With your kids back in school, you may be relieved that all the school shopping and prepwork is done. Especially for older kids, you probably received a “little” guidance on their new wardrobe, their hairstyle, the right pair of tennis shoes, and even their phone. You want your kids to thrive and have great self-esteem, so it’s not surprising that little things like that can make a big difference in their social confidence and self-esteem. Another important way to boost your children’s confidence is through a healthy, clean smile. That’s just what our kids’ dentistry in Bloomington is here for.

Research shows that kids’ overall self-esteem is affected by their smiles. Family dentists Dr. Weddell and Dr. Harms offer many children’s dentistry services to improve their smiles’ appearance and health. 

You can trust our dentists’ decades of experience with kids. After all, both have several grandkids, and they know how to communicate with our young patients. We always explains things to your kids with a “do, show, tell” approach that they appreciate. Take a look below at a few ways we can help your kids, then call 952-679-1365 to schedule appointments for them today.

Twice-Yearly Dental Exams Keep Kids’ Smiles Healthy

Aside from a consistent oral hygiene routine at home – brushing twice a day for at least two minutes and flossing once a day – dental checkups are one of the best ways to ensure your kids have confident, healthy smiles. 

By bringing them in twice a year, we can keep cavities and other problems at bay. By doing that, we can help preserve your kids’ teeth, keep them free from tartar buildup, and recommend any treatments needed as soon as possible. It’s especially important when they’re younger to be consistent with their cleanings since their teeth are more susceptible to decay. As part of our kids’ dentistry services, we may recommend fluoride or sealants to further protect their smiles.

Tooth Repair Keeps Decay & Damage In Check

The truth is, about half of all kids will have at least one cavity by the time they’re 11. And accidents happen, so dental damage in kids is a fact of life for some, whether through sports or biting down on a piece of hard candy a little too hard.

If that happens to your kids, we can repair their smiles with restorative dentistry. We offer tooth-colored fillings, natural-looking crowns, and other restorations that blend in with your kids’ smiles. That means they don’t have to feel embarrassed about showing damaged teeth or the repair work for it. Gone are the days of silver fillings that show in their smile.

Mouthguards Keep Their Smiles Intact

If your kids are signed up for sports this school year or have already started practice, make sure you protect their smiles with sports mouthguards. Ours are custom made, so you can rest assured that the high-quality materials and precise fit offer superior protection against tooth, gum, and jaw injuries, possibly concussions too.

If your child isn’t required to wear a mouthguard, don’t assume they don’t need one. Any child involved in contact sports – whether basketball or gymnastics – can benefit from this extra protection. It’s a far cheaper and safer option than dealing with a dental emergency.

Orthodontics Keeps Their Teeth Straight & Healthy

If you have an older teen who never got braces but needs to straighten their teeth, talk to us about our ClearCorrect orthodontics. Teens love this option because it uses clear aligners to straighten their teeth, not metal braces. They don’t have to worry about anything drawing unwanted attention to their appearance. 

They can also take out the aligners when they eat, so they can eat what their friends do. That also means they don’t have to worry about embarrassment from food getting stuck in braces. 

Oral Surgery Keeps Dental Pain From Happening

If your kid is a senior this year, chances are they’ve been told their wisdom teeth need to come out soon. We monitor these teeth at every exam so we can give an honest recommendation about whether and when they need to be removed. If the teeth are causing discomfort or creating difficulty cleaning, we may talk with you about getting them removed. The same is true if our digital imaging reveals potential future problems.

With our dentists’ wide skill set and decades of experience, we can perform this procedure in our office. As with other procedures, your kids can relax with headphones and music or play games on our iPads. If they need extra help, we can offer safe laughing gas to completely relax them.

Help Your Kids Get The Confident Smiles They Deserve

If you’re wondering how you can afford to pay for your child’s dental care, we have many payment options, including financing plans. We also accept multiple insurance plans. Don’t have insurance? Ask how our affordable dental savings plan can cover your kids’ preventive visits and pay a portion of other services they need.

Our kids’ dentistry in Bloomington is convenient, caring, and confidence-boosting. Call Weddell Dental at 952-679-1365 to schedule appointments for your whole family. You can also request appointments by filling out our online form.