Our Services
Preventative Services
Routine check-ups are the backbone of good oral health. This enables the dentist to assess the dental health of your child. Early detection of problem areas can lead to counseling that may eliminate the need of treatment in the future! The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry’s guidelines recommends that your child be seen for cleanings and exams every 6 months.
Dental Exams with Oral Hygiene and Diet Evaluations
Dental Exams with Oral Hygiene and Diet Evaluations
Summit Smiles wants to minimize your child’s exposure to radiation. This is why we have invested in digital x-rays that produce much less radiation than traditional radiographs. These images will be taken on an “as needed” basis in order to best serve your child's needs! We also have digital panoramic radiographs to monitor your child’s growth and development!
Low Radiation Radiographs
Low Radiation Radiographs
This thin layer of material flows into the grooves of your child’s back teeth to protect the tooth from food impaction - which can lead to cavities. Typical ages for delivery of sealants are around the ages of 6 and 12. The material used at Summit Smiles is also BPA-free!
Sealants
Sealants
Having professional fluoride treatments is one of the easiest ways to decrease your child’s risk of cavities. The treatment is tailored to the needs of each child! Let our office know if you would like more information!
Fluoride Treatment
Fluoride Treatment
Restorative and Cosmetic Dentistry
Whether it’s a cavity or a chipped tooth, we understand that an aesthetic result holds importance. This is why Summit Smiles offers white-colored, BPA-free fillings (composite restorations). These restorations do NOT contain mercury and are recommended for smaller sized cavities.
Tooth-Colored Fillings
Tooth-Colored Fillings
Cavities do progress in size. If a spot has gotten large enough that a filling is not recommended, a crown will be used to provide enough support and function for the tooth. At Summit Smiles, we offer Zirconium (white) crowns, as well as traditional stainless steel crowns (SSC).
Crowns
Crowns
If a cavity is involving the nerve of the tooth, a pulpotomy or pulpectomy may be indicated. The reason for this is to maintain the tooth as a natural space holder for the adult tooth. Losing baby teeth early may lead to other issues with the erupting adult tooth.
Nerve Treatments
Nerve Treatments
For many reasons, baby teeth are occasionally “wiggled”. Infections and severe pain are some examples of symptoms that may require an extraction. If left for too long, the developing adult tooth may be damaged. If your child is recommended to have an extraction, it is likely that a space maintainer will be advised to hold the space for the future adult tooth.
Extractions and Space Maintainers
Extractions and Space Maintainers
Every child is different, and every scenario comes with its own concerns. However, at Summit Smiles we have a few options (such as Silver Diamine Fluoride or the Hall Technique) that your child may be a candidate for that requires no numbing or removal of tooth structure. For the younger, and more apprehensive child, these options aid in having the best dental experiences possible!
Non-Drill Dentistry
Non-Drill Dentistry
Behavior Management
Laughing gas has been used for many years and is extremely safe. Nitrous is a mild form of sedation that can help a child with anxiety or fear of dental procedures. It has a quick effect and will be completely out of your child’s system prior to leaving our office. We recommend your child only eat something light a few hours prior to having nitrous oxide.
Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas)
Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas)
The safety of your kiddo is our main goal. For apprehensive, special needs, or young children that cannot be treated safely within our office, general anesthesia may be considered. If hospital dentistry is recommended, it is because the risks of dental treatment while your child is awake outweighs that of sedation. We work with Children’s Hospital of Alabama to provide this service.