Comprehensive Dental Services in Shreveport, Louisiana

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommend that your child’s first dental visit occur by 12 months of age or within six months of the time a tooth erupts. Why? It’s important to establish a dental home that allows for education and an understanding of prevention, but also allows for us to perform preventive procedures that help decrease early childhood caries. Early childhood caries is the primary reason why children miss school, and is the most common disease in children in the United States.

We recommend scheduling your child’s first visit by their first birthday or as soon as their first tooth erupts. This visit is designed to introduce your child to the dental office in a relaxed and playful way. Most kids have seen people in scrubs and associate those visits with shots or maybe less-than-stellar visits to the doctor. We take the time to explain to parents and children what they can expect during their visits, ensuring their first experience is positive and helps build a strong foundation for a lifetime of healthy smiles. If we can keep children happy at the dentist, we can significantly alter dental health outcomes long-term.

Fluoride is fantastic tool for some patients to prevent dental caries in children and adults, but it may not be the best tool in our arsenal for everyone. For instance, some water systems have no fluoride, and some have an amount of fluoride that is higher than the American Dental Association recommendation. Preventing cavities is key to long-term dental health, and we use a variety of preventive measures, all backed by scientific data, to help you and your family achieve optimal oral health. Fluoride treatments help strengthen your child’s teeth, while dental sealants act as a protective shield against cavities. These treatments are designed to keep your child’s smile healthy, and we make sure the process feels easy and light-hearted, and pain free.

If your child needs fillings or other restorative treatments, those can be challenging visits for a child based on age and experience. Our doctors focus on voice control, not medication. We take extra care to ensure their experience is gentle and stress-free. When appropriate and safe, we can use tooth-colored materials that blend in with natural teeth, making the process as comfortable as possible while ensuring that their smile stays beautiful and healthy. And of course, we make sure your child is completely informed and reassured before any treatment begins. If a child requires sedation or procedures that are beyond our scope of care, we are happy to make referrals to Board-certified pediatric dentists in your area to provide that care.

Children’s mouths and jaws go through significant changes during their growing years. Early intervention and careful monitoring of this development can prevent more serious dental issues down the road and often reduce the need for more extensive treatments in the future. Monitoring your child’s growth allows us to identify potential problems before they become significant, ensuring they have the best chance for a healthy, straight smile that lasts a lifetime.

We will carefully track your child’s dental development and make sure their teeth, gums, and jawbones are growing properly. By identifying any irregularities or issues early on, we can take steps to guide their growth in the right direction. This proactive care helps to ensure that your child’s orthodontic treatment is as effective, efficient, and comfortable as possible.