Teen Dental Specialist

If your teens have stayed cavity-free, visiting the dentist may become less frequent at this age. If they are prone to cavities, though, we recommend seeing them on a six-month basis. We expect most teenagers to be brushing on their own and make their own decisions about diet and oral care. Dr. Fran, also a teen dentist, will help counsel them on healthy choices to not only stay cavity-free with their permanent teeth but also to maintain overall good oral health.

During the teen years, we generally recommend the use of electric toothbrushes. There is good evidence that an electric toothbrush is more effective at removing plaque and reducing gum disease (periodontal disease) than a manual toothbrush. Teens can still get the same effect with a manual toothbrush, but they need to work harder with the proper brushing technique.

Many teenagers will start their orthodontic treatment at this age. This may be “invisible” treatments such as Invisalign aligners or more traditional braces. At Glow, Dr. Fran, our teen dentist, will work collaboratively with our orthodontist, Dr. Cho, during your teen’s orthodontic treatment.

This means fewer visits to the dentist and orthodontist for your entire family. Working together with the orthodontic team directly, we can help prevent cavities and gum disease with the adult teeth during orthodontic treatment more effectively and efficiently.

Teen years are also a time to think about whether to keep or remove the wisdom teeth (third permanent molars) as a part of overall oral care. As we have evolved as a human species, our jaws are getting smaller and it is common to not have room for our last permanent teeth in the back corners of our mouth. This crowding can lead to gum disease and periodontal disease of adjacent teeth. Dr. Fran assesses the angulation, location and space with the existing permanent teeth to make a decision about the wisdom teeth. Generally, we will help with the wisdom teeth for your teens, whatever the treatment decision may be. If they are completely embedded in the bone or need more expert care due to other factors, we will work together with our friendly oral surgeons to help get those wisdom teeth out as safely and uneventfully as possible.

Congratulations! You’ve made it! By age 18, your teenager has officially graduated from our pediatric dental practice. By now, we will have helped your children to build healthy habits for good oral health. They can be seen by a general dentist for their regular check-ups and cleanings. As much as we would love to keep seeing them, as young adults, they now need care for their adult teeth by dentists and specialists who are more used to seeing and managing issues that may arise at this age and onwards. We may continue to see your young adult children if they have special health-care needs.