Chicago Pediatric Dentist What is a Pediatric Dentist? A pediatric dentist is a specialist with two years of formal post graduate training. Dr. Kasia Lopez does not have a pediatric specialty, but she loves treating children and has a great rapport with them. Many families like the idea of having everyone in the family go to the same dentist. The parents like the idea that during their own checkup, they can ask questions about their children's teeth, or vice versa. Dr. Lopez is happy to offer these services and enjoys these types of relationships with the families she sees.

Orthodontics for Pediatric Patients

Dr. Lopez is also qualified to provide orthodontic care. So as your child becomes a teenager, we can discuss possible needs for orthodontic treatment. Dr. Lopez can provide traditional braces or invisible braces with either the Invisalign or ClearCorrect systems. See our Chicago braces page for more information about these options.

Pediatric Dental Tips for Parents

• As soon as your children's teeth come in, they can be gently brushed. For the youngest babies, a soft cloth works well for cleaning them. As more teeth come in, you can begin to brush them.
• Because of the importance of children not swallowing too much fluoride, make sure you only have a tiny amount of toothpaste on the brush to minimize swallowing. There are even toddler toothpastes that have no fluoride in them and are safe to swallow. These are great for preschoolers who really want to brush their own teeth
• While some children are resistant to tooth brushing there are ways to capture their interest. Most importantly, let them see you brush regularly. They want to be just like you. They may enjoy doing it together. Even for the most resistant there are fun character toothbrushes that may spark their interest.
• As soon as their baby molars come in, they may need to be flossed. If there are spaces between the teeth, they won't need to, but if they touch, you should floss their teeth for them. At around age eight, most children will have developed enough dexterity to be able to do this on their own.
• Bring them in for their first dental appointment before they actually need treatment. This is critical in helping them develop a healthy attitude toward dental care. At around age three, their baby molars will have come in, and we can schedule a fun dental visit where we will count and check their teeth.

Feel free to call our office with any questions, or visit our request an appointment page.

 

In the Chicagoland area, look at Dr. Nasima Thobani's Aurora pediatric dentist page. She also enjoys seeing children but is not licensed as a specialist. But it's not just confined to women. Check with Dr. Matt Roper if you want a Gilbert pediatric dentist, not in Illinois.