Dentistry for Children

At Rivers Bend Family Dental, we create a comfortable environment to address the unique dental needs of your family.

What Is Children’s Dentistry

Almost all of our tooth buds that we will ever get, develop prior to our birth. So it’s always a good idea to start your child off right and early with good dental habits. Here at Rivers Bend Family Dental, we want to give a lifelong of smiles to your child. From Infant to Adult, our knowledgeable staff are comfortable working with children of all ages, even as little as 1.

You’ll know you’ve found the right fit for your child with how we speak and care for them. It doesn’t require lecturing, shaming or even bribing. We take care of your child with compassion and confidence. We encourage our little ones towards healthier oral habits. We’re here to eliminate the trauma stories we’ve too often heard at other dental offices. Let’s make a difference in your child’s dental health and create a positive experience for them here at River’s Bend Dental.

Rivers Bend Family Dental provides a wide range of dental procedures to make it convenient for your family to tend to all its dental needs. Our services include but are not limited

Children’s Dentistry Expectations

So at what age is a good time to take my child to the dentist? From the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), they recommend a child go to the dentist by age 1 or within six months after the first tooth shows up in the mouth. Now if your child is having any pain or discomfort, please call the office and bring them in for a checkup to make sure the teeth are growing properly.
Family Dentistry
Full Mouth Reconstruction
The first visit is all about comfort. We’re here to make the unfamiliar, familiar. Our trained staff reduce your child’s anxiety through games, evoking laughter and perform the tell-show-do technique. Once comfortable, your child will be much more willing to allow the dentist in to evaluate and examine their mouth. During the appointment, your child will have the gums, soft tissues, bite and teeth checked for any cavities. If necessary (and how well your child is doing) we can sometimes get x-rays at the first appointment. This is to see if there are any issues in between the teeth or below the gums that we can’t visually pick up. And if we’re still doing great at this point in the appointment, we may decide it’s possible to clean your child’s teeth, tongue and cheeks.
At the first appointment, our staff also sit down with you, and walk through helpful home care tips and tricks to keep your little ones teeth in their tip top shape. There are even opportunities to go over any negative or bad habits happening at home that could lead to cavities or worse, infections. By far the most important thing you will learn after this first appointment, is the best dentistry is inside your own home!. If your child is old enough and listens well, which we always hope for, we will spend a little bit more time talking to your little one about making healthy food choices. Avoiding the snacks, pop and candies whenever possible. We top off the appointment with a last bit of encouragement on proper brushing and flossing technique. And that should be the cap to a comfortable, and yet satisfying first appointment for your child at Rivers Bend.
Dentist
dentist

Patient Forms

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Preparing Your Child

As a parent for your child before a dental appointment, you have one of the most important jobs to set up your little one for the best possible time at the office. While doctor Johnson and her staff are well trained in handling most situations, there are things you can do to proactively help reduce additional anxieties before a visit.
Full Mouth Reconstruction
Full Mouth Reconstruction
If you’ve ever had a big presentation or speech to give, you know how nervous it got as the date got closer. The same nervousness will happen with your little one too. One helpful tip, is to reframe the appointment as an adventure to the dentist on the very same day of the appointment. This helps reduce the amount of time your child will have to ‘think’ about the appointment and reframing it as an adventure can make it fun, especially when they get to hang out with our staff. Also, a good idea is to bring your child’s favorite toy or blanket. This is their safe spot that can return to if they are ever anxious. We do have toys, coloring books, and odd things to help distract, but nothing will compete with their own favorite toy.

Family Dentistry

At Rivers Bend Family Dental, we create a comfortable environment to address the unique dental needs of your family.

Creating Good Habits

Probably one of the most underrated services we could possibly promote from our office. Not only do good habits save you time and money from all the unnecessary future dental work you won’t need, it reduces future stress and anxiety. But in kids, good habits multiply and compound. With proper brushing, flossing and maintenance, your little one will grow to have a lifelong advantage of healthier teeth and gums. One of our specialties is developing a preventative plan that will set them up for future oral health success.
Dentist
Dentistry for children

Associated Costs

Every person’s, and in this case, your family’s situation and specific insurance plan is unique and different. And with most children’s dental procedures, what and how much a child’s procedure will be covered is ultimately determined by your specific policy and plan. Most health insurers will cover children 12 and younger. If you or your family do not currently have dental insurance coverage or have questions about payment options, always feel free to contact our knowledgeable staff. They are always happy to discuss possible options with you.

Dental Sealants

A great preventative measure, dental sealants flow into the deep grooves and fissures that naturally develop on the chewing surface of the teeth. For a child, the procedure is quick, painless and is a great way to introduce them to experiencing any type of dental procedure. Placing a dental sealant first requires a dry tooth. Help from a tooth pillow (bite block) and some cotton rolls keep the area dry for the 30 seconds it takes to place the sealant. A blue cleaning agent (etchant) is set on the tooth for 10 seconds and then rinsed off. Once the grooves are dried again, it is followed with the sealing agent and cured with blue UV light. The bite block and cotton is removed and repeated on the other side. A simple and easy procedure for your child while reducing risk for cavities in their formative years. Most insurances with preventative coverage will cover the cost of sealants, but it’s always a good idea to make sure, as every policy has their nuances and differences.

Rivers Bend Family Dental provides a wide range of dental procedures to make it convenient for your family to tend to all its dental needs. Our services include but are not limited