New Patient Info - Idaho Pedictric Dentistry

Patient Information

Our office is committed to providing you with the highest quality of care. We will make every effort to ensure that your first visit with us is a comfortable and informative experience. Our specific qualifications in the design, application and control of corrective appliances will bring teeth, lips and jaws into proper alignment for optimal facial balance. Our practice has the specialized equipment, facility and staff to properly address today’s most demanding pediatric dental and orthodontic needs, in a warm and caring environment.

What you can expect from us

Scheduling

Our office hours are 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Thursday, Friday by appointment only. We try to stay on schedule to minimize waiting at the time of your appointment. Delays to the schedule can occur and your understanding and patience are very much appreciated. If you have pain or an emergency situation, every attempt will be made to see you that day.

First Visit

The first "regular" dental visit should be no later than your child's first birthday. We will gently examine your child's teeth and gums. We may clean your child's teeth and apply topical fluoride to help protect the teeth against decay. We will make sure your child is receiving adequate fluoride at home. Most important of all, we will review with you how to clean and care for your child's teeth. Call today and discover the new face of pediatric dentistry.

Pain Control

Our Doctors make every effort to administer local anesthetic and sedatives in the most comfortable manner possible.We use state of the art anesthetic machines eliminating the need for a syringe and needle. In fact, we tell the kids that we don’t use “a shot” in our office. These machines coupled with nitrous oxide can make “numbing” the teeth nearly pain-less in almost all the children we treat. You will ask your dentist why he doesn’t use this machine on you. Once your child completes treatment, we will review post op instructions with you to insure that you know how to care for your child at home.

Sedation

Children who are very young or who have a high level of anxiety that interferes with the cooperation necessary to perform their needed dental care may require some level of sedation. Sedation is also helpful for special needs children. There are many safe and effective drugs available today that can help relax the child and promote a good environment for optimal and safe dental treatment.
Conscious sedation is an option for children who are mildly apprehensive. This highly effective method can be administered in oral or nasal form in combination with an inhalational method using nitrous oxide (N20-02).
Deep sedation or General Anesthesia is sometimes necessary for children that are unable, by either age or maturity level, to cooperate during dental treatment. Our practice utilizes a certified MD anesthesiologist for cases where the patient may pose a threat to their own safety during treatment. This will be discussed with the parents/guardians of the patient before treatment to ensure the optimum beneficial outcome.

Sedation of General Anesthesia Dentistry is most helpful for:
Infants Children who require major treatment The very anxious child Children that have had traumatic dental experiences (sound and smell aversion) Children with a strong gag reflex Children who are medically compromised or who are mentally handicapped

Patient Privacy Policy

This form, Notice of Privacy Practices, presents the information that federal law requires us to give our patients regarding our privacy practices. This notice is a pdf document which requires the Adobe Reader software. You most likely already have this software on your computer. However, if you have difficulty reading the notice, please click here to install Acrobat Reader.

Financial Information

Payment Options

Our practice offers a wide range of payment options including financing with no initial payment and a monthly installment plan. Our treatment coordinator will work out a plan suited to your individual needs. For your convenience we accept Visa, and MasterCard. We deliver the finest care at the most reasonable cost to our patients. If you have questions regarding your account, please contact us

Insurance

Our office will make every effort to provide you with the finest care and the most convenient financial options. To accomplish this, we work with you to maximize your insurance reimbursement for covered procedures. If you have any problems or questions, please ask our staff. They are well informed and up-to-date and can be reached by phone at 208-461-5459. Please bring your insurance information with you to the consultation so that we can expedite reimbursement.

New Patient Referral

You may refer patients to our office by downloading and filling out our secure referral form. The security and privacy of patient data is one of our primary concerns and we have taken every precaution to protect it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What should I do if my child’s baby tooth is knocked out?
A. Contact our office as soon as possible.

Q. What should I do if my child’s permanent tooth is knocked out?
A. Rinse the knocked out tooth in cool water. Do not scrub the tooth. If possible, replace the tooth in the socket and hold it there with clean gauze. If you can’t put the tooth back into the socket, place the tooth in a container of milk (water if milk is not available.) Come to our office immediately. Feel free to call our emergency number if it is after hours. The tooth has a better chance of being saved if you act immediately.

Q. What should I do if my child’s tooth is fractured or chipped?
A. Contact our office as soon as possible. Time is of the essence! Our goal is to save the tooth and prevent infection. Rinse the mouth out with water, apply a cold compress to reduce swelling. Its possible that if you can find the broken tooth fragment, that it can be bonded back to the tooth.

Q. What do I do if my child has a toothache?
A. Call our office immediately to schedule an appointment. To help comfort your child, rinse out the mouth with cold water and apply a compress.

Q. How can we prevent dental injuries?
A. Simple. Sport related dental injuries can be reduced or prevented by wearing mouth guards. Child proofing your home can help reduce injuries at home. In addition, regular dental check ups will contribute to preventative care. Sometimes interceptive orthodontics is necessary to maximize the protection of the developing dentition.

