DENTAL

It is important for children to establish a dental home by the age of one. While your kids may not even have many teeth yet, we want you to be prepared and comfortable for all the changes to come. Baby teeth are not simply small versions of adult teeth. Kids and their teeth require specialized care and it’s not just about brushing. You may have questions about the safety of fluoride toothpaste, nursing at night or teething symptoms. We want your kids to feel comfortable and dare we say, motivated, about keeping a healthy smile.

Did you know that cavities are the most common chronic disease in children? Our philosophy centers around prevention, giving you and your kids the tools in the hopes of preventing cavities before they start. Baby teeth are weaker than adult teeth and cavities grow quickly in children. We believe a combination of good oral hygiene habits at home, healthy diet and regular dental visits is the best defence against cavities. Each dental visit is tailored to your child’s unique needs and dental development. It may mean a cleaning, fluoride application, exam and/or x-rays. But it’s not just baby teeth! Our routine recall examinations allow us to continually monitor your child’s oral cavity and airway to ensure healthy growth and development.

First things first, as a parent, you should NOT feel guilty! Even though they are just ‘baby teeth,’ some of the teeth stay in the mouth until well past 10 years-old. We treat cavities to prevent pain, infection and early tooth loss. We use different types of filling materials and methods to fix cavities. This may include, white fillings, baby nerve treatment, stainless steel crowns, or white coloured crowns.

Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, is a very safe sedative. Patients take in the gas through a scented/unscented nose piece that stays on during the treatment. Nitrous oxide puts patients into a relaxed state and helps some patients cope better with dental treatments. Once it is turned off, recovery is almost immediate.

We understand that having dental work done can be very challenging for kids, for so many different reasons. We also recognize that it is just as difficult for the parents. As pediatric dentists, our goal is to provide both positive experiences and results for our patients and their families.

We provide various types of sedation modalities including minimal sedation (laughing gas), moderate/oral sedation, and full sedation/general anesthesia. Our priority is always the safety and wellbeing of your child. All procedures are carefully selected, monitored and carried out by trained individuals. The best way to know which is the best method for your child is through an assessment. Together with the clinical findings, we provide a treatment plan that is best suited for your child’s needs.

Our team is well trained in providing oral care for your kids with special needs including autism, developmental delays, medical problems and/or craniofacial abnormalities. Both Dr. Laura and Yili work as staff pediatric dentists at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital where they exclusively see kids with special needs. Our goal is to provide tools to help parents/guardians in maintaining good oral health. Our office has sensory tools to help kids cope with the environment.

Desensitization visits can help to familiarize children with dental visits and oral hygiene practices. Contact our office to find out about our virtual and in-person options!

During the first well-baby visit, your doctor may note that your baby has a tongue-tie. This is not always easy to spot. Dr. Laura and Yili can help with the assessment. In fact, our pediatrician, Dr. Alex, has done special training in the International Breast Feeding Center to help diagnose and treat tongue-ties. You can book an appointment with either our pediatric dentists or pediatrician for an assessment.

Not sure if you want to come in for an in person visit quite yet? We offer virtual options for select cases. Contact our office to find out if a virtual appointment is suitable for you and your child.