Sports Mouth Guard

If your child loves is active and loves participating in sports, you may know the risks that can be posed to their oral health. OC Kids Dental is here to help you be proactive in protecting your children’s smiles from injury on the field. We provide mouthguards in a variety of styles and shapes that will absorb the force of impacts, falls, and other accidents. If you’re ready to get your child fitted with a mouthguard, come see us in Aliso Viejo, CA.

Why We Provide Mouthguards As Protection From Injury

Mouth protectors are an important part of any sports safety gear. Formed out of soft plastic, these appliances can provide varying degrees of protection depending on the style you choose. In addition to protecting against dental injury, they also protect the soft tissues of the oral cavity. The tongue, cheeks, and lips can all be injured by the same impacts that put the teeth at risk.

These appliances can also be found under the name athletic mouth protectors or sports guards. They’re an essential element in your child’s sporting gear or for those engaging in other recreational activities that put their teeth at risk. They are designed to snugly fit over the upper teeth and provide protection to the entire oral region.

The three classifications of mouthguard are as follows:

Stock Guards – These guards are available from most sporting goods stores. They come in different sizes but are otherwise in a ‘one design fits all’ category. As a result, they provide the least amount of protection and are often uncomfortable for the wearer.

Boil And Bite Guards – This style of guard is a common choice for those on a budget. These guards are made of a form of plastic that becomes malleable when heated in boiling water. Once softened, your child will bite down into the guard and hold it there until it cools. The result is a mouthguard closely fitted to your child’s bite that can be reshaped if necessary.

Custom Guards – This style of guard provides the highest degree of protection thanks to being custom fitted to the individual. The creation process allows them to rely on high-quality, resilient plastics that will retain their shape indefinitely. These guards are the most comfortable and deliver the best protection of all options.

There are also specialty guards that cover both the upper and lower teeth and a form made for addressing bruxism. This condition involves subconscious grinding of the teeth, especially while sleeping.

Contact Our Office To Get Advice On Selecting A Mouthguard

Mouthguards are an important consideration for any family that has children involved in sports or other physical activities. Those participating in sports such as football which consistently put the child’s head in contact with other players are in particular need. There are numerous types of appliances available, so call Dr. Cima Mazar-Atabaki’s pediatric dental offices in ALISO VIEJO for more information or to schedule an appointment and find out what type of mouthguard is best for your child.

Dental decay often sets in on the rearmost teeth in the oral cavity, the molars. These teeth are hard to see and often don’t receive as much attention as more forward teeth. When decay sets in, it tends to focus on the uneven surface of the chewing surface of the teeth. This problem often appears in younger patients. Thankfully, advances in dental technology have made it possible to provide protection from this decay. This protection comes in the form of dental sealants, which work to create a barrier between these teeth and bacteria. OC Kids Dental is proud to provide this treatment to families in Aliso Viejo, CA.

Introducing Your Shield Against Decay – Dental Sealants

While they do not eliminate the need for thorough flossing and brushing, they do protect the tooth between brushings. It’s common for plaque and food particles to become lodged in the crevices of the teeth. While these substances pose a risk to the enamel, a dental sealant can reduce the risk of decay to your child’s teeth. This makes them a fundamental part of protecting young teeth from premature extraction.

These sealants are appropriate for patients of any age. However, they are primarily provided to younger patients who are still learning to properly care for their teeth. This is partly due to the need for the patients to have neither decay nor fillings present on the treated teeth. While the majority of patients who receive these sealants are over the age of six, it can be appropriate for younger patients as well.

Receiving dental sealants is a fairly simple process, involving only a few steps:

The target teeth are cleaned thoroughly in preparation for treatment.
The tooth is then dried, and absorbent materials are placed around it to keep it dry.
The surface of the tooth is then treated with an acid solution to create a rough surface. This rough surface makes it easier for the sealant to bond to the tooth.
The solution is then removed by rinsing and the tooth dried.
The sealant is then painted in place, quickly bonding with the tooth and hardening.

