Pediatric Dentist???? - Painesville,OH

I take my children to a pediatric dentist. As my understanding goes, a pediatric dentist specializes in working with children's teeth and as such is much more accomodating to children's behaviors/reactions to "scary" situations. They also tend to be more familiar with how smaller teeth and mouths behave. The dentist my children see is Dr. Scott Niemann (telephone - ###-###-####). He is in westerville, but VERY worth the drive we make (about 30 min). My oldest son had a cavity (unknown to us) and developed an abcessed tooth one weekend and we called Dr. Niemann's office who had never seen my son. He called in an RX for him and we found out there were 8 cavities all together and 2 of them would require partial root canals. Dr. Niemann was fantastic with my son. He made him feel very relaxed (as he had never been to the dentist before). My youngest just had his first appointment with Dr. Niemann today and loved it.

I would highly recommend a pediatric dentist for cavities or those strong willed kids. I love my family dentist, but when my 3 yr old had a small, pin-head size cavity, we went to a pediatric dentist. She worked so well with him and actually was far more patient than a family dentist!

A pediatric dentist specializes in children. The offices are usually kid friendly, and the dentists and hygienists should have a bedside manner suited especially for children. They are used to the fear that is sometimes associated with the dentist and have all kinds of tricks for making the kids more comfortable. I prefer to take my kids to a pediatric dentist. I feel more comfortable having a pediatric specialist treat them. Good luck!

My son goes to Dr. Haring in Dublin, he is wonderful. His office just knows how to handle the difficult situations. Regardless, it is hard to sit there and watch your young child have dental work. Here is their number: ###-###-####

a pediatric dentist just specializes in children's dentistry. He does the same, but he only works with kids so he's used to the smaller teeth and their behavior. They may have more ease in treating kids and making them comfortable. I take my daughter to one. mine has a TV on the ceiling to distract the kids while the teeth are being checked.

We go to Denistry for Kids in Akron and it is wonderful. The whole office is geared for kids. My daughter was very difficult at the regular dentist, she was scared. Since we switched to the pediatric dentist we have not had one problem. They have cartoons playing, the wallpaper is fun, the chair is little smaller, the instruments are hidden so they don't see them right away. They take the kids back by themselves, which we were never able to do at the regular office. I think not having me standing right there helped the kids be braver. They get to get a reward out of the machine when they are done. The staff really works well for with the kids. I noticed at regular dentist, the hygenist really didn't have the patients to work with the kids (confirmed by other family members). I always recommend my pediatric dentist. It is such a better experience!

C. I'm not sure where you are at but there is supposed to be a great one in Middletown. My neighbor goes to them. They have a lot for little ones to do while they are getting their teeth filled. I'm not sure of their names but if you look up Pediatric dentist in Middletown they are the only ones. Good luck and I hope this helps~ J.

Know I am just old, had never heard of a Pediatric dentist until my grandson (who is 10) was about 4. Sounds like your current dentist just doesn't want to work on children. We went to a dentist when my children were young who didn't like to work with children so he hired a younger man to work with him who saw all the children. We all started going to the younger man until my son (who is now 28) fell at the Indianapolis Zoo (on a school trip) and broke his front tooth and the younger man was off. The older man saw him immediately and repaired the tooth. He did such a great job the tooth has only had to be worked on one time since and the older dentist said afterwards he didn't realize not all children whined and fussed because my son did not. Go figure!
Like all fields dentists are starting to specialize more and more.

His staff goes above and beyond. He doesn't traumatize with fillings, so give em a call. Its the only dentist he has seen, the regular dentist I took an older child to was not very nice to him , he was afraid of needles and the dentist told him to knock it off, when he had tears coming down his face. This pediatric has a staff that loves kids, and they are very friendly towards the child. I encourage you to use a pediatric dentist.

Dr. Lyn Allee ###-###-####. She is in Westlake on Detroit Rd. She is VERY good. She REALLY takes her time and makes sure the kids are comfortable. By "try" to fill them, I think your dentist means it all depends on how your child handles it. Check out Dr. Allee's office. It is SO kid friendly. The kids are totally spoiled when going there with stuff to take home and the waiting room has tons of toys and a beautiful fish tank. When the kids are being worked on, they can pick out a video to watch. It will distract them when being worked on.

