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Pediatric Smile MakeoverAt Dumont NJ

Smile Makeover for Kids

If your child’s smile has been damaged, Dr. Melissa Alter, pediatric dentist at Palisades Dental Care can help. A smile makeover for kids can provide your child with a healthy smile that looks, feels, and functions like their natural teeth.

What is a Smile Makeover?

A smile makeover is a combination of procedures that improve the aesthetics and functionality of damaged teeth.

How does it work?

Depending on your child’s situation, Dr. Alter may recommend one or more of the following procedures:

What to expect

The process begins much like other dental treatments- with a consultation. You and your child will meet with Dr. Alter to get an understanding of their dental issues and challenges.

At this consultation, we will explain our smile makeover options and begin building a smile makeover plan. This may include dental implants, damaged teeth, dental bonding, or veneers.
After approving your child’s smile makeover plan, you’ll need to keep bringing them in for treatment until the process is complete. This may take several appointments over weeks, months, or even longer.

Why Does a Child Need a Smile Makeover?

Smile makeovers are much less common in pediatric patients because they are less likely to experience permanent tooth loss and gum disease. Still, there are situations where a child needs treatment to restore missing/damaged teeth.
One of these situations is enamel hypoplasia, which is a congenital birth defect. In this case, dental crowns may be used to cover and protect teeth, restoring your child’s smile.
Another common reason for a pediatric smile makeover is when one or more of your child’s teeth are damaged due to trauma. Serious trauma can damage multiple teeth or cause tooth loss, requiring replacement with a dental implant.
If you believe that your child may benefit from a smile makeover, contact Palisades Dental Care to schedule a consultation today. Dr. Melissa Alter, our pediatric dentist, earned her DMD from the School of Dental Medicine at Tufts University. From there, she completed her general practice residency at Staten Island University Hospital. After that, she practiced in Dallas, TX for some time before she began pursuing her passion for pediatrics. She completed her pediatric dental training at St. Barnabas Hospital.

Dr. Alter and the team are here to restore your child’s smile/bite and improve their appearance with procedures such as veneers, root canals, dental crowns, and dental implants.

FAQs

At Palisades Dental Care in Dumont, New Jersey, we are often asked about veneers for kids. Some of the most common questions we are asked include:

Many people believe veneers are only for adults- but the truth is, kids may qualify for them as well. The process is slightly different, but don’t be shocked if Dr. Alter recommends them for your child’s smile makeover. However, before any work is done, it’s important to understand more about veneers for kids and what you can expect.

A child’s first dental visit should occur after their first tooth comes in but before their first birthday. This is typically around 6 months old.

In most cases, veneers are only an option for kids over the age of 14 because by this time, they should have all of their permanent teeth. Even if your child is old enough for veneers, they may need to be replaced at least once before your child reaches adulthood.

Though veneers are helpful, they won’t fix all dental issues. If your child has a cavity, that will need to be addressed first. After the cavity is filled, a veneer may be used to strengthen and improve the appearance of the tooth.

Before recommending veneers, Dr. Alter will consider all viable solutions. The primary goal is to restore the damaged tooth and once that is achieved, a veneer may be considered to improve the aesthetics of your child’s smile.

While veneers will need to be replaced after some time, they are considered a permanent solution and therefore, are not typically placed on baby teeth.

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