Pediatric Dental Care
Keeping Your Child’s Smile Healthy
Whether you’re looking for a new dentist or planning for your child’s very first dental visit, Van Wormer Family Dentistry is dedicated to making your child feel at home in our office. Our priority is always to help your child feel safe in our dental office and learn how to keep their smile healthy and beautiful as they grow.
Our pediatric dental care services include regular checkups as well as gentle restorative dental services if your child needs a cavity filled or additional dental work completed.
Some children can feel anxious about visiting the dentist, especially if it’s new to them. If your child needs extra help to feel calm and comfortable in our office, please ask about our nitrous oxide sedation option.
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Your Child’s First Dental Visit
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the best time for your child’s first dental visit is no later than their first birthday. You can also bring your child to the dentist as soon as their first tooth appears!
More than 21% of children in the United States between the ages of 2 and 5 have cavities. The longer you wait to bring your child to the dentist, the more at risk they are for developing cavities and more serious dental problems.
During your child’s first dental visit with us, you can expect Dr. Van Wormer to conduct a thorough, gentle oral exam. He will be looking for any signs of tooth decay and conditions that may require specialized care. For example, some children are more susceptible to tooth decay and can benefit from dental sealants.
Our dental hygienists will show your child how to properly brush and take care of their teeth, as well as complete a thorough teeth cleaning to remove any plaque and tartar build-up. Your child’s first visit will also likely include dental x-rays so Dr. Van Wormer can monitor your child’s growing mouth and placement of each tooth.
Additional Information
Is Your Child Nervous About The Dentist?
Unfortunately, many children experience anxiety when they visit the dentist, especially if they’ve had a negative experience in the past.
Dr. Van Wormer and our entire dental staff are dedicated to making sure your child feels calm and comfortable when they visit.
If your child experiences dental anxiety or needs additional accommodations to help them relax during their dental appointment, please let our office staff know when you schedule their appointment so we can help!
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Routine Teeth Cleaning & Oral Checkups
Your child should receive a routine teeth cleaning and oral checkup every six months. This allows Dr. Van Wormer and our pediatric dental care team to get ahead of any potential problems and recommend quick treatment and ongoing preventative care.
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Dental Sealants
Dental sealants have been proven to be extremely effective in preventing cavities in the molars of young children. It can be difficult for children to completely reach their rear molars while brushing, which can cause decay to build up. Dental sealants are thin coatings painted on your child’s rear molars that can provide an extra layer of protection.
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Composite Fillings
This type of dental filling is tooth-colored and is designed to withstand the normal wear and tear of children eating, drinking, and brushing their teeth. If your child has a small cavity, Dr. Van Wormer generally recommends this type of dental filling.
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Pulpotomy (Root Canals)
At Van Wormer Family Dentistry, our goal is always to preserve your child’s teeth whenever possible. However, in cases where a tooth has too much advanced decay to save, we recommend a pulpotomy, which is a root canal specifically designed for pediatric dental patients.
A pulpotomy is necessary when tooth decay extends beyond the tooth enamel and infects the pulp inside your child’s tooth. Dr. Van Wormer will numb the area around the infected tooth, remove the decay and affected pulp, then seal it and complete the procedure by placing a crown to protect your child’s tooth.
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Dental Crowns
Dr. Van Wormer typically recommends using a pediatric dental crown to protect your child’s tooth after it has been treated for decay or damage. This allows your child to keep their tooth, rather than have it extracted. We provide either stainless steel or tooth-colored crowns.
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Gentle Tooth Extraction
Sometimes, in the event of severe decay or damage, your child’s tooth may need to be extracted. If Dr. Van Wormer recommends tooth extraction, you can relax knowing that our pediatric dental staff will make sure your child feels safe and comfortable during the procedure.
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Space Maintainers
Your child might need a space maintainer if they’ve lost a baby tooth and their adult tooth hasn’t begun to push into that space yet. Space maintainers are typically made out of acrylic and fill the space left by the missing tooth to keep the surrounding teeth from shifting out of place.
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Nitrous Oxide Sedation
Our dental office uses safe, effective nitrous oxide treatment to sedate anxious patients or to ensure your child can comfortably sit still during dental procedures. This gentle sedation can also work well to relax children who have a more sensitive gag reflex.
At the end of treatment, your child will feel no lingering effects and the sedation wears off quickly. Your child will stay fully conscious during treatment and able to respond to questions and check-ins. If you have questions about using nitrous oxide during your child’s dental visit, please contact our staff members, who are always happy to help!
Ready to Make an Appointment?
If you’re ready to be seen by our dentist, use the button below to learn how to schedule a visit!
New Patients
Your Family's Trusted Dentist In Warsaw, IN
It is easy to make an appointment for your initial dental examination and any necessary treatment.
Call (574) 269-4659 to speak with a team member.
Mon-Wed: 8am-5pmThu: 7am-4pmFri: Closed
Frequently Asked Questions
Are you accepting new patients?
We are always accepting new patients at Van Wormer Family Dentistry.
Do you accept my insurance?
Van Wormer Family Dentistry accepts most insurances with out of network coverage. We don’t accept HIP, SHIP, Medicaid, or Marketplace Insurance policies.
The most popular out-of-network dental insurances we accept are:
- Aetna
- Metlife
- Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
- United Health Care
- Humana
- Ameritas
- Principal
If you aren’t sure how out-of-network dental coverage works, or aren’t sure if we can accept your dental insurance, just give our office a call and we’ll be happy to help answer your questions.
What payment methods do you take?
We accept all major credit cards, cash, check, and Care Credit.
Do you offer payment plans?
We do not offer in-house payment plans, but Care Credit is a great option that has a variety of payment plans available.
Please contact us with any other questions you may have.