Pediatric Dentist Chicago

Pediatric Dentist
Pediatric Dentist Chicago
A real story from a patient's second visit to Dentistry For Children, to see Dr. Boyd, the Chicago Pediatric Dentist.

Yesterday we took both girls back in for their first of many dental devices. You may remember our first visit back in November which was completely unpleasant for Lucy. This time I asked the hygienist if she could take off her mask and with that, Lucy was calm. Len sat in the chair this time and we let Kate go first so Lucy could watch and see what was going to happen. It made a world of difference because, as has been demonstrated in nearly every video I've taken of them, Lucy insists on doing whatever Kate is doing even if it's unpleasant. Fortunately, the visit was not unpleasant at all. They were both fitted for infant trainers to help align their jaws correctly. True to form, they remain opposite in every way, even in jaw structure. Lucy needs her upper jaw to move forward and Kate needs her lower jaw to move forward.

Kate had it down pat last night but I could only get Lucy to keep it in her mouth if I distracted her with Yo Gabba Gabba. Pick your battles, right?

As for what else is going on in their mouths, here's what I can recall from trying to listen to the dentist while keeping 2 toddlers from destroying his office:

In order to explain, here's a visual to help in case you aren't familiar with tooth development: Kate has 16 teeth and is working on cutting the last 4--the 2nd molars. That's pretty much it. Normal.

Lucy has 13 teeth. She is missing both lateral incisors on her lower jaw and one lateral incisor on her right upper jaw where her cleft was located. She still needs to cut her 2nd molars as well. Since her bottom lateral incisors never came in that means she will not get them as an adult either. As for the top lateral incisor, it could be there in a stunted form or it may not be there at all. It could still come out through her gums or her palate (really hope that doesn't happen as that will cause nasty problems) or it might not ever come out. This all means that she may or may not have this tooth as an adult either.
For now, we wait are taking a wait-and-see approach. We'll work on jaw alignment with the infant trainer and continue that process with different appliances as they get older, shaping the jaw and keeping the canines where they are supposed to be so her face will keep the proper shape. In the past, dentists would just move all the teeth over to fill the gap where teeth are missing. Now, as they have realized that the canines are kind of like the cornerstones or framing of your face, it is best to keep those in their proper location.

The goal with the infant trainers now is for them to wear them 5-10 minutes a few times a day and then to work up to sleeping with them at night. This will also help them continue to breathe through their noses at night which is optimal for good health.

Pediatric Dentist

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Early Orthodontic Treatment- Chicago Pediatric Dentist

Need and Advantages of Early Orthodontic Treatment

Timmy had been extremely quiet when you talked to him after summer camp today. Some kids, he says, referred to him as “buck tooth”. You hugged and reassured him that they were just simply kids that do not understand that his smile is changing because of typical development and that very soon his beautiful, healthy adult teeth will be replacing all his primary teeth. Nevertheless, it became apparent that Timmy’s central teeth stick out too much. 

You might also be concerned with Timmy's appearance and psychological health?  Does the position of his tooth affect his speech? Is that this an ordinary developmental phase? And also, when it is a temporary phase should you intervene to avoid a few psychological or even social scarring of your child?


The U.S. Connection of Orthodontics recommends that all children be seen by an orthodontist by the age of 7. You can find good reasons behind this recommendation.


The following is a  “Bite & Smile" checklist. So grab any pad and keep an eye on at the child’s smile.
Chew & Smile Check List
-Do the youngster's top teeth stand out past an acceptable limit?
-Do your child's front teeth touch the lower too much?
-As soon as your kid's back teeth touch, can he/she stick their particular tongue among leading teeth?
-Is there be enough space for your child's enamel?


If you've answered yes to any of these questions, you should bring your child for an orthodontic consultation at a dental office in Chicago, or your local town.


Chicago Orthodontist
Pediatric dentist chicago


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Pediatric Dentist Chicago Free Parking

Just a reminder...

Chicago Pediatric Dentist

Although we are located in the heart of Lincoln Park, we do provide parking for our patients and families behind our building.  

We also provide dental care for adults and have an experienced general dentist on staff (Dr. Pannaralla). 

We also offer Orthodontic care for children. 

Orthodontist Chicago

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Infant and Toddler Dental Care

Infants and toddlers are not immune to dental health problems.  The 2000, “Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General” found that tooth decay is the most prevalent chronic childhood disease – five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever.  It has become an alarming and growing problem in children aged 2 to 5 years old.  This is why we stress the importance of establishing a dental home for your child for the first tooth and learn the simple preventive measures for your home.

We highly encourage you seek the care of a pediatric dentist for your children.  If you choose our Chicago Pediatric Dental Office, we look forward to a happy and rewarding relationship with your family.

Why Choose A Pediatric Dentist

As pediatric dentist in Chicago, Dr. Boyd, is trained to create a positive enjoyable experience for children visiting the dental office.

Pediatric dentists must  complete a two-year specialty residency in addition to their basic four years of dental school.  The residency focuses on the special care of children from infancy through adolescence.  The doctors learn about the processes of a growing, changing and developing child.  They learn specifically about the mouth, face, head and neck development.  This residency also teaches dentists how the growing body’s health and nutrition relates to the oral health of the growing child.  During these  studies dentists learn how to calm an anxious young patient and how to use the dental equipment designed for children.

Dr. Boyd, like most pediatric dentists, specializes in the care of infants, children and adolescents as well as children and adults with special needs .  Dental care for an infant should begin as early as six months, or at the time the child receives his/her first tooth.  A pediatric dentist is trained to understand the growth and development of the mouth, the process of oral maturation and can identify and correct irregular growth patterns to create a solid bite and beautiful smile.

Pediatric dental offices often function, look, and feel different from a general dentist offices.  It is all part of helping a child and family have positive dental experiences.  At Dentistry For Children we focus on helping the child understand the importance and simplicity of a healthy nutrition and good oral health routines that will create strong beautiful teeth to last a lifetime.

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Top 10 Reasons to bring your child to the dentist

10.  Instill habits that promote good health from an early age.

9.  Have your child's growth patterns observed from an early age to provide orthodontic treatment at the right time.

8.  Prevent painful cavities through professional cleanings.

7.  Provide sealants to your child's molars to prevent decay.

6.  Establish a comfortable dental "home" for your child.

5.  Prevent dental phobia, which can evolve if the child isn't used to regular dental check ups.

4.  Provide your child with professional, regular dental health related education.

3.  Teach your children from an early age that their oral health is important.

2.  Because you don't want your child to be "the smelly kid" in school.

1.  Establish important dental habits that will lead to a lifetime of smiles!

Contact us at Pediatric Dentist Chicago
Orthodontist Chicago

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Pediatric Dentist Chicago Provides Free Exams

In order to promote infant dental care, our office (Dentistry For Children and Families in Lincoln Park) is offering free dental exams for children under the age of one.

According to the AAPD, American Association of Pediatric Dentistry, children should see the dentist for an exam before their first birthday.

Unfortunately, many parents do not yet understand the value of this first visit.  To help promote dental exams for infants and help educate Chicago parents of the importance of children's dental care, we have decided to provide the exams at no cost.  This allows us to evaluate the development of the existing primary teeth, as well as examine the condition of the gums. 

This first visit allows young children to get comfortable with dental visits and it helps to decrease the likelihood of dental anxiety in the child as he ages.  It also allows us an opportunity to discuss other health related topics with parents.  Topics such as: nutrition, thumb sucking, and baby bottle habits are all discussed. 

To get more information about getting a free dental exam for your baby, please contact Dentistry For Children and Families at 312-988-9855 or visit www.dentistry4children.net.