C.,
I worked for a pediatric dentist for almost 12 years. I left to stay at home with my kids. A lot of general dentists are afraid to work on kids because they might cry. Some will give up if they make one sound. Our office has toys in the waiting room, tvs in the ceiling and a toy box for after. Everything being done is explained to your child. If your child is too scared they can be given nitrous oxide to help them relax. No, it doesn't knock them out as stated in another response. It just makes them feel floaty. The doctor can also prescribe medicine to take at home to help relax before the appointment. He can also give medicine in his office. He can also get more done at one time than the general dentist would try. I don't agree with the other response that your child won't be treated well. That was very upsetting for me to read. Good luck in whatever decision you make.

C.,
i am a dental hygienist. I have worked in the field for 20 years. How well does your son respond to the general dentist? Will your son communicate with him well. Also, does the general dentist communicate well with your son?
If you answer "no" to any of this (?) then go to the pediactric dentist.pediatric dentist work with all types of children. Healthy children with no anxiety, children with anxiety, children with disabilities ect.the atmosphere in a pediatric office is all very child freindly. I work in a general practice and we see children and 90% of children do well! Then 10 % most be referred to a pediatric dentist.
You know your child and how he responds...go with your gut decision--and do you have city water with fluoride? If not get a fluoride supplement for your chilren,from your dentist or pediatrician.
D.

I would get a second opinion from a pediatric dentist. I take my daughter to a pediatric dentist and we love her. They are just more compassionate about the care of children. The take their time and are very patient. You never know, they might have something they can do to make your son more comfortable. Also, they have great toys when they are done!! Good luck!!!

my kids (all 4 of them) see a pediatric dentist and have since they started seeing a dentist. A pediatric dentist usually offers a more kid friendly atmosphere.....games to distract them, fun flavors, and laughing gas when shots are needed. I would recommend that you look into getting one for your kids unless you feel that their current dentist is kid friendly and trained to handle the young ones :-)

I believe it is sorta like taking your child to get a haircut at your haidresser versus going to kiddie cuts or going to your family doctor versus a pediatrician. A pediatric dentist specializes in, and is especially experienced with, kids. It sounds to me like the dentist you see now is saying that if your child is afraid or uncooperative during the procedure, he won't even try. If that is the case, I would just find a good ped dentist from the git-go. It would be a more kid-friendly environment for anything that is invasive or scary.

Dear C.,

Just make sure that they don't use any metal/silver fillings. They are 50% mercury and not good for children or adults. Insist on the composite fillings as they are much less toxic. Ask this question before your child gets in the chair so it doesn't become an issue. If the dentist will not use a composite - find another dentist. Same goes for you as an adult.

If you want more information on the toxicity of mercury fillings Google Hal Huggins and read his books.

God Bless,

S.

the one pediatric dentist i met was super rough-- the type that wears earplugs and holds the kid down kicking and screaming. i would NOT take my kids to see him.

we prefer family doctors and general dentists because kids are a refreshing change for them--- they actually think they are cute, and give them special attention, instead of treating them like they are a dime a dozen like at pediatric offices.

my 2 cents...

C.,
Both of my children go to a pediatric dentist. The first one got referred ther when he would not a regular dentist fill a cavity ( he was 4-5 years old.) The pediatric dentist only see children, they normally have special office adapted to children. the one that my kids see, they put sun glasses on them, use ipods and headphones to drown out the "dentist noise". They also use flavored gloves and funny masks. It is a great place, they also use happy gas when they are doing invasive procedures. this helps calm the child down and they do not feel the pain as much. When my youngest was borm we never thought about taking her anywhere else. If you have a pediatric dentis available and they are close to you, that is probably the way to go. Good luck

When my oldest son was 2 he had issues with his teeth. They were prone to cavities. The dentist we were seeing at the time sent me to a pediatric dentist. My son is now 10 and he still goes to the pediatric dentist. I think that regular dentists don't really like to do procedures on little children. When I switched my dentist, I asked him if he did children (my daughters were 8 & 7). They said they don't like to do children under 3. So when my youngest son was born, I just started him with the pediatric dentist at 6 months. I think the pediatric dentist that my sons see is better for them 'cause that's her specialty...kids. She has smaller chairs, equipment, and anything to make the child more at ease. It's kind of a pain to take my daughters to one and my sons to another, but they both get great care.

