Pediatric Dentist - Medford Center for Ortho & Pediatric Dentistry

82 Forest Street
Medford, MA 02155

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New Patients:
781-350-9990
Current Patients:
781-396-1980

Medford Pediatric Dentistry

NURTURING MEDFORD’S SMALLEST SMILES

You Know What’s Best for Them

From the very first cry for you to the special moment when they finally cracked their first smile, you want and know what’s best for your kids. You also know them and their personalities deeply, how they feel and how they interact with others. Giving them access to exceptional pediatric dental care in Medford at a young age is a remarkable gift that you should be proud of.

The Medford Center

It doesn’t matter if they’re due for an exam or in need of a larger restoration, know they’re in gentle, caring hands. We’re a pediatric dental practice, but we’re also your partner in creating your child’s dental memories for positive experiences that propel them through a lifetime of good oral health.

The Medford Center
The Medford Center
The Medford Center

We Want What’s Best For Them

Let’s face it, most kids would rather be playing or having fun than going to the dentist and learning about teeth. We can’t blame them! We try to make dentistry less intense and more interesting referring to our trusty handpieces as “toothbrushes.” Extractions are better known as a “wiggle out tooth,” and we can’t forget about our saliva ejector, “Mr. Thirsty.”

The Medford Center

You’ll find our style of service is more personal, always putting your child’s smile as a top priority when they come in for a visit. It’s our goal to give them something to smile about and make going to the dentist less of a boring chore. Both parents and their kids alike get the opportunity to experience pediatric dentistry where we take exceptional, gentle care and enhance the natural beauty of smiles from all stages of life.

Fillings

Has a cavity made its way into one of your little one’s molars? Did they chip a tooth after you asked them not to wrestle with the dog? Life happens and it happens to our smiles, whether we like it or not, no matter how much we brush. At the Medford Center for Orthodontics & Pediatric Dentistry, we treat our littlest patients with 100 percent safe composite, metal-free fillings. What parents (and even kids) like most about using composite is that the filling ends up being the same color as their natural tooth. So no one will ever know they’ve had a filling or two! Dr. DeFeo can usually place fillings in one quick and easy appointment.

Comprehensive Exams

Small smiles need regular visits to the dentist because it’s your best option to keep a keen eye on any changes or irregularities as they grow older. One way we’re able to truly see what’s happening inside their mouth is to conduct a comprehensive exam at our Medford pediatric dental office with the smiling team your kids know and love. Typically a comprehensive exam will include:

  • Digital/Panoramic x-rays – We like to detect decay as early as we can and these safe, non-invasive x-rays do the trick. These images also provide our doctors and parents with a clearer idea of tooth and root positioning.
  • Oral cancer and gum disease evaluations – Doctors will look around the face, tongue, neck, and gums for any signs of disease or cause for concern.
  • Examination of tooth decay and restorations – We have the tools and technology to detect decay and monitor any signs of failing fillings or crowns.
The Medford Center
Dental X-Rays

Dental x-rays are super important to all aspects of dentistry, including pediatric care. Today’s modern dental radiographs are safer than those used in the past. Rest assured, we take every precaution for you and your little one’s safety. X-rays are invaluable to us because they help to reveal issues that the dentist’s regular eyes can’t see such as:

  • Bone loss
  • Abscesses
  • Decay between the teeth
  • Improper development

X-rays help us create a more accurate treatment plan to save your family time and money maintaining their oral health.

Fluoride Treatments

Fluoride or “vitamins for your teeth” as we like to call them in the office, is a treatment we generally recommend to our pediatric patients every six months. It’s an extremely effective way to help keep teeth free from damaging decay. Fluoride is a naturally-occurring mineral and can actually be found in public water supplies and some of the foods we eat. Professional fluoride treatments courtesy of your Medford pediatric dentist are usually recommended for all patients, especially for those who have:

  • Deep pits on the teeth’s chewing surfaces
  • Sensitive root surfaces
  • Poor oral hygiene habits
  • Inadequate saliva flow or fluoride access
  • Recent history of dental decay
The Medford Center
Mouthguards

Go ahead and let your little one live hard and play hard, just don’t forget to protect their precious smile. Sports and getting exercise is 100 percent something all kids should do in our book, we just want their teeth to stay protected from damage or harm. We offer custom sports mouthguards for kids who can’t get enough of being active. On the flip side, we can also protect their teeth at night from damage thanks to our specially crafted nightguards designed to stop grinding.

The Medford Center
Anesthesia

Our team will do everything we can to make sure your child is comfortable and feeling positive about their dental experience. However, sometimes little patients need a little help not feeling anxious or scared in the dental chair, especially if they’re facing some time-consuming work. That’s why we’re certified in the safe administration of nitrous oxide or what refer to as “laughing gas” around the kiddos. This is one of the most common sedation methods used for children because it’s easy to administer, wears off quickly, and has no side effects. We also have the necessary training and credentials to administer anesthesia in a hospital setting for pediatric dental cases that are more complex.

