Kid-Focused Dentistry

Your child's oral health is an important part of his or her wellbeing. Research has even linked healthy smiles for kids to greater self-esteem, personal relationships, and even increased school performance. Ridge Kids Dental helps your child have a happy, healthy smile by providing a dental experience that kids love!

Happy Visit (One-year-old exams)

Do you know when your child's dental care should begin? The majority of dentists recommend that the appearance of the first baby tooth is a good indicator. For most babies, this occurs when they are between six months and one year of age. A simpler way to remember is: first dental visit by first birthday. It's also important to remember that baby teeth serve as placeholders for adult teeth. If baby teeth are damaged, permanent teeth can grow in out of position, resulting in crowding and/or crookedness. Bring your one-year-old to Ridge Kids Dental and start them early on the path to a lifetime of good dental health.

Professional Cleanings

The best way to protect your child's beautiful smile is by preventing problems before they start. Most of the conditions that negatively affect your smile can be avoided with regular professional cleanings. At Ridge Kids Dental, your child's professional cleaning begins with the removal of plaque from the teeth and tarter from above the gum line. Then, Dr. Puckett or Dr. Richardson will leave your child's smile clean and bright with a polishing procedure.

Fillings

When the decay has been taken out of the tooth, it is replaced with "filling" material. Traditionally, amalgam (silver) fillings are placed into the cleaned out portion of the tooth. With advancements in dentistry, tooth-colored fillings are also an option.

Tooth Extractions

Sometimes injury or decay damages a tooth extensively. In certain cases, extraction is the proper treatment option to start your child on the path toward complete dental health. Drs. Puckett or Richardson can gently extract your child's troublesome tooth and give you the treatment options for replacing that tooth and for completing their beautiful smile again.

Root Canals

Damage to the nerve tissue inside of a tooth sometimes requires a root canal procedure. Despite the tales you or your child may have heard regarding the procedure, most root canals are minimally uncomfortable, especially compared to the pain and discomfort your child may be feeling before the procedure. Dr. Puckett and Dr. Richardson take advantage of advances in technology and dental techniques that make root canal procedures more effective and less time consuming.

A root canal involves removing the soft tissue within the tooth (the pulp) when it has become infected and inflamed. The dentist gently files the infected tissue out of the root canals of the tooth (this is where the procedure gets its name) and fills the void with an inert material. The procedure is completed with the placement of a filling or in some cases, a crown.

Oral Cancer Screenings

As a comprehensive dental practice, Ridge Kids Dental offers routine oral cancer screenings to our patients. We recognize that dentists are the only medical professionals in a position to routinely evaluate and detect abnormalities in their early stages. Ridge Kids Dental is dedicated to providing this potentially life-saving procedure for your family.

Sports Mouthguards

The American Dental Association estimates that mouthguards prevent approximately 200,000 injuries each year in high school and collegiate football alone.

Properly prescribed, designed, and custom-fit mouthguards are essential in the prevention of athletic oral and facial injuries. If your child plays sports or other similar activities, mouthguards are a great way to protect them from concussions and from potential tooth injuries. Ridge Kids Dental offers custom-made mouthguards for your children that are properly fitted, comfortable, resilient, and tasteless, while causing minimal interference with speaking and breathing. They are easy to clean and come in many color combinations.

Orthodontics

Even if your child has healthy teeth and gums, the way their teeth fit within their mouth is another important aspect of their dental health. If your child's teeth are improperly positioned, they may suffer from an irregular bite. While everyone wants straight teeth for aesthetic reasons, there are also major health concerns associated with their bite. For these and other tooth-alignment issues, the Ridge Kids Dental team will discuss what treatments best suit your needs.

Traditional Braces

If your child or teen has crooked teeth, you have many options for treatment. While dental technology has produced a number of new treatments, sometimes the traditional method is the most effective. Metal braces are less expensive than many of the newer technologies, and many dentists believe they are more effective at straightening teeth.

If your child suffers from a significant bite problem, talk to the Ridge Kids Dental team about traditional braces. They may be the very best procedure to give you the smile you've always wanted.

Hospital Dentistry

In certain circumstances, treatment needs and/or patient anxiety are too great to effectively treat the patient with routine oral sedation. Dr. Puckett and Dr. Richardson are on-staff at the Outpatient Surgery Center of Jonesboro. This allows them to treat a select group of patients while under general anesthesia in order to ensure that treatment is completed in the most controlled and effective way.

Sedation Dentistry (oral sedation & nitrous oxide)

Your child deserves to feel comfortable and confident when you visit Ridge Kids Dental. For those who suffer from extreme anxiety, our office offers sedation dentistry as a safe and reliable way for your child to feel comfortable and relaxed. Nitrous oxide is a proven relaxing agent that is both fast-acting and quick-to-wear-off following treatment. Your child will not lose consciousness, but they will feel very calm and stress-free during their treatment. If you or your child is anxious about their dental treatment, don't let that stop you from getting the care you need. Ask us about sedation dentistry today.

Digital X-Rays

Digital radiographs are a technological advancement that results in less exposure to radiation for our patients and an almost instantaneous picture for our dentists. Unlike traditional, film-based X-rays, digital X-rays often show more detail and can be archived in our system for future reference and comparison. You will appreciate a more comfortable visit for your child with less waiting and quicker treatment.