A child’s first visit to the dentist should be enjoyable. Children are not born with a natural fear of the dentist, but they can fear the unknown. Our office makes a special effort to use pleasant, non-frightening, simple words to describe each treatment. Through the years, the doctors at Handley Dental have established themselves as  leading providers of pediatric children’s dentistry in Cypress, Texas, and the surrounding communities. While most dentists refer to their pediatric cases, our dental team is ready to treat your child’s dental issues in our office directly.

Children’s dentistry focuses on giving children the tools to have healthy teeth to live without fear of aches and issues. Integral to this mission is prevention. We encourage you to schedule your child’s first dental exam when that first tooth erupts. A baby’s first dental exam should occur by their first birthday. After that initial exam, routine visits every six months are essential throughout your child’s life.

Frenectomy in Cypress, Texas 

Many young children are born with lip or tongue ties, also called ankyloglossia. A tongue or lip tie can cause functional concerns such as difficulty eating and speaking. At Handley Dental, we recommend a frenectomy for children with lip or tongue ties. Receiving a frenectomy or a lip or tongue tie release early in life can decrease the risk of complications in the future. If you believe your child has a lip or tongue tie or if you would like them examined, call our office today. 

Dental Sealants

Another procedure that we offer for children in Cypress, Texas, is dental sealants. When the back molars in the mouth erupt, they are at an increased risk for dental decay because they are hard to reach with a toothbrush, and they have many crevices that make it easy for debris and bacteria to get stuck. When debris and bacteria sit on the top of your child’s tooth for an extended period, decay is likely to form, developing holes in the tooth’s surface. To prevent this, Dr. Handley recommends dental sealants after your child’s teeth after their back molar erupts. The sealant is painted on the back molar and then hardened. After the sealant is placed, when bacteria and debris get on the back molar, they will slide off and decrease the risk of cavities. 

Dental Fluoride 

At Handley Dental, we offer dental fluoride solutions for our younger patients. You may have heard of dental fluoride used in everyday dental products such as toothpaste and mouthwash. At Handley Dental, we use a robust and professional-grade dental fluoride solution to strengthen your child’s teeth. When the solution comes into contact with the outer surface of your tooth, it enhances the surface chemically, called the enamel. With a more robust enamel surface, your child will have a decreased risk for dental decay. 

Retainers 

If your child has recently completed orthodontic treatment, they may be a good candidate for a retainer from Handley Dental. Wearing a retainer after orthodontic treatment can help maintain your child’s teeth. We offer several different retainers, from fixed metal retainers to removable hard plastic retainers. To learn more about retainers from Handley Dental, call our office today.