Pediatric Dentistry: Dr. Sara B. Babich, DDS

Products And Services

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  Dental Cleaning

  Dental Cleanings or Prophylaxis (“prophy”) is an essential component of preventive dentistry. The goal is to remove microbial plaque which can cause gingivitis (gum inflammation), and cavities. Only our professional staff can determine how frequently this must be done. Some patients accumulate tartar faster than others.

  Link: Dental Cleaning

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  Dental Mouth Guards

  The American Dental Association estimates that athletes who don’t wear mouthguards are sixty times more likely to suffer dental injury than those who do. The use of a mouth guard can prevent more than 200,000 injuries to the mouth each year. That’s why I highly recommend mouth guards for my pediatric dentistry patients. Over 25 percent of dental injuries we treat in our Upper East Side children’s dentistry practice are sports-related. And the majority of these involve the top front teeth. Dental mouth guards typically cover the upper teeth and also protect the soft tissues of the tongue, lips and cheek lining.

  Link: Dental Mouth Guards

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  Fluoride Treatment

  Silver Diamine Fluoride, SDF, is an alternative treatment for tooth decay under certain conditions. Treatment of children’s deciduous (primary or “baby”) and permanent (“adult”) teeth with silver diamine fluoride is a rather new strategy provided by pediatric dentist Dr. Babich located on Manhattan’s Upper East Side aimed at preventing tooth decay (dental caries) and at arresting existing tooth decay.

  Link: Fluoride Treatment

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  Gingivitis

  Healthy gums are usually pink in color and do not bleed during tooth brushing or flossing. Gingivitis, or inflammation of the gums, is manifested by swollen, reddened gums that easily bleed during tooth brushing or flossing. The gums may be tender and painful to touch. Inflammation is caused by bacteria that form a sticky biofilm (or, plaque) along the gumline, causing the gums to become reddened and swollen. Plaque is composed of bacteria, mucus, and food debris ; if not removed, it turns into a hard deposit called tartar (or, calculus) that is trapped at the base of the tooth, irritating the gums. Inflamed gum tissue may separate from the neck of the tooth, forming small gaps or pockets between the teeth and the gums. Bacteria settle in these pockets and therein produce digestive enzymes and endotoxins to promote inflammation. If gingivitis proceeds unchecked, the pockets open up between the gums and the teeth, exposing the roots of the teeth. Bacteria may occupy those spaces and cause decay in the roots of the teeth. Read more about early childhood cavities, how to prevent cavities in kids and teens the latest treatment called Silver Diamine Fluoride Treatment (SDF). Periodontal disease develops when bacteria in the gum pockets adversely affect the periodontium, the specialized tissue that supports and maintains the teeth. Upon further inflammation and destruction of the periodontium, the teeth can gradually become loose and fall out or need to be removed. Persistent bad breath is an indicator of periodontitis.

  Link: Gingivitis

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  Pediatric Teeth Grinding

  Teeth grinding during sleep, termed nocturnal bruxism, is surprisingly very common in children. For example, Insana et al. (2013, Community based study of sleep bruxism during early childhood, Sleep Med., 14:183-188), in their study of children in Jefferson County, Kentucky, noted 36.8% of 1,953 preschoolers and 49.6% of 2,888 first grade children reported nocturnal teeth grinding one or more times per week. Nocturnal teeth grinding in children may commence with the emergence of baby teeth and then later at the emergence of permanent teeth. Most children spontaneously stop nocturnal teeth grinding when their baby and permanent teeth have fully emerged, with nocturnal bruxism seldom occurring by the age of thirteen. Bouts of nocturnal bruxism last for about 4 seconds, occur about six times/hour, and may be accompanied by an awakening from sleep. Most children eventually outgrow bruxism and dental treatment is not recommended unless there are immediate health issues. For example, intense teeth grinding of the upper jaw against the lower jaw may trigger dental concerns, such as: Excessive wear on the teeth Chipped teeth Facial and jaw pain Tooth temperature sensitivity to hot and cold foods Headache or ear pain. If needed, a pediatric dentist Dr. Sara Babich may suggest a thin, plastic nightguard (termed, an occlusal splint) to prevent the upper and lower teeth from grinding against each other.