I take my kids to a pediatric dentist, I have a 5 1/2 yr old special needs child and a typical 4 yr old. My 4 yr old had to have a tooth pulled. It was chipped and infected. I take my kids to Dentistry 4 Kids (I see someone else posted too) and they were wonderful with my daughter when they pulled her tooth. They took her back by herself and she came out all smiles and said mommy it didn't hurt. As sensitive as she is, I expected her to be in tears. It was the smartest move to take them to a pediatric dentist. They also work well with special needs, my son has CP and seizure disorder. I would take them to pediatric dentist over a general dentist as they are better trained dealing with children.

C.:

Hello. I have been a dental hygienist for 18 years. Five of those years have been in a Periodontal office (gum disease) Eight years in a General Dentist office and Five years in a Pediatric Office.
Technically, the services performed in both general dentist offices and pediatric offices are done the SAME. No differences!! Although, some general dental offices are not equipped with Nitrous Oxide Gas (Laughing Gas....your child is not asleep at any time, just doesnt care whats going on and is relaxed) My office of employment (general)does NOT have nitrous gas. So if your child is nervous, jumpy, or uncooperative, the need for nitrous gas is important It relaxes them...especially BEFORE anesthesia (A shot of lidocaine or whatever they use to numb the area) Therefore, children are referred to a pediatric dentist.
Also, it is a more "comforting" atmosphere in a pediatric office because it is GEARED toward children. The office is set up and decorated FOR children. They generally have games, movies, awesome TOYS, several assistants to help make the child comfortable and welcomed. The pediatric dentist I worked for even has TV's on the ceiling so the children can watch a movie or play games while waiting. THEY LOVE IT.
And finally, if a child has a problem during a procedure, there are MORE equipped to get the job done...Such as a papoose. A board that keeps them still and together. (IN the 5 years of employment at the pediatric office, we only had to use it ONCE on a child)
There are even some Pediatric dentists that have arrangements with nearby hospitals to do several fillings, crowns or more extensive work ALL at once under general anesthesia. That is usually for younger and uncooperative children to make it a pleasant experience to Not remember how they received the dental work.
I hope this information helped. If you have any questions please feel free to email me. We LOVE children and Bribery is a wonderful thing in a pediatric office. The dentist works on children all day long and knows what soothes them and relaxes them...such as jokes or being silly to come down to their level. CHILDREN LOVE coming back and can't wait to see the dentist.Its a good, productive, patient way of introducing dentistry in a positive, loving atmosphere. Good Luck.

My boys go to a pediatric dentist also. Only because when my oldest needed a filling, the dentist was attempting to give him a shot in the gums and he flipped out. They didn't do the gas procedure so our dentist referred us to a pediatric dentist. He does great with the kids and the kids LOVE going to the dentist. I sometimes catch my youngest pulling at his teeth even lol..
However........I did noticed at mine, perhaps not all are this way, but the price was double on things vs my regular dentist..

Sorry if you get this twice. . . had fat fingers this morning.

My brother-in-law is a pediatric dentist. And while the hygienist is right in saying that the procedure is the same, the way general dentists and pediatric dentists are trained is different. Ped dentists are specially trained to deal with kiddos - those that are calm and those that may not be. They're taught techniques that may help with getting more cooperation ffrom young ones. And also, they deal with kids all day, every day - that's all they do so it makes the work normal. Most general dentists don't see a lot of kids.

Best of luck with your decision on where to go. I take my son to see my brother-in-law, not just b/c I have to but b/c I want someone who's specifically trained to deal with toddlers.

When my children were young and they needed there first dental treatment for cavities my dentist told me he would prefer my kids to go to a pediatric dentist. I believe their focus is on children's dental health. Just like pediatric opthamologists or orthopedics, they are specialized. I am glad I went to a ped dentist. They have handled hygiene and my children's braces. He has handled my children's fears and needs very well. I have even moved my youngest to a ped opthalmologist because the regular one did not know how to communicate with my child. I am so thankful for these specialists.

Um, how old is he? I assume they mean "how he would do" at the appointment, as in if he would get tense and not do well...crying, wiggling, etc. Our pediatric dentist is very good with kids, they offer "happy juice" or anesthesia with very young patients, etc.

Hope this helps, I had 2 older kids with no cavities and on my 3 year olds 1st appointment, he needed 5 fillings!

