Pediatric Dentistry at North Texas Smiles – Building Healthy Smiles and Happy Visits

I know how much you want the absolute best for your child, and that’s exactly what we focus on every day. It’s totally normal for little ones to feel a little unsure about their first dental visit, but our office is designed to turn that around quickly! We make it fun, welcoming and full of smiles so your child leaves feeling proud and eager to come back. Parents are always welcome to stay right by their side, let’s make this first experience one they’ll remember fondly!

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends checkups every 6 months, and we couldn’t agree more! These visits let me keep a close, caring eye on how your child’s mouth is developing, spotting changes early, catching any potential issues and giving you the tools and knowledge to support great oral health between appointments. If your child is at higher risk for cavities or showing early signs of bite or alignment concerns, we might suggest more frequent visits to stay ahead of things and keep everything heading in the best direction.

SDF is one of my favorite tools for helping kids at high risk for cavities. This painless, brush-on liquid is clear and helps stop decay in its tracks by strengthening the tooth, fighting bacteria, and even reducing sensitivity. It’s a simple, non-invasive option that can buy us time and prevent bigger problems especially great for young ones or those who need extra protection while their mouths grow.

When cavities do show up, we treat them with beautiful, natural-looking tooth-colored fillings that blend right in, no metal here! We choose mercury-free materials because your child’s overall health matters to us. The approach depends on the cavity’s size, your child’s age and their risk level, but we always aim for gentle, effective care that keeps their smile looking and feeling great.

For small chips, gaps, or minor shape issues, we can use tooth-colored bonding materials to smooth things out beautifully. Often, there’s no need for numbing or major changes to the tooth, it’s quick, comfortable and helps boost confidence in their smile!

Back teeth have deep grooves that can trap food and bacteria, leading to most cavities in kids. Sealants are a thin, protective coating we paint on those premolars and molars, it’s like giving them an invisible shield! Studies show they prevent a huge percentage of cavities in school-aged children. We check them at every visit and reapply as needed, they last for years and make keeping those hard-to-reach spots clean so much easier.

If a tooth has a big cavity, trauma damage, or didn’t form quite right, a custom white zirconia crown can restore its shape, function and strength. These mercury-free crowns look natural and hold up beautifully as your child grows. We only recommend them when they’re truly the best way to protect the tooth long-term.

Sometimes a baby tooth is too damaged to save, severely broken, or causing crowding for others. In those cases, I’ll perform a gentle extraction to keep your child comfortable and prevent bigger issues. We make it as quick and calm as possible, always with your child’s well-being first.

For anxious kids, those with special needs, or anyone who could use a little help relaxing, laughing gas (nitrous oxide) is a safe, gentle option. It helps them feel calm and happy during treatment, and it’s completely out of their system in just minutes afterward. Safety is always our top priority, we use it thoughtfully to ensure every child gets the care they need without fear.

Losing a baby tooth early can let other teeth shift and create problems for permanent ones down the road. If that happens, I’ll custom-make a space maintainer to fit perfectly and keep that spot open. Baby teeth guide jaw growth, facial development and the path for adult teeth protecting that space now often means simpler, less invasive orthodontics later.

Not every wisdom tooth needs to come out, but some can cause crowding, damage to nearby teeth, or trouble erupting fully. We keep an eye on them as your child grows (starting in the mid-teens), and if extraction is best, we handle it with care to protect the rest of their smile. Wisdom teeth keep developing into the 20s or even later, so we’ll guide you on the right timing.