Pediatric Dentist Glendale

pediatric dentist glendaleThe teeth of a child start developing before the child is even born. At about six months old, a child’s teeth will start to erupt. Most children get their lower incisors first. Most children usually have all of their teeth by the time they are about two and a half years old. These tables illustrate the timing of child tooth eruption:

smilemakeover of la's children's dentistry chart


A child’s first set of teeth is known as deciduous. These baby teeth have a different anatomy than the permanent teeth that will come in later. Deciduous teeth usually have a bigger area for pulp, thinner enamel, shorter roots with a bigger curve, and crowns with a bit more curve to them. Baby teeth are designed to last for a shorter period of time than adult teeth, and they need to be restored in a different manner. Diet and anatomy differences make decay move quickly in deciduous teeth. Early cavities are filled for both, baby teeth and permanent teeth, though fillings may be temporary for teeth that will fall out soon. Since deciduous teeth heal well, serious tooth decay has more options for baby teeth than the standard root canal that adults tend to need. Decay that extends to the tooth pulp can be treated in the following ways when dealing with deciduous teeth:


The nerve that is exposed to infection is cut, and medicine is added to the area to help everything grow back well. Sometimes a permanent restoration material is added instead of the temporary restorative.


The damaged nerve is removed from the pulp chamber entirely. The nerve that remains is sealed after being medicated, and the tooth is restored.


Apexification is a procedure for permanent teeth erupting in a child. The pulp chamber is removed alongside the nerve from the canals in the roots. A Calcium Hydroxide solution is placed in the roots of the tooth to help the permanent root grow in properly.


Extraction is performed in children when an abscess has formed under the deciduous tooth that puts the child’s permanent tooth in danger. When there is a large amount of time left before the permanent tooth is supposed to erupt, extraction may be followed by a space maintainer designed to leave the permanent tooth the room it needs later.

Get The Best Pediatric Care at Smile Makeover of LA

Your pediatric dentist in Glendale CA will work with you to address the dentistry needs of your child. You’ll get help choosing the right answer for your child from a Glendale pediatric dentist.