Children & Abscessed Teeth

At Kidz Connextion Dental & Braces, located in offices across the Phoenix, AZ, area, we offer dental treatment and preventive care for children of all ages. We can even treat Abscesses in the teeth or gums. An abscessed tooth occurs when there is an infection, resulting in pus. The pus has no place to drain, causing problems and discomfort. It’s important to schedule an appointment for your child right away. An untreated infection can spread to the rest of the body without medical intervention.

If your child has an abscessed tooth, they’ll complain of a bad taste in their mouth, a fever, swelling in the jaw, swollen gums, and throbbing pain. You need to have them see our dentists in Phoenix, AZ, right away.

The first thing the dentist will do at your child’s appointment is to examine the infected area. They can make a diagnosis off of this alone. From there, the dentist prescribes your child an antibiotic to stop the infection. If the infection is severe enough, the dentist might drill a hole in your child’s tooth. This lets the pus and infection drain out. Doing this relieves some of your child’s discomfort. A root canal treatment is another possibility. A root canal removes more of the infected tissue while saving the tooth.

Follow-up care is extremely important for guaranteeing your child’s speedy recovery. Place an icepack on your child’s face or jaw for 10-20 minutes. Do this on and off through the day to manage discomfort. Follow the directions on your child’s medications. Give pain medication and antibiotics as directed.

Kidz Connextion Dental & Braces top-tier pediatric dental services. We have three separate offices located in the Phoenix, AZ, area. Visit https://www.kidzconnextion.com/ to learn more about our services or schedule an appointment. Call 623-232-0749 for our N. 75th Ave. office, 480-666-5984 for N. 24th St., and 480-405-4714 for E. Baseline Rd.

Over-Retained Baby Teeth

At some point in everyone’s childhood, their baby teeth inevitably fall out. This isn’t always the case. Over-retained baby teeth need proper evaluation, monitoring, and possibly removal. When a baby tooth doesn’t exfoliate, the adult teeth cannot properly erupt. Schedule an appointment for your child with Kidz Connextion Dental & Braces right away. Our pediatric dentists in the Phoenix, AZ, area are here to help.

There are a few causes for over-retained baby teeth. It’s important that your child receives an evaluation to determine why. Your Phoenix, AZ, dentist performs a dental examination and takes X-rays. This will provide you with the answers you need. The most common reason is that your child is missing permanent teeth. Hence, there is nothing to push out the baby tooth. A more rare possibility is that the baby tooth is fused to the bone.

Here are a few other possibilities for an over-retained baby tooth:
-Obstructions in the jaw or mouth
-Misalignment of the baby or permanent tooth
-Infection
-Trauma or injury to the specific area
-A late or slow eruption of the permanent tooth

Treatment depends entirely upon the tooth and the condition it is in. If the tooth does not require interference, it is left how it is. A weirdly shaped baby tooth is safe to leave retained with modification. Lastly, a crooked or strangely positioned retained tooth will require an extraction.

Kidz Connextion Dental & Braces top-tier pediatric dental services. We have three separate offices located in the Phoenix, AZ, area. Visit https://www.kidzconnextion.com/ to learn more about our services or schedule an appointment. Call 623-232-0749 for our N. 75th Ave. office, 480-666-5984 for N. 24th St., and 480-405-4714 for E. Baseline Rd.

Sjorgren's Syndrome

There are certain medical conditions that have a direct impact on your oral health. Sjorgren’s syndrome is one of them. This is a systemic autoimmune condition that targets the tear and salivary glands. Dry mouth is a very common side effect. If you are struggling with a dry mouth or have been diagnosed with Sjorgren’s syndrome, schedule an appointment with Kidz Connextion Dental & Braces today. Your Phoenix, AZ, dentist helps you alleviate your symptoms.

Your entire body is affected when you have Sjorgren’s syndrome. Here is a list of the common oral complications:

-Dry mouth, throat, and lips
-A hoarse or scratchy sounding voice
-Chronic coughing or wheezing
-Problems swallowing
-Swollen salivary glands in the face and neck
-Frequent oral infections or cavities

There is no known cure for this condition. That doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to treat it! The first thing you need to do is get a diagnosis. Set up an appointment with your Phoenix, AZ, dentist. At your appointment, they will examine your salivary glands and flow. They can also help with any of your other symptoms, like cavities.