In some circumstances, a curing light may be used to help speed the hardening of the sealant. Once secured in place they will remain a viable form of protection for years to come. Once in place, the sealant can potentially prevent decay for approximately ten years. Dr.Cima Mazar-Atabaki will check them for damage during each of the following dental check-ups. When needed, the dental sealants can be replaced.

Come See Us For Lasting Dental Protection From Sealants

Insurance typically covers sealants for patients under the age of 18. Give your provider a call to determine if this preventative treatment is covered by your provider. They’ll let you know the rate of coverage, how often they can be replaced, and when coverage for dental sealants ends. It’s time to start taking steps to provide lasting protection to your family’s teeth. Contact our dental clinic today to schedule your first consultation today.

A trip to the dental clinic can cause some children to become quite anxious. In some cases, the anxiety will become so severe they struggle to cooperate with their dental provider. This can interfere with the essential dental care your child needs. To help children who experience dental anxiety, we provide sedation options to ensure they can relax throughout the procedure. The sedation options used at OC Kids Dental do not render your child unconscious. Instead, Dr. Cima Mazar-Atabaki will help them relax and remain calm throughout the whole procedure.

Understanding Pediatric Dental Sedation

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry has provided a set of sedation guidelines to ensure the safety and effectiveness of dental sedation. When they are performed by a trained professional, there are very few risks associated with undergoing dental sedation. This process is an important part of helping children prone to dental anxiety receive the dental care they need. The degree of sedation used depends on multiple factors:

Severity of the patient’s anxiety
Patient’s tolerance for sedation
Parent’s knowledge and consent
Severity of the patient’s condition

While you may sometimes hear sedation dentistry referred to as ‘sleep dentistry,’ this can be misleading. The majority of dental sedation options, especially those for pediatric care, do not include general anesthesia. While general anesthesia may be used for certain conditions in older patients, it’s rarely needed for childhood dental conditions.

At OK Kids Dental, we provide a few sedation options for patients with dental anxiety. These options include:

Inhaled Minimal Sedation – This form of dental sedation involves the use of nitrous oxide. You may be familiar with this as laughing gas. This sedative is administered using a mask placed over the face that delivers the sedation gas at a set rate. Dr. Mazar-Atabaki can adjust the flow rate throughout the procedure to meet the patient’s needs. Your child will be lucid and clear from all sedative effects within a few minutes of the mask being removed.
Oral Sedation – Small oral doses of a pill known as Halcion helps to ease the patient’s nerves. It is part of the Valium family of medications and takes about an hour to set in. Your child will become drowsy but will be awake throughout the procedure.

In addition to these forms of sedation, it’s common for Dr. Mazar-Atabaki to administer a local anesthetic to the treatment site. While the sedation methods listed above address nerves and anxiety, they aren’t effective for managing discomfort. As a result, your child will also get a local anesthetic to numb the treatment site.

In Closing

If you are in or near Aliso Viejo and would like to better understand the use of sedation during your child’s visits, please contact Dr. Cima Mazar-Atabaki’s pediatric dental office to address any concerns or schedule an appointment to find out if sedation is a suitable option for your child. We look forward to providing your child with excellent dental care for years to come at OK Kids Dental.

You should schedule your child’s first dental visit around their first birthday. One of the most important reasons for this visit is to familiarize your child with the dental office environment and to ease any anxiety associated with future visits. On this first visit, a gentle but thorough examination will be performed to monitor growth and development and address any problem areas while providing preventive care when needed. OC Kids Dental is dedicated to providing a positive first experience for children in Aliso Viejo, CA.

What To Expect At Your Child’s First Dental Visit

Getting an early examination provides your child with preventive dental care while establishing healthy dental habits at an early age. Ensure that your child’s future smile is a healthy, confident one. While you definitely should have your child into their first appointment by one year of age, the eruption of their first tooth signals time for a first visit. The earlier you get started, the sooner you’ll have all the necessary information to ensure your child’s teeth remain healthy.

