Pediatric Dentist for West Village Families

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that a child is seen within six months after his first tooth erupts or by one-year-old, whichever is first. We recommend that you schedule an appointment with a pediatric dentist around your child’s first birthday.

The best preparation for your child’s first visit to our office is maintaining a positive attitude. Children are extremely intuitive and pick up on adults’ apprehensions and anxiety. If you make negative comments about trips to the dentist you can be sure that your child will fear an unpleasant experience and act accordingly. Show your child the pictures of the office and doctor on the website. Tell your child about the importance of maintaining healthy teeth and gums. You may want to consider picking up one of the many wonderful children’s books dedicated to the topic of teeth and dentists. We are happy to offer suggestions. Most importantly, remember that your pediatric dentist is specially trained to handle fears and anxiety, and our staff is experienced at putting children at ease during treatment.

All dental specialists (pediatric dentists, orthodontists, oral surgeons, and others) begin by completing four years of dental school, then continue their education with several years of additional specialized training. During the two to three years of extra training required in the field of pediatric dentistry, your doctor gained extensive knowledge and experience in treating infants, children, and adolescents, including those with special healthcare needs. Pediatric dentists enjoy working with children, and bring to each patient our expertise in childhood development and behavior.

In order to prevent cavities and other dental problems, we generally recommend scheduling checkups every six months. Depending on the circumstances of your child’s oral health, we may recommend more frequent visits.

At about 6-8 months, the two lower front teeth (central incisors) will erupt, followed shortly by the two upper central incisors. The remainder of the baby teeth appears during the next 18 to 24 months. At 2 to 3 years, all 20 of the primary teeth should be present.

The first permanent teeth begin to erupt at about age five to six and include molars behind the back baby teeth along with lower central incisors. Some permanent teeth replace baby teeth and some don’t. This process will continue until approximately age fourteen.

The pace and order of their eruption may vary, so don’t be alarmed if some teeth are a few months early or late. All children have unique eruption patterns.