Children’s Dentistry in Gilbert, AZ

When it comes to dental care for your kids, you need a dentist who specializes in pediatric dentistry. Meet Dr. Rassa Abdoll, a dedicated pediatric dentist who offers dependable children's dentistry backed by decades of experience.

At the Center for Pediatric Dentistry, the physical and mental welfare of our patients is our priority. We make it a point to help your child settle in and feel comfortable in our office. We’ve customized our facility to create a child-friendly environment, and our staff strives to make our office feel fun and upbeat at all times.

Our practice welcomes children of all ages, including newborns and toddlers, all the way through their teens. We also have extensive experience working with children and adults with special needs. No matter your child’s age or circumstances, you’ll know they always have a reliable dental home with us!

Contact our office to schedule your child’s first visit today!

CALL US: (480) 597-5536 REQUEST APPOINTMENT

What Makes a Pediatric Dentist Different from a General Dentist?

In addition to the standard four-year degree in dentistry, a pediatric dentist must complete an additional two to three years of training. The training is a specialty course that focuses on issues unique to children’s dental and oral care. The studies include jaw and tooth development, and how to care for infants, children, adolescents, and patients with special needs.

Pediatric dentists provide the same type of cleanings and checkups that adults get, only with an added focus on a child’s developing and emerging teeth. They also provide education and guidance on proper oral hygiene habits, nutrition, and diet recommendations.

While a general dentist has the standard skill needed to provide routine cleanings and exams for children, young patients benefit from the advanced knowledge and age-specific focus of a children’s dentist. 

We work to connect with your child and build a foundation of trust to help them feel comfortable and reduce anxiety. The bond that Dr. Abdoll establishes with your child may affect their perception of dentists and dental health. Helping them see dental visits as safe, positive, and even fun will encourage them to embrace dental health in the future.

What Age Should My Child See the Dentist?

Typically, we advise parents to bring in their child for their initial dental visit by their first birthday or within six months of their first tooth emerging, whichever comes first. These visits are gentle and are mainly about establishing a rapport between your child, the dentist, and the staff.

There are times when unique situations arise that may require a dentist’s attention before the usual first-year visit. If you notice issues such as feeding problems or mouth breathing, contact our office. Dr. Abdoll will examine your young child and help you identify potential issues with their teeth, gums, or tongue.

Your Child’s First Dental Visit

At the Center for Pediatric Dentistry, your child’s first visit introduces them to being at a dental office. We allow kids to explore the equipment, sit on the dentist’s chair, and familiarize your child with the staff. Our goal is to help them get to know us and feel safe at our office.

We set out to accomplish three things with the first visit. First, we introduce your child to our friendly staff and fun office environment. We aim to build trust with the child and eliminate dental anxiety.

The second mission is to familiarize the child with the dental equipment. We show and explain the uses of our tools in a kid-friendly language. We avoid words and concepts that would be scary to them, focusing on positive teaching and encouragement instead.

When the child is comfortable enough, Dr. Abdoll will proceed with a gentle examination. Here, Dr. Abdoll looks for common issues. He will also check the child’s gums, bite, and jaw. We keep an eye out for bottle caries, frenum issues, and problems that may affect speech patterns or tooth development.

To conclude your visit, Dr. Abdoll will advise you on proper oral hygiene habits and answer any questions that you may have. Our goal is that you and your child leave our office feeling confident and happy about the level of personalized care your child receives from our team.

Dental Sedation for Children

At our practice, we’re always focused on making dental treatment a relaxing and comfortable experience, whether they’re receiving a simple cleaning or more complex care, such as tooth extraction.

We use localized numbing agents to make treatment easier for children when appropriate. Sometimes, however, heavier anesthetics are necessary. Our office provides three levels of sedation for our young patients, each carefully administered to keep your child safe and comfortable during treatment.

When it comes to dental sedation for children, safety is a top priority. For professional support, we have a certified anesthesiologist on standby for such procedures. The anesthesiologist administers the medication and stands by to monitor your child as Dr. Abdoll proceeds with the dental work.

How Can I Prepare My Child for Sedation?

It’s helpful to explain to your child what is about to happen and what they should expect. In some cases, it may be essential to restrict food and drink before sedation. It is also necessary for you to provide a full medical history of your child.

As a parent, you play a significant role in relaxing the child. You can help your child remain calm by encouraging them or holding their hand. A comfort item, such as a favorite toy, could also prove helpful.

