pediatric dentistry in Lenoir City

Stainless steel crowns are the best way to restore moderate tooth decay for kids. Dr. Blalock will simply clean the tooth area, choose a crown that fits, and cement it into place to cover up their decayed baby tooth. The process is fast, minimally-invasive, and affordable.

If your child loses a baby tooth early, a space maintainer will be placed in the area where their tooth used to be. This treatment ensures their permanent teeth erupt properly, and their baby teeth do not shift or move due to premature tooth loss.

A frenectomy is used to treat tongue and lip ties (tethered oral tissues, or TOTs). In this condition, the “frenulum” that connects the tongue or lips to the mouth is overdeveloped, restricting proper tongue or lip movement. This can interfere with feeding, speech, and more. In a frenectomy, this frenulum is snipped to remove the restriction, and restore proper tongue or lip movement.

A pulpotomy is also called a “baby root canal,” and is used to treat infected baby teeth. Dr. Blalock will clean away decayed material, open up the tooth, and remove infected pulp from the inside. Then, he will clean the interior of the tooth and apply a special healing dressing that will help restore the tooth, and the tooth will be covered up using a filling or a crown.

If you’re bringing your child to Lakeside Dental for the first time, you may not know what to expect. So let’s discuss the basics, and what will happen when your child sees Dr. Blalock for the first time.

Depending on your child’s age, you can either hold them in your lap, or they will sit on their own in the dentist’s chair. You’re allowed to be in the room for the whole appointment, which helps them stay comfortable.

To begin their first appointment, one of our dental hygienists will gently clean your child’s erupted teeth and their gums, scraping away any plaque and tartar from their teeth, polishing each tooth, and flossing them to remove any further buildup.

We may also recommend x-rays for older kids, usually around the age of 3 or 4. Dental x-rays are safe for kids, and are the most effective way to check for hidden signs of tooth decay and other oral health and development issues.

Finally, Dr. Blalock will come into the operating room to examine your child’s mouth. He will check for signs of cavities and identify any potential areas of concern. Once his exam is over, he will discuss the results with you.

At this time, you can also ask any questions you may have about caring for your child’s mouth, such as how to brush their teeth properly, how to maintain a tooth-healthy diet, and other such topics.

Then, you will schedule your child’s next six-month teeth cleaning and oral exam, and any other follow-ups necessary based on the results of their oral exam, and you and your little one will be able to head home.

First, we recommend finding a dentist who serves kids of all ages with age-appropriate, gentle, and kind care. Dr. Blalock loves treating kids, and we can treat toddlers, older kids, pre-teens, teenagers, and young adults at our office.

You also may find it helpful to look at online reviews and testimonials from the dentist’s past patients. This helps you learn more about their approach to children’s dental care, and determine whether or not they may be right for your little one.

A convenient location in Lenoir City is also helpful, especially if you have multiple children and will be visiting the dentist quite a bit. We recommend looking for a dentist who is located near your home or your child’s school, as this will save you a lot of time in the long run.

You may think that baby teeth are not that important. After all, they are meant to fall out eventually, right? Well, that’s true, but they are still important, and you need to make sure your child’s baby teeth stay in good shape.

Why? Well, the most obvious reason is that your child will keep at least some of their baby teeth until the age of 12-13. Their baby teeth need to stay healthy to ensure they can eat properly, smile brightly, and avoid things like infected teeth and premature tooth loss.

Also, the baby teeth are essential for the eruption of your child’s adult teeth. Basically, they form the “paths” that your child’s adult teeth will follow then they begin to grow. If your child loses some of their baby teeth prematurely, this could lead to oral development problems when their adult teeth start to emerge.