Preventive Dentistry in Del Mar, CA

We want to provide your family with every reason to smile at our dentistry. Our preventive approach aims to create a healthy dental home for your little ones and help you nurture good oral habits for the future.

Teeth Cleaning

A professional tooth cleaning is required beyond good at-home habits because regular brushing and flossing cannot remove all the plaques built upon your child’s teeth. Our hygienists use various hand instruments to clean your child’s teeth, mouth, and gums.

Teeth Polishing

Once your child’s teeth have been cleaned, they are polished to remove plaque and stains on the tooth surface. Polish contains an abrasive substance and fluoride and is applied using a small rotating rubber cup or brush attached to a dental handpiece.

Digital X-Rays

Digital X-rays are not always part of every check-up, but new patients aged four years and older or patients with oral health issues may have them taken to see potential problems not visible.

Professional Examination

Our pediatric dentist and oral hygienist will inspect your child’s teeth during their visit. The hygienist will conduct an oral examination of your child’s teeth and gums and document any changes from a previous visit. The hygienist will discuss tooth and gum care with you and answer any questions you may have about your child’s oral health. Next, our pediatric dentist will conduct an oral exam, review the work done by the hygienist and any x-rays taken, and make treatment recommendations.

Treatment Recommendations

If your child has any oral health problems witnessed in their check-up, our pediatric dentist will recommend additional treatments to prevent them from worsening and correct them.

BPA-Free Sealants

Sunny Smiles Kids Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics offers BPA-free sealants that safely and effectively protect your child’s teeth. Applying a sealant on top of premolars and molars offers protection from the build-up of plaque and debris that often get lodged in the grooves and result in cavities. These teeth have the most grooves, and because of their location more toward the back of the mouth, they are the most difficult to clean with a toothbrush or floss. With proper home care, sealants can last up to 5 years and greatly reduce your child’s experience with tooth decay.

Silver Diamine Fluoride

Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) is an FDA-approved solution that stops and prevents the further growth of dental cavities and reduces tooth sensitivity. It is made with two ingredients: an anti-microbial agent that kills bacteria and prevents new biofilm formation. The fluoride prevents further demineralization (softening) of the tooth structure. Treatment with SDF does not eliminate the need for restorative dentistry but effectively prevents further decay. SDF is a simple and non-invasive way to treat cavities and can be completed fairly quickly.

• The teeth are brushed without paste and rinsed.
• The carious teeth are isolated, kept dry, and all excess removed. All excess debris rush is dipped in a drop of SDF and placed on the lesion(s) for two minutes.
• Any decayed areas will stain black. A healthy tooth structure will not stain.
• Excess SDF is removed, fluoride varnish is placed, and patients are instructed not to eat or drink for one hour.