Our Services

An oral evaluation is recommended every six (6) months to prevent cavities and other dental problems. During an oral evaluation, a thorough examination of the mouth, head, and neck is performed to detect abnormalities.

Regular cleanings help keep gums healthy and teeth cavity-free. A dental cleaning includes removal of tartar and plaque and polishing of the teeth to remove stains and prevent further buildup of plaque.

Fluoride is a natural substance that helps strengthen teeth and prevent decay. Fluoride treatments are administered at this office as an important component of pediatric dental treatment. The fluoride is applied to the teeth in a gel, foam, or varnish form.

Dental X-rays are a valuable diagnostic tool used to identify decay, extra teeth, bone defects, tumors, cysts and check the progress of previous procedures. Advances in technology now allow for digital X-rays, which reduce radiation exposure more than 50 percent, and produce instant, high-quality images that can be viewed immediately by the dentist and the patient.

During a regular check-up, oral hygiene instructions are given to both patient and parent.  Good home care can reduce the risk of plaque and tartar build-up which can lead to cavities. Instructions include proper techniques for brushing, flossing, and using mouth rinses.

Dental sealants are made of a safe resin material which is applied to the surfaces of teeth (commonly permanent molars) to prevent cavities.  The sealant material fills in the crevices of a tooth and “seals” off the tooth from cavity-causing agents like food and plaque. The teeth are prepared for the sealant application and the sealant is painted directly onto the chewing surface of each tooth and then hardens. Sealants are applied in one visit.

Silver Diamine Fluoride and your child’s teeth.

If your child has a cavity, are they doomed to having to have their tooth drilled?Not necessarily.  Silver Diamine Fluoride, (SDF) recently approved by the FDA does a great job of stopping tooth decay from progressing and getting worse. Silver Diamine Fluoride is an antimicrobial liquid that is able to treat cavities in a non-invasive, fast, affordable, and painless manner. SDF is an antimicrobial liquid which has been proven to be effective in arresting.  It has been used in Japan, Australia and a number of other countries for decades as an alternative to other conventional treatments for cavities. 

Benefits of SDF

SDF is a simple and painless alternative for preserving your child’s baby teeth.  The application is painless and quick.  It is simply brushed onto the teeth. It prevents the need for drilling and filling most cavities. It is effective immediately and long lasting. It is an inexpensive treatment that can save money down the road by preventing larger problems with your child’s teeth.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, almost 25% of children between ages 2 and 5 have cavities.  Many in this age group require general anesthesia to have their teeth treated with fillings because of their inability behaviorally to sit through conventional treatment with local anesthesia.

The downside to SDF

SDF turns the cavity black, making it aesthetically unappealing to the patient, especially when used on teeth which are visible. In some cases a second application is necessary. SDF is not ideal for severe cavities which may involve the nerve of the teeth. In these cases other treatments may be more effective in protecting and maintaining your child’s dental health. SDF has a very unpleasant metallic taste.

Tooth-colored fillings are the most lifelike material used to fill cavities. Composite fillings can be done in one visit. Once the decay is removed, the tooth is filled with this composite material that hardens immediately after placement.

Root canals involve treating decay that is inside of the tooth. If the inside of the tooth, known as the dental pulp, is damaged it will gradually decay if left within the tooth. The pulpotomy  involves removing the pulp, cleaning out the root canals, and packing the canals with material that will help restore the tooth until it is time for it to exfoliate (or fall out on its own naturally).

A dental crown is a tooth-shaped covering cemented to the tooth for the purpose of restoring the tooth to its original shape and function. Crowns are used in pediatric dentistry for various reasons. Crowns are recommended by dentists when it is necessary repair and restore a primary (baby) tooth found to be extensively decayed (has a large cavity), a tooth that have had treatment to its nerve (pulpotomy), a tooth fractured due to trauma, or a primary tooth which has not developed correctly.

Stainless Steel Crowns:

• Are by far the most commonly used crowns in pediatric dentistry—they are tried and true, and have been used in dentistry for over 50 years.
• Are made as metal shells of varying sizes, and can be customized to fit any tooth
• Are perfect for molars (teeth towards the back of the mouth), as they are durable, strong, and resistant to moisture
• Are useful when there is decay between the teeth
• Are easy to place and generally require only one visit to the dentist
• Are cost-effective—stainless steel crowns are the least expensive crowns available.
• Performed in a single office visit.

White Dental Crowns:

• Are made of a hard tooth-colored material similar to ceramic
• Like stainless steel crowns, zirconia crowns are pre-made to specific sizes
• Are metal free
• Are virtually indestructible—stronger and more durable than natural enamel
• Are arguably the most aesthetically-pleasing of all crowns
• Are resistant to plaque accumulation and decay
• Are biologically-inert—do not initiate an allergic response when introduced to biological tissue
• Can be produced in one visit if the dental office has the software and hardware available to do so
• Performed in a single office visit.
• Limitations for white dental crowns.
• Significant crowding
• Little tooth structure remaining
• Space loss

Valley Pediatric offers EZPedo Crowns esthetic zirconium crowns for primary teeth as an alternative to stainless steel crowns.

