Your Child’s First Dental Visit

Just as your child needs regular checkups with the pediatrician, regular visits with the dentist are necessary, too. Prepare your child for that first visit and the result may be the start of positive, lifelong dental care.

When should my child first see a dentist, and why?

The ideal time for a child to visit the dentist is six months after the child’s first (primary) teeth erupt. This time frame is a perfect opportunity for the dentist to carefully examine the development of the child’s mouth. Because dental problems often start early, the sooner the child visits the dentist, the better. To protect against problems, such as early childhood tooth decay, teething irritations, gum disease, and prolonged thumb or pacifier-sucking, the dentist can provide or recommend special preventive care.

How do I prepare my child and myself for the visit?

Before the visit, ask the dentist about the procedures that will take place during the first appointment so there are no surprises. Plan a course of action for any possible reaction your child my have. Very young children may be fussy and not sit still. Other may become very frightened and cry.  Some children may not react negatively at all.  Some may enjoy the appointment very much!  There are a number of children’s books about going to the dentist.  Read these books with your child before his or her first visit to familiarize your child with what will happen at the dentist and help lessen any potential anxiety.

Try to make the upcoming appointment something to look forward to. Help your child understand what will happen during the visit. Also be sure to bring any records of your child’s complete medical history for his or her dental file.

What will happen during the first visit?

Often a first visit is simply a time to acquaint your child with the dentist and the practice. If your child is frightened, uncomfortable, or uncooperative, you may need to reschedule the appointment.  As a parent, you should try to remain patient and calm, reassuring your child that the visit is not scary or something about which to be afraid.  Any anxiety on your part will be transferred to your child. Short, successive visits can build the child’s trust in the dentist and dental office and prove invaluable if your child needs to be treated later for any dental problems.

Childers’s appointments should be scheduled earlier in the day, when your child is alert and refreshed. For children younger than age 2 or 3, the parent may need to sit in the dental chair and hold the child during the examination.

If all goes well, the first visit often lasts between 15 and 30 minutes and may include any of the following, depending on the child’s age:

A gentle but thorough examination of the teeth, jaw, bite, gums and oral tissues to monitor growth and development and observe any problems areas;

A gentle cleaning, which includes polishing teeth and removing any plaque, tarter and build-up, and stains:

X-rays;

A demonstration on how to properly care for the mouth and teeth at home;

Nutritional counseling; and,

An assessment of the need for fluoride.

The dentist should be able to answer any questions you have and try to make you and your child feel comfortable throughout the visit.

When should we schedule the next appointment?

Children, like adults, should see the dentist every six months. Some dentist may schedule interim visits for every three months when the child is very young to build the child’s comfort and confidence levels or for treatment needs.

If you have more questions about your child’s dental need please talk to a pediatric dentist.     Academy of General Dentistry The Newsmagazine for the General Dentist, February 2011, Vol. 39, No. 2 page 30

Whitening Instructions:

Opalescence PF Tooth Whitening Gel

Custom made dental whitening trays can be the best  long term solution to whitening your yellowing teeth. Your teeth may stain because tea, coffee, red wine, and red pasta sauce.  Your best tooth whitening results will accrue after an adult dental phrophy ,dental cleaning.

Start the whitening process by brushing and flossing your teeth.  This is to remove any food or plaque buildup that can cause uneven whitening or bleaching of your teeth.

Next, load a small amount of gel into the whitening gel tray from the first molar-to-molar on the top and bottom. Concentrate the teeth whitening gel towards the front of the tray.  Place the whitening trays in your mouth and remove any excess gel that flows beyond the edge of the tray.  Each injector holds 3 to 4 treatments for the upper and lower arch.

We recommend wearing the tray for approximately one hour.  This time can be decreased based on sensitivity.  Upon removing the tray, brush and rinse your teeth again and rinse trays completely. First time users may need to whiten 14 to 21 times and then maintenance treatments once or twice per month.

Contact our office if sensitivity persists longer than an hour following bleaching.  It is not unusual to experience blotching on the teeth from the bleaching gel; this usually goes away within a day.  Again, feel free to contact us if this persists or you have any questions.

General Reminders:

·Please do not eat, drink, or smoke while wearing bleach trays.

·Do not whiten when pregnant or lactating.

·Foods and juices high in citric acid can cause sensitivity to the teeth.

