Pediatric Dentistry

Our Treatments

We understand that it is important to build good dental habits while children are young, and we strive to form a strong, personal relationship between our dentists and your family so their smiles will stay healthy for life.

Tooth-Colored Fillings

For the majority of cavities, we can remove the decay and place a white composite filling material.

This material is basically as strong as tooth enamel and does a great job of protecting the tooth from further decay.

Stainless Steel Crowns

Sometimes when decay on baby teeth is too severe, the best option is to cover and protect the entire baby tooth. This will keep the tooth healthy for the remaining years it needs to be in the mouth, preserving important spaces for developing permanent teeth and assisting with important functions such as chewing and talking.

The most reliable and durable option for a tooth like this is called a stainless steel crown. This is a steel (silver-colored) crown that looks and functions just like a normal baby tooth. It will fall out when the baby tooth is ready to fall out.

Pulpotomy

If decay on a baby tooth passes into the nerve, the tooth will need a procedure called a pulpotomy, or partial removal of the tooth's nerve. In this procedure, the nerve is accessed and the most superficial, or most affected, section of the nerve is removed.

Special medicine is placed into the nerve chamber to prevent future inflammation of the remaining nerve and the tooth is sealed back up. Generally, after a pulpotomy, we cover the baby tooth with a stainless steel crown to protect it until it falls out.

Nitrous Oxide (Mild Sedation)

Nitrous oxide, or "laughing gas," is an odorless gas that acts as an "anxiolytic," or anxiety-reducing aid for the children as they have their dental procedures completed. We find that most kids undergoing dental work do much better if they can simultaneously breathe this "happy air" as we like to call it. It doesn't put the children to sleep, but rather makes them not care as much about what is going on. Between this and the TVs on the ceiling playing their favorite show, most children allow us to complete their needed procedures without too much difficulty.

IV Sedation (Deep Sedation)

When Nitrous Oxide and Netflix won't do the job, we have a stellar anesthesia team that visits our office on a regular basis to help children go to sleep peacefully while we complete their needed dental work. We have scoured the state for the best anesthetist around, and we have found him.

If your child needs extensive dental work completed or simply has extreme anxiety about the dentist, this is likely the route you will want to take, and we guarantee you will be satisfied with the experience from start to finish. Our anesthesia team performs their job in an extremely professional, safe way and their services have benefitted hundreds of children who have had their work completed under IV sedation.

Contact us if your child has significant treatment needs or extreme anxiety and we can discuss the different options available during a free consultation.

Infant Frenectomy

Dr. Swan has vast experience treating infants who struggle to nurse properly due to tongue and/or lip tie. Prior to attending orthodontic school, he was trained in the latest diagnostic and procedural techniques regarding soft tissue ties and performed hundreds of procedures for struggling infants. He was amazed to see the positive improvements that happened, sometimes immediately.

While completing orthodontic residency for two years in Florida, Dr. Swan owned and operated a tongue and lip-tie clinic where he diagnosed and treated struggling babies exclusively due to the urgent need that existed in that part of the country. He loves the chance to help improve the nursing relationship between a baby and their mother.

Having 7 kids of his own, he understands the importance of making that relationship as successful as it can be. Contact Dr. Swan for a consultation if your baby is struggling to nurse and you'd like an exam to check for restrictive soft tissue ties.

Orthodontics

Dr. Swan is a dual-specialized pediatric dentist and orthodontist. He is very comfortable with all aspects of children's dentistry and orthodontics, including interceptive orthodontic treatments to correct developing problems before they become more severe.

The American Association of Orthodontists recommends a child have an orthodontic evaluation by age 7 to check for preventable orthodontic issues. Visit our orthodontic website to learn more about the various treatments Dr. Swan offers and contact us for a free consultation if you have any questions about your child's teeth.