Tooth Extraction for Kids and Teens

Tooth removal can be intimidating and a little scary for anyone. Unfortunately, as a parent, you may be a little nervous too. Please let us guide your child to soothe, calm, and help them. It is best not to precondition a child with fears and doubts. As a parent, you can take the time to talk with Dr. Sara, an extraction specialist and a leading children’s dentist in NYC. She will be more than happy to cover all the kids tooth extraction details and help you fully understand the removal procedure. That way, everyone can be prepared for the tooth extraction experience, recovery and its aftercare.

While everything possible is done to preserve baby teeth, sometimes there is no other choice but to remove a badly infected tooth or a tooth that has been too extensively damaged to restore.

Temporarily Space Maintainers

When this is the only option available, your child’s dentist Dr. Babich may suggest various ways of temporarily replacing the tooth until the adult tooth is ready to erupt. Sometimes she provides some form of a temporary prosthesis or use a special type of space maintainer that is fitted onto the adjacent teeth.

A space maintainer does precisely what the name suggests, helping to hold open the correct amount of space left behind by the baby tooth, preventing the adjacent teeth from drifting out of place. The space maintainer remains in position until the adult tooth is ready to come through and it’s a device that is extremely useful in helping to ensure the adult tooth erupts in the correct alignment.

Reasons for Tooth Removal

Sometimes, despite all our best efforts, a child must experience removal of a tooth. Trauma, i.e., an accident, is very frequently the reason for an emergency tooth extraction. Common causes of dental trauma are:

• Falling
• Contact team sports or gym at school
• A slip in the bathtub
• Swimming

There are other reasons a child may require removal of a tooth, which can include:
As recommended by the orthodontist, to allow permanent teeth to grow in properly in cases of severe decay.

There is Good News! Your child should be excited that the tooth fairy is on her way.

Simple Tips for Avoiding Kids Tooth Extractions

Just recently the UK released shocking figures detailing the number of tooth extractions required by kids. They found in the last year alone there were nearly 43,000 operations required to extract
badly diseased teeth in children and teenagers. These figures are pretty shocking, but childhood tooth decay is a worldwide problem.

Get Educated

Dental education is extremely important but many parents, particularly first-time parents are confused about how best to look after their kid’s teeth. You may not realize this is one area where your pediatric dentist Dr. Babich can help you. When you take your child to visit a pediatric dentist Dr. Babich, remember she can offer advice and practical help on how to properly care for your child’s teeth. This includes information on which toothbrush and toothpaste to use as well as practical demonstrations on how to brush a young child’s teeth correctly. Flossing is another area where Dr. Babich can help you because it is essential to begin flossing your child’s teeth when they come into contact. The contact areas in between teeth are often prone to tooth decay.

Get Your Child into a Good Oral Hygiene Routine

As soon as you can, develop a good daily oral hygiene routine to brush and floss your kid’s teeth and make sure you stick to this routine. While many children will want to brush on their own, most will require supervision until at least age 7. You will have to floss your child’s teeth until they are age 10 because this is a task that takes quite a bit of dexterity. There are lots of things you can do to make tooth brushing more enjoyable for everyone. For example, let your child choose a toothbrush they find appealing, perhaps in the shape of their favorite cartoon character. Also, buy them their own toothpaste and let them choose the flavor, even if it seems unappealing to you.

Ask Dr. Babich, Your Kids Dentist for Dietary Advice

Are you confused about which foods are best for healthy teeth? You’re not alone!

The information given on packaged food can be extremely misleading, easily fooling you into believing you are giving your child something that is great for their health, but which can have high levels of hidden sugars. Childhood tooth decay can easily be caused by sugary snacks that are initially appear healthy and good for kids. Sugary beverages are another major problem and especially fruit juices. It can be a great idea to talk to Dr. Babich about your child’s diet, particularly if they have had some problems with tooth decay.

Dr. Babich can advise you on how much sugar your child should be consuming each day and if necessary can even analyze their diet. Most children enjoy fruit juice but unfortunately, it is packed with sugar. Ideally, give your kid plain water to drink and encourage them to eat fresh fruit or raw, crunchy veggies.

Read more:

Lead Poisoning and Tooth Decay
How to Prevent Childhood Cavities

It is Never Too Late for Your Kid to See a Pediatric Dentist

If your kid has already celebrated their first birthday and has yet to visit a kids dentistry or your local pediatric dentist Dr. Babich, then it’s never too late! The sooner you take them to see a kid’s dentist in your area, the sooner you can begin the very best preventative dental care regime.

Some of the essential preventive dentistry services are:

• Dental Cleaning
• Dental Sealants
• Silver Diamine Fluoride Treatment (SDF)

If your child already has signs of tooth decay, your local dentist or Dr. Babich can recommend the most suitable treatment to help preserve and protect their baby teeth, hopefully well before they begin to feel any discomfort or pain.

Getting Treatment for the Earliest Signs of Tooth Decay

Often a dentist will repair a child’s primary tooth using tooth colored composite fillings that are a mixture of plastic resin and glass and which will restore the tooth, so your child can bite and chew in comfort. More extensive tooth decay may need a pulp treatment called a pulpotomy. This treatment is a little bit different from an adult root canal treatment because the tooth will eventually be lost to make room for the adult tooth underneath.

If there is no option but to extract a tooth then you can rest assured that everything possible will be done to keep your child calm, comfortable and relaxed during this treatment. Pediatric dentists including Dr. Babich are great at soothing anxious children, especially when working with a child who may already be afraid of visiting the dentist.

Regular Dental Appointments

If it’s been a while since your child saw a dentist or they have yet to receive their first dental visit, make sure you book an appointment for them with a good pediatric dentist such as Dr. Sara Babich of Pediatric Dentistry Center on Upper East Side NYC. Usually, children need to see the dentist every six months because regularly monitoring their teeth and jaws helps the dentist to detect any problems that much sooner.

The more quickly we can provide the appropriate treatment, the more likely it is that we can save any damaged baby teeth. You will also find pediatric dentists in NYC including Dr. Babich can offer a whole host of useful information on how to look after your child’s baby teeth and their adult teeth.

Preventative dentistry is always the most preferable solution!

Do you have any questions about the tooth extraction for kids and teens we offer in NYC? Would you like to schedule an appointment with the top New York City tooth removal specialist, best in class pediatric dentist Dr. Sara Babich? Please call our office at 212-988-4070 or visit our kids dentistry center in Manhattan on Upper East Side.

Pediatric Dentistry: Dr. Sara B. Babich, DDS
116 E 84th St
New York, NY 10028
(84th St. btw Park Ave / Lex Ave)
☎ 212-988-4070

Contact us today to learn more about our
New York City pediatric dentistry practice 212.988.4070