Dental care for children requires a gentle, personable approach. While many dentists are qualified
to provide treatment to kids, Our office is designed to make an experience your child will remember
in a positive way.
At Smiles 4 Kids, we have designed our office with bright colors and friendly faces in our halls to
help make your child feel comfortable. No tense, frightening memories are associated with our
office. Your children are relaxed and happy during their time with us.
Dr. Michael Luong is a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry and is a Board Certified Pediatric Dentist. He was born and raised in Pullman Washington, home of the mighty WSU Cougars. His heart has always been tied to the Pacific Northwest which made his decision to attend Washington State University an easy one. At WSU, Dr. Luong graduated magna cum laude in Molecular/Cellular Biology and Biotechnology. His desire to pursue dentistry led him to the University Of Southern California School Of Dentistry.
Just as you likely choose to consult an age-based specialist for other aspects of your child’s health, when it comes to their oral hygiene, the process is no different. You know that your child’s oral health will affect their overall health and quality of life far into their adult years, which is why working with a pediatric dentist is the best option for parents.
A pediatric dentist has gone through a special set of courses to cater to children with special needs or who otherwise need gentle care. Following dental school, this training lasts around two to three years after graduation. It is filled with extensive study where they will even work in hospitals to treat children with more severe dental needs and emergencies. Pediatric dentists will also be specially trained in many different teeth-straightening methods used by orthodontists.
At your next dental visit, it’s highly likely that your dentist will suggest a fluoride treatment, but is it the right option?
Every day, your body is constantly taking in and losing fluoride. The foods you eat and the water you drink all contain fluoride. As your teeth demineralize, you lose fluoride because of plaque bacteria and sugars in your mouth that attack the enamel of your teeth. Interestingly though, decades of research have shown that you can restore the fluoride you lost in your enamel (as well as phosphate and calcium) by eating healthy foods that contain fluoride. Fluoride treatments are also a way to restore the fluoride you lose.
Technology has improved countless aspects of the dental industry, and the power of digital is now being brought into X-ray technology. The actual process of receiving a digital X-ray is similar to that of a traditional X-ray.
In order for your dentist to take an X-ray, they will put a sensor into your mouth that will capture multiple images of your teeth. However, while you might not know the difference, this is where the similarities end.
Digital X-rays offer countless improvements over the results of traditional X-rays. After the sensor has taken an image of your teeth, it is instantly projected onto the office screen where your dentist can view it
Our children are bold and adventurous and as their parent, you’re bound to end up with an emergency at some point, whether it’s a sprained arm or a bumped head. But, when a dental emergency occurs, it can be tricky to know where to go first. How do you respond when a dental emergency occurs, and you don’t have an appointment at an office?
First, consider the urgency of the situation. Is this a first-thing-in-the-morning type emergency, or a right now type of emergency? If it is the latter and you need help right away, the first step is to call 911. If it can wait a bit longer until you can get an appointment scheduled (which is usually the case for a chipped tooth or a minor toothache), simply call our office first thing.
Dragging your child to a dental appointment can prove to be a hassle, but we’d like to make it as positive of an experience as it can be. We know children aren’t always the most excited about coming to the dentist, and you may not be either, but talking with your child about the importance of proper dental hygiene and speaking with their dentist to ensure they’re following through on their habits is essential to helping make sure your child has a long-lasting and healthy smile.
Even if you know your child is in the healthy habit of brushing twice a day, two minutes at a time, and flossing daily, it’s important that you still bring them in for a check-up every six months. Here’s why: While good at-home care is essential for prevention, there are certain aspects that brushing alone simply can’t address.
Back-to-school time means many new things will be added to your to-do list, but one thing you’ll want to check off if your child’s back-to-school dental examination. At your child’s back-to-school dental exam, your dentist will be checking over your child’s mouth entirely to ensure everything is lining up correctly and growing in healthy. This exam will ultimately help your child avoid misalignment, cavities, and other dental problems that could grow more severe.
During your child’s back-to-school dental visit, the dentist is likely to take X-rays to see how your child’s teeth are developing. They’ll also use this as an opportunity to look at the roots of your child’s tooth and make sure they are healthy. X-rays will only be taken as necessary and your child may not require them.
Dental sealants are used to protect the chewing surface of teeth from decay. They are used on the surface of the permanent back teeth, the premolars and molars, to help protect these teeth from decay that will occur from chewing and eating food regularly.
While not permanent, dental sealants do last up to 7-10 years. They will chip away with time, but they can be replaced and repaired as needed. They have been in wide use since the early 1970s and their effects are proven.
Not everyone will need dental sealants, but they can be placed for children & teens. They are used on molar and premolar teeth that have deep grooves (or “fissures”) on the chewing surface. These grooves make the teeth more vulnerable to decay since they are known for holding in food particles and bacteria and can make the teeth a bit harder to clean properly.
There are many instances when your child may damage a tooth. Some common examples include playground accidents, sports accidents, and general decay that has led to a weakened tooth that is more easily damaged.
If your child plays sports, they should always wear a mouth guard to help protect their teeth. However, it can’t prevent all injuries from happening. Oftentimes, our children don’t realize their limitations and they may get themselves into trouble with their dental health.
For example, your child may bite down on a jawbreaker candy or a hard nut not even thinking about what it could do to their teeth. When out playing with friends, children are known to roughhouse–sometimes to the point of serious dental damage.
Having an active lifestyle is excellent for your child’s health, but when it comes to your child’s oral health, it’s important that you take the necessary steps to protecting their teeth–especially when they are out on the field. Whether it’s soccer, football, baseball, or a variety of other sports that they choose to participate in, having a well-fitting athletic mouthguard is important to make sure that their teeth don’t end up getting damaged because of a good game (or a bad one).
While you can find mouthguards in the store that can be molded to your child’s teeth by boiling them and pressing them on, these mouthguards do not fit as well as one specially made by a dentist. This means they do not offer the same level of comfort and protection. They also tend to be extra bulky and don’t always offer complete coverage, lessening their effectiveness.
