Do we need kid's dentistry?
It is important to look after your child’s teeth from the moment they begin teething. People tend to neglect the health and hygiene of baby teeth given they are will eventually be replaced by permanent teeth. The misconception that baby teeth don’t really matter puts the oral health of kids at a great risk as they develop. Cavities and tooth decay are very common in children and dental decay in children is alarmingly on the rise in Australia, with children aged 5 to 10 having an average of one and a half decayed, missing or filled baby teeth.
Did you know that decayed baby teeth can damage the permanent teeth underneath? The age-old adage of “prevention is better than a cure” especially rings true when it comes to dentistry so we believe starting early with encouraging good oral health habits and educating your child on the importance of visiting a kids dentist can assist with healthy practices that will stay with them for life. Setting your kids up for good oral health early in life can have positive effects on their entire well-being. From infants to teens, routine and regular dental checkups prevent the need for future costly, invasive or complicated treatment. We will help empower your children to take care of their teeth and gums and ensure they won’t develop dental anxiety that can be common into adulthood.
Children's Dentistry at our West Ryde Dental Practice - What does it look like?
The Child Dental Benefits Schedule:
Did you know that you can get up to $1000 of free dental care every 2 years? To learn more, click HERE, or call us!
We love working with kids! While a young patient’s first experience at the dentist can come with nervousness or fear, every member of our team understands how important it is to make our dental appointments a fun and enjoyable experience. We’ll keep a positive, inviting atmosphere while your child is with us. Furthermore, we’ll never force them to do anything they don’t yet feel ready for. By bringing your child in to see us early in life, particularly during a parent or sibling’s appointments with us, your child will be familiarised with us and look forward to their visits.
Our dentists are great with children and will help them feel at ease throughout their entire visit. We explain everything that is happening to your child and ensure they understand what is happening and how it’s going to help them. For the more nervous children, we recommend desensitising them by initially having them accompany and sit in on the next appointment of an older sibling, parent or family member. This way, your child can see what is happening and how it isn’t all that scary! To help your child feel more comfortable and confident with the idea of visiting the dentist, it is also helpful to explain to them that dental visits are a regular occurrence for everyone to keep people healthy. If your child has any concerns, it is best to keep information matter-of-fact without using any negative or anxiety inducing words such as ‘hurt’, ‘pain’, ‘blood’, ‘needle’ or ‘drill’.
By getting your child used to: the environment, what they can expect when they see a dentist, and showing them that our West Ryde dental practice is a comfortable space for them and their family, they will be better prepared when it’s their turn!
Children's
Dentistry
"At My Dental Moments, we love working with young patients and we make it a fun experience for them!"
- Dr Karen Lee
Children’s Dental Care at
My Dental Moments
We love working with kids! Every member of our team understands how important it is to make their dental appointments a fun, enjoyable experience. We’ll keep a positive, inviting atmosphere while they’re with us. Furthermore, we’ll never force them to do anything they don’t feel ready for. By bringing them in early in life, particularly during a parent or sibling’s appointments with us, they will feel used to us and look forward to their visits.
Cavities and tooth decay are very common in children. Setting your children up for good oral health early in life can have positive effects on their entire well-being. We will help empower them to take care of their teeth and gums and ensure they won’t develop dental fears that can be common into adulthood.
At My Dental Moments, based in West Ryde in the City of Ryde, we are committed to providing high quality preventative, diagnostic and restorative dentistry for children and youth of all ages.
Come see us for all your children's dentistry needs!
At our West Ryde Dental clinic, our friendly team are amazing with the young ones! We welcome you to book an appointment for your child and we'll make sure they feel safe, comfortable and ensure their dental health is optimal now and into the future. Come meet the My Dental Moments team and we'll ensure your entire family has tip-top oral health!
What dentistry services do you offer for children?
We can provide all the care your child may need to keep their oral health in tip-top condition! We want your kids to start off having a gorgeous smile with our targeted services. Importantly, when you visit us we will make sure any potential problems are identified and addressed early, pain-free and stress-free. Our dentistry for children services include:
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Checkups and cleans
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Fillings to address tooth decay
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Orthodontics for teenagers
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Early intervention (Phase 1) orthodontics
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Fissure sealants to protect the back molars from decay
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Crowns to cover damaged teeth
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Splints for night grinding and clenching
Perhaps the most essential part of what we’ll do is talk to your child about the importance of oral health and empower them to maintain good oral hygiene habits that will last into adulthood. They’ll be educated on how to brush, floss and how to keep their smiles healthy for life.
At what age should my child first see a dentist?
You might be wondering at what age should kids start going to the dentist? It is recommended that shortly after your child has their first teeth erupts, or at the latest as soon as your kids turns 2 that you book in for their first oral health assessment with My Dental Moments, based in the Northern Sydney region (West Ryde).
On your child’s first visit, we will do a thorough examination of their teeth, gums, jaws and mouth, checking for any signals of poor growth, tooth decay or other oral health problems. During this initial appointment, we’ll check that your toddler’s first teeth are coming through correctly. This friendly and relaxed visit will introduce your child to the high-tech patient chair with your child sitting comfortably on mum and dad’s lap and mainly involves a simple visual inspection of your child’s mouth, making sure there’s nothing unusual or concerning with the child’s teeth and gums.
Our dentists will count the child’s teeth using the dental mirror for a fun interactive game with your kid. Our years of experience with paediatric dentistry, and having young kids ourselves, means we're fantastic with children and will assess your child’s growth and development to identify any risks for tooth decay. We will advise you on how you can help look after your kid’s teeth and prevent decay with proper brushing techniques and healthy nutrition tips.
Gap Free Children’s Dental Services
Free Kids Dental? What is the Child Dental Benefits Schedule?
Did you know that between the ages of 2 and 18, your child may be eligible to get up to $1,000 of free dental care every 2 years under the Commonwealth funded Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS)? Also known as the Medicare Dental Scheme, Medicare offers bulk billed child dentistry benefits to eligible families. To learn more, click HERE, or call us!
We are pleased to offer children’s no gap dental services at our West Ryde dental practice. If you have private health insurance, your health fund will generally pay for a proportion of your dental treatment. That leaves a ‘gap’ in the bill, which you would normally pay for out of pocket by yourself. With kids no gap dental, you will not have to pay further on-the-spot expenses that you would otherwise make. This is dependent on your private health fund and level of cover, and we would be happy to help you check what your insurance would cover for no gap dental. If you want to know more about our kids no gap dental services, give us a call today.