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All inclusive Invisalign® as low as $119/month or $4,380
Elite Provider of
All inclusive Invisalign® as low as $119/month or $4,380
Best Dentist For Kids In Johnson County
We’re specialized in Pediatric Dentistry at Love To Smile. Ensuring your child’s dental health starts long before their first tooth appears. At Love To Smile Dentistry in Johnson County, Dr. Pedersen emphasizes the importance of early and regular dental care to promote strong, healthy teeth from infancy through adolescence. By prioritizing dental visits and adopting healthy habits, parents can help their children avoid common dental issues and promote proper growth and development.
Ensuring your child’s dental health starts long before their first tooth appears. At Love To Smile Dentistry in Overland Park, Dr. Pedersen emphasizes the importance of early and regular dental care to promote strong, healthy teeth from infancy through adolescence. By prioritizing dental visits and adopting healthy habits, parents can help their children avoid common dental issues and promote proper growth and development.
Did you know that your child’s teeth begin developing even before they are born? According to Dr. Pedersen, a baby’s teeth start forming while they are still in the womb. This early development underscores the importance of maternal health during pregnancy. Prenatal vitamins, regular check-ups, and proper nutrition are all vital to ensure the baby’s teeth develop correctly. Poor maternal health can lead to dental abnormalities, such as missing or extra teeth, or weaker enamel.
Dr. Pedersen highlights that fevers and illnesses during pregnancy can disrupt tooth formation, leading to malformations or weakened enamel. Expectant mothers should stay healthy, take prescribed prenatal vitamins, and attend regular doctor’s visits to support their baby’s dental development. By staying proactive during pregnancy, parents can help ensure their child’s future smile is healthy and strong.
Proper dental care begins as soon as a baby’s first tooth emerges. Dr. Pedersen recommends that parents use a soft, wet washcloth to gently wipe their baby’s gums and teeth during bath time. This simple practice helps keep the mouth clean and introduces good oral hygiene habits early on. Toothpaste isn’t necessary at this stage—water and a washcloth are enough to maintain oral health.
As babies grow and begin eating solid foods, Dr. Pedersen advises introducing a small toothbrush with soft bristles. Allow the child to chew and play with the toothbrush, followed by a gentle scrub from the parent to ensure all surfaces are clean. This routine helps children get comfortable with brushing, setting the stage for healthy habits as they grow.
Introducing solid foods plays a critical role in developing strong jaw muscles and promoting proper facial growth. Dr. Pedersen points out that spoon-feeding soft foods like rice cereal can lead to underdeveloped jaw muscles, potentially causing airway issues and sleep apnea later in life.
Encouraging children to eat finger foods allows their tongues to move properly, fostering correct swallowing patterns and aiding in the natural expansion of the palate. This not only contributes to a broad, attractive smile but also improves breathing by expanding the airway.
Between 18 months and 3 years old, children’s permanent tooth enamel begins to form. During this period, fevers and illnesses can negatively impact the quality of enamel, leading to future dental issues. Dr. Pedersen emphasizes the importance of keeping fevers under control with medications recommended by your pediatrician to ensure proper enamel formation.
Parents can support their child’s dental development by scheduling regular check-ups with Love To Smile Dentistry and maintaining healthy oral hygiene routines at home.
When considering pediatric dentistry, during the ages of 3 to 6, dental visits become even more crucial for monitoring your child’s growth and development. Dr. Pedersen recommends bringing children in for regular check-ups during this stage to evaluate their palate, tongue positioning, and speech patterns. These visits allow dentists to detect early signs of misalignment or airway issues that can affect overall health and development.
Introducing children to the dentist early helps them become comfortable with dental procedures, creating a positive experience that reduces dental anxiety later in life. At Love To Smile Dentistry, Dr. Pedersen and the team create a fun, welcoming environment that encourages children to enjoy their visits.
