged due to trauma or decay, restorative dental care can restore its health, function, and appearance. Our goal is to always retain as much of the original tooth as possible, and remove only the affected portion. This conservative approach is optimal for both oral health and aesthetics.

We offer the following restorative services at our practice:

Composite (White) Restorations

Composite fillings are made with tooth-colored material to blend in with the natural coloration of the rest of your child’s tooth. After removing the area of decay, the composite material is applied to the tooth and hardened.

Pulpotomy

The pulp or inside of the tooth contains nerves and blood vessels, if the pulp becomes damaged or infected, it can cause pain to occur. When this happens, we do what is called a Pulpotomy.

In baby teeth a Pulpotomy involves us removing the decay that extends down to the blood vessels of the tooth. We then remove the top part of the pulp. The empty tooth chamber is then cleaned and filled with a special material and the roots of the tooth resorb when the tooth is ready to fall out. The tooth is usually then covered with a crown or filling.

This procedure is commonly confused with a root canal which is done only in adult teeth and is very different.

Trauma/Emergency Dental Care

When an existing patient experiences a dental emergency, you can expect that your dentist will provide you with prompt emergency dental treatment. This means that they will work you into their schedule as soon as possible. Depending on how severe the dental emergency is, this can mean that they will have you come in immediately, later that day, or within the next few days. In some cases where they cannot see you immediately, they will likely give you directions on how to manage the situation until they can see you.

When you arrive at your dental office, your dentist will perform an emergency dental examination. Unlike traditional dental exams, this exam will focus exclusively on the source of the emergency. While traditional dental exams are intended to evaluate your overall oral health, emergency dental exams are intended to locate the source of the problem, evaluate its severity, and determine the best course of treatment.

Laser Dentistry: Frenectomy

Often first presenting itself with difficulty breastfeeding, tongue and lip ties can continue to be a concern as children grow with impacted speech development, trouble extending the tongue, and with sleep concerns.

A Frenectomy is a short oral procedure conducted in our office with the use of a laser. It eliminates the restriction of a frenum, a connective tissue in the mouth. There are two common types of frenum in the mouth. A labial frenum is the tissue that connects the inside of the upper lip to the center of the gums between the two upper front teeth. A lingual frenum is the connective tissue between the underside of the tongue, connecting the bottom of the mouth to the area behind the teeth.

There are many different reasons for a child to have a frenectomy at different ages.

For Infants, those reasons may include not gaining enough weight, the latch is shallow, the infant is gassy or having reflux, feeding is causing mom pain or discomfort.

In toddlers between the ages of 18 Months – 5 years old, the most common reason to have a frenectomy is that the labial frenum is trapping food and plaque and it’s difficult to clean the upper teeth, which can potentially cause cavities. Speech difficulties may also be a sign of a tongue tie as the tongue is unable to reach the appropriate positions in the mouth

Sometimes in children between 5 – 7 years old the frenum will cause a space between upper front incisors. It is ideal to remove the frenum as those permanent incisors begin to erupt. This gives the front teeth the best chance to erupt without a space between them.

The procedure is quick and straightforward. For infants the child will be wrapped in a swaddle and gently held during the procedure. For toddlers, the child may be given oral sedation before the procedure begins. For older children, there is an option to have oral sedation, Nitrous Oxide, or in some cases both. After the child has been sedated, the dentist will apply a topical anesthetic gel on the frenum. Next, a local anesthetic will be administered with an injection. Then, a soft tissue laser will be used in order to cauterize the frenum. Dr. Mike specializes in the diagnosis and correction of tongue and lip ties through laser frenectomies and is a leader in providing this service to Northern New England.

SEDATION DENTISTRY

Nitrous Oxide : Commonly known as “laughing gas”, it is a blend of two gasses, oxygen and nitrous oxide. When inhaled, it is absorbed by the body and has a calming effect, reducing pain and anxiety during dental restorative treatment. It is mild, easily administered, then quickly eliminated from the body.

Dentists undergo comprehensive training to administer Nitrous oxide/oxygen in a safe environment for your child. During dental restorations, your child will remain fully conscious during treatment. Once treatment is completed your child will receive 100% oxygen for a time period and be instructed to breathe normally to eliminate the nitrous oxide/oxygen from the body. A light meal prior to the procedure is permitted, but refrain from eating rich or greasy foods.

Conscious Sedation: It is quite common for a child to be somewhat afraid or anxious at the dental office. Our office environment and staff are all geared to creating a positive and comfortable environment for children. However, some children will still need a little extra help to get through a procedure. We offer oral sedation to help calm and ease our fearful or anxious patients.

Young girl covering her mouth because she's scared of dentist, being hugged by adult

Why would my child need sedation?
Dentistry can be hard for children. There are a variety of sensations that can be difficult for a child to tolerate. Children who are anxious and fearful will benefit from this modality. Children who are pre-cooperative or have extensive needs, may need oral sedation to get through the procedure.

Is sedation safe?

The medicines we use are very safe. Our doctors have specialized training and extensive experience to treat patients in office with sedation. Your child’s vitals will be monitored closely during treatment and afterwards to ensure safety. Please discuss all medications, including over the counter medications that your child takes regularly.

Will my child be emotional at this appointment?
Your child may become emotional during their sedation appointment. Your child will be awake throughout the appointment. This is how some children react to the dental environment and treatment. Benefits of the medication’s amnesia property are seen after treatment, days and weeks, usually months later.

General Anesthesia

When a child cannot cooperate during dental treatment with nitrous oxide or conscious sedation and pose a threat to their own safety or for patients who have extensive needs, we have the option of general anesthesia. We are thankful to be able to offer general anesthesia to our patients here in our office.

We have teamed up with Dr. Patrick McCarty, Dental Anesthesiologist, to provide in office general anesthesia. Dr. McCarty is based out of Boston, Massachusetts and has been providing mobile anesthesia services throughout New England since 2007. Dr. McCarty is Board Certified through the American Dental Board of Anesthesiology & the National Dental Board of Anesthesiology. For more information on Dr. Patrick McCarty, Dental Anesthesiologist, please visit his website. https://www.zzzdmd.com/