Pediatric Dentistry of Redlands

It is easy to want to believe that after a certain point your children are old enough to take care of their own smile or we may assume they are doing a fantastic job of taking care of their smile and they no longer reminders from us to help support them, but this is not true, children often forget to brush the backs of their front teeth, molars, or they rush through the brushing process in order to wrap it up and get to other things they love. It is also critical that children are flossing correctly. This can be difficult for children, especially younger children who are still developing dexterity. In order for children to really floss, especially the back teeth, they need to be able to reach back there. This can be difficult, which means their smile may be at risk for dental decay and other concerns. While you hope that your children will be independent and not need constant reminders or you looking over their shoulder. Protect their smile, with hel...

  A sealant is a thin plastic coating that protects the deep groves of the teeth. When placing sealants on your child’s teeth it does not hurt. It only takes a few short minutes to get all of the surfaces protected.   Usually sealants are placed on the pre-molars and molars however, sometimes they are recommended for other surfaces. The sealant can only be seen if you are looking very close and should not alter your child’s bite.   The color is generally white but may have a tint to it depending on the type of sealant used.   Usually, Dr. Fuller will recommend placing sealants at your child’s regular visit after their molars and premolars have come in. In order to place the sealant on the teeth, first the surface will be cleaned with a specific paste. Then an acidic solution will be placed on the surface of the tooth. This allows for a rougher surface to be created in order for the sealant substance to stick. Once this is done, the se...