Dental examinations are the first step in reaching your optimal oral health. During these important visits, Dr. Donald will perform a thorough dental examination in order to diagnose any conditions which need to be address or to determine if anything has changed with your oral health since your last regular visit. These dental exams serve as a benchmark for your overall health and should take place at least every 6 months.

A dental prophylaxis is a cleaning procedure performed to thoroughly clean the teeth. Prophylaxis is an important dental treatment for halting the progression of periodontal disease and gingivitis.

Periodontal disease and gingivitis occur when bacteria from plaque colonize on the gingival (gum) tissue, either above or below the gum line. These bacteria colonies cause ...

Dental sealants are clear coating applied to the surfaces of a child’s molars to prevent the development of tooth decay. They work by preventing food and plaque from resting in the grooves and crevices of molars – an area especially susceptible to cavities. The most common place sealants are applied is on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth, where it can be harder for children to properly brush. According to the National Institute of Dental ...

At Children's Dentistry, we have invested in advanced technology to make diagnosing and treating oral health problems as efficient as possible. One diagnostic method we employ regularly is low radiation digital X-rays to help us detect problems with tooth decay, tooth eruption, tumors, jawbone issues, or facial bone structure.

Digital X-rays are performed by taking pictures of your mouth using a digital sensor ...

Children's Dentistry offers many treatments to help keep your whole mouth clean and healthy. One of the most common ways to keep teeth strong and prevent tooth decay is fluoride treatments. While using a fluoride rinse is common during a child’s regular teeth cleaning, many adults may not understand the importance of having a fluoride treatment themselves.

Dr. Donald and his staff are specially trained at dealing with kid with special needs.At Children's Dentistry of Longwood, we work with children who have a wide range of needs. Many children (including patients diagnosed with high anxiety) can benefit from a graduated introduction to dental visits and dental care, particularly if it is their first experience.

A knowledgeable dentist can help prepare you ...

Children may need space maintainers if they lose a tooth early or have a baby (primary) tooth extracted due to dental decay. If either is the case, it is important to know the benefits of using a space maintainer and how it can help support your child's dental health.

A space maintainer is an appliance that is custom-made by your Dr. David Donald in acrylic or metal material. It can be either removable or cemented ...

Mouthguards help protect teeth and keep dental injuries to a minimum, particularly when playing contact sports, or to help with grinding of teeth. All children playing contact sports should wear a mouthguard, even primary school-age children. Professionally fitted mouthguards are comfortable, allow speech and do not restrict breathing.

Active children are healthy children, but recreation and sports can present a ...

Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease affecting children in the U.S.? According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, children as young as 6 months old can experience tooth decay. More than half of children over age six have some degree of tooth decay. When cavities are left untreated, they can lead to pain, infection and even tooth loss.

Fortunately, Dr. Donald can fill cavities ...

When baby teeth experience extensive cavities or infection, a dental filling may not be enough. When a tooth is severely decayed or broken due to trauma. A crown may be recommended in order to restore function and esthetics and overall protection of the tooth.

So a crown will be placed to help restore the function of your child's tooth and prevent further damage from occurring. The molar baby teeth...

Pulpotomy (root canal) therapy is a safe and effective way to stop many kinds of tooth pain, and to keep a tooth from being lost due to decay or injury. But if a root canal is recommended for your young child, you may wonder why: Isn't that baby tooth going to fall out in a few years anyway?

That's true — the primary (baby) teeth typically are shed between the ages of 6 and 12 years. Yet there are some good reasons for trying to ...

Nitrous Oxide, also known as “laughing gas”, is a safe and effective conscious sedation technique for both adults and children to help patients feel relaxed, relieve dental anxiety, and help make certain dental procedures easy and stress-free for patients. Nitrous oxide may also be used in combinations with other sedative agents.

The American Dental Association and other dentistry journals have conducted research and studies ...