Technology

It is safe to say our world is becoming more and more digital by the day, and dentistry is the same way. Gone are the days of dangerous radiographs and messy impressions. The Medford Center for Orthodontics & Pediatric Dentistry has invested in some of the most advanced dental technology available today. This includes our safe, yet highly powerful digital imaging and intraoral camera technology. Doing things digitally means kids don’t have to struggle with intolerable impressions or dangerous radiation from traditional, non-digital x-rays.

Emergency Care

Emergencies happen! Don’t think that you messed up as a parent or think the worst in the event of a dental emergency in Medford. We’re here for your child and you, to help you deal with any issues or problems calmly and quickly. To help reduce the likelihood of a smile injury at home or at school, try to get your kiddo to wear a mouthguard when playing sports. Always remember to buckle them up and yourselves too! Avoid nasty toothaches and pains with regular visits and cleanings with our talented team. They’re here for you, every step of the way!

The Medford Center
Infant Visit

The very best way to ensure your child grows up with a good relationship with oral health is to start them off early. Like the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry suggests, your Medford pediatric dentist says the first infant visit should occur before their first birthday comes and goes. There’s nothing a parent should stress over about bringing their infant in for an initial visit. It’s an experience designed to make you and your child feel relaxed and at home in our office and with our team. We want to build their trust so that as they grow along with their smile, seeing the dentist for a checkup or cleaning is no big deal — for everyone involved! Need help learning how to keep your little one’s smile sparkling at home? Dr. DeFeo can help! She’ll show you the importance of getting the right amount of fluoride and talk about infant habits such as thumb sucking and using a pacifier.

The Medford Center
The Medford Center
Cleanings & Prevention

We love our patients of all ages and stages of life. However, there’s no more crucial time to take care of our smile than when we’re younger. We care so much about prevention because we actually want to keep you and your family out of the dental chair. By having parents, your Medford pediatric dentist, and our staff on the same page, we’re one step closer to preventing and stopping the progress of dental issues in children such as cavities, gum disease, and tooth deterioration. With regular cleanings, we can easily monitor your child’s oral health and detect anything out of the ordinary that might require additional attention. You can also help out with prevention at home by promoting a healthy diet of vegetables and fruits, without a ton of sugary foods and beverages. It’s also a huge help to have a structured oral hygiene routine at home, so your little one can keep cavities from forming and doing damage to their sweet smile.

The Medford Center
Sealants

Think of sealants as raincoats for tiny teeth, protecting them from harmful bacteria and deteriorating decay. Sealants are made up of a very thin type of plastic coating that we quickly and painlessly brush on top of your teeth’s enamel. Sealants are highly effective at helping to fill in where there are grooves within the teeth where cavities love to live, causing up to 75 percent of all dental decay in kids. Your Medford pediatric dentist likes to recommend sealants for baby teeth if teeth (for whatever reason) are deemed to be more prone to cavity development. Between the ages of six and 16, older children and teens are more susceptible to tooth decay and should consider sealants a preventive option.

The Medford Center
How To Properly Brush Your Teeth

Your pediatric dentist in Medford (and everyone else) will tell you that there’s no better way to keep tiny teeth clean than to brush them twice each day. It’s ideal to have your kiddo brush their teeth in the morning before starting their day and at night before they head to bed. You’ll want to find a soft toothbrush for them with bristles that are rounded at the edge, so they’re gentler on younger gums and teeth. You can even opt for an electric toothbrush for your child. Today, there are many kid-friendly options on the market, featuring useful brushing tools that can help deep clean their teeth. When your child is ready to brush, give them a small, almost pea-sized amount of toothpaste on their toothbrush. You’ll want them to help teach them how to hold the brush at a 45-degree angle and brush all around their mouth (including the tongue) for at least two minutes.

The Medford Center
Eruption of Your Child’s Teeth

As if what occurs during pregnancy isn’t already incredible enough, did you know that during the fourth month of fetal development, your teeth are already growing? This is why, if you’ve ever been pregnant, doctors and dentists will stress that you have a healthy and nourishing prenatal diet to ensure you get the right vitamins and nutrients necessary for proper development and growth. Around six months of age, you’re going to notice your little one might be getting a little fussier and a lot more “drooly.” This is probably because they’re teething, and the first tooth is getting to make its big debut. By the time they grow to be age three, your child should have all of their baby teeth erupted normally. Once these teeth are in place, it’s very important that you see your pediatric dentist in Medford. They can make sure these “placeholders” remain in good shape over the years before their adult teeth erupt.

The Medford Center
The Medford Center

We help small smiles grow great grins.
Schedule an appointment, today!