Here at Big Apple Pediatric Dentistry, our highly trained team is committed to providing individualized excellent dental care for your child. We provide a full range of routine and complex dental procedures for infants, children, adolescents, and special needs patients in a child-friendly environment. As a pediatric dental practice, we focus on prevention and education to help your children in their journey of a healthy happy smile that will last them a lifetime! We believe that the dental needs of every child are very specific with unique emotional needs.
Studies have shown that children with good oral health tend to eat better, learn better, do better in school, and develop higher confidence.
During your child’s preventative visit, we use special tools to get those pearly whites glowing bright! Your child will be evaluated to make sure both his/her gums and teeth are healthy, and ensure no oral disease is present. Growth and development will be evaluated and any potential concerns discussed.
Regular dental visits help your child stay cavity-free. Our pediatric dentists will provide an assessment of your child’s present oral health and make recommendations to their hygiene regimen to promote and maintain good oral health. This may include the need for supplemental fluoride, dietary modification, or an orthodontic evaluation to address crowding or an abnormal bite. An in-office teeth cleaning appointment removes plaque that can irritate the gums and cause tooth decay. In-office fluoride treatments will strengthen teeth and prevent cavities. A review of oral hygiene instructions will improve your child’s brushing and flossing habits, leading to cleaner teeth and healthier gums.
Radiographs (or X-Rays) are an essential part of our diagnostic protocol. Without them, dental conditions may go undetected. Dental X-Rays detect much more than dental cavities. They allow the dentist to evaluate growth and development, bone health, pathology and evaluate trauma. At Big Apple Pediatric Dentistry we are using the latest dental X-ray technology with very minimal exposure.
Teeth are composed of many tiny pieces called molecules that attach to each other. Throughout the day these tiny pieces are constantly breaking apart and reforming depending on our diet. Fluoride can be thought of as a “glue” for these pieces by keeping the molecules more tightly bound together and less prone to breaking apart. Topical fluoride treatment is effective in protecting children's teeth and reducing cavities.
Think of the top (chewing) surface of a tooth as mountains with many grooves. When your child eats, food gets caught in those grooves. Although daily brushing is essential, applying dental sealant will enhance the ability to keep those hard to reach areas clean. A dental sealant flows into the grooves “sealing” the tooth and reducing the probability of cavities.
It is our goal at Big Apple Pediatric Dentistry to make your child’s dental appointment as easy and enjoyable as possible! We promote healthy smiles in a friendly and compassionate environment. Our dentist and our wonderful staff will discuss treatment options that will allow your child a stress-free dental experience.
Should your child have a cavity, we use a resin tooth-colored filling to restore function and comfort to your child's tooth. These fillings restore teeth to an attractive healthy state!
If your child's cavity is too large to restore with a tooth-colored filling, a crown may be recommended. Crowns help protect the baby teeth, providing structure for the tooth. Crowning a tooth also maintains the space, allowing the eventual permanent tooth to erupt properly. If you are concerned about a silver crown, talk to Dr. Martinez about the possibility of a tooth-colored crown!
Your child may need to have a tooth extracted. Most often extractions are indicated due to the presence of infection or for orthodontic purposes. We will review your child's needs and discuss treatment options with you.
We offer state-of-the-art frenectomy procedures that can help restore normal movement of your child’s mouth and prevent further issues.
The baby teeth serve as space holders for the permanent teeth. With the loss of a baby tooth, neighboring teeth start migrating into that vacant space potentially causing space problems as your child grows. This may lead to the need for extensive orthodontic treatment at a later age. To minimize this potential situation, a space maintainer is placed in that area to hold the space open, so that the adult tooth can erupt in a more appropriate position.
Laughing gas is the common term for Nitrous Oxide. This is a safe and mild method used during dental procedures. Your child will be awake and responsive throughout the procedure, in a more relaxed state.
Because this type of dentistry is short-lived with a gentle effect, it is often used for children. Nitrous oxide puts patients at ease so they can remain relaxed during dental procedures allowing the anxious child a more pleasant dental experience! Dr. Martinez customizes each case individually and will discuss sedation only if necessary.
Many children suffer from dental anxiety, feeling extreme fear that keeps them from attending dental visits. We want all patients to receive excellent dental care in spite of their dental anxiety. To this end, we offer in-house IV sedation dentistry from a dental anesthesiologist, to ensure the comfort of our patients. If your child suffers from a fear of going to the dentist, call us today to learn more about intravenous "IV" sedation.
This sedation modality does not put your child to sleep. It instead allows children to have a calm and comfortable dental experience while awake but in a relaxed setting.
If you have any questions about dental services or your child’s dental health, check out our Dental FAQ page for answers. You may also give us a call at
(602) 935-7427 during regular business hours and a friendly member of our staff will be more than happy to help.
