Preventative care
Pediatric dental checkups, cleanings & related services
Along with a healthy diet and good oral hygiene, scheduling regular exams for your child with Hamilton County Pediatric Dentistry is a great way to help them avoid the “ouch” of tooth pain, address potential dental issues early, and establish positive habits for a lifetime of healthy smiles.
Pediatric dental checkups for kids
Preventative care is essential for keeping teeth healthy and fostering a positive attitude about visiting the dentist in kids as they grow. It’s so important, in fact, that researchers have proven children with healthy teeth and gums—who also see a pediatric dentist regularly—are more confident and also tend to:
- Learn better and perform better in school
- Eat better
- Have better overall health
We believe preventative care is essential throughout your child’s life to help protect their teeth. Dr. Laura Juntgen (rhymes with “dungeon”) and our team follow the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry’s recommendation of scheduling regular pediatric dental checkups every six months to help prevent cavities and promote creating lasting, positive oral health habits.
What’s the best age to start?
At our pediatric dentist office, Dr. Juntgen usually starts seeing infants for initial pediatric dentist exams around their first birthdays and continues providing regular preventative care to young patients through age 22.
What happens at regular exams for preventative care
Good oral health starts with prevention and education, and checkups at our pediatric dentist office always include both. Each appointment typically lasts about 30–45 minutes. During that time, Dr. Juntgen—working with our dental hygienist—will:
- Review health history and assess development
- Perform a professional cleaning and then a gentle evaluation of the teeth, soft tissue, gums, and jaw (including an oral cancer screening, TMJ check, and oral hygiene review)
- Take dental X-rays to reveal potential issues that can’t be seen with the naked eye
- Apply a fluoride treatment
But it’s not all business, all the time! We make these essential pediatric dental checkups fun for all ages (including parents) with entertaining activities—like tattoo transfers, prize tokens, and movies—to help distract and amuse.
Before appointments end, young patients can win an extra prize by tricking Dr. Juntgen into saying the secret “word of the day.”
Early ortho interventions
Misalignment of teeth can cause a lot of future dental problems. Dr. Juntgen screens every patient during regular pediatric dental checkups and makes necessary referrals at the correct time for complex problems, such as:
- Crossbite
- Underbite
- Overbite
- Crowding
Additionally, when permanent tooth positioning needs to be refined, Dr. Juntgen will refer patients to an orthodontist for:
- Appliances
- Retainers
- Braces
Teeth cleaning & hygiene
Teeth cleaning involves removing harmful buildup (plaque and calculus)—even in very young children—to prevent cavities and gingivitis. Here at Hamilton County Pediatric Dentistry, our hygienist pulls out all the stops to make teeth cleaning fun, educational, and worthwhile for all during pediatric dental checkups.
The process starts with your child. They’ll have the chance to pick out a favorite toothpaste for us to use during their cleaning. Some of the wacky flavor options include:
- Chocolate
- Bubble gum
- Orange vanilla
- Cinnamon
- Cherry
- Strawberry
- Mint
Then, once your child is comfortably settled into the dental chair and watching a movie, our hygienist will gently clean their teeth. Then, Dr. Juntgen will evaluate their oral hygiene and share advice on improving it, depending on your child’s age and needs. If needed, we’ll also apply a protective fluoride treatment.
24/7 emergency pediatric dental care
A dental emergency is a scary event for children and parents alike. We understand, and we’re here for compassionate emergency pediatric dental care whenever you need it.
- Same-day or after-hours appointments
- Call us anytime at 317-846-5893 for a phone or in-person evaluation
- Medications prescribed as needed
Fluoride treatments
Fluoride is often an ingredient in over-the-counter toothpaste because it strengthens the enamel or outer coating of teeth, making them more decay-resistant. While cleaning your child’s teeth, we’ll let you know whether or not professional-strength fluoride treatment is recommended.
Dr. Juntgen offers standard fluoride treatments in gel and varnish formulations. The nicely flavored gel fluoride product—suitable for children without dental complications—is applied by brushing the fluoride gel onto the teeth with a toothbrush. The varnish option has a higher fluoride concentration—best for children at higher risk of tooth decay—and it’s quickly applied to the teeth in the thinnest coat possible using a small brush.
We also offer silver diamine fluoride, an antibiotic liquid that temporarily stops tooth decay when placing a filling isn’t possible.
Sealants
Sealants are thin plastic coatings applied to the chewing surfaces of permanent teeth to prevent decay by blocking the accumulation of food and bacteria. The sealant material flows into the grooves and crevasses of the tooth it’s applied to, bonding to create a smooth and hard surface after light is applied. The process takes about five minutes per tooth and doesn’t require numbing.
During your child’s preventative care exam, Dr. Juntgen will determine if an application is recommended. We’ll check the integrity of any sealants applied at future pediatric dental checkups.
“Streaming a favorite Disney show, playing games, and giving prizes—we do everything possible to make a child’s visit fun. Of course, we even clean their teeth and check for cavities.”— Dr. Juntgen
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