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  • Hilton Head (843) 671-7336
  • Bluffton (843) 757-7336
  • Beaufort (843) 379-5336
  • Aiken (803) 641-1000
Se habla Español Book An Appointment
book an Appointment
  • Hilton Head (843) 671-7336
  • Bluffton (843) 757-7336
  • Beaufort (843) 379-5336
  • Aiken (803) 641-1000

Examinations

From the moment you walk into our dental practice, you will immediately recognize a difference. A difference in the attitude of the team and in our little clients.

Doing a comprehensive examination for your child is only the beginning of great dental care. At Coastal Pediatric Dentistry, we recognize the value of preventive care as well as identifying potential future challenges early. Using a combination of a thorough clinical examination, along with necessary x-rays, we also do computer modeling to predict future growth projections as well as potential predictable and preventable problems in either breathing disorders, jaw irregularities, teeth grinding, or an improper bite (malocclusion). We encourage starting early treatment to minimize future corrections.

Ongoing regular examinations during your cleaning visits will help us monitor and maintain you on the right track. As your child goes through different stages of growth, we must evaluate not only their teeth for cavities, but also tongue position, tooth wear, jaw clicking, breathing and airway assessment, and the positioning of both the teeth and the jaws going forward.

We also look for indicators of wear from grinding, thumb sucking, timing on eruption of the adult teeth, cheek biting, infections, and tongue thrusting. In some cases, a space maintainer or a passive device to prevent thumb sucking or tongue thrust might be suggested.

Frequently asked Questions

Why are regular dental check-ups important?

By coming in for routine care, we can monitor and identify potential problems before they become bigger issues. Irritations in the gums, the lips, the tongue, or the cheek can sometimes be caused by biting or chewing habits, trauma, or even dietary deficiencies. If we see these kinds of issues, we can help prevent them from potentially getting worse.

What age do the teeth typically come in?

There is a “range” of time in which you can expect your baby’s teeth to come in. The baby teeth are the first set of “deciduous” teeth, meaning, these will fall out and adult teeth will start replacing them as your child gets older. Between eight months to one year of age is when we often see the first incisor coming through the gums. It’s not until two years that we expect the final baby tooth – the second molars – to come through. This can be as late as three years in some cases! Since there is such a wide range of time, we tell parents to not worry if they don’t see teeth before the first year. If we feel that your child’s teeth are delayed more than the “expected range”, we may take an x-ray to help us see where they are in the mouth. In rare cases, a tooth may not develop or it may even be growing in sideways, so it’s good to keep an eye on these things.
At your routine visits, we can also discuss healthy eating habits for your child. Certain foods can contribute to developing cavities more than others. Some foods, particularly vegetables like carrots or celery might be healthier and could even help rub the plaque off your children’s teeth when eating them.
Plaque develops quickly on teeth. When you come in for wellness check-ups we can help discover if diet, home care oral hygiene, nutrition, or an undiagnosed medical condition is contributing to this build-up. Our trained team of professionals will provide recommendations at this visit to help you maintain a healthy set of teeth and gums.

Why is it important to take x-rays?

It may not seem like a big deal to skip the x-rays during your child’s exam, but x-rays allow us to see what may not be visible to the naked eye.  X-Rays are an important part of your child’s oral health care. They allow pediatric dentists to see a high level of detail of the tooth, bone and supporting tissues of the mouth. X-rays allow pediatric dentists to:

 

  • See how your child’s teeth are erupting (coming into the mouth)
  • See the number, size and position of teeth that are still inside the gums
  • Find out whether there are missing teeth or extra teeth
  • Diagnose cavities in between teeth that are touching each other
  • Determine whether the teeth or mouth are infected
  • Prepare for braces and other orthodontic treatment
  • Identify bone diseases
  • Monitor mouth and teeth injuries
  • Detect problems that can’t be seen with a visual exam

 

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends X-rays every six months, especially if your child has had previous cavities. Dental X-rays are safe and expose your child to a minimal amount of radiation. A lead body apron is placed over the child’s body. When all standard safety precautions are taken, today’s X-ray equipment is able to prevent unnecessary radiation and allows the dental staff to focus the X-ray beam on a specific part of the mouth. High-speed film enables the dentist to reduce the amount of radiation the patient receives.