Your first visit is an opportunity for Dr. Cima Mazar-Atabaki to provide tips and guidelines for pediatric dental hygiene. Some common points of discussion will include:

Baby bottle tooth decay
Infant feeding practices
Mouth cleaning
Teething
Pacifier habits
Finger-sucking habits

These early visits also help ensure that your child has an opportunity to develop a positive relationship with dental care. As your child ages, you can begin to explain to them what to expect during the visit. Staying positive and showing excitement will help them be excited as well. It’s also important to acknowledge your child’s concerns and help set them at ease regarding their visit.

During Their First Visit

Your child’s first visit to our office will likely be brief, lasting only 30 minutes or so. Depending on your child’s age, Dr. Mazar-Atabaki will do a full examination. This will include a visual inspection of their gums, bite, teeth, jaws, and other oral tissues to ensure they’re developing properly. It may be necessary for them to undergo a gentle tooth cleaning as well, as well as fluoride treatment. We often won’t perform imaging for younger children, as the baby teeth will eventually fall out. However, it may be necessary to do an X-Ray if decay or other developmental concerns are identified.

Between visits, it’s important to maintain good oral hygiene. You can achieve this by helping your child do the following:

Brush their teeth with a soft-bristled toothbrush sized appropriately for them. Only use a portion of toothpaste equivalent to a grain of rice for those under three. This can be increased to a pea-sized dab once the child can consistently spit out the remaining foam.
Only give your baby a bottle of water at bedtime or nothing at all. Sweetened liquids, even milk, can lead to tooth decay.
Don’t allow your child to cling to their bottle. They should be finished with their meal within 5-6 minutes.

If you live in or around Aliso Viejo, contact Dr. Cima Mazar-Atabaki’s pediatric dental office with any questions or to schedule a dental visit today.

It’s not uncommon for new parents to believe that the health of their children’s primary, or baby, teeth is of limited importance. They’re only there temporarily; after all, how important can they be? The truth regarding primary teeth is that they play an essential role in the proper formation of our adult teeth and jaw. During our developmental ages, they help to ensure our adult teeth are in proper alignment and that there’s sufficient room for them to erupt. That’s why OK Kids Dental provides comprehensive dental care for our young patients in Aliso Viejo. From preventative care and treatments to restoration of teeth with dental crowns, we’re there every step of the way.

Children’s Dentistry at OK Kids Dental

Receiving ongoing comprehensive dental care during childhood is an essential part of lifelong oral health. From education about proper oral hygiene practices to providing the necessary care to keep teeth healthy, we prepare them for a lifetime of good oral health.

Your Child’s First Visit To OK Kids Dental

Your child’s first trip to our clinic should occur just after their first tooth erupts or by their first birthday, whichever comes first. In most children, multiple teeth will have erupted by their first birthday, starting from about six months of age. The earlier you start making dental visits a regular practice, the better their relationship with dental care will be.

Prior to each visit, visit parents can ensure a positive experience by explaining the trip to the dentist and what to expect. This will help them understand the importance of caring for their teeth and ease any anxiety or fears regarding the dentist. Our team of pediatric dental specialists is trained to help ensure your child’s experience is a good one. They also have additional training in oral health concerns that occur during the developmental ages.

Parents can help protect their children’s oral health by observing the following practices:

Limiting pacifier usage following the first erupted tooth
Avoiding bottles of sugary beverages, even milk, at bedtime
Consistently using fluoridated toothpaste for their child’s oral care
Practicing consistent oral hygiene practices between visits

While these practices can help avoid the formation of cavities, tooth decay can still happen. When it does, it’s possible to save your child’s tooth using fillings or pediatric dental crowns. Dental crowns are used to restore dental function and aesthetics when a tooth has been damaged due to physical trauma or decay. Crowns can be used at any age, including during childhood. Pediatric dental crowns in Aliso Viejo are made to reproduce the natural tooth’s size, shape, and durability. They may be fabricated out of metal for durability or tooth-colored composite for an inconspicuously natural appearance.

Learn More By Reaching Out To Our Clinic

Find out more about the full range of childhood dental care we provide at OC Kids Dental in Aliso Viejo. You can call and arrange an assessment with Dr. Cima Mazar-Atabaki’s office today!.