PATIENT INFO 
Anesthesia Dentistry
For those who cannot maintain or receive traditional dental care, treatment under general anesthesia in our office offers a compassionate, efficient alternative.
Frequently, for younger children or those who may have a medical or behavioral condition which makes it difficult to treat in a typical dental office setting. This option offers a safe and effective alternative. We have reserved time with Mobile Anesthesia Care once a month in our office and see these patients first thing in the morning.
If you wish to find out if your medical insurance covers this type of service, please call them. You will need to ask them if "anesthesia charges" (medical code D0170) for a child 5 and under or a patient with a medical or behavioral condition will be covered. Dental insurance companies DO NOT cover this benefit. This is a benefit that is billed to your MEDICAL insurance by Mobile Anesthesia Care. You may also want to find out if you have any deductibles and co-payments while you have them on the phone.
If you have any questions about dentistry under anesthesia or think that it may be necessary for you or for someone you love, please contact us.
About Teeth
Throughout your life, you will have two sets of teeth: primary (baby) teeth and secondary (permanent) teeth. The primary teeth appear around ages 6-8 months, and all 20 are in place by age 3.
Permanent teeth will begin to grow around age 6, and with the exception of wisdom teeth, are all present between ages 12 and 14. The next teeth to grow in are the 12-year molars and finally the wisdom teeth. Wisdom teeth typically begin breaking through from age 17 and on. The total number of permanent teeth is 32, though few people have room for all 32 teeth, which is why wisdom teeth are usually removed.
Your front teeth are called incisors. The sharp “fang-like” teeth are canines. The next side teeth are referred to as pre-molars or bicuspids, and the back teeth are molars. Your permanent teeth are the ones you keep for life, so it is important that they are brushed and flossed regularly and that periodic check-ups by a dentist are followed.
Dental Health
Why Good Dental Health is Important
Innumerable studies and research have concluded on the importance of starting children early in their lives with good dental hygiene and oral care. According to research, the most common chronic childhood disease in America is tooth decay, affecting 50 percent of first-graders and 80 percent of 17-year-olds. Early treatment prevents problems affecting a child’s health, well-being, self-image and overall achievement.
The National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research estimates that children will miss 52 million hours of school each year due to oral health problems and about 12.5 million days of restricted activity every year from dental symptoms. Because there is such a significant loss in their academic performance, the Surgeon General has made children’s oral health a priority.
Parents are responsible for ensuring their children practice good dental hygiene. Parents must introduce proper oral care early in a child's life—as early as infancy. The American Dental Hygiene Association states that a good oral hygiene routine for children includes:
• Thoroughly cleaning your infant’s gums after each feeding with a water-soaked infant cloth. This stimulates the gum tissue and removes food.
• Teaching your child at age 3 about proper brushing techniques with a small, soft-bristled toothbrush and a pea-sized amount of fluoridated toothpaste and later teaching them brushing and gentle flossing until 7 or 8 years old.
• Regular visits with their dentist to check for cavities in the primary teeth and for possible developmental problems.
• Encouraging your child to discuss any fears they may have about oral health visits, but not mentioning words like “pain” or “hurt,” since this may instill the possibility of pain in the child’s thought process.
• Determining if the water supply that serves your home is fluoridated; if not, discussing supplement options with your dentist or hygienist.
• Asking your hygienist or dentist about sealant applications to protect your child’s teeth-chewing surfaces and about bottle tooth decay, which occurs when teeth are frequently exposed to sugared liquids.