A tooth that can not be saved with restorative materials may need to be removed. Before removing the tooth, the area will be numbed with local anesthesia. The tooth is then loosened using a special dental instrument known as an elevator. After the tooth is loosened from the socket, it is removed.

Space maintainers are used to keep teeth from drifting into an empty tooth space due to early loss of primary (baby) teeth. Maintainers can prevent the need for extraction of permanent teeth later on.

Baby teeth act as a guide for the eruption of the permanent teeth, and develop dental arches with expansion. A space maintainer is made of stainless steel and/or plastic. It can be removable or fixed to the teeth.

The Myobrace System is a no-braces approach to straightening your teeth.

Treatment uses myofunctional orthodontic techniques to address the poor oral habits (known as myofunctional habits) that are the real, underlying causes of crooked teeth and uses light, intermittent forces to align the teeth. Myofunctional orthodontic techniques have been practiced by Orthodontists and Dentists around the world for over 50 years.This is done through the use of a series of removable dental appliances that are worn for just 1-2 hours each day and overnight while sleeping. Daily use of the Myobrace combined with regular activities (to improve breathing, muscle function and tongue posture) results in straighter teeth and improved function, leading to optimal facial development and a healthier smile.

Invisalign® can be used for mild to moderate tooth movement in order to achieve the desired alignment, function and smile. The dentist will work with you to develop a treatment plan and a series of removable aligners will be used to achieve the desired result. Each aligner set is worn for approximately 2 weeks before the patient moves on the then next in the series. Each set of aligners gently guides the teeth into the desired position and alignment.

Cosmetic bonding is the process of filling or restoring teeth with a tooth-colored material in order to maintain a natural appearance.

What is a frenum?

A frenum, or frenulum, is a small fold of tissue that holds and restricts our lips and cheeks with relation to our jaw. Lingual frenums (under the tongue) and the maxillary labial frenum (upper lip) are the most common problematic.

Symptoms of anklyoglossia:

Symptoms in child:

• Poor latch
• Clicking sound while nursing
• Gassiness
• Reflux or colic
• swallowing air, inflated tummy or bloating
• Gags on milk or pops off breast frequently to gasp for air
• Poor weight gain
• Falls asleep while nursing
• Short sleep episodes (needing to feed frequently)
• Slides off breast when attempting to nurse
• Unable to keep pacifier in
• Unhappy when laying on back
• Discomfort when lip is raised by adult
• Gagging once solid food is introduced
• Picky and messy eater once solid food introduced
• Milk leaking out sides of mouth or nose during feedings
• Long nursing sessions
• Uncoordinated suck
• Gulping or swallowing a heavier let down
• Blisters on lip(s) and or tongue
• Difficulty swallowing
• Heart shaped tongue or cleft in tip of tongue
• Cannot raise tongue

Symptoms in the mother:

• Cracked, creased, misshapen or blanched nipples
• Painful nursing
• Painful latching
• Bleeding, abraded or cut nipples
• Feeling of baby chomping
• Infected nipples or breasts
• Plugged ducts
• Mastitis
• Lipstick shaped nipples
• Breast, areola or nipple thrush
• Over or under supply of milk
• Knowing “something isn’t right” compared to a previous breastfeeding experience
• Nursing for long periods of time

Consequences of tongue tie:

• Poor breastfeeding experience, therefore higher change of switching to formula
• Speech Problems
• Gulping air leading to gassiness
• Sleep apnea
• Snoring
• Narrow dental arches
• Swallowing problems
• High vaulted palate (roof of mouth)
• Difficulty chewing and swallowing food
• Dental decay on front upper incisors (lip tie)
• Crowded dentition
• Malocclusion
• Symptoms of gastric reflux
• Breathing through mouth instead of nose (leading to lifetime poor oxygenation)
• Inability to move tongue for licking ice cream cones and other foods
• Space between two front teeth
• Gum recession – lower incisors
• Head and neck postural problems which leads to pain in neck and back and headaches

A frenectomy is a simple surgical procedure performed to release the connection of the “frenum,” a connective muscle between two tissues. There are two types of oral frenectomies that are frequently performed on both adults and children for a variety of reasons.

A Labial Frenectomy is performed on the tissue that connects the lip to the gums. This may be performed on children or adults to aid with orthodontic treatment or even help with the proper fitting for a denture or appliance.

A Lingual Frenectomy may also be referred to as the release of tongue-ties (ankyloglossia). This procedure is performed on the connective tissue under the tongue. The procedure is often performed on newborn patients to assist with nursing or on toddlers or older patients who need the surgery to help correct speech issues caused by limited movement due the the frenum. Lingual frenectomies help alleviate myofunctional disorders and aid in orthodontic treatment.