  Link: Pediatric Teeth Grinding

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  Pediatric Dental Restorations

  When a tooth has a cavity or fracture, it should be restored to its original form, function, and beauty. When damage is minimal, small cosmetic “fillings” can solve the problem. When the defect is more challenging, other restorations such as crowns may be necessary. Early detection and early treatment is preferable option on our NYC pediatric dentistry center on Upper East Side.

  Link: Pediatric Dental Restorations

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  Sealants

  Dental sealants are a great way to protect your growing child’s teeth from cavities. Sealants can prevent decay by as much as 80 percent, according to the American Dental Association (ADA.) A relatively recent advance in children’s dentistry, dental sealants for kids teeth help avoid much more costly dental restorations. It’s a win-win! In our practice we use the latest dental sealants including Silver Diamine Fluoride Treatment (SDF). The Food and Drug Administration has designated silver diamine fluoride with Breakthrough Therapy Status.

  Link: Sealants

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  Special Needs Children

  As a special needs pediatric dentist, Dr. Sara has specialized training in the care of special needs children. From check-in to check-out, our entire staff focuses on your special needs child’s visits. We make adaptations to help special needs patients feel comfortable. As a leading dentist that work with special needs kids Dr. Sara recognize each child’s unique needs and take extra care to help him/her feel comfortable.

  Link: Special Needs Children

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  Sedation Dentistry

  Here at Pediatric Dentistry Center in New York City we recognize that a certain percentage of the population have unique needs or have special anesthesia requirements. There is a myriad of reasons why local regional measures of anesthesia or simple behavior management techniques are not sufficient. The reasons for anesthesia may include: psychological (anxiety or fears) emotional or just a preference for deep anesthesia Dental sedation is an excellent way for children special needs to receive dental care in a way that is non-threatening and far more comfortable. With sedation dentistry, it’s possible for your child to feel entirely relaxed and calm, ensuring treatment is far more pleasant and bearable.

  Link: Sedation Dentistry

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  Teeth whitening

  Everyone wants a “wow” smile. Although this starts with a healthy smile, a little extra whitening may be desired. Teeth whitening, a bleaching process to whiten or lighten tooth color, is most commonly accomplished with chemical oxidizing agents, such as hydrogen peroxide, alone or in the presence with light, acting as an activating agent. Although considered a type of cosmetic dentistry, teeth whitening may be an important psychological boost to a person, whether an adolescent or an adult, embarrassed by off-colored or stained teeth. Focus on the whiteness of one’s teeth may be an off-shoot of media perceptions of unrealistic beauty that is imposed upon the general public. However, as noted by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, a negative self image due to discolored teeth can evoke serious consequences for kids and teens. Many factors interact to cause discoloration of teeth. Tooth discoloration is a function of the age of an individual and of environmental lifestyle choices. Teeth darken as we age. Underneath the enamel, the hard, outer white covering of a tooth, is the softer region termed the dentin, with a yellowish tinge. As one ages, the enamel thins thereby allowing the yellow dentin to be more pronounced.

  Link: Teeth whitening

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  Tooth Extraction

  Tooth removal can be intimidating and a little scary for anyone. Unfortunately, as a parent, you may be a little nervous too. Please let us guide your child to soothe, calm, and help them. It is best not to precondition a child with fears and doubts. As a parent, you can take the time to talk with Dr. Sara, an extraction specialist and a leading children’s dentist in NYC. She will be more than happy to cover all the kids tooth extraction details and help you fully understand the removal procedure. That way, everyone can be prepared for the tooth extraction experience, recovery and its aftercare. While everything possible is done to preserve baby teeth, sometimes there is no other choice but to remove a badly infected tooth or a tooth that has been too extensively damaged to restore.

  Link: Tooth Extraction