PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY - CHILDREN'S DENTISTRY
Importance of having an early visit to the dentist for your child.
At Lumbertown Dental Wellness in Muskegon, we encourage visits with children as early as one year old. We believe that proper dental education of the parents about hygiene and giving us an opportunity to evaluate the ability of the child to sleep well – plenty of arch space and no tongue tie, can go far to having a healthy child. We also monitor for possible baby bottle syndrome. A child with a cleft lip or palate, or who has tongue tie, will have difficulty nursing and possibly breathing, leading to the possibility of lack of oxygen to the brain during the critical years of development.
The Value of Early Child Dental Visits
Other oral habits, as the dentist we would want to evaluate early on are thumb sucking or sleeping with a bottle of juice at night which could lead to multiple cavities or potentially an open bite, requiring orthodontics later in life. We have found that even if the first visit is only for a couple minutes, starting good behavioral habits and “easing” your children into a routine of dental wellness visits, is a great idea.
Our staff is trained to take excellent care of our patients and we know you will feel at ease with not only our team but also Dr. Donley. His gentle approach to care and warm smile along with our relaxed environment should make for a very comforting first visit for your child. You will never feel rushed in our office and you will receive the time it takes to get the work done each and every time.
The American Academy of Orthodontists has recommended that all children should have an orthodontic examination by age six. As your child gets older, we can re-evaluate for potential orthodontics as well as make sure they have learned great home oral hygiene habits. In many cases that might need orthodontics, we can start early to help guide teeth into proper position and eliminate the need for braces later on in life, either by enlarging the palate / arch shape or repositioning the teeth early so they grow in and allow your permanent teeth room to come in as well. This usually eliminates the need for removal of permanent teeth (except for wisdom teeth) and reduces the risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea at a later age. About 3-4% of children develop sleep apnea and Dr. Donley looks at those risk factors also.
Dr. James R. Donley in North Muskegon, Michigan is a caring, gentle dentist who loves children and even has two great grandchildren of his own. You will quickly see why the patients in our area enjoy bringing their children in to see us. Call today to get your child off to a great start on their oral health!