Dental Care for Infants

Some oral health issues can appear even before your child’s first teeth have come in. Dr. Abdoll provides care for infants who may face oral problems, especially issues that may cause feeding difficulty.

To provide comprehensive care, he works with pediatricians to coordinate treatment and make sure we take the best approach for your baby’s health. We have years of experience dealing with tongue-tie concerns, and can provide safe, effective frenectomies on infant patients.

How Do I Care for My Baby’s Smile?

Your infant may not have teeth yet, but oral hygiene is essential. Getting a baby used to good oral hygiene habits could prevent cavities in the future.

Cleaning the gums after feeding will eliminate bacteria and sugar from the mouth. You do not have to use a toothbrush or toothpaste at this point. Wrap a clean piece of cloth around your finger, dampen the fabric, and gently rub against the gums.

Once the first set of teeth erupt, break out a soft-bristled toothbrush and a rice-sized dab of mild toothpaste. Be sure to bring your child to visit Dr. Abdoll around their first birthday so he can make sure their smile develops strong and healthy.

Frenectomies for Tongue-Tie

The lingual frenulum is a short, tight band of tissue that connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth. Sometimes this tissue is too short or extends too far along the bottom of the tongue, limiting movement and causing a condition called ankyloglossia, more commonly known as a “tongue-tie”. With tongue-tie your child could have problems with breastfeeding, speech patterns, and swallowing.

Symptoms of Tongue-Tie

Tongue-tie symptoms can range from subtle to overt. It’s important to pay close attention to your child’s lip and tongue movements, and discuss it with the dentist if you suspect something is wrong. Dr. Abdoll will perform a physical exam to determine whether tongue-tie is present and if treatment is needed.

Common signs to look out for include:

• Difficulty in lifting the tongue
• Straining while moving the tongue from side to side
• Trouble sticking out the tongue past the mouth
• While sticking out the tongue, it appears like a heart shape

We recommend that you contact us if you suspect your child has tongue-tie. If left unattended, the condition can affect your child’s speech patterns as they grow up.

Treatment for Tongue-Tie

Dr. Abdoll takes a personalized approach and is careful to weigh all factors before recommending treatment. In some cases, tongue-tie may resolve itself, and your child may gain full movement of their tongue over time. Others may need a bit of help, which can be done simply and safely with a procedure called a frenectomy. We use a dental laser to perform this procedure in our office.

Laser Frenectomy

A frenectomy is a simple surgical procedure that carefully separates the frenulum tissue, giving the tongue a greater range of motion.

At the Center for Pediatric Dentistry, we believe in accuracy and precision. Our in-office frenectomies employ a state-of-the-art dental laser. Laser treatment is safer, faster, and more precise than traditional methods.

Lasers reduce the risk of infection since no actual instrument touches the tissue, and it both disinfects and cauterizes the tissue so that healing time is shorter. It also makes treatment more comfortable for your child.

Orthodontics for Kids

Orthodontics is the branch of dentistry that specializes in the prevention and treatment of facial, bite, and jaw irregularities.

Early intervention is useful in minimizing or eliminate the need for braces. Interceptive orthodontic phases can be used to treat young kids. Interceptive orthodontics can begin as early as six or seven years old. At this age, the jaw is developing, and space management is easier to address.

At the Center for Pediatric Dentistry, we customize treatment for each patient. Dr. Abdoll is careful to monitor your child’s development, and only recommends treatment when it will provide long-term benefits for your child.

We are especially focused on ensuring that the teeth have enough space in the jaw to emerge properly, and can provide corrective treatment to help guide this development. Jaw expanders and space maintainers are some of the common tools available at our office.

Excess gum tissue can also affect a child’s oral situation. Dr. Abdoll offers laser treatment to reshape the gum line before or after orthodontic treatment.

Promoting a Lifetime of Healthy Smiles in Gilbert, AZ

No matter what your child’s age or circumstances, we’re passionate about helping them enjoy their very best smile. The team at Center for Pediatric Dentistry loves working with kids, keeping their smiles healthy, and teaching them the importance of dental care. We’re committed to working with you, as a parent, to find the right treatment and create a path to a great smile for your child.

See what a difference a pediatric dentist like Dr. Abdoll can make for your child! Book an appointment today!

CALL US: (480) 597-5536 REQUEST APPOINTMENT

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