For most kids in Laredo, school will be starting in a couple of weeks. That means gathering all your kids’ school supplies, doing some last-minute shopping for their lunches and clothes, and checking their classroom lists to make sure any loose ends are tied up. With all the busyness that this time of year brings for families, make sure you have a convenient Laredo family dentist who can help your kids get great back-to-school smiles!

With three skilled and kid-friendly dentists, two convenient locations, a welcoming office, and a whole host of comprehensive services, Davenport Dental Group can take care of just about any dental needs your kids have. Call 956-242-6745 (Junction Drive) or 956-517-2695 (Winfield) to see how we can build confident smiles for your young family members. Take a look below for a few ways we can do that.

Regular Dental Checkups Reduce Childhood Tooth Decay

You probably know that you should bring your child in for dental exams and cleanings twice a year. One of the reasons we encourage this is because kids are prone to cavities. It’s usually a combination of not brushing and flossing regularly, not brushing well, and snacking on carb-heavy and sugary foods and drinks, which linger on teeth.

In fact, about half of all kids 11 and younger have cavities. About half of those are untreated. For older teens, that number jumps to about 70 percent with cavities! If not treated, cavities can require fillings, crowns, root canals, or even extraction after too long.

We can help you save time, money, pain, and your children’s smiles with regular dental care. Our hygienists are trained to clean young mouths, so they’ll get into all the nooks and crannies. Once they clean and polish the teeth, your child’s smile will look and feel great!

We’ll also take digital X-rays to get a crystal-clear picture of any problems. If they do have cavities, we’ll see them from these X-rays and with our digital cavity detectors (kids tend to like this nifty tool!).

Your kid doesn’t have to worry about a dark, metal filling showing if they do need tooth decay treated. Dr. Davenport, Dr. Matt, and Dr. Vallone place tooth-colored fillings that blend into their tooth. We’ve found that’s especially the case with self-conscious teens who need a filling for a tooth that’s visible when they smile. We do sometimes recommend metal fillings for baby teeth and for back teeth to help withstand chewing forces.

Clear Orthodontics Are a Clear Choice for Teens

Our dentists keep an eye on alignment issues at every checkup. That could include overbites, crowded teeth, front teeth that stick out, and other misalignments. Often, we refer kids to a local orthodontist for braces.

Older teens, however, may be good candidates for ClearCorrect, done right here in our offices. These clear aligners are great for teens with moderate alignment problems because they:

  • Aren’t obvious when your teen smiles or takes pictures
  • Are removable for eating and for special social events
  • Don’t require metal braces, so food won’t get stuck in wires or brackets
  • Don’t require a long list of foods to avoid, so they can eat what their friends are eating
  • Don’t leave marks on their teeth like braces can when their orthodontic treatment is over
  • Don’t require a ton of time to clean around like braces do
  • Don’t mean endless visits to the orthodontist for wire adjustments or fixing broken bands  – which equals less time away from school
  • Can take as little as 10-12 months, so their care could be finished next year

Moms and dads who never got orthodontic care as kids or whose teeth have shifted back to their old positions love this option too!

We say older teens because they are more likely to be compliant. The aligners must be worn for 20-22 hours a day to create a straight smile according to schedule.

Get healthy, beautiful back-to-school smiles at Davenport Dental Group. If your kids can’t come in before school starts, we have two locations open Monday through Friday. Contact our Laredo, TX family dentist office at 956-242-6745 (Junction Drive) or 956-517-2695 (Winfield). Your kid can sit back with a blanket and pillow and watch TV while we care for them!