The difference between a regular dentist and a pediatric dentist is night & day!! My daughter has had to have a lot of work done on her teeth due to other illnesses that she has had. She even had an extra tooth growing out of the roof of her mouth that had to be pulled. In fact, she has had a total of 4 teeth pulled and she is just 8 yrs old. Anyway, with the problems that she has had and the various tests she has had to endure - you mention dentist or dr to her and she freaks out! However, now that we go to Dr. Brett Mann (pediatric dentist) she is actually excited!! Don't hesitat and question yourself - just go ahead and take your son to a pediatric dentist. Dr. Brett Mann's # is ###-###-#### and he is located on Stop 11 & Shelby on the southside (across the street from the YMCA)

Good luck

I'd say go for the Ped dentist. I am not sure of the difference but I took our daughter to our dentist, she was two, had a cavity and enamel breakdown on her two front top teeth from JUICE, NOT always good for you--anyway, our dentist was working away, she got scared and closed her mouth on his finger. HE YELLED at her, yeah, YELLED and she was done, would not settle down and or let him finish. We have been at a ped dentist since and SHE LOVES TO GO TO THE DENTIST NOW. It may save you some grief in the future. They are just more KID oriented and with our insurance, covered the same as a regular dentist. GOOD luck!

Most pediatric dentist use gas to knock you out to do the work.It is really hard for little ones to sit still and be worked on.
My sister had to take my niece to OSU pediatric dentist's to have her teeth fixed last year she was 3 and she had that throwing up disease that so many babies get now and the acid had eat all the enamel off of her baby teeth.They were coated with something after being cleaned well. They put her to sleep to do the work and she had almost no pain at all while recovering.
I wish they would do that for us adults as those big needles petrify me.I have to be given about 15 mg of Valium before I see my Dentist.And some times that doesn't even help.

A pediatric dentist will just have more ways and more help for children who do not cooperate. The work they do on the tooth will be the same. For children who are behavior problems, or just too scared to do it, they may even put them under anesthesia. I would try the regular dentist if you have a pretty cooperative child.

Pediatric dentist just are better at dealing with kids. My daughter age 4 just had a filling and the dentist was very patient and amazing with her.

My girls go to a pediatric dentist, and he's great. His staff takes extra time to explain procedures & tools to ease anxiety. For example, Mr. Thirsty is the suction tool, etc. They also have video games in the waiting room, colorful decor, and video monitors on the ceiling above each chair so kids can watch a movie while they're having their teeth cleaned. And of course, they get to visit the 'prize room' when they're done.

It may seem somewhat unnecessary, but it really depends on how comfortable your child is at the dentist, and the extent of their dental needs.

Originally, I took my girls to the same dentist I see. That was perfectly fine for my oldest daughter. She has zero anxiety about doctors. However, my younger daughter was terrified to open her mouth for my dentist, so he referred us to a pediatric dentist...especially since her baby teeth appeared to have issues. She ended up having 4 baby root canals and crowns at age 4, and never even winced. So I'm a true believer in the pediatric dentist thing.

If there are any Small Smiles clinics in your area, I would suggest going there. I take my kids to the one in Akron, and my son had to have fillings, and the staff was great! I can definitely tell the difference in dealing w/non-pediatric and pediatric in both dental & vision. Where ever you decide to take your child, I would go the pediatric route!!

Hi C.. I looked at your profile and saw that you are in Painesville. I take my kids to Mentor Pediatric Dentistry and they are just wonderful. The staff is very good with the kids and Dr. A is also wonderful at putting them (and you) at ease. They are on Mentor Ave. across from KMart. Hope that helps.

~S.

My son has autism and we go to a pediatric dentist. I believe a pediatric dentist just means they only see children, not adults. They are especially equiped to deal with children - many flavors of floride treatments, walls decorated with kids themes, toys available to play with while waiting for their appointment, and experience dealing with "less than ideal" patients. Mine in particular is willing to sedate my son, if needed, when/if he needs a tooth filled. My "regular" dentist would not. The pediatric dentist he goes to is Josephine Stickler on Norwich St (off Sawmill).

when my daughter had to go to a pediatric dentist that basically meant going to the hospital dentistry and i believe they put them under. not sure if it is the same procedure, but make sure u ask lots of questions.