Treatment is customizable for each patient. You need to talk to your Primary Care Physician or General Practitioner about medication for your immune system. Your dentist focuses just on oral symptoms. The first thing you need to do is increase your salivary production. We recommend Artificial Saliva. This keeps your mouth moist when your body can’t. You can also invest in over-the-counter dry mouth treatments. These are available as both toothpaste and mouthwash.

Kidz Connextion Dental & Braces provide quality pediatric dental care. We have three offices spread across the Phoenix, AZ, area. Visit our website to learn more about our services or schedule an appointment. Call 623-232-0749 for our N. 75th AVe. office, 480-666-5984 for N. 24th St., and 480-405-4714 for E. Baseline Rd.

Replacing Your Retainer

Today is the day! Your braces are coming off after all this time. This doesn’t mean that you're done taking care of your teeth though. Your dentist at Kidz Connextion Dental & Braces will provide you with your new retainer. It is up to you to take care of it, helping your teeth stay in their new positions. Eventually, like anything used daily, it’ll need a replacement. That’s when you schedule an appointment at our offices in the Phoenix, AZ, area.

Retainer replacement depends entirely upon you and your retainer. Some patients require a replacement after 2-3 years, or maybe every year! It’s important that you replace it right away if it gets damaged. If it’s broken, it won’t keep your teeth in place. It’s actually doing more harm than good.

Here are a few signs that your retainer needs a replacement:
-Changes color
-Fits odd or feels uncomfortable
-Comes apart or wears away at the joints
-Shows signs of a calcium buildup

Schedule an appointment with your dentist in Phoenix, AZ, right away. They can evaluate your retainer and issue a replacement. Without your retainer, your teeth will shift back into their old positions. It will undo all the work your braces accomplished. Wear your retainer every day for the first six months following the removal of your braces. With the permission of your dentist, you can then transition to wearing it at night.

There are a few general guidelines for keeping your retainer in pristine condition. When you are issued your first retainer, it comes with a case. Always keep your retainer in the case when you aren’t wearing it. This keeps it from getting damaged or lost. When you travel, always place it in the case.

Kidz Connextion Dental & Braces provide quality pediatric dental care. We have three offices spread across the Phoenix, AZ, area. Visit our website to learn more about our services or schedule an appointment. Call 623-232-0749 for our N. 75th Ave. office, 480-666-5984 for N. 24th St., and 480-405-4714 for E. Baseline Rd.

Oral Thrush

If you notice strange ulcers in your mouth or a yellow tongue, you might have something known as oral candidiasis. This is more commonly referred to as Thrush. Candida albicans accumulates in an abnormal amount, overwhelming your mouth’s lining. The best thing to do if you or your child experience these symptoms is to schedule an appointment with Kidz Connextion Dental & Braces right away. Located in multiple offices in the Phoenix, AZ, area, we provide family-friendly dental care.

Anyone can develop thrush, though some are more at risk than others. Babies, younger children, older adults, and those with compromised immune systems are very susceptible. The main symptom of thrush is the lesions. These are easily identifiable. These are white almost creamy ulcers on the tongue or cheeks. In some cases, the infection can spread to the gums and roof of the mouth.

The biggest cause of thrush is the lack of good oral hygiene. You need to brush your teeth twice a day for at least two minutes. This means brushing all your teeth, including the molars! Flossing is also essential, with it being recommended at least once a day. Keeping up to date with your dental appointments is another important habit. You should get professional teeth cleaning every six months.

Thrush is diagnosed through an appointment with your Phoenix, AZ, dentist. They decide after looking at the lesions. There are a few ways to tackle treatment. First, reexamine your dental routine. Make sure you are doing a great job of keeping it clean. You should also make sure you are changing your toothbrush regularly. It’s also recommended that you supplement your diet with more active cultures through foods like yogurt. Lastly, your Phoenix, AZ, dentist may prescribe a short-term antifungal medication to reel in your symptoms.

Kidz Connextion Dental & Braces provide quality pediatric dental care. We have three offices spread across the Phoenix, AZ, area. Visit our website to learn more about our services or schedule an appointment. Call 623-232-0749 for our N. 75th AVe. office, 480-666-5984 for N. 24th St., and 480-405-4714 for E. Baseline Rd.