New Here?
We're so glad you found us.
Whether your bff whispered our name in your ear, or you've been following our office fun on social media, welcome to our home. This site is full of pediatric dental resources, here's a quick overview. Start here, and together we can take care of your child's smile.
What is Pediatric Dentistry?
Pediatric dentists are the pediatricians of dentistry, with two to three years of specialty training beyond dental school. Pediatric dentists are the experts in oral care for infants and children through adolescence, including those with special health care needs.
What age do we start?
Any time is the right time to start. No matter what age we will meet your child where they're at! If your child is an infant we go by first tooth first visit or by age 1. A first trip to the pediatric dentist does two things: First, it creates a dental home for your child; somewhere they feel safe, cared for and comfortable going as they grow. Second, this visit starts the journey in protecting your child's smile now and for the future.
Do we need a referral?
Every child deserves the care of a pediatric dentist. It's easy, just call us! No need to get a referral whether you are looking for a new patient visit, hygiene appointment, second opinion, or needing treatment.
The New Patient Experience
We have a special New Patient Room just for you. Sometimes one of the barriers to a successful first trip to a new dentist is the dental chair. Sitting alone, being reclined, and bright lights can all contribute to this fear. Our New Patient Room works to eliminate these challenges. Unlike a typical dental room with a dental chair, you and your child hang out on a reclining bench where they can sit comfortably by your side. This is where the first visit as a new patient happens. Instead of being reclined, your child lies back themselves, instead of being alone they are as close to you as they wish whether that is snuggled on your lap or side by side holding your hand.
Help, my child is scared
A regular day for a child can be hard, imagine a new experience like the dentist. We get that getting here can feel like a mountain to climb, especially with a nervous or scared child. We celebrate every win and want to meet your child where they are at, that is why we take each appointment at their pace. Sometimes the first visit is just that, a visit, a moment to meet, check out the space, and meet the team. We call this the happy visit. We will celebrate each win with your family, big or small.
Help, we have an emergency!
Call us. Dr. Daniel makes himself available for emergencies by phone to guide, support and provide care for you and your child during non-clinic hours. The care he wants for his own children is the care he wants to make available to the children of this community. When in doubt, call by reaching us at 905-592-1172 and listening to the instructions for emergency care. Click Here
What is the difference between fillings, sealants, and crowns?
Sealants work by filling in the grooves on the chewing surfaces of the teeth. They block food particles from getting stuck in the teeth which prevents cavities from forming. The application is fast and comfortable and can effectively protect teeth for many years.
Fillings treat tooth decay, preventing further damage and tooth loss, and the possibility of pain and infection. A filling seals a hole, or cavity, in the tooth by replacing decayed tooth material with fillings, which can be made from resin, ionomers, gold, amalgam, or ceramics.
When a filling just won't do the job, a crown is needed to protect the tooth. A crown is a tooth shaped cap for a damaged tooth. It can be made from materials like metal or porcelain.
At BPD we specialize in White Zirconia Crowns. These tooth coloured crowns are amazingly strong and perform like the traditional metal crown, except you would never know it was a crown! Against their neighbours, zirconia crowns are nearly undistinguishable.
We use a variety of sedation techniques
Nitrous Oxide is a blend of two gases, oxygen and nitrous oxide. When breathed in it has a calming effect. Your child will smell a sweet, pleasant smell and experience a sense of well-being and relaxation. If your child is worried by the sights, sounds, or sensations of dental treatment, they may respond more positively with the use of nitrous oxide. It is mild, easily taken, and then quickly eliminated by the body.
Oral Conscious Sedation can help increase cooperation and reduce anxiety and/or discomfort associated with dental treatment. Various medications can be used to sedate a child; medicines will be selected based upon your child's overall health, level of anxiety, and dental treatment recommendations. Most children become relaxed or drowsy and may drift into a light sleep from which they can be aroused easily.
General Anesthesia is the loss of feeling or sensation with a loss of consciousness. It keeps your child pain-free during surgery and controls the body's reaction to stress relieving fear and anxiety. It is also an accepted standard of care for children who have limited comprehension or children who are uncooperative and require dental care that is technically difficult or sensitive to deliver. BPD has a surgical suite and a team of medical anesthesiologists and nurses providing the medical care, while the BPD team provides the dental care.
What's so special about baby teeth?
Baby teeth act as parking spots for adult teeth. They assist with development, speech, and functionality. Things happen, decay happens, but leaving cavities untreated risks having pain, infection, and rising dental costs. Decay on baby teeth means decay when the big ones arrive. Let's work together to get healthy mouths and practice healthy habits for a lifetime of beautiful smiles.
What's a Tongue Tie?
A tongue-tie can be present at birth; it restricts the tongue's range of motion. With tongue-tie, an unusually short, thick or tight band of tissue tethers the bottom of the tongue's tip to the floor of the mouth, so it may interfere with breast-feeding as a new born or licking ice cream from a cone as a child. Our Pediatric Dentists assess newborns for tongue ties and when it makes sense can do a simple in office release.
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Fluoride
Fluoride use at home is based on cavity risk. The higher the risk for an individual child, the more likely fluoride while brushing is a good call. At each visit, the dentist will assess what that risk is for your child and discuss if fluoride is right for them during brushing. But in general, as soon as your child has their first set of molars use a very small amount of fluoride toothpaste - about the size of the tip of a ballpoint pen. Until the molars come in and an assessment has been done, brushing with water alone is just fine.
X-Rays
We wish we had x-ray vision but sadly we don't, that's why we take x-rays to see what's happening BETWEEN the teeth. Without these images, there may be cavities hiding where the naked eye can't see. We use digital x-rays; two of these are about the same as 10 minutes in the sun. Routine x-rays help us stay on top of your child's oral health and limit treatment that could have been caught early on. The machine we have is small; it is designed for the tiny mouths of children, making the process easier and more comfortable.
Toothbrushing & Flossing
The top question we get about brushing is, “When can my child brush on their own?” The simplest answer is when they can tie their shoes and eat with a fork and knife like royalty, around the age of 8-9. Until then it's up to you, brave parents to help with the process. Some tips to achieve this Olympic style event - brush wherever, they could be watching their favourite movie, and do it lying down! And what about flossing, when do you start? The answer: when two teeth touch. Keep an eye on those baby teeth, as soon as two are touching flossing is super important. It disrupts bacteria where the toothbrush can't touch. You got this!!