FAQs

Pediatric dentists specialize in treating patients under 18 years old, including toddlers with emerging teeth. They undergo additional certification beyond a standard dental doctorate to focus on the specific oral development needs of children, which differ from those of adult patients.

This is a common occurrence and usually not cause for concern. It typically happens when an adult tooth emerges before the baby tooth has loosened sufficiently to fall out naturally. If the baby tooth doesn't fall out within about two months of becoming loose, and the adult tooth is emerging, we may need to extract the baby tooth to prevent potential alignment issues.

Generally, babies begin teething between 6 to 8 months of age. By their third birthday, most children have a full set of 20 primary teeth. The process of adult teeth coming in can start as early as age 6 and continue until around age 21.

The necessity of a filling depends on your child's age. For older children whose baby teeth are close to falling out naturally, we might opt to wait for the adult tooth to emerge. However, for younger children, leaving a cavity untreated could lead to infection, or extracting the tooth too early might leave a gap for an extended period. If you suspect a cavity, please contact our office to discuss the best course of action.

Sticky foods are often responsible for damaging fillings. Chewing these foods can gradually loosen the filling, potentially causing it to fall out. While fillings are designed to restore the tooth's chewing surface and prevent further decay, it's important to note that the filling material isn't as durable as the tooth's natural enamel.