·Coffee, tobacco, tea, red wine, and other products can restain your teeth.

·Store the bleaching syringes at room temperature away from

direct heat/sunlight.  Shelf life is about 18 months and All sales are final.

Charles N. Theobald, D.D.S., P.C. your Highlands Ranch Dentist!

Question— Are Individual Dental Insurance Plans worth buying?

Answer– Not really….. here is why. As the office manager of our dental practice I often get questions about individual dental plans because of patients retiring, switching employers, or being self employed. After may hours of research and price comparisons of different dental insurance plans I have proven time and time again that you have to be on the dental plan for two years before the insurance will pay for dental crowns, dental bridges, oral surgery, or even a root canal. Dental implants are rarely covered on even the best dental insurance plans.  This disadvantage is called a “waiting period”, and normally does not apply to routine dental cleanings ( hygiene prophy), x-rays, and check up exams but are covered at only 50%-to 80% of the service fee. When I add up the dental insurance premiums with the out of pocket expenses for dental cleanings, x-rays, and check up exams it almost always adds up to more that you would have paid if you just paid at the time of service. If you have a High deductible  Savings Account,  also known as an HSA card, or Flexible Spending Account or FLex card, you save even more by using pre-tax dollars without having to deal with dental insurance.

The real solution to this problem is having an insurance broker work with your small to medium sized business to show you different dental plans. The best dental insurance plans will have out of network benefits, short or no waiting periods, and a group rate that is more affordable than an individual plan.

Please contact Tracy and Maria Speer for Centennial and Denver area dental and health insurance needs.

Please contact Sally Wurr insurance agent for your Highlands Ranch and Littleton Colorado dental and health insurance needs.

Contact Bob Lowry at Allstate Insurance for your insurance needs in Castle Rock Colorado

Please tell them Brian sent you!

Porcelain Veneers

A porcelain veneer is a thin, custom-made porcelain molding made to cover the front of the tooth. Porcelain Veneers can cover unattractive gaps, mask stains, and conceal misshaped or crooked teeth. Each porcelain veneer is bonded onto the front of a tooth to create an aesthetically pleasing smile.

Why Dental Veneers Made Of Porcelain?

Porcelain is a durable material that closely resembles your natural tooth enamel in color and texture. Porcelain does not easily stain and does not decay which makes it great for dental veneers. Porcelain veneers create a natural-looking smile.

Benefits of Porcelain Veneers

• Radiant Smile: Porcelain veneers create a stunning smile!
• Natural: Each porcelain veneer is individually sculpted for your mouth and look natural.
• Don’t lose original teeth: Your original tooth is not altered very much to fit the dental veneer
• Tooth whitening: Teeth of all shades can appear bright white with porcelain veneers.
• Resistant: Porcelain veneers are resistant to stains from tea, coffee, and cigarette smoke.
• “Instant Orthodontics”: When covered with dental veneers, small gaps, minor overlaps, and uneven teeth can be corrected for a gorgeous smile.
• A Normal Life: Porcelain veneers look and feel like your natural teeth. You can eat the same foods as before the porcelain veneer procedure.

If you are considering porcelain veneers, it is important to find a qualified and artistic cosmetic dentist. Dr Charles Theobald DDS has over 30 years of experience and is skilled in cosmetic dentistry that can create your beautiful new smile with porcelain veneers.  Call our Dr. Charles N. Theobald  today at our Highlands Ranch, CO dental office near 80126.

Highlands Ranch Oral Surgery

You may not know that Dr. Theobald typically does not extract teeth. The reason why our dental office refers patients to periodontists, oral surgeons, and endodonticsts is so they may receive the highest level of services. Dr. Theobald specializes in crowns, fillings, dental bridges and even implant crowns, however when a patient needs a root canal or a tooth extracted we refer them to the best doctors in the business.   This happened to a patient this week. Because of the extent of the decay the tooth would require a root canal. Dr. Mark Levine D.M.D.,P.C. a endodontist in Denver worked our patient in to his schedule the same day. Unfortunately the tooth could not be saved. Dr. Levine the referred the patient to Dr. Stephen Colm,DMD, a oral surgeon in Highlands Ranch, to have the tooth extracted to avoid any complications. Our office would like to say thanks to Dr. Colm for staying late to work our patient in the same day to get her out of pain!