General Dentists in Atlanta, GA
While our team at Children’s Dentistry of Atlanta is skilled in many particular preventative and orthodontic treatments for kids, our team is also incredibly knowledgeable in general children’s dentistry. General dentistry includes routine services that kids will undergo more than once, such as routine dental exams and cleanings with our team. General dentistry services include those services which are necessary to maintain your child’s oral health and protect their smile for years to come. From routine visits, to cleanings, to fillings, to preventative care, Children’s Dentistry of Atlanta is your one-stop-solution for general dentistry!
The main service within general dentistry is routine exams and cleanings with our team. We recommend, as does the American Dental Association, that kids be seen for routine exams and cleanings every six months. This cadence allows our team to regularly assess your child’s teeth and gums, signs of oral health, complications and catch them early on, stopping gum disease and other common oral health concerns in their tracks. It’s also important to note that some kids, depending on their own oral health, may require more frequent dental visits to address their own specific oral health complications or to have their treatment monitored more regularly. If you have questions about routine exams and cleaning or other general dentistry treatments, speak with our team at Children’s Dentistry of Atlanta today to learn more
Tooth-Colored Dental Fillings


Dental Crowns
Dental crowns may become necessary when a baby tooth isn’t developing at the same rate as its neighboring teeth, and requires an additional “cap” in order for patients to eat, speak, chew, and otherwise use their teeth normally. A cap restores the full function of the top portion, or crown, of the tooth, restoring both the tooth’s function and aesthetic appearance. When it comes to dental crowns for kids, there are several common questions that parents will have regarding dental crowns, why their child may require them, and which type of dental crowns will best suit their child’s needs:
Dental crowns are restorations, typically made from porcelain, that are meant to restore the function, feel, and appearance of the top portion of the tooth, called the crown. Given that crowns are most commonly used to restore decay that can occur with aging, parents often ask why crowns would become necessary in pediatric cases. Dental crowns are used in pediatric dentistry when there is excessive decay in the baby teeth, or primary teeth, or a baby tooth has not erupted as the surrounding teeth have. Crowns may become necessary when a child is experiencing severe decay, cavities, and other deterioration of the tooth structure. Crowns are stronger and can last longer than dental fillings in children, but both will fall out when the child loses the tooth. Other reasons why a child may require a dental crown can include decayed teeth, and the fact that the tooth enamel of baby teeth is not as strong as that of adult teeth, therefore infection and decay can spread from tooth to tooth easily. Another reason that dental crowns may become necessary is to assist with the size and shape of an underdeveloped baby tooth, speech and bite development, or to protect teeth from further decay.
The crowns process begins with a consultation with our team, or a routine exam or hygiene appointment, where our team would identify the specific oral health concern that would require the use of crowns to correct. We would then schedule a treatment appointment that would be used to place the crown, which can usually be completed in a single visit. Our team would begin with a numbing agent in the surrounding tooth and gum area that will help your child remain comfortable while the crown is placed. Nitrous oxide, or “laughing gas may be used to achieve further relaxation as some children experience more anxiety than others during dental appointments. Our team may also give your child medicine through a syrup or other ingestible agents. Our team may also use intravenous injection or another sedation agent depending on the exact level of comfort that your child requires. We then place a dental dam over the tooth that will be treated, which provides our team many advantages such as carefully isolating the tooth from the surrounding area and controlling the collection of moisture around the tooth. Then, any visible plaque is removed from the tooth and the surrounding area, and the crown is then placed. Some crowns are fitted and adjusted after being placed, so in these cases, our team will remove any excessive crown material and polish the crown once in its final shape.
After a crowns procedure, children may feel some discomfort or slight pain for up to a full day after their procedure. This discomfort is the response of the tooth’s inner material to the new restoration, and can typically be alleviated with ibuprofen and other over-the-counter pain medications for kids. If your child’s mouth was numbed during their crowns placement, advise them not to chew or bite this numbed portion of their mouth or tongue as some children will do.
After crowns are placed, your child may communicate that their bite feels “off” or “doesn’t feel right,” in which case their crown may need further adjusting to achieve a perfect bite. While living with crowns, your child should avoid particularly hard foods to avoid any chipping, and should also avoid sugary foods and beverages, which are both positive dietary steps to take whether you’re a crowns patients or not! Avoid sugary drinks and foods helps to avoid decay and promotes healthy tooth and smile development.
Want to learn more about dental crowns for kids? Speak with our team at Children’s Dentistry of Atlanta to learn if crowns may be the the right dental solution for your child!
Tooth Extractions
- Do not allow your child to drink with a straw,
- Do not allow your child to aggressively rinse their mouth out with water,
- Provide a soft food diet of soups and similar foods, and avoid any foods that are hard or crunchy.
- If your child is experiencing any mild pain or discomfort, ibuprofen and other over-the-counter pain medications for kids are affective.
- If any swelling occurs where the extraction tooth place and in the jaw, place a cold pack on the side of the mouth where the swelling is occurring. If this selling does not subside, please call our team for guidance.


Oral Cancer Screenings
At Children’s Dentistry of Atlanta, our team isn’t just passionate about helping your child achieve and maintain a healthy smile – we’re passionate about promoting overall health and wellness and helping kids get excited about their health! Our team knows that oral health is closely tied with other medical conditions, and that oral health is a strong indicator of overall health. Oral cancer screenings should always be a part of routine dental exams for kids, as early signs of oral caner can be identified at an early age when there’s the best chance of being able to minimize or eliminate these symptoms. Even if your child is experiencing no symptoms of oral caner whatsoever, it’s always a good idea to rule out oral cancer and ensure that your child is safe from this serious condition, which can often manifest without any symptoms. Parents can look for the below signs to identify potential oral cancer:
- Red and white spots in the mouth and gums, or any other general type of sore.
- Bleeding sores.
- Lumps in the mouth and throat.
- Pain and tenderness in the mouth or on the gums.
- Complications with chewing and swallowing food, or discomfort when eating.
Our team at Children’s Dentistry of Atlanta has years of experience in performing oral cancer screenings and possesses the skills and tools needed to perform effective and convenient screenings to help protect your child from this serious condition. While rare, if a child possesses early warning signs of oral cancer, these signs can often be most effectively addressed when caught at an early age.
In addition to having screenings done in our office, kids and parents alike can take these steps to avoid oral cancer:
- Avoid the use of tobacco in any form as well as alcohol, or take steps to limit the consumption of alcohol as much as possible.
- Be conscious of your diet and eat a healthy mix of proteins, carbs, healthy fats and vitamins and minerals.
- Take steps to protect yourself from the sun by wearing sunscreen and limiting overall time spent directly in the sun.
- Request that your dentist perform an oral cancer screening at your next checkup, and also ask the same of your child’s dentist. Screenings in-office are the best opportunity for any potential signs of oral cancer or any other oral health concern to be caught early on before they have the chance to develop.
Overall Health Assessments
- Twice-daily brushing with a fluoridated toothpaste and a soft-bristle toothbrush.
- Be sure to floss every day to remove tough plaque and food particles.
- Use a new toothbrush every few months.
- Be conscious of diet and eat healthy foods.
- See our team at Children’s Dentistry of Atlanta every six months for professional cleanings and exams!


Paperless Charting
What Our Happy Parents Say
Our Services

Dentistry for Infants, Toddlers, Children & Teens

Routine Preventative Care

Restorative Care

Nitrous Oxide & Sedation Dentistry

Dental Emergencies
Meet Your Dentists

