MetLife Insurance is Accepted at Our Pediatric Dental Clinic
Dr. Greg Evans and Dr. Rachel Ecker learned a lot about pediatric dentistry while completing their education, but they credit their young patients and the parents of their patients with teaching them the most. Our dentists understand that the most effective way to serve children is to view life through their lens and not from an adult perspective.
We educate children about their oral health in an age-appropriate manner while respecting their questions and fears. As we have seen play out time and again, children who have positive experiences at the dentist don’t develop phobias and take better care of their oral health for the rest of their life. Whether you are looking for a pediatric dentist in Fort Collins, Colorado for the first time or need to change providers, we can help.
Top Pediatric Dental Services Offered by Big Grins
As experienced pediatric dentists, Dr. Evans and Dr. Ecker are available to provide more than a dozen services to our young patients. Below are brief descriptions of our most requested pediatric dental services.
Pediatric Dental Cleanings
The example you set at home by consistently brushing, flossing, and eating healthy foods has the biggest impact on your child, but we are here to support your efforts. We agree with the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry that the ideal time for your child’s first dental appointment is after the first teeth erupt.
The timeline could be as early as six months for some children, while others won’t have any teeth until after they turn one year old. In the latter case, we suggest bringing your baby to Big Grins by their first birthday.
While the appointment will obviously differ from that of an older child with a full set of primary teeth, seeing your infant early gives us the opportunity to look for any potential problems. We also provide education for parents on the best ways to care for their child’s oral health until the child is old enough to take over the job.
Once your child’s first appointment with us is over, be sure to schedule future appointments six months apart. Older children receive the same treatments as adults, including removing plaque and tartar from teeth, having a dentist check for cavities, and finishing the appointment by polishing the teeth.
Dental Sealants
Approximately 20 percent of children between the ages of five and 11 have at least one decayed tooth that requires treatment, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dental sealants are a simple and pain-free way to keep hard-to-reach back teeth as clean as possible and prevent tooth decay and the need for fillings in the process.
To apply a dental sealant, Dr. Evans or Dr. Ecker brush a coating of liquid onto the chewing surface of your child’s tooth that hardens to create a protective seal. The sealant then turns into plastic resin and keeps plaque and bacteria from penetrating the back teeth. Dental sealants also guard against acid erosion.
The liquid from a dental sealant goes over the grooves, ridges, and dips in the back teeth that can be challenging for children to reach and keep clean. Plaque often accumulates on those areas of the back teeth due to the difficulty in reaching them with a toothbrush and dental floss.
Pediatric Dental Emergencies
Experiencing a dental emergency yourself is nerve-wracking enough. When your child has a sudden dental issue, it can be difficult to determine if it’s a true emergency and what to do about it. Here at Big Grins, we encourage parents to err on the side of caution if they have any concerns that their child could be experiencing a serious oral health issue. Below are some of the most common pediatric dental emergencies that we treat at our Fort Collins, Colorado location.
Abscessed Tooth with Facial Swelling
If your child has an abscessed tooth, the infection can spread from the original location to the face and cause a condition known as cellulitis. The symptoms of cellulitis, which is the term used to describe a deep skin infection, include facial swelling, extreme fatigue, fever, and the potential for a distorted jaw or eye socket.
An abscessed tooth means that your child has a bacterial infection that has killed the pulp of a tooth. The dead pulp is what spreads to other areas of the mouth and face, causing significant discomfort. We recommend that you schedule an emergency appointment with us if your child shows obvious signs of pain originating from an infected tooth.
Knocked-Out Tooth
Your child needs to see a dentist right away after losing a baby tooth or permanent tooth to facial trauma or dental disease. Even though a permanent tooth will eventually take the place of a baby tooth, it’s critical to place a space maintainer in the open spot to prevent tooth misalignment later.
Should your child lose a permanent tooth, we may be able to reattach it if you arrive at our office quickly enough. Be sure to gather as much of the tooth as possible and bring it to the emergency appointment with you.
Water Blisters
Water blisters, also referred to as viral herpetic cold sores, are sacks filled with fluid that you can see at the corner of your child’s mouth. Children with verbal ability will most likely complain about the water blister being itchy and painful, while pre-verbal children will scratch and pick at the area.
Since water blisters are contagious, it’s important to bring your child in as soon as possible so we can prescribe an antibiotic. Symptoms should be gone entirely within 10 days.
Insurance Coverage and Payment Methods Accepted
Big Grins accepts many forms of insurance coverage, including Met Life. Although dental insurance companies vary on the services they cover, most provide at least some coverage for preventive care appointments and any service deemed essential for your child’s well-being. However, we recommend that you check with your dental insurance company before scheduling services just to make sure.
Please be advised that insurers typically provide no coverage for services considered entirely cosmetic. You are also responsible for remitting payment to Big Grins for any portion of an invoice not covered by your dental insurance company. We are happy to discuss payment options for out-of-pocket expenses, whether you are responsible for the entire bill or only a portion of it. Most parents choose to pay by credit card, cash, or personal check.
Get in Touch Today
Does your child need a dental check-up, or are you concerned about a possible oral health issue? Please contact Big Grins to schedule an appointment with a pediatric dentist in Fort Collins, Colorado.
