Children's Dentistry

Tallahassee, FL and Thomasville, GA dentist Tom C. Sexton, DMD, PA

Kids' Zone

We would be delighted to welcome you and your children into our family of patients! We take great pride in treating our patients as if they were our own children. Dr. Sexton and our experienced staff enjoy working in an atmosphere of fun and laughter, while taking serious care of your child's dental needs. Your child’s smile can be ideal with orthodontic care (braces), and we are honored to watch the transformation take place as they step into adulthood with a beautiful, confident smile.

It is our sincere desire that you receive the best dental care available and that the experience is a pleasant one for both you and your child. We expect your child’s first visit to our office to be an experience they will enjoy and look forward to in the future.

OUR OFFICE'S RECOMMENDATIONS

Our office recommends that a child have his/her first dental examination after the first teeth have erupted, or by the age of 12 months. The goal of examining your baby is to make sure the teeth are healthy and to provide information to parents regarding oral hygiene and diet to prevent tooth decay.

Your child's first dental cleaning should be by age of three. You can make the first visit to the dentist enjoyable and positive by telling them it will be exciting and fun. Your child should be informed of the visit and told that the dentist and staff will explain all procedures and answer any questions they may have. The less-to-do concerning the visit, the better.

We will provide an examination, cleaning, fluoride treatment, and obtain the appropriate radiographs (x-rays). Using the information from the examination and x-rays, we assemble an appropriate treatment plan to ensure optimal dental health. We will recommend what we consider to be optimal treatment for your child. Treatment as indicated by the diagnosis will be provided at subsequent appointments.

It is best if you refrain from using certain words around your child that might cause unnecessary fear, such as "needle", "shot", "pull", "drill" or "hurt". The office makes a practice of using words that convey the same message, but are pleasant and non-frightening to the child. We believe in lots of TLC with show, tell and do.

Eruption of your child's teeth

Children's teeth begin forming before birth. As early as 4 months, the first primary (or baby) teeth to erupt through the gums are the lower central incisors, followed closely by the upper central incisors. All 20 primary teeth usually appear by age 3, the time and order of their eruption varies.

Permanent teeth begin appearing around age 6, starting with the first molars and lower central incisors. This process continues until approximately age 21.

Adults have 28 permanent teeth, or up to 32 including the third molars (or wisdom teeth).

PREVENTIVE DENTISTRY

Initial Exam
New patient visit includes an examination, cleaning, necessary x-rays, fluoride treatment, oral hygiene instruction, dental development evaluation, dietary and nutritional counseling, and patient/parent education. We teach you and your child how to best care for their teeth, advise on eating habits and answer any specific questions you may have. We explain how cavities are caused, what we can do to prevent them and how your children can help fight gum and tooth disease by brushing properly. All information is provided in an age appropriate manner to help nurture and encourage your child.

Fluoride Treatment
When the element fluoride is used in small amounts on a routine basis it helps to prevent tooth decay. It encourages "remineralization," a strengthening of weak areas on the teeth. These spots are the beginning of cavity formation. Fluoride occurs naturally in water and in many different foods, as well as in dental products such as toothpaste, mouth rinses, gels, varnish and supplements. Fluoride is effective when combined with a healthy diet and good oral hygiene.

Sealants
Sealants protect the grooved and pitted surfaces of the permanent molars and pre-molars on the chewing surfaces where most cavities in children are found. Sealants are made of clear or shaded plastic. The application of a sealant is quick and comfortable. It takes only one visit. The tooth is first cleaned. It is then conditioned and dried. The sealant is then flowed onto the grooves of the tooth and hardened with a special light. Your child will be able to eat right after the appointment.

Before sealant

After sealant

RESTORATIVE DENTISTRY

In all cases our goal is to keep our patients comfortable. We will make sure your child’s mouth is thoroughly numb using local anesthesia and topical anesthesia.

Nitrous Oxide/Oxygen (“Laughing Gas”)
Nitrous oxide is combined with oxygen and is breathed by your child during the appointment. It is a very safe and effective way to relax a mildly anxious child and does not put your child to sleep. It gives them a sensation something is happening but they don’t seem to care and better tolerate the appointment. Nitrous is given through a mask that fits snugly over their nose. These individualized masks are latex free and come in different sizes, scents and colors.

Fillings
Depending on the size of the cavity, we will numb the area using local anesthesia and place a rubber dam to protect your child’s airway. We then remove the cavity, clean the tooth, and fill the tooth with a tooth colored composite material or silver filling.

Stainless Steel Crowns
Crowns are used in cases where a cavity has affected so much tooth structure that filling material cannot be used to repair the tooth. We offer several types of crowns depending on the location of the cavity. We choose which crown based on the patient’s bite and the extent of the cavity.

Nerve Treatment
Very large cavities can result in toothaches and nerve irritation or infection. If a cavity has affected the nerve, we will clean out the infected part of the nerve, place an antibacterial medicine on the remaining nerve structure and finally place a protective filling over the nerve. Once a tooth has had nerve treatment it is weakened and must have a crown placed over it to protect it.

Decay grows and enters the nerve of the tooth.

Extractions
Extractions are done only as a last resort. If a primary molar is removed prematurely, a space maintainer will be placed. Some extractions are needed for orthodontic reasons to help facilitate tooth alignment.

Space Maintainers
Space maintainers are used when a primary tooth has been prematurely lost to hold space for the permanent tooth. If space is not maintained, teeth on either side of the extraction site can drift into the space and prevent the permanent tooth from erupting.

© Copyright 2003- Dental WebSmith, Inc., Tom C. Sexton, DMD, PA (Florida), and Tom C. Sexton, DMD, PC (Georgia). All rights reserved. Disclaimer: The information provided within is intended to help you better understand dental conditions and procedures. It is not meant to serve as delivery of medical or dental care. If you have specific questions or concerns, contact your health care provider.