Swallowing patterns play a significant role in dental and facial development. Dr. Pedersen explains that incorrect tongue positioning during swallowing can lead to narrow palates and improper jaw alignment. By assessing swallowing habits early, dentists can recommend myofunctional therapy – a form of exercise that retrains the tongue and facial muscles to promote healthier growth.
This type of therapy not only supports dental health but also improves breathing, speech, and overall facial symmetry. Addressing these issues between ages 3 and 6 allows for gentle, natural corrections that prevent more extensive treatments later on.
By age 7, approximately 70% of facial growth is complete, making it a critical period for dental intervention. Dr. Pedersen emphasizes the importance of palate expansion to create adequate space for permanent teeth and improve airway health. A narrow palate can contribute to sleep apnea and other breathing issues, which affect overall wellness.
Palate expanders gently widen the upper jaw, promoting better alignment and healthier breathing patterns. With advancements like Invisalign’s new expander technology, children can undergo painless, gradual expansion without the discomfort associated with traditional devices. At Love To Smile Dentistry, Dr. Pedersen uses the latest tools to ensure children receive the best care with minimal discomfort.
Early orthodontic intervention between ages 7 and 10 allows dentists to guide jaw growth and prevent overcrowding. Addressing alignment issues early can reduce or even eliminate the need for extensive braces or corrective surgeries in the future. Dr. Pedersen carefully monitors each child’s development to recommend the best course of action at the right time.
As children grow into teenagers, orthodontics often becomes necessary to ensure a straight, healthy smile. Between ages 12 and 16, the jaw is still developing, making it an ideal time for braces or Invisalign. This stage of growth allows for faster, more predictable movement of teeth, resulting in shorter treatment times and better outcomes.
At Love To Smile Dentistry, Dr. Pedersen offers both traditional braces and clear aligners, giving families flexible options that fit their needs and lifestyles. Teens are also educated on the importance of retainers to maintain their results long-term.
Even after braces come off, teeth can shift if not properly maintained. Dr. Pedersen highlights the importance of wearing retainers to keep teeth in place and protect the results of orthodontic treatment. Retainers are designed to hold teeth in their corrected positions while ligaments and bones stabilize around them.
By staying committed to wearing retainers as instructed, teens can enjoy lifelong benefits from their orthodontic care, ensuring their smiles remain bright and aligned.
Between the ages of 17 and 24, dental care shifts towards addressing more permanent solutions, such as crowns or implants. Dr. Pedersen advises that crowns and implants should only be placed when jaw growth is complete, typically around age 19 for girls and age 24 for boys. This distinction is crucial to avoid misalignment as the jaw continues to develop.
Regular dental check-ups during this stage help prevent cavities, monitor wisdom tooth development, and address any lingering orthodontic needs. Dr. Pedersen’s comprehensive approach at Love To Smile Dentistry ensures that young adults transition smoothly into maintaining lifelong dental health.
When it comes to your child’s dental health, choosing the right provider makes all the difference. At Love To Smile Dentistry, Dr. Pedersen and her team are dedicated to providing top-tier dental care tailored to children’s unique needs. From infancy through adolescence, they offer expert guidance on growth and development, preventive care, and orthodontic solutions.
Their kid-friendly environment, combined with advanced technology and compassionate care, makes Love To Smile Dentistry the best choice for families in Johnson County.
Don’t wait to set your child on the path to a healthy smile. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Pedersen at Love To Smile Dentistry today and experience the difference that personalized, expert care can make.
Your child’s dental health journey starts now – let us help them smile with confidence for years to come!
Schedule Your Appointment with The Top Kansas City Dentist – Love To Smile
If you’re searching for a dentist in Kansas City who prioritizes quality and transparency, look no further than Love to Smile Dentistry. Visit our services page to explore what we offer, or contact us today to schedule your next appointment. We’re here to help you invest in a healthier, brighter smile.
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All inclusive as low as $119/month or $4,380.
Dr. Pedersen is 1 of 59 AACA Fellows from over 17,000 Invisalign Dentist.
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