Q.What are sealants?
A. Tooth Sealants refer to a plastic which a dentist bonds into the grooves of the chewing surface of a tooth as a means of helping to prevent the formation of tooth decay.

Q. How do sealants work?
A. In many cases, it is near impossible for children to clean the tiny grooves on the chewing surface of their teeth. When a sealant is applied, the surface of the tooth is somewhat flatter and smoother. There are no longer any places on the chewing part of the tooth that the bristles of a toothbrush can't reach and clean. Since plaque can be removed more easily and effectively, there is much less chance that decay will start.

Q. Which teeth should be sealed?
A. Any tooth that has characteristics, which a sealant can correct, and thus place the tooth at less risk for developing decay, should be sealed. The most common teeth for a dentist to seal are a child’s "back" teeth, and of these teeth the molars are the most common teeth on which dental sealants are placed. The recommendation for sealants should be considered on a case by case basis.

Q. What is the procedure for placing sealants?
A. Generally the procedure takes just one visit. Placing dental sealants can be a very easy process. The tooth is cleaned, conditioned and dried. The sealant is then flowed onto the grooves of the tooth where it is hardened with a special blue light. The sealant is then buffed down. All normal activities can occur directly after the appointment.

Q. What is the life expectancy of tooth sealants?
A. The longevity of sealants can vary. Sealants which have remained in place for three to five years would be considered successful, however, sealants can last much longer. It is not uncommon to see sealants placed during childhood still intact on the teeth of adults. Our office will check your child’s sealants during routine dental visits and will recommend repair or reapplication when necessary.

Q. How important is brushing and flossing after sealants are applied?
A. It is just as important for your child to brush and floss their teeth. Sealants are only one part of the defensive plan against tooth decay.

Q.How much does it cost?
A. This treatment is quite affordable, especially when you consider the value of protection against tooth decay. Most dental insurance companies cover sealants. Check with your insurance company about your child’s coverage.

Q.What are mouth guards?
A. Athletic mouth protectors are comprised of soft plastic. They come in standard or custom fit to adapt comfortably to the upper teeth.

Q. Why are mouth guards important?
A. Mouth guards protect the teeth from possible sport injuries. They not only protect the teeth, but the lips, cheeks, tongue and jaw bone as well. They can contribute to the protection of a child from head and neck injuries such as concussions. Most injuries occur to the mouth and head area when a child is not wearing a mouth guard.

Q. When should my child wear a mouth guard?
A. During any sports based activity where there is risk of head, face or neck injury. Such sports include Hockey, Soccer, Karate, Basketball, Baseball, Skating, Skateboarding, as well as many other sports. Most oral injuries occur when children play basketball, baseball and soccer.

Q. How do I select a mouth guard for my child?
A. Choose a mouth guard that your child feels is comfortable. If a mouth guard feels bulky or interferes with speech to a great degree, it is probably not appropriate for your child.

Q.How do I know if my child is getting the appropriate amount of fluoride in their diet?
A. If you do not reside in a community that has fluoridated water or have the appropriate amount of natural fluoride in your well water, your child will need some sort of supplement in their diet. We can help you determine how much of a supplement your child needs based upon their weight, age, current water fluoride levels and brand of toothpaste.

Q. What is an appropriate diet for my child
A. It is important that your child receives a naturally balanced diet that includes the important nutrients your child needs in order to grow. A daily diet that includes the major food groups of Meat, Fish and Eggs, Vegetables and Fruits, Breads and Cereals as well as Milk and Other Dairy Products

Q. Can my child’s diet affect their dental health?
A. Absolutely. It is important that you initiate a balanced diet for your child so that their teeth develop appropriately. In addition, this will positively affect healthy gum tissue surrounding the teeth. Please note that a diet high in sugar and other forms of carbohydrates may increase the probability of tooth decay.

Q. How do I create a diet safe my child’s teeth?
A. As we stated earlier, initiate a balanced diet. Analyze the frequency in which starch based foods are eaten. These types of foods include breads, pasta, potato chips, etc. In addition, sugar is found in more than just candy. All types of sugars can promote tooth decay. For example, most milk-based products contain sugar. A Peanut butter and jelly sandwich is a favorite for bag lunches. Unfortunately, it includes sugar not only in the jelly, but also in the peanut butter. For less sugar and more flavor and nutrients, try replacing jelly with fresh fruit slices (apples, pears, or bananas) or chopped dried fruit. Go easy on the peanut butter, though—it’s high in fat. Choose the “no-salt-added” kind for less sodium.

Q. Should I eliminate all sugar and starch from my child’s diet??
A. Of course not. Many of these foods are incredibly important to your child’s health. Starch based foods are much safer to eat for teeth when eaten with an entire meal. Foods that stick to teeth are also more difficult to wash away by water, saliva or other drinks. Its important you talk to our staff about your child’s diet and maintaining proper dental care.

Q. What helpful information can you give me regarding tooth decay in infants?
A. Most importantly, don’t nurse your children to sleep. Nor should you put them to bed with a bottle of mile, juice or formula. When a child is sleeping, any liquid that remains in the mouth can support the bacteria that produce acid and harms the teeth. A simple pacifier or bottle of water is fine.

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